The onset of menopause marks a transitional stage in a woman's life, bringing both physical and emotional changes as the body adapts to decreasing hormone levels. Estrogen and progesterone play key roles in regulating menstrual cycles during the reproductive years. As a woman reaches her late 40s or early 50s, the ovaries gradually produce less of these hormones leading up to menopause—the point when menstrual periods stop completely.
While some women look forward to no longer dealing with monthly periods, menopause introduces new symptoms and health concerns related to hormonal imbalance. Many aspects of health and wellbeing are influenced by estrogen and progesterone. Having too little of these hormones can negatively impact sleep, mood, sexual function, heart health, bone density, weight management, and more. The wide range of possible menopausal symptoms makes tailored treatment plans essential.
The onset and severity of menopause symptoms vary significantly among women. Changes typically begin in perimenopause, the 2-10 year transitional phase leading up to the final menstrual period. Being attuned to your body can help you discern normal aging from hormone-related issues needing attention.
Hot flashes and night sweats are hallmark complaints, felt as intense waves of heat lasting from 30 seconds up to several minutes. Skin reddening and profuse sweating often accompany hot flashes. Sleep disruption from night sweats can greatly diminish quality of life. These vasomotor symptoms stem from decreasing estrogen levels, which upset the body’s temperature regulations. Up to 80% of women experience them to some degree during menopause.
The vaginal lining responds to the drop in estrogen by becoming thinner, less elastic, and more fragile. Many women notice vaginal dryness and irritation, stinging with intercourse, more frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs), and light bleeding after sex. Over time these symptoms can worsen if not properly managed.
Shifts in reproductive hormones, especially estrogen, interact with brain chemicals like serotonin influencing mood regulation and emotional wellbeing. More than 50% of menopausal women report increased irritability, anxiety, sadness, lack of motivation, difficulty concentrating, and interrupted sleep patterns.
Bone loss accelerates during the first few years after menopause due to lower estrogen levels. This raises osteoporosis risk later in life. Joint pain and muscular discomfort also become more prevalent, partially attributed to fluctuating estrogen.
Headaches, urinary incontinence, changes in cholesterol levels, and weight gain often accompany menopause as well. The collection of symptoms uniquely experienced by each woman points to areas of hormone imbalance in need of treatment.
Comprehensive hormone blood tests provide crucial baseline measurements of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid, cortisol and other hormone levels. Test results give clear indications of which hormones are out of optimal range for managing menopausal symptoms. Saliva tests can also track hormone changes throughout perimenopause more frequently.
Repeat testing every 3-6 months enables fine tuning of customized treatments based on your hormone values, symptom assessments, and dosage responses. We coordinate specialized blood draws through local labs.
Treating hormone deficiencies with bioidentical hormones helps counteract the many effects of menopause on health and vitality. Bioidentical hormones have a molecular structure identical to hormones made naturally in the body. This allows them to bind with proper receptors and interact at a cellular level much like your innate hormones.
The goal is balancing key hormones within optimal ranges unique to your physiology. Precision balancing alleviates unpleasant symptoms and greatly improves quality of life. It also conveys important health protections not possible through lifestyle measures alone.
Renew Hormone Institute specializes in customized bioidentical hormone therapies catered to your needs through compounding. We work with the highest quality FDA-regulated pharmacies providing:
This personalized approach is far superior to standardized doses of synthetic or non-bioidentical hormones.
Estrogen deficiency is at the root of most bothersome menopause complaints like hot flashes, vaginal atrophy, urinary issues, skeletal changes, cardiovascular effects, and mood swings. Various estrogen options are available to re-establish optimal estrogen status.
The type, strength, and delivery method depends on your lab numbers, symptom profile, risks factors, preferences, and experience over the first few months. We carefully craft your estrogen therapy for maximum benefits.
Progesterone’s Protective Effects
Restoring progesterone balance serves several important functions: - Protects uterine lining from unopposed estrogen - Facilitates regular menstrual cycles - Promotes restful sleep - Enhances mood stability - Aids weight management - Slows bone loss
Micronized progesterone oral capsules or sublingual drops are often combined with estrogen to protect endometrial health. Transdermal creams provide natural progesterone straight to cells. We determine the ideal progesterone dose and delivery for your needs.
The adrenal glands and ovaries gradually secrete fewer androgenic hormones, including testosterone, DHEA and DHEAS. Keeping these hormones at healthy youthful levels can alleviate menopausal symptoms and improve wellbeing.
In women, androgens play essential roles regulating libido, energy, assertiveness, muscle mass, fat distribution, skin tone, motivation, and enjoyment of life. Testosterone and DHEA deficiencies contribute to several issues like low sex drive, fatigue, stubborn weight gain, and declining mental sharpness.
We offer testosterone treatments including creams, gels and sublingual drops. Oral DHEA capsules help elevate depleted DHEA/DHEAS levels. Careful testosterone and DHEA restoration serves to greatly improve menopausal concerns and sustain vitality.
The thyroid gland controls metabolism and energy production throughout the body. Nearly 30% of women develop thyroid dysfunction by the time they reach menopause. Even subtle low thyroid function can cause weight gain, low mood, fatigue, mental slowing, cold hands/feet, constipation, hair loss, and other issues ruining quality of life.
Comprehensive lab testing reveals low thyroid output needing correction. We provide bioidentical thyroid hormones T3 and T4 as oral capsules or sublingual drops. Keeping your thyroid levels optimized prevents metabolism declines associated with aging.
All our bioidentical hormones come in a range of strengths for precision dosing exactly matching your lab numbers and symptom responses. This “body identical” approach achieves a harmonious balance not possible through standardized doses. The optimal hormone ratios and levels are unique for each woman.
We adjust dosages over months and years in collaboration with your needs and preferences for maximizing benefits. Finding one’s proper clinical dosing can take some fine tuning through testing feedback loops. Our experts continually help patients achieve ideal outcomes from hormone treatments.
Putting off treatment allows menopausal symptoms and related health consequences to needlessly worsen over time. Hot flashes often increase in frequency and severity for instance. Vaginal atrophy can lead to painful intercourse. Mood issues like anxiety, irritability and depression tend to progressively intensify when hormonal imbalances continue unchecked.
Likewise the increased risks of heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, dementia and certain cancers accumulate without adequate hormone balance as a protective factor. Protecting long term health relies on understanding and responding to what each phase of hormonal aging requires.
Through accurately assessing your symptoms and lab numbers, we craft integrated programs halting and often reversing declines associated with menopausal hormone imbalance. The sooner deficient hormones get replenished to optimal levels, the more enhanced comfort and wellbeing our patients gain.
Studies show that practicing yoga can help ease many menopausal symptoms. Specific poses that twist and compress the abdomen can stimulate hormone production and blood flow, while breathing exercises and meditation can reduce anxiety and hot flashes. Yoga provides a low-cost, accessible way to find relief during menopause without medication.
Bioidentical hormone therapy provides the biological resources depleted by menopause which healthy lifestyle measures alone cannot replace. Sound nutrition, regular exercise, stress resilience practices, and other positive lifestyle factors certainly optimize wellness throughout the lifespan. We emphasize integrating both hormonal corrections and self-care habits for best results.
Nutrition - Eat a nutrient dense whole foods diet high in produce, quality fats and protein. Certain supplements like calcium, magnesium, omega-3s and vitamin D also important. Reduce sugars, refined grains and unhealthy fats. Stay well hydrated.
Exercise – Engage some form aerobic activity at least 30 minutes daily, plus a couple days a week of strength training. This keeps your heart strong, bones dense, muscles toned, and mental health positive. Many pleasant walking trails, parks, recreation centers and studios serving Denison residents.
Stress Management – Make time for socially connecting, relaxing, creative pursuits and other activities combating the stresses of life which spike cortisol. Yoga, meditation, massage therapy, art classes, volunteering and maintaining perspective through challenges also beneficial.
Sleep Hygiene - Prioritize getting 7-9 hours nightly by having an evening routine, cool comfortable bedroom and limiting electronic media before bed. Melatonin supplements can aid sleep quality if needed.
Healthy Relationships – Close supportive relationships, community participation and a sense of purpose all linked to wellbeing. Make cultivating meaningful connections and contributions a priority.
Behavior Modifications – Stop smoking, reduce excess alcohol intake, get needed healthcare screenings, and take medications as prescribed by your doctor. Making positive changes pays lifelong dividends.
The clinicians at Renew Hormone Institute hold advanced certifications in age management medicine with an emphasis on bioidentical hormone therapies. Our comprehensive trainings equip us to accurately assess and treat hormone imbalances related to perimenopause, menopause, andropause and thyroid disorders.
Both our medical director and nurse practitioner focus exclusively on hormone balancing strategies personalized for each patient. We stay at the leading edge of testing protocols, pharmaceutical quality, and dosage optimizing methods. You benefit from this dedication to high standards and custom care.
If you are suffering from hot flashes, night sweats, emotional swings, low energy, sexual changes, sleep disruption, cognitive decline or other hormone-related symptoms, we can help regain comfort and vibrancy at this stage of your life. Both women and men gain clinically effective solutions tailored to their unique needs.
We look forward to helping you thrive through menopause and beyond!
