Do you know when to adjust your BHRT dosage?

If you are just starting out on bio-identical hormones or you have been on them for several years, at some point in time you may want to adjust your dosage. Women’s bodies change all the time and hormone levels also change. In order to know what you need to do just follow these simple suggestions. If your estrogen level is too low you will experience hot flashes and night sweats. Some women have trouble falling asleep and also trouble staying asleep. You may experience vaginal symptoms such as dryness, low sex drive, yeast infections and maybe painful intercourse. Low estrogen can cause mild depression, foggy thinking, and memory lapses. Your skin and hair can appear dry and some women complain of heart palpitations. If your estrogen level is too high you will experience weight gain and craving for sweets. Some women have breast symptoms such as swelling, tenderness or fibroids. High estrogen levels can make you irritable, nervous with anxiety, experience mood swings, and feelings of fatigue. High estrogen or progesterone can cause swelling or water retention. If your progesterone levels are too low the symptoms are going to be very similar to excess estrogen. These symptoms include headache, anxiety, acne, weight gain, mild depression, mood swings and fuzzy thinking. Your sex drive may be low and you may experience some joint pain. If your progesterone levels are too high the symptoms are going to be very similar to estrogen deficiency. These symptoms include drowsiness, GI bloating, breast swelling, yeast infections, headache or mild depression. If your testosterone level is too low you will experience prolonged fatigue and blunted motivation. Some women describe these feelings as not wanting to get out of bed in the morning. Low sex drive and vaginal dryness is associated with low testosterone and is the number one reason testosterone is prescribed. Some women with low levels will experience memory problems, muscle weakness, heart palpitations, bone loss, fibromyalgia, and thin skin. Sphincter control is associated with testosterone and you would experience bladder leakage when coughing, sneezing or laughing. If your testosterone level is too high you will experience acne, insomnia, irritability or moodiness. You can also pick up male type patterns such as deepening of the voice, loss of scalp hair, facial hair growth or clitoral enlargement. All of these effects are completely reversible once the dosage has been lowered or you quit using testosterone supplementation.