Indianapolis Menopause and Perimenopause Doctors Menopause is a major transition in a woman’s life, even for those who get through it with few complications. It brings an end to monthly menstruation and all the inconveniences that come with it. The cessation of menstruation also means you can no longer get pregnant. By this point in life, most women in Indianapolis are ready to move on. However, the transition from active menstruation and fertility to no menstrual periods and infertility isn’t always a smooth one. This time, known as perimenopause, can last for more than 10 years and cause a range of uncomfortable symptoms for women.
When the symptoms are severe enough, they can interfere with your day-to-day life and make it less enjoyable. This causes some women to turn to hormone replacement therapy with synthetic drugs, often with negligible improvement in their symptoms. Standard hormone therapy can even cause serious side effects in some cases. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) offers women in Indianapolis Indiana another option.
The first thing that is different about BHRT is its ingredients. They come from plants with an identical cellular and molecular structure as the human body. When you receive BHRT, your body can’t distinguish the bioidentical hormones from the ones it creates on its own. The process replenishes your estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and other hormones that may be lacking due to perimenopause. Even women who have completed menopause sometimes have hormone deficiencies. Since your body can’t tell that it is receiving replacement hormones, it absorbs them much faster. This means you can expect quicker resolution of your symptoms than you could with traditional treatment for hormone imbalance.
Indianapolis Menopause and Perimenopause Doctors who offer BHRT enjoy the opportunity to get to know their patients and help improve the quality of their lives. When you visit with one for the first time, he or she takes as much time as necessary to understand your health history, your current symptoms, and what you hope to accomplish with BHRT. You are also welcome to ask as many questions as you would like to ensure that you feel comfortable with your doctor and with the process. You will be spending a lot of time with your BHRT Specialist over the next weeks and months, so it’s important that your relationship is a good fit.
Another major difference between treatment with synthetic hormones and bioidentical ones is that the latter is customized to treat your specific symptoms. Before your doctor can start treating you, he or she needs to conduct a physical exam and determine your specific hormone deficiencies. Once the results are back, your doctor contacts a compounding pharmacist in the Indianapolis area. This person creates a customized BHRT cocktail based on your hormone panel results and your self-reported symptoms. You are then ready to start BHRT.
Your Perimenopause and Menopause Doctor supervises you throughout the program to make sure you experience the symptom relief you desire. He or she can always adjust your dosage or the way you receive BHRT if necessary. This is yet another benefit of having a provider who is personally invested in your health.
Congratulations on Taking Charge of Your Health!