Virginia
BHRT Locator®
Most people don’t give their hormones much though until they get near the midlife point. When each hormone performs its specific function as expected, there is no need to consider whether they are balanced or not. This all changes when men and women start experiencing mood swings, weight gain, sexual dysfunction, low energy, and several other telltale signs of unbalanced hormones. Since the symptoms appear over time, it can be difficult to make the connection to a hormone imbalance. If you’re struggling with these issues, you owe it to yourself to find out “What is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy?”
Traditional hormone replacement therapy uses a mass-produced synthetic drug manufactured in a laboratory. Its main ingredients are animal byproducts and chemicals. This is in sharp contrast to bioidentical hormones created for each individual based on his or her hormone deficiencies and symptoms. These natural hormones use soy and yam plant extracts as the primary ingredients because they are a near-perfect match to the body’s own hormones. By working with a Bioidentical Hormone Doctor in Virginia, you have the assurance of knowing that you’re receiving an individualized treatment plan by a professional who cares about your well-being.
Because these replacement hormones are such a close match to what your body naturally produces, it can’t distinguish between them. When you receive Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy by injection or another method, your body easily accepts and absorbs the new hormones. Compared to synthetic hormone replacement therapy, most people experience minimal side effects or none at all. They also feel better sooner because it doesn’t take as long to reach a therapeutic level of treatment. Your doctor provides ongoing supervision to ensure your safety and monitor your progress.
Starting in the 1960s, doctors began prescribing synthetic and animal hormones to women struggling with symptoms of menopause. The medical community did not recognize male andropause as legitimate until several decades later. For the next 20 years or so, conjugated equine estrogen was the most widely prescribed treatment for menopausal women. However, the use of this form of artificial estrogen caused a sharp increase in new cases of endometrial cancer in women.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, doctors John Lee and Jonathan Wright began using bioidentical hormones as an alternative to treat symptoms of menopause. It was so successful that Doctor Wright expanded the use of bioidentical hormones to treat other symptoms caused by hormone decline. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy grew in popularity in the holistic health community, but it’s still not the treatment of choice in mainstream medicine. With more people than ever taking charge of their own health and researching the options available to them, the use of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy will continue to increase.
Now that you know what Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy is, the benefits of treatment, and how it got started, the next step is to locate a doctor from our directory. When you meet for the first time, expect to spend considerable time discussing your symptoms as well as any therapies you have tried in the past. Your provider will conduct some laboratory tests and a physical exam if you are interested in pursuing Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. As soon as your results come back, he or she contacts a local compounding pharmacy in Virginia to request assistance with preparing your customized compound.
Most doctors don’t dictate how long your treatment should last at the outset. It depends on many factors, including the number and severity of symptoms you experience and your goals for Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. You are in charge and your Bioidentical Hormone Specialist is merely a guide. We encourage you to get started today.
