Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) for Women

Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) or natural hormone replacement therapy is the process of replacing the hormones in the body that occur naturally with a hormone that is
identical on a molecular level to endogenous hormones. Basically, this is identical to what your body makes naturally. The bio-identical hormones come from plant sources; this can be yams,
cactus, soy, or other plants.

We have several options for hormone replacement treatment.  Our treatment options for women include injections, creams applied topically, creams applied vaginally, pills, and dissolvable troches. Our provider will go over multiple treatment options to tailor one for you and your lifestyle.

1. First, we will send you a lab form to have blood work completed prior to your visit.
2. When we get the lab results back, we will schedule an appointment for you to meet with the provider to review everything.
3. Meet with the provider to go over and review all labs. Currently, visits can be done through telemedicine.
4. If medications are prescribed as part of a plan, the pharmacy will ship medications to your home or office.

We will schedule a follow up visit and labs to be completed in 4-6 weeks to see how everything is working in the body.  At this time, adjustments will be made if needed.  We check in with patients regularly to see how the program is working. 

The safety of BHRT depends on individual factors such as health history, age, and type/duration of use. While BHRT can provide multiple benefits, there are also risks associated with its use. Risks may include an increased risk of breast cancer, stroke, blood clots, heart disease, and dementia. It is important to discuss these risks with your doctor before starting BHRT treatment and to use BHRT only under medical supervision.

BHRT can relieve menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. It can also prevent or reduce osteoporosis, improve sleep, mood, and quality of life, and improve sexual function. BHRT is also shown to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and fractures.

Women of any age and health background could be a candidate for hormone replacement therapy.  Factors that contribute to hormonal imbalance include use of birth control pills, IUD’s, processed foods, stress levels, and more. 

The effects of BHRT can vary depending on individual factors such as the form of BHRT used and the person’s symptoms. However, typically, BHRT may take several weeks for the hormonal levels to stabilize, resulting in the easing of symptoms. The duration of BHRT treatment may vary depending on the severity of symptoms, the form of BHRT, and a person’s overall health, among other factors.

At Padgett Medical Center, we do not recommend or use pellets in our treatment plan for several reasons. 

• Hormone pellets are placed in the body and blood capillaries form around them differently every time which changes the amount of hormones that are absorbed in the body.
• There is no option of removing pellets once they are placed, due to possible migration. Therefore, if you are having side effects from the pellet such as hair loss, facial hair, deepened voice, or clitoral enlargement; you have to wait for the pellet to absorb in the body.  This is very stressful for anyone experiencing side effects to have to “wait it out.”
• There is no option to change the dose after the pellet is placed. You have to wait 3-6 months until the pellet is absorbed to change dosing.
• Example: You can have sally with a testosterone level of 13 and give her testosterone pellets in January. Her labs may come back with a testosterone level of 75.  Then 6 months later in June we repeat the same pellet dose and her labs go to a testosterone of over 200.  Then 6 months later we repeat the same pellet dose and her testosterone is a 45. You can see the inconsistency.  It is impossible to control.