Someone Who Understands What is Happening to You and Can Help

I am a man, but I can understand how you feel.

I am also a doctor, a doctor, specialized in true bioidentical hormone replacement therapies. Young women like you come to my gynecology clinic in Aspen or in Denver when they begin to experience the first symptoms of perimenopause several years before due time. Usually, they share their feelings and confess their ordeals to me.

For instance, being a hormone doctor I know you probably woke up several times last night or the night before and, consequently, were tired and sleepy all day long.   I guess that during the first hot flash of the night you had to remove your blankets. It was so hot, wasn't it? Like a burning fire inside… It began all of a sudden as a heat in your feet and went up increasingly burning your entire body, especially in your face, chest and neck, worse than the worst of your fevers.   It lasted no more than five or six minutes, but you felt like it was much longer.

Somehow, you finally managed to fall asleep, only to wake up again, so cold... so, so much uncomfortable. Freezing, you found your blanket at your feet and pulled it up to your neck and wondered how long would a perimenopause period last.   While trying to catch sleep again, your mind wandered, recalling the first flash a few weeks ago.   Then...

You panicked.

As a hormone doctor, I know you did, when you recognized some of the other symptoms you read about in Cosmo. You couldn't sleep and kept wondering:

“How could it be? How come they arrived so early? How could it possibly be?” Because you know you are not old, and certainly don't look old, so they keep telling you … “Am I having a momentary disorder? —you asked yourself in the middle of the night—. Or is it definitive? And if so, till when will I have to endure this ordeal? Of course I am not that old … Besides …” and you fell asleep again.

To wake up again, all wet, sweating your head and your anxiety off.

Then, you made up your mind to Google hormone replacement therapy the next day, not even imagining there was such a thing as a hormone doctor.

Before I explain to you what a doctor specialized in bioidentical hormones does, let me tell you I am aware that you are making some adjustments to your daylight life, too.   You realized you are not the energetic woman you used to be. Being so easily fatigued, you unconsciously started to schedule more activities in the morning when you usually feel better. Probably, you disregard your fatigue, considering it but a consequence of your lack of sleep, ignoring there are other reasons directly related to your hormones.

Being a doctor specialized in bioidentical hormones, I know how guilty and uncomfortable you are feeling now.   I presume your partner was there with you last night, too. And he probably was way too conscious of your problem; not just because you discussed the topic with him, but because he is living with it too. For example, I guess he woke up twice, no, thrice last night, each time you threw the blankets away and twice more when you were struggling to get them back.   He didn't care too much about the blankets, anyway. He needed them not, because you were really hot last night…   Not as hot as you used to be when you two met each other, but hot.

Literally hot.

As a doctor, I can explain to you what caused your flashes. To begin with, everything is in your head. No, I don't think you are losing your mind (although I know you had thoughts… quite frightening thoughts) and yes, your flashes were very real, I know; but believe me: It's all in your head!

A hormone doctor works with your hypothalamus. Ever heard of the hypothalamus? It's placed under (thus, hypo) the thalamus, right in the middle of your brain. The hypothalamus controls —among other vital functions— your body temperature and circadian rhythm (your waking and sleeping cycles).   Through the pituitary gland, it manages the level of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). This activity causes your temperature peaks.  

More accurately, a doctor specialized in bioidentical hormones deals with hormones, which are messengers, chemical substances that transmit information. FSH is, precisely, a carrier sent to the ovaries with a message to release eggs from the follicles. As an ovule is released every month, yet another hormone, estrogen, is needed to thicken the lining of your uterus.   However, your ovaries are less capable of producing estrogen to balance the levels of FSH.

A hormone doctor deals with the lack of proper communication between ovaries and hypothalamus. This poor communication keeps the hypothalamus ordering more FSH from the pituitary. Thus, your FSH levels increase in the blood and the hypothalamic hyper activity causes the flashes. You sweat and feel dizzy as your pulse rate rises.

As you know, you probably need therapy to balance your estrogen, testosterone and progesterone levels. There are different ways to get the hormones into the blood stream; for instance, oral therapy (tablets) and transdermal patches. Likewise, there are several kinds of therapies, some dwelling on animal hormones, some on synthetic products. This is where a doctor specialized in bioidentical hormones enters the stage.

How Do these doctors work?

“Bioidentical hormones” means hormones chemically identical to yours.   Therefore, doctors specialized in bioidentical hormones prescribe the right combination of bioidentical estradiol and other estrogens.   It does not mean they are “natural”. In fact, they are produced in a laboratory from vegetables.   Still, they are structurally equal to those in your bloodstream.  

On the contrary, a doctor specialized in bioidentical hormones won't prescribe animal hormones —widely used in some hormone replacement therapies. Usually extracted from pregnant mares' urine, animal hormones are completely different and extraneous to the human body and thus, have diverse side effects.

The doctor draws a sample of your blood to find out your specific needs; then, he or she prescribes the adequate formula, a mix of hormones biochemically identical to human hormones.

Contact Kenton Bruice, M.D. with your questions about bioidentical hormone therapy.