Minneapolis Minnesota Menopause and Bioidentical Hormone Doctors
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women in Minneapolis
As women get closer to menopause, their hormone production changes dramatically in preparation for the eventual change to permanent infertility. Some women barely notice the changes going on internally while others experience multiple symptoms caused by an imbalance of estrogen, progesterone and other hormones.
Dealing with multiple symptoms for months or years has a serious impact on quality of life. If you’re a woman between the approximate ages of 35 and 55, you can probably recognize symptoms of hormone imbalance already.
Common Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance
- Irregular menstrual periods
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Perimenopause, which occurs anywhere from a few years to up to 15 years before you stop menstruating, can wreak havoc with your regular menstrual cycle. You may go only 21 days between periods one month and skip your cycle all together the next month. You may also experience extremely heavy bleeding for weeks at a time. None of this is pleasant, which is why balancing the hormones is so essential to getting through perimenopause comfortably. Hormone balance can also intensify regular premenstrual symptoms, such as bloating, headaches, irritability, cramps and breast tenderness.
- Low libido and sexual dysfunction
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A decline in estrogen, progesterone and testosterone can leave you feeling rarely in the mood for sex. This is understandable, especially when an imbalance of these hormones can make it physically uncomfortable. Restoring hormone imbalance with BHRT helps to make physical intimacy pleasurable once again.
- Fatigue
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Your adrenal glands produce cortisol, a hormone that helps you respond to and manage stress. When you’re in poor health or under considerable stress, they can’t keep up with the production your body requires. This results in a condition called adrenal fatigue. Replenishing cortisol to healthy levels helps to relieve chronic fatigue so you have the energy you need to meet responsibilities and enjoy life.
- Weight gain
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Hypothyroidism, a common condition caused by insufficient amounts of the thyroid hormone, causes many women to gain weight during the perimenopause and menopause years. A lack of estrogen balance plays a role as well. BHRT helps to increase your metabolism so your body is more efficient at converting food into energy without storing excess fat.
- Hot flashes
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Hot flashes are a very common symptom for women as they enter menopause. They can be experienced during the day and or at night. The estrogen levels produced by the ovaries decrease during this time and the surging waves of heat in the daytime cause flushed red skin. Hot flashes during the night can result in sudden rushes of heat waves causing intense sweating.
- Night sweats
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Night sweats are usually more intense than hot flashes and women can experience symptoms ranging from severe to mild, for varying duration. Depending on the intensity of night sweats, they can be accompanied by chills, nausea, headaches or an irregular heartbeat.
- Irritability and mood swings
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Mood swings are often a result of intense hormone imbalances that greatly affect the level of serotonin in the brain. Estrogen has a direct influence on the amount of serotonin produced. Mood swings and depression can be due to the drops in estrogen levels that are responsible for production of serotonin. This can cause a state of sadness, foggy thinking, fluctuation of appetite, loss of sleep and feelings that produce thoughts of suicide.
- Loss of libido
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The drop in Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone levels are the hormones responsible for lower energy and decreased sex drive. Arousal and orgasm are still possible, yet the hormonal imbalance that occurs during this shift into menopause can cause the vaginal wall to become dry and irritated further exacerbating the lack of desire to be sexual. All of which can have a psychological impact as well.
- Vaginal dryness
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During menopause the levels of estrogen decrease which causes thinning of the vaginal walls. This results in less lubrication and elasticity, which can increase irritation, itching and pain resulting in a decreased desire to engage in intercourse.
- Irregular heartbeat
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Estrogen levels fluctuate and correlate with the cholesterol levels in the blood, as well as the fluctuation of blood pressure affecting the vasodilatation of the arteries and affecting the autonomous nervous system that regulates the heartbeat. This can result in fatigue, anxiety, and more.
- Urinary urgency / incontinence
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This is the inability to keep urine in the bladder during sneezing, laughing or coughing. Estrogen is the hormone that helps with the strength of the bladder muscles. As estrogen decreases during menopause so does bladder control. Incontinence includes feelings of constant need to urinate due to an overactive or oversensitive bladder. Another form of incontinence is a bladder that doesn’t empty completely, causing dribbling.
- Insomnia
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Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep for a long enough time to feel rested and rejuvenated. Night sweats or other accompanied symptoms of menopause such as bizarre dreams or incontinence can contribute to insomnia.
- Disorientation
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Often this symptom is directly related to feeling dizzy and light heated. Some experience vertigo which is a constant spinning sensation, or light headed feeling when one stands up too fast.
- Anxiety
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Anxiety can refer to a state of being worried, fearful, on edge and uneasy or a sense of urgency often out of proportion to the event that initiates the response. Estrogen levels affect the brain chemistry directly related to mood and emotions.
It’s typical for women to visit their primary doctor for hormone replacement therapy when the above issues get to be too much for them to manage. In most cases, doctors prescribe a daily synthetic hormone replacement pill to restore hormonal balance and decrease symptoms. While this solution is effective for some women, many more have to stop taking the pill due to serious side effects. Drugs used in traditional hormone therapy are also linked to an increased risk of uterine cancer, heart disease and other serious medical conditions. bioidentical hormones offer an alternative solution without the risks.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy in Minneapolis uses a compound of natural plant hormones to restore balance to your body. Women are often surprised to learn that the hormones found in yam and soybean plants are nearly identical to their own hormones. This similarity allows your body to accept the bioidentical hormones without fear of rejection or side effects. Your symptoms will disappear or be much more manageable once you achieve hormonal balance.
How to Start Receiving Bioidentical Hormones for Women in Minneapolis
If you’re fed up with your symptoms and not finding any real relief for them, take some time to browse our directory of Bioidentical Hormone Specialists in the Minneapolis area. Each doctor’s profile lists his experience and education to help you make an informed treatment decision. After finding someone you want to work with, call or email to request a consultation.
During this appointment, your doctor will interview you to understand your present symptoms, past health history, and what you hope to accomplish with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. You also need to complete hormone testing and a physical exam before you can begin receiving Bioidentical Hormones for Women.
Bioidentical Hormone Doctors Treat You as an Individual
One of the major ways that this holistic alternative differs from traditional treatment of hormone disorders is that each patient receives an individualized compound of replacement hormones. After your doctor interprets the results of your testing, he or she contacts a local pharmacy to create your customized compound of bioidentical hormones. This contains only the hormones you need at a level that is most therapeutic for you. While many women receive estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, thyroid, and melatonin, you may not. It all depends on your test results and the symptoms you report to your doctor.
The holistic model of healthcare gives physicians a greater opportunity to develop relationships with their patients. Because you see your doctor each day to receive your replacement hormones, he or she is invested in your recovery. You should never hesitate to bring up concerns because your input is valuable. Your doctor is there to help balance your hormones, but he or she also trusts you to know your own body and what is and isn’t working for you. If this type of trusting, proactive professional relationship has been missing from your healthcare, contact a Bioidentical Hormone Doctor in Minneapolis today.
Congratulations on Taking Charge of Your Health!
Locate Qualified Minneapolis Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Doctors Near You!
LAK MedSpa
1120 Wayzata Blvd East, Suite 100
Wayzata, Minnesota 55391
Alexander Y. Zubkov, M.D., PhD
12800 Whitewater drive, suite 100-2031
Minnetonka, MN 55343
