What Happens if I Stop Taking Bioidentical Hormones?

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is an innovative procedure designed to be a long-term approach to restoring your overall health and wellness from the age-related deletion of your natural hormones. As we age, the body’s natural hormones can drop or become unbalanced for many different reasons and can lead to multiple different symptoms, including mood swings, weight gain, headaches, fatigue, and hot flashes.

 

The effectiveness of this treatment relies on individualized dosing to bring the most relief with the least amount of hormones and may require time for your body to adjust. Some common side effects may occur, such as breast tenderness, acne, and bleeding. Most of the time, these are minimal and temporary issues, and often resolve with dose adjustments.

 

While BHRT is a safe and effective treatment for andropause and menopause symptoms, it may not be recommended for all patients, especially if you are at a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, dementia, and breast cancer.

 

Whether stopping BHRT is influenced by personal health issues or side effects, it is helpful to re-examine why you chose to start BHRT and reconsider its many short-term and long-term benefits. Skilled family nurse practitioner Kellie Lewis and the expert practitioners at Avanti Medical Center in Lehi, UT are ready to discuss any questions and concerns that you may have.

 

What is BHRT?

 

Bioidentical hormones are man-made hormones that are designed to replicate the hormones produced by the body to restore balance and relieve symptoms. There are several forms of bioidentical hormones, including pills, creams, gels, or injections, but the most preferred form by most practitioners is the pellet method. The pellet contains customized dosing based on individualized needs to achieve hormonal balance. It is placed under the skin near the hip with a local numbing medication and could last for a few months. If you use the pellet method and decide to stop, you simply leave the pellet in as it dissolves on its own.

 

What to know before stopping BHRT

 

If you choose to stop your treatment with BHRT, it is best to do so gradually. Practitioners recommend tapering down the doses so the body can slowly adjust to the changes in hormone levels that will startle your system. Tapering down doses, however, should not be done without expert guidance from Kellie Lewis in Lehi, UT.

 

For most patients who stop BHRT, unpleasant symptoms associated with menopause for women and andropause for men may recur. These symptoms commonly include:

• hot flashes

• insomnia

• mood swings

• low energy levels

• low sex drive

 

Reclaim your comfort today. Call our office to hear more about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy

Talking to your provider when stopping BHRT is one of the best ways to help you wean off safely with the least amount of discomfort possible. Stopping is just as important as starting BHRT, and it should be done under medical care. Kellie Lewis, FNP, and the experts at Avanti Medical Center in Lehi, UT can assist you in making the right decision to give yourself the best chance to a better quality of life that is virtually symptom-free. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and find out more.