Could Your Hormones Be Trying to Tell You Something?

You’re exhausted, but you can’t sleep. Your patience is shorter than it used to be. Your periods have changed. Weight seems to settle around your middle despite doing the same things that used to work. Maybe your sex drive has disappeared, or you simply don’t feel like yourself anymore.

For many women, these changes can occur during perimenopause and menopause as hormone levels begin to fluctuate and eventually decline.

At Hodag HydrO2, we believe women deserve more than being told that these changes are simply something they have to “deal with.”

What Happens During Perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the transition leading up to menopause, and it can begin years before periods completely stop. During this time, estrogen and progesterone levels can fluctuate significantly. Symptoms vary from woman to woman and may include:

Hot flashes and night sweats
Sleep disturbances
Changes in menstrual cycles
Vaginal dryness or discomfort
Changes in sexual desire
Mood changes
Difficulty concentrating or “brain fog”
Because many of these symptoms overlap with other medical conditions, a thorough evaluation matters. Thyroid disorders, anemia, sleep disorders, depression, medication effects, and other conditions can sometimes produce similar complaints.

Where Does BHRT Fit In?
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) uses hormones that are chemically identical to hormones produced by the human body. FDA-approved bioidentical hormone therapies are available, including forms of estradiol and micronized progesterone.

Hormone therapy can be highly effective for appropriate candidates, particularly for bothersome vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. It can also help address certain genitourinary symptoms associated with menopause.

But hormone therapy is not one-size-fits-all.

The appropriate medication, dose, route, and duration depend on a woman’s symptoms, medical history, age, time since menopause, whether she has a uterus, risk factors, and treatment goals.

You Deserve an Individualized Conversation
Women can experience this transition very differently. That is why treatment should begin with listening—not automatically prescribing hormones based on a single laboratory value.

At Hodag HydrO2, our goal is to help women better understand what is happening in their bodies and explore evidence-based options for feeling and functioning their best.

Over the next four weeks, we’re taking a closer look at women’s hormone health, including BHRT options, safety, and what to expect from a hormone consultation.

Next week: Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone—what do these hormones actually do?