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Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
Do you not feel as well as you used to? As well as you should?
No matter what your age - woman or man - it may be your hormones.
The first step in balancing your hormones is an appointment to review your medical history and current health concerns and feelings. During the appointment, our doctor will take a comprehensive medical history, discuss your main issues, and recommend next steps.
Laboratory Testing
Testing varies greatly from person to person. Some need only a few specialty tests, while others need general medical testing as well. Our doctor will tell you during your medical history appointment what testing she would like you to have.
Test samples include blood stick (like diabetic glucose monitoring), urine and saliva. In most instances, you collect saliva, blood spot and urine samples at home.
While few patients need multiple tests, the more complex your situation is, the more lab tests you will need.
Many patients also require follow up testing in 3-6 months. It is always a good idea for you to send us your lab test results from the past several years. This allows our doctor to provide you with better care, and usually saves you money as well.
Test Results and Treatment Plan
When your results are back, you will receive a call to set your follow up appointment. Our doctor then reviews your test results with you and explains her treatment recommendations. She typically recommends supplements and/or prescriptions, and instructs you on how to use them. She may recommend a phased approach, where you begin on certain supplements, check how you feel, and add other supplements or do additional testing later.
Supplements Bioidentical hormone supplements
Hormone supplements may be in the form of sublingual tablets, topical patches or creams, or oral tablets. These are usually customized medications ordered from compounding pharmacies, but sometimes standard pharmaceutical prescriptions can be used.
Other Therapies
Our doctor may recommend additional nutritional or herbal supplements, or other prescription medications based on your unique bio-individuality. These can be obtained from Living well Dallas, or the local pharmacy and their cost varies.
Follow Up Appointments
Because hormone balancing is different for everyone, continuing follow up is very important. Some of your symptoms will be relieved immediately, but others will take longer. To keep getting better you need to tell the doctor how you are doing. You might need an adjustment in dosage, a different formulation or another test to track down issues that remain.
For this reason, most patients need several follow up appointments in the first few months. Due to the unique nature of natural hormone balancing, Dr. Schmitz requires a hormone follow up every six months once you have have been on stable hormone treatment.
Maintenance
There will come a time when your hormones are balanced and you are feeling great. Any supplements that you are still on at this point are probably ones that you will need to take for the long term. Remember that these supplements are biochemicals that your body needs to be healthy – either because of the demands of your lifestyle and environment, or because they are replacing substances that your body can no longer make.
If you are on a hormone prescription, you will need to have your hormone levels checked every 6 months. Call sooner if your lifestyle or stress level has changed, or you feel out of balance again. | 
