The hormones in your body can become imbalanced as you get older. Your changing hormone levels can cause you to develop decreased muscle strength, weight gain, and sleep issues. You might also develop emotional problems like anxiety, depression, and mood swings. At ProMD Health in Baltimore, Maryland, we can use hormone optimization therapy to address these negative symptoms.
How Long Does Hormone Optimization Therapy Take to Work?
During hormone optimization therapy, we will use injectable treatments, topical creams, pellets, or other methods to adjust the hormone levels in your body. This therapy will be personalized to address the unique hormonal issues that are causing you to experience emotional and physical issues. As a result, how quickly your body reacts to this treatment will depend on the type of hormone therapy that you are receiving.
In general, it’s common to notice positive changes in your physical and emotional issues after you have been receiving hormone optimization therapy for several weeks. These problems may continue to improve during the next couple of months.
What Are the Symptoms of a Hormonal Imbalance?
Negative changes in your moods, weight, and other aspects of your life may indicate that you are suffering from a hormonal imbalance.
Mood Issues
Your hormones help you regulate your moods. When your hormones are out of balance, you might have difficulty controlling your emotions and staying calm and focused. For example, you might become very frustrated when you have to deal with a small setback at work or at home. Further, you might develop excessive anxiety, fear, and worry when you have challenges in your personal life or career.
In addition to struggling to control your emotions, you might lose confidence in your ability to handle stressful situations. You could also suffer from depression.
Weight Changes
As your hormones decrease, you are likely to lose strength in your muscles. As your muscle mass declines, you might gain unwanted fat. Gaining weight when you haven’t changed your diet or exercise routine can be a very demoralizing experience. If you are already suffering from emotional issues, weight gain can make you even more depressed and unhappy.
Sexual Issues
Hormonal problems can negatively impact your sex life. You might lose interest in enjoying sexual activities with your partner. In addition, you might experience physical changes that make sex uncomfortable or unpleasant.
Other Problems
In addition to the issues described above, unbalanced hormones can cause you to experience hot flashes and joint pains. Further, you might become tired more easily. For example, you might become very fatigued after you run a couple of errands.
What Are Bio-Identical Hormones?
As you get older, your body will begin to make lower amounts of testosterone, estrogen, and other important hormones. We can use bio-identical hormones to correct this issue.
These substances are called bio-identical hormones because they have the same chemical structure as the hormones that your body creates. Instead of obtaining these hormones from animal sources, we will use plant-based hormones to treat your negative symptoms.
What Types of Hormones Can I Receive During My Therapy?
We can use estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and other hormones to improve your health.
Estrogen
Estrogen is a group of hormones that includes estrone, estradiol, and estriol. These hormones help your body control your menstrual cycle and strengthen your bones. Certain illnesses and lifestyle choices can change the amount of estrogen in your body.
For example, your estrogen levels may decrease if you have an illness like polycystic ovarian syndrome, also known as PCOS. In addition, if you are an athlete who has very low body fat, your body might begin to produce insufficient amounts of estrogen. This change can cause you to develop irregular periods and bone issues. Further, as you age and go through menopause, your estrogen levels will decline.
Testosterone
You probably already know that declining testosterone levels negatively impact men’s health and sexual function. Testosterone is a hormone that causes men to have deep voices, larger amounts of muscle, and strong bones. This hormone also affects a man’s sex drive and ability to perform during sex. However, men aren’t the only ones who need this hormone to feel strong and vibrant. Women’s bodies also create testosterone.
As you get older, your levels of this important hormone will decrease. As your testosterone declines, you can lose interest in sex and become depressed. Your muscles might weaken and you can become very tired.
Progesterone
Progesterone is produced in your ovaries. This important hormone helps to regulate your periods and get the lining of your uterus ready for pregnancy. If your progesterone levels are too low, you might have difficulty getting pregnant and carrying a pregnancy to term. Further, you could have an irregular menstrual cycle, suffer from headaches, and have mood issues.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone that helps you maintain a regular sleeping cycle. When your body is functioning properly, your pineal gland will cause your melatonin levels to increase at night and decrease during the daytime. As you get older, your body will naturally create less melatonin. In addition, your melatonin levels will probably fall when you go through menopause.
Taking melatonin supplements can be a good way to correct your sleep cycle and improve the quality of your rest. Further, some scientists believe that taking melatonin as you are going through menopause will decrease your chances of experiencing bone loss in the future.
Thyroid Hormones
Your thyroid is a gland that helps to control your metabolism and keep your weight stable. If your thyroid does not produce enough hormones, you can experience fatigue and gain weight. You may also be very sensitive to cold temperatures, develop dry skin, and have issues with constipation. Your heart rate may slow down, and you can develop pain in your joints.
This condition is called hypothyroidism. Receiving regular doses of thyroid hormones can decrease these negative symptoms and improve your metabolism.
How Will I Be Monitored During My Treatment?
You’ll begin the process of balancing your hormones by having an initial consultation with us. We will talk about the physical, emotional, or other symptoms that you are experiencing. We will discuss the hormonal treatments that can be used to improve these issues. We will also tell you about the benefits of pellets, creams, and other hormonal delivery methods.
Monitoring Your Reaction
Once you begin receiving this therapy, we will use blood tests to monitor your body’s reaction to your bioidentical hormones. Since we will try to use a low dose to improve your negative symptoms, we may adjust your hormones during this time.
Once we have corrected your hormonal imbalance, we will reduce the frequency of your blood tests. For example, we may instruct you to get one blood test every year.
What Type of Hormonal Optimization Methods Can I Use?
You can use injectable treatments, pellets, and many other methods to balance your hormones. We will consider the type of hormones that you need, your personal preferences, and other factors when we discuss these delivery methods with you.
Pellets
Hormone pellets are small compounds that contain hormones that are made from plant-based sources. During your hormone therapy, we will put these pellets under the surface of your skin. Once these pellets are inside your body, they will send regular doses of hormones into your tissues.
If you don’t like the idea of remembering to apply a topical cream onto your body, you might benefit from using these pellets to treat your hormonal imbalance. Pellets are a very easy way to correct the hormonal issues that occur during menopause. Receiving a steady dose of hormones during this time can decrease hot flashes, emotional issues, and other menopausal problems.
Injectables
If you choose to use injectables to address your hormonal imbalance, we will gently inject carefully calibrated doses of hormones into your body. Getting your hormone injections is a quick process, and you’ll be able to continue your usual routine after you leave our office.
Capsules
If you are looking for a completely non-invasive way to receive your hormones, you can choose to take oral medications. We can design a customized plan that will allow you to receive sufficient amounts of bio-identical hormones by taking pills. It’s common to take these pills once every day.
Topical Methods
Administering creams and lotions onto your body is an easy, non-invasive way to balance your hormones. Using creams can be a good way to correct hormonal deficiencies that develop during menopause.
How Can I Use Hormones to Improve My Wellbeing During Menopause?
It’s very normal to experience hot flashes, mood issues, and other challenges when you go through menopause. Getting hormonal optimization therapy is a good way to reduce these negative symptoms and feel happier and healthier.
Changing Hormones
Menopause occurs when you haven’t experienced a menstrual period for at least a year. It’s normal to experience this development when you are in your late forties or early fifties. However, certain illnesses and medical procedures can cause you to go through menopause at an earlier point in your life. For example, if you have your ovaries removed when you are in your thirties, you will experience this change after your medical procedure.
As your body prepares for menopause, your ovaries will begin to make less estrogen. This change can begin when you are in your thirties or forties. Even though you are still experiencing periods at this time, you may develop negative symptoms as your hormone levels change.
A Difficult Process
As your body goes into menopause, you might have night sweats, hot flashes, and sleep changes. You may also need to go to the bathroom more frequently and become easily irritable or upset. You might also develop vaginal dryness that causes you to feel uncomfortable during sexual activities.
Addressing Your Symptoms
Fortunately, you don’t have to accept hot flashes, sexual challenges, and other problems as an inevitable part of menopause. Taking bioidentical hormones can ease these symptoms and make this life transition a pleasant, enjoyable experience for you. For example, if bathroom challenges and hot flashes are keeping you up at night, hormones can help you get a good night’s sleep. As your sleep improves, you will feel more rested and alert during the day.
In addition to improving your sleep, hormones can reduce your tendency to become irritated or upset. Further, you can regain your interest in sex and have an easier time experiencing orgasms.
Improve Your Hormonal Levels
It’s common to lose muscle strength, develop sleep issues, and experience many other negative symptoms when your hormone levels decline over time. Fortunately, you can use pellets, creams, and other treatments to change your hormone levels. To learn more about the physical and emotional benefits of hormone optimization therapy, contact us at ProMD Health in Baltimore, Maryland to set up an initial meeting.
