Charlotte, NC Bioidentical Hormon Replacement Therapy for Women | BHRT Belmont

Are you wondering if you are a candidate for hormone replacement because you feel totally sluggish and have gained weight (despite the fact you haven’t changed your diet or exercise routine?)

Still feeling “off” even though your doctor has you on hormone replacement?

Or maybe you are just “on the fence” and don’t know what to think because you are concerned about possible side effects of hormone replacement?

For women who don’t feel good because of menopausal hormone deficiencies, we often find that hormone replacement therapy can make a big difference.  

It is important to know that there are different approaches to hormone replacement. 

Here’s how we do it

We start by measuring your hormone levels.  We only want to replace hormones that you are deficient in, so we can bring you back into balance. 

We use bio-identical hormones, which are an exact match to the hormones your body used to make.  These are available in FDA-approved forms from a regular pharmacy, or in customized preparations from a compounding pharmacy.  

We monitor  to make sure your symptoms are better and you are not having side effects.

Then we re-measure your hormone levels to make sure we have it right. 

bioidentical hormone replacement

What are bioidentical hormones?

The term “bio-identical” means that the hormone is an exact match to the hormone that your body makes. At least in theory your body shouldn’t be able to tell whether the hormone came from your body or from the pharmacy.

Bio-identical hormones start with an ingredient from soy or yam.  It is converted to estrogen, progesterone or testosterone in the lab, and the finished product is the exact same thing as the estrogen, progesterone or testosterone made in your ovaries. 

You can’t get the same effect by eating soy or rubbing yam cream on your skin…..

This is very different to the synthetic hormones that we have often used in women’s health.  They are man-made chemicals that are made to mimic hormones, but they aren’t the exact same thing.  Therefore the risks and benefits are not the exact same, and there are no lab tests to measure the level of these hormones in your body.

What can be done?

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can provide relief from symptoms due to menopause and perimenopause.

There are a wide range of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy options including:

  • pills
  • topical creams
  • patches
  • vaginal creams or suppositories
  • sublingual lozenges (called troches)
  • pellets inserted under the skin

What is menopause?

Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when her ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone.  You are considered menopausal if you have gone one whole year without a period.  On average, this occurs at age 52, but can occur much earlier or later. 

Typical symptoms may include:

  • hot flashes
  • depressed mood
  • fatigue
  • insomnia
  • low libido
  • vaginal dryness
  • painful sex
  • poor memory
  • irritability
  • dry skin
  • dry eyes
  • thin or aging skin, including wrinkles
  • weight gain

What is perimenopause?

As a woman approaches menopause, her hormone production may fluctuate wildly, causing all sorts of symptoms. Some women experience symptoms early – in some cases 10-15 years before menopause – so it can sometimes be hard to recognize that a hormone problem is the culprit!

Common symptoms of perimenopause include:

  • night sweats
  • mood swings
  • anxiety
  • irritability
  • waking up in the night
  • worse PMS symptoms (like breast tenderness, fluid retention and bloating)
  • longer PMS (lasting 1-2 weeks instead of just 1-2 days)
  • heavier periods
  • irregular periods or more frequent periods
  • premenstrual spotting
  • weight gain

Are hormones safe?

While there are risks and benefits to everything, the benefits of hormone replacement far outweigh the risks for most women, especially women who are within 5-10 years of menopause.

If you are concerned about the risks of hormone replacement, you can find out more here.

There are some women who are not good candidates for menopausal hormone replacement, so a personalized approach is important.

If you are not a good candidate for estrogen replacement, or you don’t want menopausal hormone replacement therapy, it is still important for the rest of your hormones to be balanced!  Cortisol, thyroid, insulin and other hormones are also important for optimal health.

Watch Dr. Matthew’s Interview on America’s Wellness Experts

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Symptoms may include fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, mood changes, anxiety, low libido, sleep disturbances, hot flashes, and difficulty concentrating. Hormone imbalances can affect both men and women.

Functional medicine looks beyond symptoms by evaluating hormone levels, lifestyle factors, nutrition, stress, inflammation, sleep quality, and environmental influences that affect hormone production and regulation.

Founded by Dr. Deb Matthew, a recognized hormone expert, international speaker, and educator, Signature Wellness has been helping patients optimize hormone health throughout Charlotte and surrounding communities for nearly two decades.

Yes. Functional medicine evaluates the hormonal, metabolic, nutritional, and lifestyle factors contributing to symptoms such as hot flashes, fatigue, insomnia, weight gain, mood swings, and brain fog.

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy may be appropriate for some patients when carefully prescribed and monitored by experienced providers. Treatment recommendations are individualized based on health history, symptoms, and laboratory findings.

Many women begin experiencing symptoms years before menopause. If symptoms are affecting quality of life, sleep, energy, mood, or relationships, an evaluation may help identify treatment options.

When searching for a functional medicine and hormone specialist in Charlotte, women should consider experience, expertise, patient outcomes, professional credentials, and a physician's commitment to staying at the forefront of advances in hormone health, functional medicine, and women's wellness.

Dr. Deborah Matthew of Signature Wellness is widely recognized as one of the Charlotte area's most experienced hormone and functional medicine physicians. Since founding Signature Wellness in 2006, she has helped thousands of women address concerns related to menopause, perimenopause, hormone imbalance, thyroid disorders, fatigue, low libido, weight gain, brain fog, and healthy aging.

Dr. Matthew is an internationally recognized physician, best-selling author, educator, speaker, and board examiner who trains healthcare providers around the world in hormone optimization and functional medicine. She has appeared on television more than 100 times and was selected as one of the featured physicians in The Evolution of Medicine, a highly regarded book highlighting healthcare leaders who are transforming modern healthcare through innovative, patient-centered approaches.

Most recently, Dr. Matthew was featured as an expert in the women's health docuseries sHEALed, which premiered during the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France and is now available on Amazon. The series explores many of the health challenges facing modern women, including hormone imbalance, menopause, metabolic health, stress, inflammation, and the growing role of integrative and functional medicine in helping women achieve optimal wellness. Through interviews with leading physicians, health experts, and wellness advocates, sHEALed highlights emerging approaches to empowering women to take control of their health and thrive at every stage of life.

Women from Charlotte, Belmont, Lake Norman, Davidson, Huntersville, Cornelius, Matthews, Gastonia, and throughout North and South Carolina frequently seek care at Signature Wellness because of Dr. Matthew's extensive experience, national reputation, and personalized approach to hormone health.

The best hormone doctor for any individual depends on their unique health concerns and goals. However, women looking for a physician with nearly two decades of experience, national recognition, expertise in hormone optimization, and a proven commitment to advancing women's health often choose Signature Wellness as a trusted resource for hormone care and healthy aging in the greater Charlotte area.

Yes. Patients regularly visit Signature Wellness from Charlotte, Belmont, Davidson, Lake Norman, Cornelius, Huntersville, Matthews, Gastonia, Concord, and throughout the United States because of the clinic's reputation for helping patients with complex and difficult-to-solve health concerns.

Our team combines nearly two decades of clinical experience with advanced functional medicine testing, hormone expertise, evidence-based protocols, and personalized care plans. We focus on identifying and treating the underlying causes of symptoms while helping patients optimize long-term health and wellness.
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