Menopausal and Perimenopausal Symptoms
Stop menopause symptoms with bioidentical hormones
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is a safe alternative to conventional HRT.
Many women taking conventional HRT feel they are faced with only two options: continue to take synthetic hormones and hope for the best, or stop taking hormones and experience unpleasant symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, bloating, forgetfulness, mood swings, night sweats, irritability, breast soreness and weight gain, to name a few.
A third choice you may not be aware of is bioidentical HRT, which differs from conventional HRT in several ways.
Bioidentical HRT:
- Uses hormones that have the same molecular structure as the hormones produced by the ovaries
- Is prepared by a compounding pharmacist and is NOT available from a drug manufacturer
- Uses progesterone, not progestin, and different estrogens (estrol, estradiol) either as a single ingredient or multiple-ingredient prescription
- Is individualized or customized to each woman's needs, symptoms and hormone levels, and can easily be adjusted.
Often, women request bioidentical hormone therapy of estrogen, progesterone, and/or testosterone. However, some are confused about the term "bioidentical." Several bioidentical hormone products are available in government-approved, well-tested brands, but typically this term is used for hormone recipes made from a prescription by a compounding pharmacist. Is there risk with these therapies? The practice of hormone testing at menopause and providing custom-tailored hormone mixtures based on those tests has been a subject of great debate.
FDA takes action against compounded HT
The FDA announced on Jan. 9, 2008, that warning letters were sent to seven pharmacy operations, indicating the claims they made about the safety and effectiveness of their reported “bioidentical hormone replacement therapies” were unsupported by medical evidence and were considered false and misleading by the agency. Pharmacies may not compound drugs containing estriol without investigational new drug authorization. There is no scientific basis for using saliva testing to adjust hormone levels. Read the full press release, letters and the FDA’s advice about compounding below.
Bioidentical hormones position statement
For further consideration, see the Endocrine Society's Position Statement on bioidentical hormones published in October 2006, which is officially endorsed by the North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
If you are interested in optimizing your health by balancing your hormones safely and effectively, contact Afterglow today to book a consultation. Dr. Shehla Ebrahim is the only doctor on the North Shore who offers bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for menopausal health.
To explore bioidentical hormone replacement therapy in Vancouver, please call (604) 980-3993 or email us at info@afterglowskincare.ca today.
Westview Centre
104-2609 Westview Drive
North Vancouver, BC V7N 4M2
Phone: (604) 980-3993
Email: info@afterglowskincare.ca
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday 9-6
Saturdays by appointment