Our hormones help regulate many of our bodily processes, from our emotions to our breathing, but sometimes these hormones themselves can become dysregulated, especially with menopause and older age. This can result in a wide range of different symptoms, some more severe than others, though they can normally be treated with bioidentical hormone pellets, which we offer here at Premiere Center for Health and Wellness in Cincinnati, OH.
Can Hormone Pellets Help During Menopause?
During menopause, which can occur as early as your mid-30s, the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone can all rapidly decline. This can lead to many different symptoms, some of which can be debilitating. Luckily, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with bioidentical hormone pellets can help to restore balance by replenishing the hormones you need, which can relieve most symptoms caused by menopause.
Because the pellets, which are implanted below the skin, slowly dissolve over time and release hormones identical to those your body naturally produces, this therapy can help the body adjust back to normal hormonal levels in a more natural, subtle way. Symptom relief often starts to occur over weeks or months and can last quite a long time in most cases before additional treatments will be needed.
What Should I Expect During Treatment?
Initial Consultation
The first step of the treatment process is the initial consultation, which is normally very brief but detailed, as we want to make sure that this is the right treatment for you. We’ll want to know about your medical history and any symptoms you’ve been experiencing, as well as any medications you’re currently taking.
Therapy Session
Once we get started with your treatment, we’ll use a topical numbing agent to prepare the area where the pellet will be inserted. This is normally near the buttocks or lower abdomen, though you won’t have to worry about it being painful, as it’s a very tiny skin-deep incision that shouldn’t produce much pain, even without the anesthetic we provide.
The whole process typically takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and we’ll ensure that you’re comfortable the entire time. After the pellet is inserted, we’ll cover the area with a bandage, at which point you’ll be ready to go home.
What If I’m Already Taking Another Form of HRT?
If you’re already taking another form of hormone replacement therapy, you’ll have to stop taking it the night before your treatment session with us. You should then resume taking it after we’ve drawn your blood and then slowly transition off of it in the coming days. We’ll normally recommend that you stop your other HRT treatment on the fourth day after your session.
Is There Any Downtime After Treatment?
Once your treatment session is finished, you can go about your daily routine, as there’s no downtime or need to rest. However, to ensure that you receive the most optimal results, we’ll recommend that you avoid any heavy lifting or strenuous activities for a few days. While it’s perfectly fine to take a shower, we’ll also recommend that you avoid both bathing and swimming during this time so the bandage can stay in place until the incision area has a chance to heal.
How Soon After Treatment Will I See Improvements?
While it’s not uncommon for some of our patients to report improvements within only a few hours after treatment, it can take as many as six months to see the results in some cases, though most patients report improvements within the first month. How severe your symptoms are and how long they were present before treatment can play a role in how quickly you see improvements, as can the type of symptoms you’ve been experiencing.
It can take three to six months for the pellet to fully dissolve in your body, and even after this happens, your body can still take some time to adjust to the changing hormonal levels. In many cases, a second or third treatment is necessary for some patients to get results, and each treatment session is normally scheduled about three to four months apart.
How Many Treatment Sessions Will I Need?
How often you return for more treatments or how long you continue this therapy depends on your needs and how long your menopause symptoms last. You may gradually start to notice fewer symptoms as the effects of the pellets are wearing off. You can continue to have as many treatments as you need with treatment sessions taking place every three months, though most patients don’t exceed a five- to seven-year time frame.
What Are Some Symptoms of Hormone Imbalances?
Hormone imbalance symptoms can vary drastically, with everything from milder symptoms, like emotional changes, to more serious ones, like heart issues. However, the following are some of the more common ones that you may or may not notice:
Hot Flashes
Hot flashes are the most common symptom associated with menopause-related hormone imbalances, which can feel like a sudden burst of heat coursing through your chest, neck, head, or just about anywhere else. Not only can they be quite uncomfortable, but they also often occur alongside sweating, chills, a rapid heart rate, and a flushed face.
Feeling Fatigued
One of the more debilitating conditions seen in those with hormonal imbalances is chronic fatigue, which can mimic the symptoms of many other disorders. With this symptom, you may feel exhausted all the time, even when waking up in the morning. Patients typically describe this symptom as feeling like they “ran a marathon,” even while staying still or just waking up in the morning.
Cognitive Difficulties
Brain fog affects memory, thinking, concentration, and critical-thinking skills. It can also affect your ability to carry on conversations as you fumble with words or forget what you’re saying. Because of how all of this can affect one’s social or professional relationships, treatment to address hormone imbalances can be important to virtually all facets of life.
Changes in Mood
Hormonal imbalances and mood swings go hand-in-hand, and this association has long been recognized in the medical community. A structure in the brain known as the hypothalamus regulates mood, and this structure is heavily influenced by the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, among many others.
Physical Changes
Even your looks or mobility can be affected by hormone imbalances, as unexplained weight gain is closely linked to hormonal changes. You may notice that your skin has become drier or your hair has become thinner and more brittle. Your muscles and joints can also be affected, where you may have weakness when lifting things or pain with certain movements.
Sleeping Difficulties
In addition to night sweats, you may have trouble getting to sleep or difficulty staying asleep. Vivid nightmares can also be caused by hormonal imbalances and may be one reason you’re waking up at night. However, the reason for losing sleep isn’t always so obvious, though a blood test to check your hormone levels can often help to pinpoint the cause.
Breast Tenderness
Sensations or pain in the breasts are also very common symptoms during menopause, and these are typically the result of changes in the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body. You may feel soreness in your breasts, but the pain can also be a burning, throbbing, or stabbing type as well.
Sexual Issues
If you’re noticing that you’re much less interested in sex than you once were or are having trouble getting aroused, this can definitely be caused by hormone dysregulation. A dry vagina is also a very common experience during menopause, though many women report the symptoms improving after starting treatment with hormone pellets.
Urinary Urgency
Feeling as if you have to urinate all the time but can’t or having to frequently urinate are symptoms that are often caused by declining estrogen levels. Incontinence, which is leaking urine during everyday activities or with certain movements, can also be caused by hormone imbalances during menopause.
What Are the Advantages of This Therapy?
Bioidentical HRT offers the following advantages:
- Less risk of rejection by the body
- Unlikely to result in side effects
- Not messy like gels and creams
- No need to take daily tablets
- Quick and painless application
Schedule With Us Today
A hormone imbalance caused by menopause can be uncomfortable and even dangerous to your health, but it can usually be treated with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. To see if this treatment is right for you, contact us today at Premiere Center for Health and Wellness in Cincinnati, OH. We’ve helped many patients regain their lives back through effective symptom relief and we’re here to help you too.