Fluctuating hormones is an inevitable side effect of the aging process for both men and women. Thankfully, there is a safe solution that can help to rebalance our hormones so that we look and feel younger. At the Cady Wellness Institute in Newburgh, IN, Dr. Louis Cady and Dr. Whitney Gabhart offer bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to patients who wish to safely and naturally turn back the clock.

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy: How Soon Will It Start Working?

Patients seeking hormone replacement often present with a variety of symptoms ranging from chronic fatigue and mood swings to dry skin and weight gain. Since hormones affect almost every aspect of our being, the symptoms associated with even a minor imbalance can be debilitating.

Once this balance is restored, patients are often amazed by how soon they begin to experience symptom relief. Increased energy, better sleep, reduced hot flashes, restored libido, and improved memory are just some of the benefits that patients begin to report soon after treatment.

The Typical Timeline for Seeing Positive Results

While some patients report that they feel symptom relief within the first few days following their initial treatment, it is more typical for patients to see these results at the one-to-two-week mark. How quickly a person responds to hormone therapy depends on genetic factors, dosage, and lifestyle habits. If more than a month has passed and a patient is not noticing a significant improvement, the doctor can re-evaluate the dosage.

How Long Do Therapy Results Last?

The most effective form of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, which uses pellets, produces results that last for approximately four months. It is usually at the 10-to-12-week mark that symptoms of menopause in women and andropause in men begin to return, but this can vary.

For optimal results, we recommend scheduling a therapy session three times per year. Stretching out the time between appointment longer than this can cause an unnecessary dip in hormones and make it longer for your next round of therapy to take effect. Ideally, you want to keep your hormones at a steady level throughout the year to maximize results.

How Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Works

This life changing therapy employs the same natural hormones that are found in the human body. A young, healthy body has an optimal level of hormones that allows it to function at its best. With age, these hormones are gradually depleted, and no amount of diet, exercise, or supplements alone can replace them.

The goal of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is to bring these hormones back up to the ideal level they were at in a patient’s youth. For this to work, it must first be determined exactly what hormones are out of balance and by how much – this is what we will delve into at your initial consultation. Before coming up with a treatment plan, we must first have a very clear picture of your symptoms and medical hisotry.
 

Bioidentical vs Synthetic Hormones

Patients often ask if bioidentical hormones are really any different from the synthetic hormones that one would find in birth control pills and in many prescribed HRT medications. We do believe that the bioidentical hormones used in our practice are both safer and more effective than their synthetic counterparts.

Unlike treatments that have been created synthetically, often using animal sources, bioidentical hormones have the same composition as those made naturally by the human body. They can be compounded from plant, not animal, sources, and designed to match the exact molecular structure of human hormones. They can also be more precisely customized to suit a patient’s individual treatment needs.  

The Initial Consultation

Your first appointment will be a consultation during which you can share your symptoms and concerns, and ask any questions you may have about the treatment process. It is important to go into detail about your specific issues – the more information we have, the better equipped we will be to tailor your dosage appropriately.  

What To Expect During Treatment

Once the proper dosage has been determined, your first treatment appointment will be scheduled. At this time, a hormone pellet is inserted under the skin, which is first fully numbed. This is a safe and painless procedure that takes no more than ten minutes, but it must still be performed by a certified medical practitioner. The pellet is normally inserted in the buttocks area, but your placement options can be discussed with the doctor.  

We recommend scheduling three of these treatment appointments per year. At each session, we will first ask you about your symptom status to determine if your dosage needs to be adjusted. If you seem to be responding very well to treatment, your dosage will remain the same until further notice.

How the Hormone Pellets Work

A hormone replacement pellet is not much bigger than a grain of rice and will not be visible beneath the skin. These pellets dissolve very gradually over a four-month period, allowing for a slow but steady flow of hormones into the bloodstream. Since the pellets eventually disappear completely, a new pellet will need to be inserted at each appointment (as noted earlier, three times per year is ideal).  

The reason we recommend subcutaneous pellets over gels, cream, patches, pills, or injections is because they create a slow and consistent delivery method, helping patients to avoid hormone spikes. With a dissolving pellet, your body is never absorbing either too much or too little hormone.

What To Expect After Treatment

There is no real down time required after a pellet insertion, although your doctor may recommend avoiding very strenuous activity for a few days. There might be some mild tenderness at the insertion site, but this should disappear within 48 hours.

Knowing When It’s Time for Hormone Replacement

Diminishing hormones can be responsible for a slew of negative health outcomes, but sometimes these changes come on so gradually that we attribute them to normal aging. Fortunately, this is not what the natural aging process needs to look like! If you are starting to notice any of the following symptoms, these may be signs that youshould seek treatment:

• Decreased libido
• Insomnia
• Persistent fatigue
• Hot flashes
• Depression or anxiety
• Memory problems
• Trouble focusing
• Frequent urination

Visible Changes Also Happen

Hormone imbalance not only causes internal physical and emotional issues, but can also leave visible signs that are hard to erase. When left untreated, plummeting hormones will eventually cause some or all of the following physical changes:

• Dry skin
• Wrinkles
• Weight gain
• Hair loss
• Vaginal dryness
• Bloating

How Hormone Therapy Can Help

Since hormones serve to regulate all bodily processes, it makes sense that re-introducing hormones where they have been lost will help to alleviate many of the symptoms noted above. Most patients find that the right balance of hormones can at east partially reverse both the internal and external symptoms that are experienced during perimenopause, menopause, and andropause.

It is not just women who go through devastating changes at midlife – men can also greatly benefit from bringing their hormones back up to an ideal level. Of course, a man’s hormone prescription will look different than that for a woman, and their symptoms will also look different. We always take a custom approach to each patient, regardless of gender, to make sure they are receiving the exact balance of hormones they need.

Who Is an Ideal Candidate for Hormone Replacement?

Most bioidentical hormone replacement therapy patients are over age 40, but there are rare cases of both men and women who begin to experience noticeable hormone depletion at an earlier age. If you have symptoms that are affecting your quality of life, it is important to sit down with a doctor to discuss your options. You would first need to rule out other potential medical causes before introducing hormone therapy at a younger age.

Generally, most people who have been diagnosed with either perimenopause, menopause, or andropause can safely undergo hormone replacement treatment. When hormones are monitored closely and administered by a qualified professional, the risk of an adverse outcome is extremely low.

Finding the Best Hormone Treatment Specialists in Indiana

Our team of hormone therapy experts is well equipped to help you get your health and life back on track. If you would like to learn more about what hormone replacement therapy can do for you, contact us today at the Cady Wellness Institute. We use only FDA-approved bioidentical medications and compounded forms of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Our doctors will work closely with you and your other health care providers to ensure the best results possible.