One of the negative side effects of aging is a decrease in the hormones that affect your everyday life. When these hormones fall below what is considered optimal in men and women, many negative symptoms develop. At Herrera Medical Group in Flower Mound, TX, we offer hormone replacement therapy, also known as HRT. This treatment will help alleviate the symptoms associated with hormonal deficiencies so that you can live a beautiful and balanced life.
What Is the Safest Kind of Hormone Replacement Therapy?
The safest hormone replacement therapy is one that utilizes bioidentical hormones. The hormone therapy of today is nothing like the hormone therapy of the past. Hormone replacement therapy used to be performed with synthetic hormones.
Today, HRT is administrated with bioidentical hormones that identically match what the body produces naturally. They provide a safe and effective way to treat a hormonal imbalance, alleviate the symptoms, and raise hormone levels to what would be considered optimal.
Bioidentical vs. Synthetic Hormones
Bioidentical hormones come from natural sources. The most common sources are plants like soy products, yams, and even cactus. These hormones are exact molecular replicas of the hormones that the body produces naturally, which is why they are such a safe and effective choice. Synthetic hormones do not come from plants but instead come from the urine of pregnant mares, also known as pre-Marin, and other non-natural sources.
The problem with synthetic hormones is that they are not identical to those that the body produces naturally and, as a result, can lead to some significant side effects when used to treat a hormone imbalance. They can also increase the risk of a patient developing certain diseases.
The Bioidentical Hormone Difference
Bioidentical hormones do just the opposite. They alleviate the symptoms that have developed as a result of low hormones, they flood your system with beneficial energy, and they protect the body from developing those same diseases. They have become the number one choice in treating patients with hormone deficiencies because they are safe and effective.
The Treatment Process
If you feel as though a hormonal imbalance is responsible for the majority of negative symptoms that have been affecting your life, we can help restore balance in every area of your life. This treatment process begins with an initial consultation.
At this appointment, we will discuss your symptoms and your concerns. We will also perform the necessary diagnostics to obtain your hormone levels to confirm that you are deficient and begin creating a treatment plan to restore balance to your body.
Administering Your Prescription
Once we can firm that you are a candidate for hormone replacement therapy, we will determine which method is best for you. Then, we will begin the administration process.
If you choose a method that you will administer at home daily, we will instruct you on administering those hormones properly. If you choose pellet therapy, we will implant a pellet below your skin’s surface so that you can get the necessary hormones as soon as possible.
Methods of HRT
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy comes in many different shapes and sizes. There are different ways to administer bioidentical hormones, including injections, creams, patches, lozenges, and oral tablets. These contain bioidentical hormones and can effectively deliver the necessary hormones to your body to help increase your levels to where they need to be.
Choosing the Right Method for You
At our office, we are proud to offer pellet therapy as well as some other forms of HRT that are both effective and safe.
Choosing which method is right for you will be based on several different factors. We will consider your lifestyle and goals, yet ultimately, the choice is up to you.
We will explain each method, what is involved with each, and help choose the best method of HRT that will give you the best results. The benefit of this therapy is that it is completely personalized to your needs, from the quantity of hormones administered to the method by which we administer it.
Follow-Up Visits
When you are provided with your prescription, we won’t just send you home to fend for yourself. We will schedule follow-up appointments to ensure that your chosen method gives you the necessary hormones to help your body achieve and maintain balance. We may perform additional diagnostics at your follow-up appointments to check your levels and then adjust your treatment and prescription if needed.
If at any point along the way you have questions about your treatment or the administration of your chosen method, you can contact us, and one of our experts will be happy to help answer any questions you may have.
What Is Pellet Therapy?
Pellet therapy is a form of each HRT that is growing in popularity among both men and women with hormone deficiencies. At Herrera Medical Group, we are proud to offer bioTe pellets. These pellets will help gradually regulate your hormone levels over time so you can experience the most balance and stability long term.
How Does It Work?
bioTe pellets are a form of hormone pellets specifically designed to treat both men and women. An estrogen pellet is designed to treat women with low estrogen levels, and a testosterone pellet is designed to raise testosterone in men who are deficient. These pellets are designed to be inserted just below the skin’s surface. Hormones are released directly into the bloodstream, and the body absorbs the pellet over time.
The benefit of these pellets is that they release just the right amount of hormones at the right time. When your body is in a stressful situation, or you’re in the middle of a workout and need more energy, these pellets will give you just what you need to help stabilize your hormones and help you function optimally.
What Happens During Pellet Therapy Treatment?
To begin treatment, we will clean your treatment site, which is most commonly an area on the hip with fatty tissue. Then we will numb the area to ensure that you stay comfortable during the process. A nearly invisible incision will be made in your skin, and the tiny pellet will be inserted just below the skin’s surface. Then, we will use a tiny, dissolvable suture to close the incision.
The entire process will take 30 minutes or less. Once your treatment is over, we will provide you with a complete list of instructions on caring for your insertion site during the next five to seven days.
How Many Treatments Will I Need?
If you choose pellet therapy, you will only need to schedule treatments a few times a year. These pellets deliver hormones for up to six months at a time. Based on how quickly your body uses the hormones, we will schedule your follow-up treatments as needed.
You won’t have to administer hormones daily or weekly, which is why this treatment has become such a popular option among both men and women. Appointments are quick, and it is a very low maintenance treatment, yet you get a stable delivery of hormones over time.
FAQs
How Long Does HRT Take To Start Working?
As you begin hormone replacement therapy, you can expect to notice results within a couple of weeks of your initial treatment. It takes time for the body to achieve optimal balance, but you will notice a gradual shift in your hormones within the first few weeks. As your chosen method continues to deliver you the necessary hormones you need to function optimally and experience vitality, your symptoms will dissipate, and you will experience increased energy.
Am I a Candidate for HRT?
The best candidates for hormone replacement therapy are men and women struggling with the symptoms associated with hormone deficiencies. These symptoms can negatively impact everyday life and prevent you from enjoying your favorite activities. The following are some of the most common symptoms of hormone imbalance:
- Chronic fatigue
- Low libido
- Emotional instability
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Weight gain
- Erectile dysfunction
- Vaginal dryness
- Painful intercourse
- PMS
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Poor quality skin and nails
- Hair loss
- Hair thinning
- Insomnia
- Poor quality sleep
- Inability to gain lean muscle mass
- Headaches
The best way to determine your candidacy for this treatment is to schedule an initial consultation. You may feel as though your hormones are off, but if you don’t know for sure, the only way that you will is by getting a diagnostic test that will reveal your levels. A blood, urine, or saliva test is the best way to measure your hormones so that you know exactly what your numbers are. Then, we can help raise your levels to where they need to be.
What Are the Benefits?
When you choose this treatment, you will restore balance to your life. Physically, you will have more energy and will finally be able to lose those last several pounds. You will feel stronger in the gym and will be able to gain lean muscle mass so that you look and feel your best. Mentally, you will feel clearheaded and won’t have to deal with brain fog or constant forgetfulness.
Emotionally, you won’t feel as though you are constantly riding on an emotional roller coaster. If you struggle with anxiety and depression due to a hormone imbalance, you will achieve emotional stability and fewer symptoms.
Protection From Disease
Additionally, HRT can help protect your body against certain health conditions and diseases. Specifically, it can help decrease your chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, and osteoporosis. The aging process can weaken the skeletal structure making breaks and fractures a real possibility. This treatment will strengthen your bones and help reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis as you age.
Taking the Next Step
There is a way to restore balance to your life and experience vitality. Hormone replacement therapy is a simple yet effective way to balance your hormones and positively impact every area of your life. To learn more about this treatment and to determine if you are a candidate, contact us today at Herrera Medical Group in Flower Mound, TX, and schedule your initial consultation.
