Friday, October 31, 2008

Bio-identical Hormone Therapy

www.bodylogicmd.com

I have been participating in BodyLogic on bioidentical hormone therapy (daily appplication of a cream made specifically for me to balance my hormones) and can't say enough about how great it has been for post-menopausal symptoms. If you are suffering and don't know that this new anti-aging approach to menopause and andropause (male menopause) is available - check them out. Only problem is you have to pay out of pocket since healthcare doesn't cover these services - but I am exploring having my creams covered by insurance.
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Signs of Menopause? Perimenopause weight gain?
Millions of women in the United States are suffering from hormonal imbalance, whether it is early menopause, perimenopause symptoms, perimenopause weight gain, adrenal fatigue, menopause, or premenstrual symptoms (PMS). In many cases, bioidentical hormone therapy can be part of the solution.

The signs of menopause and related hormonal issues include:

Hot flashes
Night sweats
Weight gain
Mood swings
Depression
Trouble sleeping
Vaginal dryness
Loss of sex drive
Urinary incontinence
Irritability

Hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping and weight gain are the most common symptoms of hormonal imbalance as a woman ages. Perimenopause weight gain is often times misdiagnosed and is one of the first signs of hormonal imbalance. These signs of menopause or early menopause and related conditions are also connected to your stress levels, poor nutrition, lack of exercise and the environmental toxins your body is exposed to on a daily basis.

BodyLogicMD doctors diagnose men with andropause every day and encourage men in general to watch for the Top 10 Signs of Andropause:

Irritability
Sleep problems
Diminished libido
Erectile problems
Muscle loss
Weight gain
Memory loss
Thinning hair
Decreased bone density
Depression
Unlike women, who are more likely to be aware of many of the symptoms of menopause, doctors say men frequently mistake andropause for aging.

"Men’s symptoms appear over the course of a decade or more and it becomes a very slow, insidious process that they attribute to getting old," explains BodyLogicMD’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Alicia Stanton. "As men lose testosterone, they begin experiencing male menopause – or andropause."

Testosterone is key for building muscle and retaining memory in men. When they get into their early 30s, men begin losing testosterone at a rate of one to two percent a year.

Experts today say as many as 25 million American males between ages 40 and 55 are experiencing some degree of male menopause.



BodyLogicMD's anti-aging physician supervised program uses only bioidentical hormones, which are identical to the body's natural chemistry, integrated with nutrition and fitness programs. BodyLogicMD anti-aging physicians provide a natural treatment that helps women suffering from the symptoms of perimenopause and signs of menopause by using bioidentical hormones or natural hormones to live the best life possible.

Testing along with Comprehensive Symptoms are critical factors for success.
To determine your hormonal needs, BodyLogicMD anti-aging physicians thoroughly evaluate your early menopause symptoms using state-of-the-art diagnostic tests, such as, saliva, urine and/or blood tests to determine your hormone levels and your unique bioidentical hormonal needs. After starting bioidentical hormone therapy, BodyLogicMD monitors and reevaluates your hormone levels to insure that they are maintained at their optimum balance.

Which Hormones Do We Test?
Ovarian Hormones - What makes you a woman
• Estrogens, Progesterone and Testosterone

Adrenal Hormones - Your immune system, your energy level, and your ability to handle stress
• Cortisol – the stress hormone measured four times in a day
• DHEA – the “mother of all hormones”

Thyroid Hormones - Your metabolism
• TSH – Thyroid Stimulating Hormone

Your Body's System
• Complete Blood Count, Complete Metabolic Profile, Hemoglobin A1C, Insulin and Lipid Panel
• Vitamin D and Iron

Other Hormone Tests - The physician may suggest other tests for you based on your symptoms.

Along with your lab tests, you'll spend time on our secure Web site completing a thorough personal, medical and family history questionnaire in the convenience of your home. At your initial consultation, the BodyLogicMD anti-aging physician will review your answers and lab results to determine with you the next steps together.

Balancing Hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
In treating a woman with signs of menopause, symptoms of perimenopause and hormonal imbalance, BodyLogicMD anti-aging physicians replace exactly what is low or missing with the body's appropriate bioidentical hormones. Your doctor will prescribe the bioidentical hormones in a fashion that matches each woman's prior hormonal needs. BodyLogicMD's highly qualified, anti-aging physicians follow up with every patient closely, evaluating symptoms and using laboratory tests to determine each patient's customized dose. BodyLogicMD physicians use only the finest and most reputable compounding pharmacies to obtain the exact combination of hormones required to achieve hormonal balance.

Menopause and the Signs of Menopause
Menopause is the time in a woman's life when the ovarian production of estrogens, progesterone, and testosterone declines. The average age of menopause onset is 51, plus or minus several years. Menopause is medically defined as the time in which a woman ceases to menstruate for the duration of 12 months. Although the definition properly describes the event, the process can begin up to 10 years earlier (called perimenopause).

Long before a woman's menstruation stops, she will have already noticed a change. Her periods become shorter in length and she notices a loss of energy, a decrease in strength, and a loss of libido. Her mood is altered and she may be more agitated, depressed, apathetic, and forgetful. While these are all symptoms of menopause, it is important to know that there is a bigger picture during this time your hormones are changing - you are experiencing the loss of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.

Perimenopause Symptoms
Perimenopause is the length of time before and one year after the final menstrual period, during which ovarian hormonal patterns change. The average age at which irregular cycles develop is approximately age 47 but in many cases can start as early as 35 years old. Like the signs of menopause, this is a normal part of a woman's life cycle. Women can experience many of the same signs of menopause and can find relief with bioidentical hormone therapy.

Alternative to Potentially Unnecessary Hysterectomies or Post Hysterectomy Treatments
The Center for Disease Control found that two thirds of the approximate 600,000 hysterectomies done in the United States every year are unnecessary. According to BodyLogicMD physicians and patient services, a large percent of BodyLogicMD female patients have had a hysterectomy and about half now think the procedure was not needed. Either way, a BodyLogicMD physician can help. Read more....

Treating the Signs of Menopause and Perimenopause Symptoms
There is no way to stop menopause, it's a natural cycle of life. Every woman will go through menopause at some point in her life. However, the difference is how you treat it. Natural bioidentical hormone therapy will help you overcome the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause that occur with this stage in life.

Itchy, Bitchy, Sweaty, Sleepy, Bloated, Forgetful, and All-Dried up. In her bestseller, "The Sexy Years," Suzanne Somers explains how, one by one, these symptomatic dwarfs took over her life and how bioidentical hormone therapy made them go away.

There are many short-term benefits to natural bioidentical hormone therapy. The seven dwarfs, one-by-one, begin to leave. The hot flashes, the night sweats, the irritability, and the loss of energy and strength begin to subside. Your libido is restored and you begin to feel more control over your emotions.

Treatment using bioidentical hormones for women are most common using creams and pills. However, in some cases gels, injections, patches or pellets may be reviewed by the physician with you.

Estimated fees for Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Services
Consultations range from $275 to $395 based on type and duration of visit. The general cost of quality grade compounded pharmacies averages generally $30 per month per hormone for creams and pills.

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