Hormone replacement for Menopause can come in several different forms. Natural HRT Therapy is the replacement or supplementing of feminine hormones that are no longer well balanced in the bodies of women who are going through the stages of Menopause. A woman's body begins to change as she begins the cycle of ending her adult years of fertility. Although this period serves the same purpose in all women, it can have very different effects on each individual. Some women cruise through the pre-menopause phase called Perimenopause, while others can have great difficulty with symptoms and side effects of the Menopause Cycle. These women should consider hormone replacement for menopause. Both Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) can be considered.
One reason for this is that as the progression of Perimenopause includes changes in the woman's body's production of Hormones. Typically this is is a reducing of production. This creates imbalances that can have a great effect on the overall function and well being of the whole person. Biological and emotional balance and stability can be greatly upset as the hormone levels become continually out of balance. Moodiness, weight issues, fatigue, hot flashes, relationship with loved ones, and all of the other symptoms that we all know and that you may be experiencing.
This is sometimes hard to get your personal Physician to take an in depth look at. He or she may see your symptoms as normal and unavoidable. A blood test can reveal hormone deficiencies, but that is not always what the doctor is looking for. Since the symptoms of Perimenopause and Thyroid under production (Hypothyroidism) are very similar, the doctor may see that your Thyroid production is in the "normal" range and tell you that there is little more you can do.
There are many treatments that can help. There are mood enhancing drugs that your doctor may describe and they can be very helpful. But, you still have not addressed what may be the core issue of your discomfort. Your hormone balance.
Hormone Replacement Therapy has been around for a very long time. Since the 1930s there has been versions of it used for Menopause and other issues. Hormone levels and production can be measured in both saliva tests and blood tests, although recent studies find that the specific blood tests for Hormone production are more reliable. These tests are a little more expensive, but probably should be used.
If your doctor won't do these tests, and this is often true of family physicians who tend to believe that "less is more", and if you believe that there is still more wrong than your doctor is finding, there are two routes to take. One is to try and insist that your doctor examine you for deficient hormone levels. The second is to do the research and find physicians that specialize in hormone replacement therapies. There are many doing this treatment today. Compound Pharmacists are also in most areas.
There are two main treatments to help replace the hormones that your body is no longer producing in the proper amounts. They are:
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT):
This treatment consists of the mixing of standardized amounts of hormones in a "one size fits all" packaging. It can be taken as a pill or patch (extended release). It is made from equine (horse) urine and closely mimics human hormones. It is prescribed by doctors typically and is available at most pharmacies. In lower doses some hormones are available over the counter. The results are mixed and there are not a lot of really good studies on its effectiveness. As you can guess, some women have great results and some do not. Since, all doses are standard, it is possible that this does not fit women whose hormones are outside of the standard.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT):
This treatment consists of individually mixing a dose that is specific to the needs of each woman's current blood test results for hormone levels. This is a much newer approach. It is usually prescribed by doctors specializing in this field and mixed to the personal specifications of each patient by "compound pharmacists", who are pharmacists that will mix and dose to the doctor's specifications for each patient. BHRT compounds come from natural plant such as soy and wild sweet potatoes or yams. The delivery is usually a cream, but recently a method for placing tiny Hormone Replacement pellets just under the skin. This is an extended release method that lasts 3 months. The next implant my be a different mix than the first if hormone levels have changed during the 3 months. I have personally seen very remarkable results in a family member with this treatment, but there are few studies that are definitive as to the results or side effects over a wide group of women.
Costs and Health Insurance Coverage:
i made a trip to customer service at my family's health insurance provider, which is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City. This company has provided fabulous service to me for many years. I talked to this representative about the coverage of the two treatments. Coincidentally, she was currently being treated with Hormone Replacement Therapy and therefore was familiar with the fact that BCBS of KC does cover some costs of this treatment. She was using the patch extended release delivery and her out of pocket cost was $360 per year. She believed that the treatment was good, but would not qualify as "remarkable" or "miraculous.
BCBS of KC does not cover Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). The reasons are, that it is too new and has never been studied or approved by the FDA. It is classified as a "Natural Treatment Therapy" It is therefore very expensive. I visited a reputable BHRT clinic in my city and found the costs to approach $3,500 per year. At this point I have become biased concerning the better of the two treatments, as I have seen nearly miraculous results with BHRT. I am now going to do a study of the pricing of the treatment by other reputable clinics in this region. I believe that since it is new, and that each individual is treated as such, that there may be a wide range of pricing methods.
No comments:
Post a Comment