Are you in your late 30’s or early 40’s and just don’t feel quite “right” or like yourself anymore? As women, when we were in our early teens our mothers and older sisters were there to explain puberty and menstruation to us. As we age, our bodies continue to change, yet once we reach the 40’s many of our mothers are no longer with us any longer. That often leaves us to Google our symptoms, talk to our friends and blindly guess at what is going on with our own bodies.

As we age, hormonal levels can begin to fluctuate. Though menopause generally doesn’t begin until age 50+, perimenopause, its precursor, can start as early as your mid-thirties.

What to look for:

• Mood swings
• Irregular periods
• Trouble sleeping
• Hot flashes
• Low libido
• Higher cholesterol readings
• Bone loss
• Weight gain or tough weight loss
• Feeling bloated not around the time of your period
• Tender or sore breasts – also not around your monthly cycle

Though you can still become pregnant until your monthly cycle ceases for a full 12 months, it is now less likely than it was in your younger days. Your body is working hard to balance your hormones, but sometimes the symptoms of the imbalance are too much to deal with on a daily basis.

Bioidentical hormones may be able to help. Blood tests can be drawn to check your hormonal levels. From there, recommendations can be made to even out your chemistry. When back in balance, for many women, the issues they had been experiencing may lessen over time or even cease entirely.

The Root of Bioidentical Hormones stems back to the 1930’s when it was found contained in a compound made of wild yams. They contained a type of progesterone that exactly mimics what is produced in the human ovaries. As your body cannot tell the difference, they have been deemed “Bio-Identical”.

Those using BHRT will usually notice:

Better more balanced moods

Fat loss

Increased muscle

Higher bone density

Improved sex drive

Better sleep

And more youthful skin

There is no cure-all for everyone and many other factors do come into play, but if you are in the right age range and experiencing the above symptoms, talk to your doctor and see if Bio-Identical Hormones may be right for you.

To find a Gynecologist here in Lee County, FL please visit www.ipalc.org/find IPALC is the Independent Physician Association of Lee County – a trusted source with verified reviewed physicians.