Thoughts from Tracy Blusewicz, MD, a double board certified gynecologist and obesity medicine physician that specializes in hormone and weight loss management.
For years, many women have been nervous, given incomplete information, or just plain scared away from utilizing and benefitting from any type of hormone therapy due to the “bad press” hormone replacement got after the WHI study was stopped in 2002. Headlines were misinterpreted and overblown causing many women who were successfully using and benefitting from hormone therapy replacement to abruptly stop and influenced a generation of women to “avoid hormones”.
Patients and inexperienced providers were worried to start any hormone replacement, and this misinterpreted information led the expansion of avoidance to spread to even basic vaginal topical estrogen used for treating GSM, the common genitourinary syndrome of menopause.
Confusing and inaccurate boxed warnings were placed on the packaging containing estrogen products, even vaginal estrogen where any warnings were not warranted or indicated for. This single event led to years of confusion and the almost avoidance of treatment for women’s basic menopausal complaints! Menopausal complaints were ignored for lack of a better word and women were told by other providers to “just live with it since it is part of life”.
Finally, after years of published studies which extensively showed the safety of hormone use, many of these studies specifically focused on vaginal estrogen methods but there were also studies that reexamined the original WHI study that had received so much attention, the data reached a point where people had to listen! The FDA gathered a panel of hormone experts to review the possibility of removing the black box warning label on vaginal estrogens in July.
Every single expert agreed with the importance of vaginal estrogen for women in their lifetimes for multiple reasons: preventing recurrent UTI, prevention of vaginal infections that are so common in women in their 60’s,70’s and beyond, relief of painful vaginal dryness, improvement of orgasm and the ability to have intimacy with their partners, and decreasing the incidence of urinary incontinence.
I encourage you all to view the panel discussion on the FDA channel on YouTube, it is eye opening and pertains life changing information for all women and their families. In November the FDA announced its decision to update its stance on many estrogen-based therapies, (<--- clink link) including vaginal estradiol, and we are at last after 20 long years seeing the science and the messaging align—and that is incredibly good news for women’s health.
Women’s health is at the forefront of topic of conversation in the medical community and quality of peri-menopause, menopausal, and post menopausal life is being looked at and hormonal supplementation is no longer taboo. I say “about time” with much emphasis because remember we live more than half our lives in these hormonal challenging years and we need to make the most of them!
At Advanced Women’s Care of the Lowcountry, Dr. Coley and I have always practiced from a comprehensive, patient-forward belief: “quality of life” matters. Hormones are not about chasing youth; they are about protecting and elevating your health to the best it can be, letting women have satisfying intimate relationships, be able to do their daily activities without interruption, and give women the ability to feel at home in their own bodies.
When women are educated about all their options and given choices of treatments, this is when ladies can benefit and live their best life forward. Longevity used to be a goal women aimed for, but at Advanced Women’s Care quality and her best life throughout all her hormonal phases is our goal. Hormone replacement when used thoughtfully and individually—based on age, history, and goals— can be proactive, protective and life changing for many women.
Hormones Replacement or supplementation with options that can include estrogen, progesterone, and/or testosterone, can:
Again, peri menopausal and menopausal changes are not “small” issues. They touch marriages, partnerships, careers, confidence, and daily joy. These changes do not end in a few years, many of these changes are progressive and continue throughout a woman’s lifetime. This is why Dr. Coley and I see ourselves not just as gynecologists, but as advocates for women’s full, vibrant lives—and that absolutely can include hormones especially since there are so many options and the plan can be specifically tailored for each woman’s health.
If you’ve ever stopped or avoided hormone therapy because you were worried, or your friends, family, providers, or the news influenced your decision, this is the perfect time to revisit the hormone and health conversation.
We will take the time to listen to your individual complaints, review your personal health risks and benefits, and design a plan that feels safe, evidence-based, and aligns with your values.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be adding a dedicated page to our website that explains what this new hormone landscape means for you—your relationships, your long-term health, and your options.
For now, please know this: you deserve to feel well, you deserve to feel heard, and most of all you deserve to have access to tools that can truly change your life.
With Warmth and Advocacy,
Trący Blusewicz, MD and Katherine Coley, MD
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) uses hormones that are chemically identical to the body's natural ones, derived from plant sources like yams or soy, to treat hormonal imbalances. It is used to relieve symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause, such as hot flashes, mood changes, and sleep issues, as well as other conditions in men and women. The benefits of BHRT for men and women are numerous.
Explore the multifaceted role of testosterone, an essential hormone crucial for growth and reproduction. While commonly associated with males, testosterone also plays a vital role in females. Produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands, testosterone contributes to bone growth, enhances libido, and influences overall mood. Interestingly, it serves as a precursor to estrogen, highlighting its significance in maintaining hormonal balance in females.
In hormone replacement therapies, estrogen and progesterone often take the spotlight. However, achieving optimal health requires attention to testosterone levels as well. Striving for a harmonious balance of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone is key to holistic well-being. Uncover the importance of testosterone in female health today.
Both men and women produce testosterone, it is vital for libido (sex drive), energy, and maintaining muscle. Men produce most of their testosterone in their testicles and a lesser amount from the adrenal glands, while women produce testosterone in the ovaries and also adrenal glands. Natural testosterone in pellet form is less likely to cause problems such as acne, facial hair and hair loss.
In men, testosterone can convert to estrogen, which may cause side effects such as water retention, anxiety or irritability. Men with high conversion levels of testosterone to estrogen will be given Anastrozole to reduce the levels of estrogen and make more of the testosterone bio-available.
Estrogen is the female hormone. It makes you feel more sensual. It brings a glow to the skin, helping with the turgor and moisture. It keeps the vagina lubricated, fullness to the breasts, and clarity to the mind. It uplifts and stabilizes your mood and will help protect the bones against osteoporosis.
Common signs of estrogen deficiency:
Progesterone is a natural relaxer, it is vital to a woman’s well-being and helps balance the estrogen. If progesterone levels are too low in relation to estrogen a woman will experience sleep disturbances, irritability, anxiety, weight gain, breast swelling and tenderness, bloating, sweating, and loss of libido. If you have a uterus, progesterone is also essential to protect against unopposed estrogen exposure which could put you at risk for uterine cancer. If estrogen is taken without progesterone to balance it, a woman will experience bleeding. It is essential to use progesterone any time you use estrogen if you have a uterus. Even with a prior hysterectomy, progesterone will provide balance, and is recommended.
Benefits of progesterone:
Pre-op Pellet Therapy Instructions:
Post-Op Pellet Therapy Instructions:
Avoid for 5 days:
Incision care:
Our pellets are sourced from an experienced compounding pharmacy under FDA oversight following cGMP procedures with equipment that allows for consistent potency, hardness, and sterility. Digital depth measurement and pneumatic pressure are utilized to guarantee pellet uniformity. Both pellet weight and hardness criteria are tested throughout the manufacturing process.
Next, the pellets are packaged in glass vials designed to maintain sterility and prevent breakage during shipping. Each vial is safety sealed so office staff can easily determine if a vial has been opened and sterility compromised.
The pellets have been sterilized using e-beam radiation. We believe this is the most effective and reliable way to achieve sterilization. The last step in the process is third-party testing. Lots are tested for sterility. Each lot is also tested for potency and presence of endotoxins. This ensures that each pellet implanted is the dose your practitioner recommends for you.
Hormone pellets are surgically implanted into the patient for HRT. The pellets are tiny cylinders that are inserted into a numbed area of subcutaneous fat, typically in the hip or the abdomen. This dosage form is very physiologic in that it closely mimics how your body releases hormones. The pellets can last 3-6 months, depending on the patient.
Pellets can be made using estradiol or testosterone. Dosing is determined by your physician based on lab results, medical history, and reported symptoms.
As we age, hormone levels will decline. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is the replacement of hormones in menopausal women and andropausal men. Our physicians believe that you deserve individualized healthcare and understand that one size does not fit all. You will receive hormone doses specifically for you, in a dosage form that fits your body and your lifestyle.
There's no need to accept a decline in how you feel. If you're not experiencing your usual vibrancy, it's not just a personal struggle or a lack of willpower. Hormones play a pivotal role in nearly every aspect of well-being. As they naturally change with age, the way you experience life in your body evolves as well. Don't resign yourself to living as a mere shadow of your former self – the ease of joy can return, and your skin, hair, and energy can regain their vitality.
Bioidentical hormones offer relief from symptoms associated with declining hormone levels. Yet, their benefits extend beyond merely making you feel better – hormones also provide protective effects that influence longevity and overall health, including aspects like bone density, memory, balance, and heart health.
Embarking on this journey is simple – just schedule a consultation at our Bluffton, hormone center, convenient to Sun City and Hilton Head. Let us personalize a plan that speaks to you and helps you rediscover the best version of yourself.
Initial Appointment to Discuss Your Symptoms
BHRT Treatment Option:
Call (843) 341-9700 to set-up a hormone replacement appointment to discuss your options. We offer several hormone options for your consideration.
BHRT Bluffton
BHRT HiltonHead
bioidentical hormones Bluffton
bioidentical hormones Hilton Head
HRT Bluffton
HRT Hilton Head
Bioidentical hormone treatment therapy options offered for men and women