Rhode Island Estrogen Replacement Therapy

Women should expect certain changes to come with menopause, including the cessation of periods and loss of fertility. However, there are various side effects that accompany this change in your life that may be more difficult to anticipate.

These side effects manifest because your ovaries no longer produce estrogen, and while some are merely annoying, others can make life miserable. A qualified physician like Dr. Edward Jacobson could educate you about Rhode Island estrogen replacement therapy and how it may help relieve menopausal symptoms and improve your quality of life.

The Importance of Estrogen

Estrogen affects women throughout their reproductive years, and a lack thereof impacts them after menopause. This hormone triggers secondary female sexual characteristic development at puberty and plays a role in every aspect of the reproductive system and more. For example, estrogen increases fat storage in a woman’s thighs and hips.

Loss of estrogen at menopause often has a tremendous effect on the body. Some of the most common side effects of menopause include night sweats and hot flashes, but a loss of estrogen disrupts many other bodily functions as well. Women who are experiencing menopause may be afflicted by the following symptoms:

  • Anxiety
  • Brain fog
  • Depression
  • Dry or sagging skin
  • Hair loss
  • Fatigue
  • Insomnia
  • Loss of libido
  • Mood swings
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Weight gain

Some women may feel as though their lives have become a rollercoaster since going through menopause, despite their outward lives hardly changing. Fortunately, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help women promote balance in their lives by replacing the estrogen lost during menopause.

How Estrogen Replacement Therapy Works

Unlike standard estrogen replacement therapy derived from pregnant mare’s urine, bioidentical treatment comes from plant sources such as soy and wild yam. The latter is identical at the molecular level to estrogens produced by a woman’s body, so the body accepts these hormones as completely natural. Women receiving this treatment usually receive custom-tailored diets and exercise plans, as well, for maximal health benefits.

Hormonal Delivery

Women have a wide range of choices for hormonal delivery. Bioidentical estrogen is custom-made for patients at a compounding pharmacy and is available in pill, injectable, gel, patch, and transdermal pellet forms.

Dr. Jacobson could determine your appropriate bioidentical hormone dosage based on estrogen levels found in a blood, saliva, or urine sample. Regular monitoring and changes in dosage levels are common as therapy progresses.

Benefits and Contraindications

The potential benefits of bioidentical estrogen replacement therapy extend far beyond relieving menopausal symptoms. For example, it can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, macular degeneration, osteoporosis, and other serious conditions.

However, some women are not candidates for this therapy. Women diagnosed with breast or endometrial cancer should not undergo estrogen replacement therapy. Women with active heart or liver diseases are also not candidates for this treatment.

Call a Well-Practiced Physician to Learn More About Rhode Island Estrogen Replacement Therapy

Speak with Dr. Jacobson for more information on Rhode Island estrogen replacement therapy if you would like to learn about how it can benefit you. Call our Greenwich office today or contact us online to arrange a consultation.