Hormone Replacement Therapy

Tri-Life Health, PC

Functional Medicine & Integrative Medicine located in Fort Collins, CO

You might not realize how much your hormones affect your body until you begin to lose them around middle age or due to illness and stress. Hormone loss associated with adrenal fatigue, thyroid dysfunction, menopause, or declining testosterone can cause fatigue, depression, weight gain, sleep problems, memory problems, and sexual dysfunction. Roger Billica, MD, William Billica, MD, and the team at Tri-Life Health in Fort Collins, Colorado, offer in-depth diagnoses for these conditions and hormone replacement therapy to treat your symptoms if indicated. Missed diagnosis of or insufficiently treated thyroid dysfunction is another common issue that our doctors can address. For more information on hormone replacement therapy, call Tri-Life Health for an appointment today.

Hormone Replacement Therapy Q & A

What is hormone replacement therapy?

Hormone replacement therapy is a treatment for symptoms associated with hormone loss, which happens due to illness, infection and toxicity, stress, the autoimmune process, and aging. These can involve the adrenal and thyroid glands, loss of sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, dysfunction of the pituitary gland, lack of vitamin D, and many other aspects of your endocrine system.

At Tri-Life Health you receive a comprehensive and thorough approach to supporting your hormones including addressing underlying issues affecting the glands, supporting the glandular function with nutrients and supplements, detoxification, lifestyle modification, and, if necessary, actual hormone replacement. When you undergo hormone replacement therapy at Tri-Life Health you receive bioidentical hormones. They’re identical to the hormones in your body and are provided in a manner that duplicates the normal rhythms for your gender and age. 

Your provider gives you the lowest dose possible that effectively treats your symptoms. Too many hormones can lead to health complications, so they carefully monitor you as you undergo treatment.  If possible, after the underlying causes of your hormone imbalance are corrected, your provider gradually will ease you off the hormone replacement to determine if you will need it for a longer time or not.

What does hormone replacement therapy treat?

Hormone replacement therapy can be a part of many strategies including support of thyroid, adrenal, and pituitary dysfunction, lack of vitamin D, low testosterone with chronic illness, and many other conditions. Hormone replacement therapy for women alleviates many of the symptoms associated with menopause. Menopause is the time in your life when your menstrual period stops. As you approach menopause, your female hormones, specifically estrogen and progesterone, fluctuate and eventually drop. Common menopausal symptoms are:

  • Hot flashes
  • Cold sweats
  • Mood swings
  • Bone weakening
  • Memory and concentration problems
  • Sleep problems
  • Vaginal dryness

Men also can benefit from hormone replacement therapy. While they don’t go through menopause, men gradually lose testosterone over time. Low testosterone levels can cause symptoms, including:

  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Sleep problems
  • Loss of muscle mass
  • Memory and concentration problems
  • Feelings of depression
  • Lack of motivation

Tri-Life Health can help you determine if your symptoms are from hormone loss and whether or not you should treat them with hormone replacement therapy.

Am I a candidate for hormone replacement therapy?

Hormone replacement therapy works well for some people, but not for others. During a consultation at Tri-Life Health you discuss your current health, your health history, medications that you take, and your symptoms. You also weigh the risks and benefits of taking hormones to treat your symptoms. 

You provider might determine that you’re a good candidate for hormone replacement therapy if:

  • You’re not pregnant
  • Testing demonstrates specific hormone deficiencies
  • You understand the benefits and risks
  • Your symptoms affect your well-being

If you’re not a candidate for hormone replacement therapy, Tri-Life Health can help you consider other options for symptom relief. Your options depend on the symptoms that you have and your current level of health.

To find out more about hormone replacement therapy and its benefits, call Tri-Life Health to schedule your consultation today.

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