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Natural Hormone Therapy is better described as bio-identical hormone replacement. Our program has been successful and has gained popularity primarily because it works and makes sense. It is a Progesterone based program adding Triestrogen, Testosterone and DHEA based on the individual needs. Your dose is based on your symptom profile, your medical history, your age, your body habits and your lab work.
The first step to beginning your natural HRT program is having a consultation with Dr. Eckert and having your blood drawn for an extensive hormone profile to determine what your hormone levels are. Once you’ve been seen, you will schedule a follow-up appointment so that Dr. Eckert may discuss your levels and then start you on a personalized formula designed specifically to fit your hormone needs.
Please read the following carefully. If you have any additional questions, please have them ready for your follow-up appointment with Dr. Eckert.
The prescription you will be taking is a Natural Hormone Compound prepared for maximal absorption. This is a prescription derived from plants, and there are no synthetic products in this prescription. This is Bio-Identical to what your body has created since puberty. This compounded prescription may be compounded to include up to 4 different ingredients depending on what your needs are.
The predominant system we use is the Troches (pronounced “Trokies”). It will come in a gelatin or wax form which is HEAT SENSITIVE. So please, DO NOT leave them in the sun or in the car. They must be stored in a cool, dry place at room temperature, not in a refrigerator. The troches may also be prescribed in a capsule or suppository form per Dr. Eckert’s recommendation. They come in many different flavors, unflavored, sweetened or unsweetened. The sweetener used is called “Stevia”. The prescription is absorbed sublingually; you will dissolve 1/2 of a lozenge in you cheek or under your tongue twice daily or as directed on your prescription. Do not chew, swallow or suck on the troches, because then it will not absorb well into your body. The gelatin troche takes approximately 15 minutes to dissolve. This prescription will not interfere with any other vitamins or medications. No other hormone replacement therapy should be taken in conjunction with your Bio-Identical hormones unless otherwise prescribed by your physician.
Your prescription is then ordered from the Compound Pharmacy. We use Hazle Compounding which is located in Pennsylvania. Their website is www.HazleCompounding.com. Please be sure that you contact our office directly or visit our website to place future orders at least 2 WEEKS before you run out. These prescriptions are delivered via USPS and take about 10-14 days to be delivered. We
recommend that you have your prescription delivered to our Deerfield Beach office for a lower shipping cost and pickup at your convenience. If you prefer to have it delivered to your home or office, you will incur a higher shipping cost. We are NOT responsible for any prescriptions that are lost at time of delivery, or that arrive melted due to delivery issues. We usually start all of our patients on a 90-day (3 month) order, due to the fact is generally takes about 7-8 weeks to get the hormone levels to stabilize. You will most likely see some results within the first week on taking them. 95% of our patients feel much better by the end of the second week and the other 5% sometimes feel worse before they start feeling better. This is due to the rapidly changing hormone levels and if this occurs, it is best to start taking the troches in quarter dosages throughout the day.
Some of the symptoms that you may experience while your body is adjusting to the hormones are as follows: breast tenderness, swelling, bloating, or possibly a period or some spotting (unless you have had a hysterectomy). The bleeding is often caused by the Progesterone/ Estrogen which stimulates the endometrial lining; this does not mean that you will continue to get a period. If you bleed for more than 7- days and the bleeding is heavy, please contact our office. After consultation with Dr. Eckert, we will probably require some diagnostic testing, either an endometrial biopsy or a gynecological ultrasound. Please be assured that these symptoms are usually temporary and not every patient gets these symptoms. We recommend drinking a lot of water (6-8 eight ounce glasses per day), taking supplements such as multi-minerals or potassium, magnesium for breast tenderness, swelling and bloating. A multi- vitamin and Calcium-Magnesium with Vitamin D are also suggested
Below are descriptions of the 4 different ingredients and how each of them may be beneficial to your well- being and health.
Progesterone
Progesterone is derived from Wild Yams, and it helps to prevent Osteoporosis. It is helpful to obtain baseline Bone DEXA scan. We have found that in many cases, Progesterone can restore bone mass. Progesterone also helps treat symptoms such as; anxiety, moodiness and depression which many women experience due to a hormone imbalance. Other uses for Progesterone besides HRT is to reduce the size of Uterine Fibroids, often avoiding surgery, and for the treatment of endometriosis.
Triestrogen
Triestrogen (Triest) is the 3 different estrogens combined consisting of, Estradiol, Estrone and Estriol. These are derived from Soy. Triestrogen treats symptoms such as; Hot Flashes, Insomnia, Lack of Energy and urogenital atrophy that includes sexual dysfunction and vaginal dryness.
Testosterone
Testosterone helps with increasing your libido and your energy level. It often takes a little bit longer to notice the increase in libido. This hormone is also derived from Progesterone and helps to increase the efficiency of the estrogens in the compound.
DHEA
DHEA is a precursor to the other hormones. It is produced primarily in the adrenal gland and is helpful in a person who is hormonally stressed out. We give very small dosages that will not suppress your own production.
Pricing
These prescriptions are made to order so it must be paid for at the time of your order by cash, credit card or check made out to: SFWHA ( South Florida Woman Health Assoc.). When ordering by phone you will need to pay by credit card in order to process your prescription refill. Your prescription will cost you anywhere from $60-$80 monthly (not including shipping costs). These prices are subject to change due to product cost increases. We HIGHLY recommend you order more than one month at a time because you will receive significant price breaks the more months you order. The maximum that may be ordered at a time is 6-months, where the savings become even more significant.
We are happy that you have chosen a safe method of Hormone Replacement Therapy. We feel that you will see tremendous results and have minimized risks. The fear of any long-term side effects as with Synthetic Hormones have been proven to be reduced. If at any time you should have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at 954-427-4966.