4 Questions to Ask Your Hormone Doctor

Hormone therapy is used to help restore ideal levels of hormones within the body to regain balance and relieve symptoms. Blood testing is imperative to see if your hormones are in ideal ranges for your age and gender. Many patients experience symptoms of imbalance such as exhaustion, bloat, irritability, hair loss, poor skin texture, adult acne, insomnia, hot flashes, mood changes, and even headaches. These hormonal imbalances can also be caused by menopause perimenopause or other circumstances. Implementing hormone therapy can help replace the hormones that have naturally declined with age or due to other circumstances.

It is important to know both men and women are affected by hormonal changes and should not be left suffering with unwanted symptoms. Proper hormone replacement therapy can be life changing for both men and women. Just as women’s testosterone levels decrease with age as a result of menopause, men can also see a decrease in their testosterone levels as they age. This age-related decline in men is called Andropause, which Dr. Vanessa Mack (Dean) likes to call this “Man-O-Pause.” It is no different than age-related decline in hormones for women and is equally as important to be treated.

When you reach a certain age, your sex hormones decline until they are no longer produced by the ovaries and testes at adequate levels. Hormone replacement therapy is used to restore normal levels of these crucial hormones to your system. There are many different forms of hormone therapy, but they all essentially are used to do the same thing – bring your levels back to normal ranges, thus eliminating your pesky symptoms of “low hormones.” Blood testing is used to tailor your doses and ensure you reach the ideal range for you. Not all hormone replacement therapy is created equal. Dr. Vanessa Mack (Dean) specializes in many forms of treatment but prefers her patients to use bioidentical hormones (human identical and natural) and determines the best “delivery method” for her patients whether it be sublingual, cream, oral or bioidentical hormone pellets. Dr. Vanessa Mack (Dean) will closely follow up with you during your progress to make sure you are continuously improving or making changes to your therapy as needed.

Common signs that you may need hormone replacement therapy for men and women include but are not limited to:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Vaginal dryness
• Any pain, itching or even burning during intercourse
• Bone loss (as shown on a Dexa Scan)
• A low sex drive
• Mood swings or changes
• Irritability
• Sleep issues
• Weight gain
• Exhaustion
• Muscle weakness
• Hair thinning
• Brain fog
• Headache / migraines

Some common causes of hormonal imbalance may include:

• Natural Age-Related Decline (Menopause & Andropause)
• Medications
• Cancer treatments
• Tumors (either cancerous or benign)
• Eating disorders
• Stress
• Injury or trauma; and
• Pituitary tumors

There may be other conditions that can cause hormone deficiency and these patients would benefit greatly from hormone replacement therapy. Common conditions that cause hormone decline are menopause, surgical removal of your ovaries, early signs of menopause/andropause, premature ovarian or testicular insufficiency.

Dr. Vanessa Mack (Dean) can help you determine if your symptoms are caused by something else; however menopause/andropause are most commonly to blame for these symptoms and are a normal part of aging.

Hormone therapy is the most effective treatments for menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness or discomfort during intercourse. It is also very successful in returning normal libido and sexual function in men, among other benefits. Individualized therapy curated for each client is beneficial to offer a high success rate when it comes to hormone replacement therapy. If you or someone you know is suffering from symptoms of menopause/andropause or early on-set menopause/andropause and want to know more about how hormone replacement therapy can be beneficial to you, call us or book an appointment today! We’ll bring you in to assess your current condition, and work with you to discuss your treatment options to develop a plan that meets your unique needs. We serve patients from Scottsdale AZ, Tempe AZ, Mesa AZ, Paradise Valley AZ, Chandler AZ, Phoenix AZ, and BEYOND!