Vancouver Hormone Replacement
Therapy for Women
Many women suffer terribly through menopausal changes. Susanne Somers, in her books The Sexy Years and Ageless, has discussed the Seven Dwarves of Menopause: Itchy, Bitchy, Sweaty, Sleepy, Bloated, Forgetful and All Dried Up. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can address many of these concerns.
Women, do you have?:
- Hot flushes and night sweats
- Disrupted sleep and daytime sleepiness
- Poor concentration and memory
- Irritability and nervousness
- Dry, sagging skin
- Vaginal dryness and stiffness
If your life is disrupted by these symptoms, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) could drastically improve the quality of your life.
How HRT Works
Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy uses hormone medication and extracts that are identical to the hormones naturally produced by the human body. Naturally occurring plant hormones require modification in a laboratory to produce the bio-equivalent human form. Dr Frame has years of experience in hormone replacement through his family medicine practice and has received extra training in Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Some women benefit from optimizing multiple hormones including estrogen Estrogen is a female hormone produced by the ovaries. Estrogen deficiency can lead to osteoporosis. , progesterone Progesterone is used to cause menstrual periods due to a lack of progesterone in the body. Progesterone is also used to prevent overgrowth in the lining of the uterus in postmenopausal women who are receiving estrogen hormone replacement therapy. , testosterone In both men and women, testosterone plays a key role in health and well-being as well as in sexual functioning. Examples include enhanced libido, energy, immune function, and protection against osteoporosis. , DHEA Dehydroepiandrosterone DHEA is the dominant steroid hormone and precursor of all sex steroids. , thyroid hormones Thyroid hormones regulate the rate of metabolism and affect the growth and rate of function of many other systems in the body. , parathyroid hormone, melatonin Besides its primary function as synchronizer of the biological clock, melatonin may exert a powerful anti-oxidant activity. and cortisol Cortisol is a vital hormone that is often referred to as the "stress hormone" as it is involved in the response to stress. It increases blood pressure, blood sugar levels and has an immunosuppressive action. . Careful hormone testing can reveal hormone deficiencies and excesses.
Hormone Replacement Assessment
Doctor Gidon Frame offers a detailed medical evaluation to address peri-menopausal hormone optimization. Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement requires a careful check of risks and benefits before embarking on hormone treatment.
Contact us to schedule an appointment for an BHRT evaluation.
Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy
The benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) reduces incidence and risk of:
- osteoporosis
- anxiety
- hot flushes
- vaginal dryness
- insomnia
- fatigue
- lowered libido
- colorectal cancer
Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy
* HRT increases risk for:- stroke
- breast cancer
- endometrial cancer (estrogen-only HRT)
- ovarian cancer (estrogen-only HRT)
- deep vein thrombosis (blood clots)
Doctor Frame will evaluate your individual risk of breast cancer, endometrial cancer, hearts disease, stroke and blood clots so that you can make an informed decision about female hormone replacement benefits. He will order the appropriate tests and consultations needed to evaluate risk and help you make an informed decision about Hormone Replacement Therapy.
Evidence from HRT studies relate to populations, not to individual women. Each women's history and personal and family risk indicators need to be evaluated to help you determine whether HRT is right for you.
* For more information about HRT benefits and risks, read HRT: A Summary of the Evidence (PDF), an excellent summary of HRT study findings written by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.
