Functional Medicine
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
When hormones are at their optimal levels, the body functions ‘healthy’ and is in better physical condition. As we age, our hormone levels decline, eventually causing disease and the mental and physical deterioration we associate with aging. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy is the supplementation of our natural hormones, restoring them to optimal levels and helping us maintain an energetic, healthy and youthful life as we age while at the same time, reducing some of our risks to age-related illnesses.
Begin your journey to optimal health.
Initial Consultation
GLOW 365 offers a medically supervised program for women suffering from hormonal loss or imbalance. Each program is personalized to the individual, with one-on-one attention by Nurse Practitioner Jill Crotty, specially trained in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. During your initial consultation, we’ll discuss your symptoms and provide a thorough health and lifestyle evaluation. Lab work will be requested to gain a better understanding of your current hormone status.
Diagnostic Testing
There are many functional lab tests we can utilize depending on each individual woman. Some of our tests must be collected in a lab, others can be collected in the comfort of your home and submitted by mail. The functional labs we use incorporate current laboratory science that look at individual, biochemistry and hormonal pathways to assist us in understanding complex health conditions and directing health care in the most efficient way. Please note that additional labs and testing are in addition to the initial consultation fee.
Creating Your Personalized Plan
Upon review of your diagnostic testing, your Nurse Practitioner will determine a customized treatment plan, unique to each individual patient. It may include estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, testosterone and DHEA. Once a patient begins a course of treatment, you’ll return for a follow-up appointment and labs so that the Nurse Practitioner can gauge the treatment plan’s success and ensure that you are getting the full benefits of BHRT.
Initial Consultation • $150
Follow Up Women’s Health • $100 per visit
Menopause
BHRT can reverse many of the symptoms of menopause by restoring your hormone levels to their original levels. The symptoms of menopause can include:
Hot flashes
Irritability
Heart palpitations
Depression
Low libido
Vaginal dryness
Increase in body fat, particularly in the waist and abdominal area
Night sweats
Anxiety and fatigue
Memory changes and reduced mental focus
Wrinkles
Pain in the joints
Trouble sleeping and staying asleep
Severe headaches
Adult acne
Higher LDL cholesterol
Osteoporosis
Specialized Testing
We rely on various functional lab tests depending on the symptoms and needs of each individual patient. The types of tests that are particularly important for the conditions we treat include the below options. The specific lab work ordered will be determined by your practitioner during your initial consultation.
Dutch Testing
This innovative test shows a complete picture of hormones and their metabolites, including cortisol circadian rhythm, to assess adrenal health and melatonin. It is useful for women who are considering taking or are currently taking bioidentical or synthetic hormones or for perimenopausal women. It can tell us not only how much estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, etc. she is making but how it is being detoxified and broken down in a healthy or not-so-healthy way. This information can help us be aware of the risk for breast or uterine cancer for each woman individually.
The Dutch test is also a more accurate way than saliva testing to measure free cortisol and to monitor hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) regulation, which is how our brain and adrenals communicate. Since we know that our hormone balance is closely connected to our HPA axis, it is important to test them at the same time to get the big picture.
Blood Testing
Serum lab testing of hormones is an easy, inexpensive way to get an overview of a woman’s health. Some of the typical blood tests that can be important include complete sex hormone testing, complete thyroid panel with antibodies, a chemistry panel, iron/ferritin/homocysteine and vitamin/mineral deficiencies. Other specific lab tests are also considered individually.
Cortisol Testing
The adrenal glands, otherwise known as the “stress glands,” enable our bodies to cope with stress and survive. Shaped like two tiny pyramids, they sit atop the kidneys and from this central location mobilize the response to changes in our environment.
Whether stress comes from outside in the form of a natural disaster, or from within like the anxiety we experience before public speaking, it’s the adrenals’ job to help us adapt to the situation.
Adrenal glands that are out of balance can lead to:
High Cortisol: Results in insomnia, anxiety, sugar cravings, feeling tired but wired, increased belly fat & bone loss and night sweats
Low Cortisol: Causes chronic fatigue, low energy, food and sugar cravings, poor exercise tolerance or recovery & low immune reserves
Patients can conduct a saliva cortisol test or a urine cortisol test to assess adrenal hormones. This involves collecting four non-invasive samples over the course of one day, from which our lab is able to generate results with a diurnal cortisol curve. This four-point graph reveals cortisol levels throughout the day and allows your nurse practitioner to pinpoint issues with adrenal gland function.
