Is Hormone Therapy Safe?

Don't mind me, I'm having a hot flash!

I'm having a hard time thinking; it's foggy.

I can't sleep at night; I'm so tired.

My hair is thinning!

The middle-age spread has found me; where did this weight come from!?

My hubby wants to know what's wrong with me and why being intimate is not fun anymore. 

And the response from the medical community has been, "suck it up, buttercup, you're going through menopause, welcome to the new you." Well, we disagree. The idea of going through menopause, which equates to around the last 30-40% of life, and not feeling good with no clear answers, is not very appealing. 

Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Safe?

The negative response to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use originated from the Woman's Health Initiative Study published in 2002. This study suggested huge concerns regarding the safety of using hormone replacement in women during the perimenopause and menopausal years of life. For the next 15 to 20 years, the heated debate on the accuracy of the 2002 report continued, affecting tens of thousands of women. They were left going through the menopause transition dealing with weight change, skin changes, hot flashes, mood fluctuations, vaginal dryness, irritation, painful intercourse, and the list goes on. 

It wasn't until 2017, and even more definitively in 2022, that a consensus statement published by the North American Menopause Society lifted the lid off the concept that HRT can be beneficial and safe for women!

Customized Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy in Chillicothe, Ohio

Not all medical providers recommend or provide HRT via bioidentical hormone therapy. Even with the new widely published safety guidelines on the use of HRT during perimenopause and menopause, many physicians still stray from offering this healthcare to women because of a lack of formal training during their residencies and a general lack of knowledge in menopausal medicine. 

Our hormonal systems are intricate and complicated and affect other systems in our bodies, especially thyroid function and cortisol levels, which regulate our response to stress and metabolism. You may have heard us often say HRT or BHRT is not a cookie-cutter therapy. Yet online providers and organizations offer HRT to consumers after filling out a form. Without a physical exam, blood level tests, and a comprehensive one-on-one medical history, this method is lacking and is more like shooting in the dark without a scope. Women may get some relief but often will not achieve the balance needed for optimum functioning. When interacting with a provider regularly who can evaluate your progress and make adjustments based on not only symptoms but bloodwork levels, you are less likely to have the adverse side effects of improperly balanced hormones. For example, do you know any women who developed facial hair growth after starting on testosterone? 

Hopefully, now you've begun to understand the complexity of the BHRT process and the lack of time in our busy standard medical system, where your provider only has 7-10 minutes to spend with you, which is time-prohibitive to provide this therapy.  A "pill for a problem" is the standard American medical model that treats symptoms but doesn't usually get to the underlying cause. Let's get to it when possible and support our challenged body systems!

Remember, however, that we have a part to play as well! We need to be part of the team and take ownership of our health to help our health and well-being.

Movement Impacts Menopause:

We need to move as much as possible, working on strength and stamina. Find some form of exercise that challenges your muscles and keeps them strong and flexible! It’s recommended to aim for 20 minutes daily, with strength focused training 3 to 4 days per week. Consider using EMsculpt as a way to keep my muscles strengthened for my long-term health as well.

Diet Impacts Menopause:

We cannot fuel our body with processed chemical-laden foods and expect it to operate optimally! All of the additives in our Standard American Diet processed foods make it more convenient and last longer on our shelves, but these food choices are NOT convenient for our health (making us sick) and do not help us "last longer"! Try to eat less processed foods (most things in the center aisles at the grocery) and focus on more organically-grown produce, meats, poultry, and fish that are not chemically enhanced or injected with preservatives. Consider meat, poultry, eggs, fruit, and veggies from the local farmer producers, many local farmers use more care in production and fewer chemical additives. Your body will be glad, and after striving for this healthier food (fuel) source, you will feel better!

Let's help our bodies as much as possible while we can! Just as we keep our cars functioning best by getting regular maintenance and checks, we should do the same for this one body we have been given. When the engine starts to sputter or work less efficiently, it's time to look into BHRT. The timing is different for everyone. It may be in your 40s before menopause or closer to your 50s. And it can even be right for you if you're in your 60s. Listen to your body, get labs to check your hormone levels, and don't settle for "that's just part of life". Find a provider with the time and interest in this balancing act and more than a weekend course-based knowledge. 

If you're in our geographical area, check out Madsen Medical in Chillicothe, Ohio. Our trained and experienced team is thorough and passionate about providing the best menopause medicine for our patients interested in increasing their health span while celebrating the blessing of more years! 

Contact us if you'd like to have us on your healthcare team.