The Family Practice has a new face in town. Meet Bridget Lee, FNP-C, a nurse practitioner who, in collaboration with nurse practitioner Darragh Gott, BC-FNP, CD, is shining the light on the benefits of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy.
Tell me about how you got started in this industry and why Hormone Replacement Therapy became such a focus for you.
Lee: About five years ago, I started doing just bioidentical hormone therapy using compound creams and dissolvable tablets, because I was seeing so many patients come in with the same symptoms over and over: fatigue etc. I noticed that we would run labs, and everything would come back normal, but clearly, there was something else going on and I felt we were missing something in our care for patients. Then a colleague at the time introduced me to hormone therapy, and I dove in from there. I’ve found that it’s been really effective at filling that gap for people who are at a loss over their symptoms that lab results couldn’t explain.
Gott: I’ve been practicing for 26 years and after seeing the positive benefits of hormone therapy, I have been an advocate for it over the span of the time I’ve been practicing. I’m very excited to continue offering this option to patients. So many women, especially as they get closer to those pre menopause years, feel overwhelmed and their emotions go wild, but when we use BHRT everything starts to get better and it's so encouraging to see. It can really make a difference in contributing to a women’s health and enabling her to live her best life.
[The responses to all questions below are from both Lee and Gott—one conversation with the two of them together; information from both.]
What is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is the process of using hormones in the form of compound creams and bioidentical pellets, that are identical to the hormones naturally produced by our body to create balance and bring the body back to its most ideal functional state.
Who is BHRT for? What are the benefits?
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can benefit both men and women. With respect to women specifically, a lot of people don’t realize that women may spend 20-30 years of their lives going through menopause where their testosterone levels really take a dive. BHRT can drastically relieve some of the life-altering symptoms hormone imbalance can cause such as fatigue, irritability, anxiety, burnout, sleep issues, and more. The list of symptoms from hormone imbalance is actually quite extensive, so when our patients experience the positive results of BHRT they’re shocked at how much hormone imbalance has negatively affected their lifestyle.
What are the benefits?
Aside from the apparent everyday changes such as more energy, better sleep, less stress, etc., BHRT can also reduce the risk of breast cancer, prevent Alzheimer's, and osteoporosis, everything from vaginal symptoms to urinary tract infections. Every system of our body relies on these hormones. And when you bring the body back into balance, everything starts to get better.
Tell me about the bioidentical pellets.
Not all BHRT pellets are created equal, but as a clinic, we have gone to great lengths to vet the best products for our patients, and we specifically use the bioidentical option. This means that the products are natural, made from plants, and follow the bioidentical markers in our body, so they act more like our natural hormones. There is a lot of excitement and encouragement right now with regard to the bioidentical pellets in particular because our patients have seen such impactful results.
What is the process like?
When someone comes in to have their hormones looked at, we do a comprehensive lab panel to assess people before we prescribe anything. We look at their thyroid, their vitamin levels, inflammation in their body, symptoms, and other markers of health. Instead of putting Band-Aids on the symptoms, BHRT allows us to get to the root of the problem and provide a natural solution for people. If BHRT is right for you, then the process is as simple as inserting a pellet the size of a grain of rice under your skin. There is no downtime and patients see results in as little as two weeks. The pellets dissolve over the span of three to six months. Once the pellets dissolve, you can get a replacement put in.
What makes TFP stand out when it comes to Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Our mission at TFP is to optimize our patient’s health by offering full-spectrum care that considers the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions affecting their well-being, and it just so happens that hormones affect all of those. BHRT is not intended to be a “magic pill” or a quick fix. We really care about our patients' overall well-being and health, and we stay up to date with the most cutting-edge technology to ensure we can provide the best care possible for our patients. That being said, we are so excited to offer this modality because of how beneficial it can be to our patient’s physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Website: https://thefamilypractice.org/
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