While the majority of women can weather the menopause transition, there are over 2.5 million women who pay out of pocket for compounded bioidentical hormones as a more “natural” solution to lessen hot flashes and night sweats that disrupt their lives and especially their sleep.  The preference for so-called bioidentical hormones estrogen and progesterone gained momentum after the landmark Women’s Health Initiative study showed that users of synthetic hormone replacement therapy (HRT) demonstrated an increase in breast cancer (after more than 5 years of use) and also blood clots in their legs and lungs.

Estradiol is the most potent estrogen the ovaries produce during a women’s reproductive years. In menopause, the ovaries stop making this hormone and also progesterone. Consequently, in many women, hot flashes, poor sleep, muddled thinking, and vaginal dryness occur. If this becomes too disruptive to the quality of a women’s life then HRT is a reasonable solution.

We have learned through some very good clinical studies that HRT using estradiol and progesterone, so-called “bioidentical” hormones, help alleviate menopausal symptoms and doesn’t appear to carry the risks that arose with synthetic hormones. The problem with compounded hormone preparations is the lack of quality control to ensure consistent dosing and no clinical data to support the claims. Also, insurance often doesn’t cover them.

Now we have Bijuva®, the first FDA‑approved combined estradiol‑progesterone pill. This means if you want bioidentical HRT your insurance will pay for it. And if you have a co-pay you won’t have to pay twice for each type of hormone pill. Regardless of your health insurance coverage (eg. Medicare, MediCal) the company limits your out‑of‑pocket cost to no more than $35 per month.

If you feel like menopause has disrupted the quality of your life, sleep, and well‑being then please schedule a consultation so we can discuss if hormone replacement would be beneficial for you.

Kindly,

Scott Kramer MD

“If you don’t take time to care for yourself, you won’t be able to care for those you care about most”

Tweet