Great news! Hormone replacement therapy is not the only (or even the best) answer. You will be excited and relieved to find that menopause symptoms be relieved effectively with bioidentical hormones?
Recent research suggests that menopause can be treated with bioidentical hormones, a natural replacement for a woman's body, with no reported side effects. In the past, menopause has been treated like a disease - primarily with Hormone Replacement Therapy or HRT (including drugs like Premarin, which is made from pregnant mare’s urine, Prempro and Provera), which meant ingesting synthetic versions of progesterone and estrogen on a regular basis. Now we know that these drugs are causing the very problems we’re trying to avoid including breast cancer and heart attacks.
Synthetic hormones that most menopausal women use are typically only available in oral form, but bioidentical hormones come in a variety of delivery systems such as oral, transdermal patch, cream, lotion or sublingual drops. Bioidentical hormones recently caught mainstream attention in part because of Suzanne Somers' new book, The Sexy Years. But long before Suzanne's books, there was the late Dr. John Lee, a MD that just would not accept the status quo.
Menopause suffers will usually need to deal with the symptoms is to beginning with laboratory tests of hormone levels called a “hormone panel.” This can include blood work, but should also include saliva testing, something her doctor may not be familiar with. Find one that does. The doctor recommend, with this knowledge, the amount of bioidentical estrogens, testosterone or DHEA that is right for the patient, and that can be made for you at a Compounding Pharmacy This is contrary to HRT treatments that are typically “one size fits all.” In fact, your journey might begin at the compounding pharmacist first. The Compounding pharmacist will know of doctors in your area that is familiar with this approach to menopause.
Most doctors prescribing bioidentical hormones find that a large percentage of women find some relief by using medical-grade supplements, over-the-counter bioidentical progesterone, and dietary and lifestyle changes (including the proper nutrition and exercise).
No one knows the answer better than you. You need to consult with a doctor familiar with all the methods available to treat menopause. Read books by Drs. Northrup and Lee. Don't let a know-it-all physician bully you into treating the symptoms in a purely conventional medicine way. Bioidentical treatments are now gaining wide acceptance, but many doctors are slow to change.
Get the right treatment for you. Once you know what you need, your doctor and you can work out the best alternative for your body.
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