Hormone therapy (HT), also known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), involves using medications that contain female hormones to supplement low hormone levels. This can help relieve unpleasant signs and symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood changes, and sleep problems.
HT is an effective treatment option for many people, but there are some risks to consider as well. Working with an experienced hrt specialist at a clinic like Renewed Balance Clinic can help ensure you receive safe, customized care.
Below is an overview of key topics related to hormone therapy, including:
- Hot flashes - Night sweats - Vaginal dryness - Mood changes - Sleep problems - Decreased libido - Weight gain - Thinning hair
- Relief of menopause symptoms - Protection against osteoporosis - Potential improved memory and concentration - Possible reduced risk of colorectal cancer
- Estrogen therapy - Progestogen therapy - Combination estrogen-progestogen therapy - Bioidentical hormone therapy
- Potential increased risk of blood clots, stroke, heart attack - Possible increased risk of breast cancer - Importance of proper dosing and monitoring
- Customized hrt treatment plans - Ongoing monitoring and dosage adjustments - Emphasis on bioidentical hormones - Holistic approach focusing on nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle
Hormone levels that are out of balance can significantly impact a woman’s quality of life. Decreased estrogen is a main cause of symptoms many women experience during perimenopause and menopause. Low testosterone or thyroid hormones can also cause troublesome signs like fatigue, weight gain, and depression.
That’s why it’s so important to have your hormone levels tested if you are experiencing any suspected deficiency symptoms. Identifying and properly treating any imbalances can help you feel healthier, happier, and more energetic.
The experienced medical team at Renewed Balance Clinic specializes in customized bioidentical hormone therapy to restore optimal hormone balance. We emphasize the use of bioidentical hormones which are identical in structure to the hormones naturally produced in the human body.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with bioidentical hormones is extremely effective for relieving deficiency symptoms when properly dosed and monitored. Many women find it life-changing.
Renewed Balance Clinic also takes a holistic approach by providing nutritional counseling, fitness guidance, stress management techniques and other complementary therapies to maximize your overall health and hormone therapy results.
There are many advantages to choosing Renewed Balance Clinic for your hormone treatment needs:
We don’t take a “one size fits all” approach. Our experienced hrt doctors and nurses take the time to understand your unique situation, symptoms, medical history and preferences. This enables us to develop customized bioidentical hormone therapy plans to meet each patient’s needs.
We re-evaluate your hormone levels and adjust dosages accordingly on an ongoing basis to ensure optimal treatment.
Our hrt specialists have advanced certifications and extensive experience in hormone therapy and bioidentical hormone replacement. We stay up-to-date on the latest research and frequently collaborate with top medical experts in this field.
You can trust our team to provide safe, effective, state-of-the-art care based on best practices and proven approaches.
Renewed Balance Clinic believes bioidentical hormone therapy offers important advantages compared to traditional synthetic hormone medications. The bioidentical hormones we prescribe are identical on a molecular level to the hormones your body produces naturally.
This allows for excellent fine-tuning and balancing of hormone levels. Bioidentical hormones also tend to have less risks and side effects compared to synthetic versions when properly dosed.
We don’t just look at hormones in isolation. Our practitioners evaluate all aspects of your health including nutrition, fitness level, stress levels and more. We provide guidance to help optimize nutrition, activity levels, weight management and mental health – all key factors that interact with hormone balance and menopause symptoms.
Our goal is to help women thrive physically and mentally during perimenopause, menopause and beyond. We empower patients with personalized care plans to look and feel their best while aging gracefully.
Our clinic provides a peaceful, welcoming environment for Chicago Southland-area women to receive compassionate care close to home. Let us help you address hormone deficiency symptoms so you can enjoy life to the fullest!
Renewed Balance Clinic is conveniently located at:
Renewed Balance Clinic 123 Main St. Monee, IL 60449
Hormone therapy can help transgender individuals align their physical characteristics with their gender identity. While the emotional benefits are well-known, research also shows hormone therapy improves cardiovascular health in transgender women by raising their estrogen levels closer to cisgender women's levels.
Estrogen therapy is commonly used treat moderate to severe menopause symptoms in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Estrogen helps regulate menstrual cycles and keeps the vagina lubricated, elastic and healthy. It also helps prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis and bone fractures.
When estrogen levels drop around menopause, women may experience hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), mood swings, trouble concentrating, weight gain and thinning hair on the head.
Estrogen therapy can effectively relieve these estrogen deficiency symptoms. The various types of estrogen therapies include:
These deliver estrogen directly into the blood stream. Estrogen pills available include: - Conjugated equine estrogens (Premarin®) - Synthetic ethinyl estradiol - Bioidentical estradiol
The bioidentical estradiol pills most closely match the estrogen naturally made by ovaries. This is the preferred type of oral estrogen therapy prescribed by Renewed Balance Clinic providers.
Transdermal estrogen skin patches deliver hormones through the skin into the bloodstream. Popular patch brands are Vivelle-Dot®, Climara® and Menostar®. Estrogen patches available from compounding pharmacies offer dosage customization advantages.
Patches allow estrogen absorption around the clock, which helps maintain stable hormone blood levels.
Topical estrogen creams, gels and emulsions are rubbed directly onto the skin where they are absorbed into the blood circulation. This avoids first-pass liver metabolism.
Estrogen creams are often compounded in custom-blended formulas and concentrations. They are frequently prescribed for treatment of vaginal atrophy symptoms.
The flexible soft Estring® contains a small reservoir that steadily releases a low dose of estrogen directly to vaginal tissues. The ring is replaced every 90 days.
These solid forms are inserted directly into the vagina to supply localized estrogen to relieve dryness and associated pain with intercourse. Examples are Vagifem® vaginal tablets and Imvexxy® estradiol vaginal inserts.
When estrogen is used long-term by women with a uterus, progestogen must be taken as well to balance the estrogen effects on uterine tissue. This helps prevent abnormal thickening of the uterine lining which can lead to endometrial cancer.
Adding progestogen therapy offsets the endometrial cancer risk associated with using estrogen alone during and after menopause.
The various types of progestogens used include both synthetic progestins and bioidentical progesterone. These are taken for 10-14 days per month or on another cyclic schedule.
Here are specifics about the main types of progestogen therapy products:
Oral progestins are synthetic progesterone-like hormones (not bioidentical). Common brands are Provera®, Aygestin® and generic formulations.
Micronized progesterone capsules called Prometrium® most closely match the exact molecular structure of the hormone made by the ovaries. This bioidentical formulation is often preferred.
Topical, transdermal progesterone creams and gels allow absorption directly through the skin into the blood circulation while bypassing the liver. This avoids liver metabolism and potential side effects.
Progesterone injections like Depo-Provera provide a high dose that lasts for several months. This ensures protection of the uterine lining for those not compliant using pills or creams. However, injections cannot be removed if side effects occur.
These supply progesterone right where its needed to thicken vaginal tissues. Brand names are Crinone® vaginal gels and Endometrin® vaginal inserts. Custom-formulated vaginal suppositories are also available.
The Mirena® IUD steadily releases a synthetic progestin to protect the uterus from overgrowth for up to 5 years.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) offers an excellent option for relieving menopause symptoms and correcting hormone deficiencies.
The bioidentical hormones prescribed by Renewed Balance Clinic are identical in molecular structure to the hormones women's bodies produce naturally in their ovaries and adrenal glands. This allows precise balancing of hormone levels.
With customized BHRT dosing under medical supervision, many women report:
The practitioners at Renewed Balance Clinic have advanced training in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. We develop personalized plans designed to restore optimal hormone balance for each woman’s needs.
Key elements include:
Renewed Balance Clinic bioidentical hormone specialists fine-tune BHRT dosing to maximize benefits and minimize risks. We provide caring support so patients fully understand the process and what to expect.
Comprehensive hormone testing provides vital health information for both sexes. But many people don’t realize they should get tested.
For women approaching perimenopause and menopause, hormone testing is crucial to identify the cause of any symptoms and help guide appropriate treatment.
Women who have: - Reached age 40-50 years - Started having menopause or perimenopause symptoms - Had a hysterectomy or ovary removal - Infertility or irregular periods - Chronic medical conditions - Thyroid problems - Breast cancer - Bone loss or osteopenia/osteoporosis
Common hormone tests include:
Sex hormones - Estradiol - Testosterone - Progesterone
These regulate menstrual cycles and menopause symptoms in women.
Thyroid hormones - TSH - Free T4 - Free T3
These regulate metabolism.
Stress and adrenal hormones - DHEA-S - Cortisol
These affect energy, immunity and stress resilience.
Vitamin D is also commonly tested since deficiency is widespread.
Renewed Balance Clinic uses a comprehensive panel to accurately identify any hormone imbalances or deficiencies. We include additional tests as needed to dig deeper when hormone dysfunction is suspected.
Blood, saliva or urine samples may be collected depending on the types of hormone tests needed.
Let’s delve a little deeper into the specifics of how bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) works its magic.
Prescribing practitioner at specialty clinics like Renewed Balance Clinic have advanced expertise in the science and art of using bioidentical hormones to correct deficiencies and relieve symptoms.
The process includes:
The first step is to test blood, saliva or urine samples to accurately identify each woman’s hormone levels and deficiencies.
Experienced BHRT practitioners interpret the lab report in context by carefully analyzing hormone ratios and patterns – not just looking at individual values in isolation.
Any hormonal abnormalities are identified, and the root causes investigated. This allows development of proper treatment plan.
Once any deficiencies and imbalances are confirmed, we design a personalized prescription hormone therapy (HT) regimen using FDA-approved, pharmacy-grade bioidentical hormone medications.
The prescription specifies adjusted doses and combinations of bioidentical estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA and/or other hormone therapies needed to best match and treat each woman’s unique deficiency profile.
Follow up blood or saliva hormone level checks are performed 1-3 months later to confirm hormone levels are optimizing in the blood stream. This helps determine proper maintenance dosing to sustain ideal balance long-term.
Doses may be fine-tuned over first few months to achieve full benefits. Patients receive ongoing monitoring and dosage adjustments as needed over months and years to continually match the changing needs of their bodies.
This methodical approach allows precision balancing of hormones for optimal function and relief of deficiency symptoms. Restored wellness and vitality is the goal!
Misinformation and outdated research has caused some confusion regarding the safety of bioidentical hormone therapy (BHT).
Properly dosed bioidentical hormones customized for each individual woman’s needs have an excellent safety profile when properly monitored by an experienced practitioner.
However, there are some risks to consider – just as there are with any medication therapy. Understanding the facts is key.
- Estrogen therapy increases the chance of developing abnormal blood clots - Adding progestogen does NOT appear to increase this risk further - Transdermal patches/gels have less clotting risk than oral estrogen - Stopping cigarettes can help lower this danger as well
- Taking estrogen without progestogen can lead to uterine cancer - Adding progestogen protects uterine lining to neutralize this risk
Our experts keep current on the latest safety research. We utilize best practices like: - Careful patient screening - Using bioidentical over synthetic hormones - Starting with lower doses - Customizing combinations and delivery methods - Monitoring patients closely with needed testing
This allows us optimize benefits and minimize risks.
Proper nutrition provides the essential building blocks for manufacturing hormones and regulating hormone function.
That’s why Renewed Balance Clinic provides tailored nutritional guidance for hormone health as a key part of our therapy programs.
We offer tips for optimal eating strategies to help balance blood sugar, curb cravings, control weight, reduce inflammation and provide the essential micronutrients needed for ideal hormone production.
Our diet recommendations focus on consuming:
1. High-quality proteins - Grass-fed meat - Wild-caught fish - Organic poultry - Plant-based proteins
2. Healthy fats - Avocados - Nuts and seeds - Olive oil - Coconut oil - Wild-caught salmon
3. Lots of vegetables and fruits This provides needed fiber plus vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which serve as cofactors for hormone activity.
4. Avoiding common dietary hormone disruptors This means limiting intake of: - Excess carbohydrates like sugars, breads, pasta - Processed foods - Factory-farmed animal products - Potential environmental hormone disruptors
Adopting optimal eating habits provides fuel for energized womanhood!
Certain times of year tend to be more comfortable for undergoing evaluation and initiation of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
The winter months in Monee allow more time indoors staying cozy while adjusting hormone doses to alleviate menopausal symptoms. Late fall through winter is an ideal window for starting bioidentical HRT since there is less motivation to be outside in the cold!
Of course spring brings anticipation of more outdoor activation when trees bud and flowers bloom across the lush green landscapes surrounding Monee. Having hormone levels balanced by spring creates vitality to enjoy the warmer weather.
Early summer launches a host of local fairs, festivals and farmers markets offering bountiful in-season produce. What better way to fuel up on healing micronutrients that support hormonal health! Long sunny days invite backyard relaxation, walking trails or perhaps kayaking along the meandering creeks and calm rivers.
Of course by summer’s end as the season shifts to fall, having your personal hormone prescriptions optimized ensures energy to socialize, travel or pursue cherished hobbies during
