Create The Best Me

My Postmenopausal HRT (Hormone Replacement) Journey… Did My Symptoms Go Away

September 12, 2024 • Carmen Hecox • Episode 81

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In this episode, I provide an in-depth review of my first 90 days of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). I’ll cover the benefits I've experienced, such as improved sleep quality, increased physical stamina, and better stress handling. I'll also talk about the challenges, including hair loss and some unexpected side effects. Whether you’re considering HRT/BHRT or just curious about my journey, you won’t want to miss this detailed account of how it has changed my life.

5 Key Lessons:

  1. Consistency in Medication is Crucial: Sticking to a strict schedule with my progesterone made a significant difference in how I felt day-to-day. I chose the every-other-day approach and saw substantial benefits.
  2. Physical and Mental Improvements: From better workout effectiveness to improved mental clarity and stress management, the gains have been noteworthy, although not without their challenges.
  3.  Monitoring and Adjustments are Key: Keeping track of my symptoms and regular consultations with my doctor helped manage side effects like hair loss and changes in my voice.
  4. Sleep Quality Matters: One of the most transformative aspects has been the improvement in my sleep, which has had a ripple effect on my overall well-being.
  5. Handling Migraines: Managing migraines was challenging, especially around day 18 and day 34. Utilizing medications like Nurtec, trigger point injections and Toradol injection proved to be effective in mitigating these episodes.

 

Call to Action:

Don't miss the practical advice and real-life experiences shared in this episode. Leave a comment about your HRT or BHRT journey, and let's support each other!

 

Next Week’s Episode:

👉 Don't miss out on next week’s episode featuring Alison Bruhn discussing fashion for empty nesters!

 

⚖️ Disclaimer:

The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This video is for educational purposes only and is not intended to promote the sale of any products or services. Always consult with your doctor before starting any treatment.  

 

📕 Resources: 

https://createthebestme.com/ep081 

 

#HRT #HormoneTherapy #Menopause #MidlifeWellness #CreateTheBestMe #BHRT #BioidenticalHormoneTheraphy #MenopauseRelief #HRTSideEffects #BHRTSideEffects 

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Ever find yourself changing the sheets at 3 a. m. because your night sweats think it's a pool party? Or maybe you're practicing your nighttime teeth orchestra without realizing it. Well, you're not alone in this midnight madness. And today I've got some personal stories and insights that just might change the game for you. Do you often wake up feeling like you barely slept. Or perhaps, like me, you also deal with severe jaw pain from grinding your teeth all night wondering what's behind this relentless grind. And let's talk about those night sweats. Ever wake up drenched, having to change everything from sheets to pajamas, and then struggle to fall asleep? Have you ever reached out for natural supplements to curb these menopause symptoms, only to find they don't work? I've been there and believe me, I feel your frustration. Ever discuss this with your gynecologist, only to be steered away from hormone replacement therapy because the risks outweigh the benefits? Yet, they're quick to prescribe antidepressants for menopause management. It's not depression. It's tired. It's grinding your teeth, gaining weight, and sweating like you just ran a marathon. Well, my dear friends, I decided to take matters into my own hands. After doing extensive research, I chose to try bioidentical hormone replacement. You might be asking why bioidentical versus regular hormone replacement. Well, my reason for selecting bioidentical is because I wanted a more customized treatment based upon my complaints and those hormones that I was deficient. My provider enters my blood results into the system and the system will tell her the recommended dose. Now I'm sharing my journey through a series of videos beginning with day one through day 90. And just a heads up, everyone's body is different. And while my experience might offer some insights, your results may vary. So please do your research, talk with an expert and do what's best for you. Hi, everyone. I just wanted to come on here to, let you guys know that I have decided to do, bioidentical hormone replacement. And I know that everyone has their own opinion about hormone replacement. And so I just kindly ask that you honor my opinion and I will honor your opinion. I have my reasons for why I did it. So today's day one, I had it done yesterday. They inserted a, they call it, a pellet. So they inserted a pellet on my left upper hip. They put a little bit of testosterone and a little bit of, estradiol into me. Cause I was, rather low. I will be taking, progesterone orally every other day. I'm supposed to take it for 14 days because I do have a uterus and I also have my ovaries. So, I'm postmenopausal. I haven't had a period in, oh my goodness, since 2020. So just wanted to give you guys an update for some of you that may be interested in, pursuing this. And so after I had my procedure done, I had a sort of like a dull headache, the frontal part of my head was kind of annoying, kind of nagging. It reminded me of when I got my shingles vaccine or even, other, vaccines, that I've gotten in the past. They sometimes give me like a mild dull headache at the frontal part of my head. I did start to feel, and I don't know, it was the medicine or if it was just my head playing games with me because I will share a little bit of information with you guys. I am afraid of sharp objects. I'm afraid of blood I am the biggest weenie that existed on God's green earth. But I did feel a little like bloated, you know, like when you're going to have a cycle, like you know, when you're going to start your period. I did feel like that last night and I did feel a little strange. It was, it was odd. I don't know if it was just because I kept thinking in my head that I had this procedure done. And it could have been that instead of the actual treatment that I had done or the procedure I had done. And I got up at two o'clock in the morning to go to the bathroom and I started to feel a little strange. I noticed that it's in my eyes, my vision started to get really bright and then it started to get dark. And I know my body, I know that means I'm going to pass out. I have no idea why that happened. So I quickly ran to the bed, I finished my business, ran to the bed, laid down, went to sleep and didn't think anything about it. But when I woke up this morning, what I did discover is that usually I wake up every morning with jaw pain. I wear a night guard, even with a night guard on my retainer, I still wake up with the most horrible jaw pain. For the first time, no jaw pain. The other thing I do have a really bad posture issue. I think it's because I've had two neck surgeries. I've had, a dual level cervical fusion in the front and the back because it didn't work the first time. So I have the worst posture and, you know, I don't know if it's just from wearing a neck brace for two years, but, this morning I noticed that I was standing taller. And here it is right now it's, five fifty one and I don't have neck pain. Usually around this time, I'm like desperate to jump in the shower and relieve that pain. The other thing that I noticed today is that, and again, it's only been day one, so about 24 hours since I had the procedure done, I noticed that I feel a little sense of clarity with my head. Cause I was, I always felt like I was walking in the fog. And I've been this way for, you know, since last August. And this morning I woke up and it just feels like everything's just crisp. I can see things. I can think of things. You know, I'm not going to say that the brain fog is totally gone, but things just look a little different today. The other thing, I do use eye drops because I have chronic dry eyes. I've had them since I was 32 years old, I've been using eye drops, Restasis, now I'm on Xiidra because of my chronic dry eyes. And I have no, usually when I wake up first thing in the morning, my eyes hurt as if though I have sand or chili peppers in my eyes. And this morning they didn't hurt. And again, like I said, it's five fifty two PM here in California and my eyes don't hurt, which is nice, really nice. So I will say that I feel good. I feel really good. I don't feel mentally drained. I not having physical pain like I always do and have clarity. So we'll see, I'm going to try to post daily, or, you know, if, if I see something that is either an improvement or a side effect, I will post it so that you guys can know my journey. And so just to give you all a heads up, I am scheduled to have blood work done in six weeks to monitor the treatment, to see how it's affected my blood, to see if it's increased my testosterone and estrogen levels. So, that would, give information to the doctor as to when I need to follow up. They say typically it's about every three to four months. But it kind of all depends on the way my body reacts to the treatment. So, today is May 30th and it is five fifty three PM. So I will keep y'all posted. Thank you. Hi, everyone, today is May 31st and there hasn't been a lot of changes, but I just wanted to pop in here and give a little bit information of what I saw yesterday and today. So yesterday when I took a shower, I usually take a shower in the evening to help myself unwind. I had a little bit of pain here on this rib to this back rib, and it's just slightly above the area where they cut me to insert the seed. And again, the seed supposedly is the size of a grain of rice. So I don't know why it caused pain. I don't know it could be all in my head because I'm the biggest weenie of the world. My brain starts to imagine things that aren't really there. So it could be just all in my head or it could possibly have really been happening. The other thing I did notice is, I felt really good yesterday, but toward the evening, I did start to feel a little bloating, kind of like if I was going to start my period. But I didn't start a period. So, I don't know if that's just normal or if it's just because my body is adjusting to the treatment that I had done. So this morning I did notice that my jaw hurt less. So it seems like it's getting better. I'm sleeping much better. I can honestly say I don't recall getting a night sweat while sleeping. Yesterday I don't remember getting hot flashes throughout entire day. So that's a plus. But again, it is early. I don't know if this is all my mind or if I'm actually really starting to feel some benefits from, receiving my first, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. But just wanted to pop in here and let you guys know, how things are going. Tomorrow night I will be taking my first progesterone, tablet. I'm supposed to take it in the evening, because it, I guess the reason why she told me to take it in the evening is because it can cause drowsiness. And so I'm supposed to take it in the evening with dinner. So we'll see how that goes. I'm supposed to take it for 14 days. She recommended that I take it every other day, or I can take it for 14 days straight. I'm going to try the every other day approach. Hopefully I will be a good girl and remember to take it. But we'll see. So just wanted to pop in here and share that information with you guys. In case any of you guys are curious as to what it all entails. Oh, the other thing I was going to say is I do have a bandage back here. The bandage is supposed to, the outer one's can come off within 24 hours. But then I have some little strips back there those strips are supposed to stay on for four days. So, and I guess it's just to ensure that the seed's going to stay there. So just wanted to share that. All right, take care. Bye. Alright, so I just wanted to come on here and report today is June 10th and it is 13 days since I had my hormone therapy replacement. I feel good. I feel really good. The brain fog is kind of here and there. It's not like I was like shortly thereafter I had the procedure done. I was feeling like super, super clear, but I will say that I personally feel good. I started working out and I sort of feel like, I don't know if this makes sense or anything, but I sort of feel like my body is stronger when I work out. Like it's making a difference. I don't know, maybe it's all in my head. But other than that, I did notice when I did originally start working out that my backside where they put the seed in it started to get a little sore, in fact, it kind of got a little itchy. I don't know if that's normal or again, because I'm so used to overthinking things, so it could be that. But, other than that, I don't have much to report other than I am feeling really good. I feel like my confidence has come back. I feel stronger. I feel like I'm getting pretty good sleep. Although my watch kind of it doesn't seem to confirm what I'm saying, but personally, when I wake up, I feel refreshed. And I noticed that in stressful situations, I feel like I'm able to handle that stress. I have more patience in handling that stress, if that makes sense. So I think that's it. So it's been a while. I haven't been in here. I think the last time I posted was day two and there really hasn't been a lot of changes. So, but I wanted to pop in here and just give you guys a little bit of information in case you're wondering. All right. See ya. Hi, everyone. I am really, really sorry that it's been a while since I have recorded, my journey on HRT. I'm going to give you from day 16 to I believe it's day 52, summary of what's been going on. So June 13th, 2024, day 16, what I did discover is that I had an excessive, I call it hyper excessive, libido. I guess I never realized that I had an issue and when I started my HRT, I realized that I suddenly had this increased, libido. And so fair warn you that, if you are not married, this could be an issue. Or if you're not married or involved, it could be an issue. Maybe it is, or maybe it's not an issue, but, I'm lucky that I am married. So I know, TMI, really sorry. The other thing I did notice is, brain fog. My brain fog is sort of returning, but not as bad as before, where I was like, totally forgetting who the heck I was talking to. Made it really hard to have recording sessions with people because, I blacked out a lot, I didn't quite black out, but I would forget my train of thought or forget what they just said that triggered something that I wanted to follow up on. So, initially when I got the HRT, it was like, my goodness, like someone had just removed that fog from my brain. It slowly came back on day 16, but as I said, it's not as bad as it was before. I noticed that what triggers is if I abuse my body and I do not eat or drink water. But as long as I eat properly and drink plenty of water, I can pretty much kind of keep the brain fog under control. The other thing that I've noticed is that I am sleeping so good. I have not slept this good in oh my goodness, probably when I gave birth to my daughter who's now 11 years old. I think after I gave birth to her, I like zonked out. The other thing I did notice is I do not have hot flashes nor do I have night sweats. And I think that the fact that I don't have night sweats is the reason why I'm sleeping really well. Another thing, if anyone who has known me from the past, I've always been the kind of person that wears a sweater no matter what season it is. I've noticed that it's summertime. I'm here in Sacramento, California. It's warm here. I'm wearing a sweater in my house again, which is, feels good to me because I'd rather be cool where I can control myself and just add a sweater, take it off, then constantly be hot. I also noticed my husband and I, we walk every morning we've cut back, we used to walk three and a half miles, now we walk about, almost two miles. He's taller than me, he's about six feet. I'm five, five and a half. And he's got longer legs so he can walk faster than I can. And so what I've noticed is that I'm able to walk a little bit faster than him, which is quite strange. So maybe it's the energy or maybe it's because, my joints, I just feel solid, it's pretty good. The other thing I did notice is that I don't know if my breasts are getting bigger, but they do feel pretty tender. Reminds me of like when I was going through puberty. I know before I mentioned that I had bloating. The bloating has gone away, which is good. And it's actually has been gone for about a week now, a week from the 13th. So that's comforting. And then June fifteen, that's about 18 days after my treatment, I started noticing that I started getting migraines. And so a little backstory, I suffer of chronic migraines. I mean, my migraines that I've had in the past are not your traditional migraines. My migraines can last several days, leaving me pretty helpless, you know, in bed. I can't even get up to go to the bathroom because they're so debilitating. If you're someone who suffers from chronic migraines, you understand what I'm talking about. If you're someone who has never had a migraine, you have no idea what on earth I'm talking about. So what I did notice is that my migraine sort of kind of gotten control of my migraines. But on day 18, I started to notice that I started to migrate back into those horrible migraines that last several days. And I do take a medication called Nurtec, which is a sublingual type of medication. Um, I on that day, I had to actually take two, put two under my tongue. So I waited about 30 minutes before I took the other one and that seemed to sort of control the migraine. And the next day, day 19, I got another bad migraine and I know you're not supposed to do this, but I was desperate because it hurts so bad I took another two Nurtec. But again, I always start off with one and wait about 30, 40 minutes. If it doesn't go away, then I took the other one. So that is, June 16th, that's 19 days. And then June 19th, which is 22 days after my HRT therapy, I started taking Tylenol again, when I started to notice signs of a migraine, to try to gain control of them. And my way of noticing that I'm going to get a migraine is maybe a little bit different than some people, but I start to get really cold. I get chills like if I walked into a freezer, my hands are cold and my nose starts to run. And so when I start to get those symptoms and I know migraines coming, I start taking Tylenol to get control of that. So now we're on June 25th. Day 28 since I had, the HRT therapy. And a little backstory. I had, my daughter, as I mentioned, she is 11 years old. When I was pregnant of her, she was a kind of a large size baby and she rested on my bladder for the majority of my pregnancy. And so I constantly felt like I had to go to the bathroom. And I know that most women that are pregnant usually feel like they have to go to the bathroom. Well the doctor, I actually saw a specialist and the specialist did confirm that she actually did rest on my bladder, which irritated my bladder and also kind of weakened my bladder. And so as a result of that, I developed, the urgency to always have to go to the bathroom. And so I've been seeing a urologist since about 2018 and I get this treatment, I think it's called TNS. They put like a needle into my ankle and send these pulses. And supposedly these pulses kind of control my bladder. And so I've been doing this since 2018 I do it once a month for about 30 minutes. And so on day 28 we took a trip to Disneyland. We spent four days there. And if you're someone who's has that urgency to always go to the bathroom going to places like Disneyland or anywhere is a little uncomfortable. Well I notice that while I was at Disneyland, I didn't have the sudden urgency to go to the bathroom. It was great. It was great to be normal again. And the other thing that I wanted to add is that while we were at Disneyland, the weather was pretty warm for that particular time of the year. It was about 90 degrees and the humidity was a little high. Normally, if I had not gotten this treatment, I would have been horrible. I would have gotten dizzy spells because, I've noticed that warm temperatures, at least for me, triggered multiple hot flashes. I mean, I'd be like in a hot flash, riding it, and then it almost seemed like another one would come up. And so that's why I can't be in the heat. But it was really nice because I didn't get any hot flashes, and I didn't get dizzy spells, and I didn't become irritable, and I didn't feel like passing out, which is what used to happen, which was perfect. And this on top of the fact that I only slept an average of five hours a day. Or five hours every night because, my husband likes to be there when the park first opens. And had, I had not gotten this treatment, I would have been exhausted. And I found that I had quite a bit of energy and so it was pretty nice. So far everything seems to be good and the, excessive libido issue that I was having seems to have calmed down, which is good. So here we are on June 28th, 31 days. After my morning walk that day with my husband, I noticed that I was, I had like a pinkish discharge and had slight cramping. I called my doctor's office and I waited for a call back, but they called me back the next day, but fortunately the next day it went away. I have no cramping, no discharge. It was completely gone. So now we're on July 1st, 34 days. It's a very sunny day. It was a really sunny day here in Sacramento. I went to go get my nails done, normally on a sunny day, even when I walk into a nail salon, I keep my glasses on, but for some reason I decided to take them off, which was not a good thing because it triggered a migraine. That's one of the triggers, light. And it was bad. I mean, it was affecting my vision and I was sort of feeling a little bit confused, like, and it was a little hard to speak. Fortunately, I was going to go see one of my doctors after my nail appointment. And so I thought to myself, I just need to make it to my doctor's office and request a trigger point injection. But I did a little bit more than that, I requested trigger point injections in my neck area. I also requested a Toradol injection, to help just break that. Which was really good because within five minutes, the migraine was gone and you know, I felt good. Another thing I wanted to add is prior to going to my doctor's appointment to give me the strength to be able to get there from my nail places, I did take two Nurtec. And so it did provide a little bit of relief. But, getting the trigger point injections at my doctor's office and the Toradol injection like really helped. So now we're on July 9th, 42 days, after my HRT treatment. Body aches and pain, you know, cause I suffer of chronic body pains as well. They're gone. I mean, they're not completely gone, but they've reduced substantially. I mean, I wake up out of bed and I feel good. You know, I'm not like kind of like waiting a little bit to warm up and stretch to get myself going. I can pretty much get up and go, which is nice. And the bladder urgencies are gone. July 19th, which was yesterday that's day 52. I noticed that I don't need, another thing that I suffer of is, chronic constipation. I've kind of had this issue since my son was born, who was born in 1990. I developed this. constipation issue. But what I've noticed is I haven't needed to take my medication for, I take, it's called, Linzess. I take the highest dose there is, but it's been about two weeks that I had to stop taking it because I don't need it. It's kind of hurting my stomach. And so I stopped taking it, which is good because it's, it's nice to be normal. And I don't know if it has anything to do with this HRT treatment. And then my bladder issue, like I said, still under control. So, I went to go see my urologist, got the treatment. I don't know whether I should stop doing the TNS treatment because I feel like everything's kind of under control. But I'm going to wait a bit. The other thing is I did go see my, neurologist to get my Botox injections. I get Botox for my chronic migraines. I get them every 90 days. So I don't know, I did tell my neurologist that I began, taking, or I started taking HRT treatment. I did it on May 29th. And the only thing that she told me is she says, well, how are your migraines? Have you noticed them increase? I said, well, why would you say that? And she said, well, the reason is, is because some people like you who suffer chronic migraines when they do, hormone replacement therapy, when you increase the testosterone and estrogen, it can, impact the intensity or the frequency of how many migraines you get. And so I said, well, you know, it's kind of hard to tell because I noticed the migraines coming in, which was pretty normal, usually about three or four weeks before it's time for me to come in and see the neurologist to get my Botox is when I start to see my migraines kind of creep up. And so we're going to see, I'm going to try to document and just see if, everything stays under control. Cause I just got the Botox. I don't have a migraine today, that's a good thing, but, we'll see. So alright that's a wrap up. Thank you. Hi everyone, I just wanted to give you all an update, today is August 10th, 2024 and today is day 74 of my HRT 90 day experience. And I just kind of wanted to give you folks an update. I, I started to lose my hair up at the top of my head. And yes, I have a lot of hair. I'm probably, you're probably thinking, oh my goodness, you're so vain. But I'm a woman and my hair is like, kind of like Samson, you know, it's, my everything. I love my hair. Ever since I noticed something was wrong. And after I got the confirmation test on June nineteenth of my testosterone level being up really high and 319 NG, whatever that means. So that's pretty, pretty high. I noticed that I gained about three, four pounds. I know that's not too much. I contacted my doctor after I got my testosterone levels, got the results about my testosterone levels. I told him, hey, I can't, I can't lose my hair. It's falling off in clumps. I don't even want to wash it. I don't even want to style it. And maybe I'm being a little, I'm over exaggerating just a bit. He did put me on Finasteride. I think that's how you say it. It's a very minor dosage. I'm supposed to take it every night at the same time. I take it at night because it made me sleepy and I was taking it, but what I did notice is that my shorts or my bottoms are fitting me a little tighter and I'm like not understanding because it's not like I've changed anything. I wasn't eating more or anything like that. Another thing that I noticed is when I recorded a couple of videos, my voice sounded a little different. I think it still sounds a little different today and it was because It felt like my airway was being restricted. And so I asked my daughter yesterday or two days ago, while I was making dinner, I said, hey, do me a favor, Google what are the side effects for, Finasteride and find out if it gives you a sore throat. Cause I thought maybe I had COVID or something. And I found out, you know, she says, mom, that's a, that's a severe allergic reaction is, you know, where you get the sore throat and you feel an airway restriction. So, I stopped taking it. So, I'm not going to take it. I need to contact my doctor again. I stopped taking it Thursday night because I found out that what I'm going through, the weight gain, because at that point I noticed that I have actually gained four pounds since I started Finasteride. And I started, I believe it was on, June 20th. And so I don't need to gain weight. I don't want to turn into a big old balloon. You know, cause it could be water weight, but again, I don't want to be this giant water balloon. And I need to talk I mean, it's very difficult to talk because my throat just feels very, very scratchy, very, restricted. It takes a lot of strength for me to even speak into the mic because, it's just my voice just sounds, or my throat just sounds very fatigued. So, I stopped taking it, I need to contact my doctor. I need to send them an email, probably contact them on Monday to find out what's the next step because until my testosterone level drops, I think my hair is going to continue to fall. And I hope, I hope not. So, it's really sad because, I personally feel good, you know, physically, mentally being on HRT or bioidentical HRT treatment, but, I can't deal with, losing hair on my head. And I did find, some really coarse hair came out on my chin, which I know that might be another issue of being vain, but, that's not a big thing. I just losing my hair is a big thing because I'm a, I'm a woman. So that's my update for today day 74. All right. Talk to y'all soon. All right. So today is August 28th, 2024, and it's been 13 weeks since I had my hormone replacement therapy. 91 days exactly. So I just kind of wanted to give you guys an update. That, I'm not getting any hot flashes. I haven't had any mood swings. I noticed that, I've had some sensitive things go on recently and I've been able to control my emotions. So, I think that it's still working or the, therapy is still working through me or it's still in my system. The other thing my hair is falling out a little bit. So I think that my testosterone level has dropped some. I don't know exactly how much because I did notice I do have some facial hair. I'm going to be really honest with you guys that, I know that the literature states that is some people experience it. I do know that my little sister, my older sister, and now myself, that is three people that have been on the exact type of hormone replacement therapy. I believe my older sister may have had a different, way of receiving it. My little sister and I had the, pellets put in our hip. My older sister said something, it was like some kind of injection, so I don't know. why hers was different. But anyways, the three of us all experienced facial hair. I do know that my sister said that, my older sister said that she felt very irritable, very angry. I don't know if it was because she said that her testosterone level was high, kind of similar to mine. My little sister also said the same thing that her testosterone level was high. And, she's been on this for about nine months. I, as stated here, I've only been on it for 91 days. I have noticed a significant amount of my hair. I mean, I do have a lot of hair, but I have noticed a significant amount of my hair has falling off. That's not going to happen again because I'm not going to let it happen. I have tinkered a little bit with, using, Rogaine in my hair. The problem that I have with Rogaine is that, and maybe you guys can make some suggestions. When I put it in my hair, it just makes my hair really hard. I mean, it almost feels like I've hairspray or something. And so I have tried, I saw one doctor suggest using a Q tip and, You know, kind of going right into the root to try to get it. I do use the foam. I do spray it on a plate and I use a Q tip and I kind of put it in there, but even doing it that way, my hair still feels like really dirty and crusty, and I don't like that feeling. I liked having my soft hair. It almost feels like, you know, like when you work out and, you get all sweaty, your hair, just kind of that feeling. And I don't wash my hair every day because I don't know, maybe it's because I'm scared that it's going to fall all off or something, or usually my reason for not washing my hair every day is because it takes longer to dry. But that was something that I noticed when I started this journey of hormone replacement is that, my hair is drying faster and I think my hair was drying faster because I didn't have as much. And so I do take Nutrafol. I've been taking Nutrafol now for about, um, maybe six months. So I started Nutrafol before I, started hormone replacement because, I don't know, ever since I got COVID last year in July, that's when I really noticed my hair falling. So I don't know if maybe my hair falling out has anything to do because I got COVID last year, and it's just taking my body some time to adjust or if it is because I got COVID and then I turned around, did the hormone replacement therapy and the testosterone was too high and it made my hair fall. Alright, folks, before we sign off, let me dish out the real scoop on what this 90 day bioidentical hormone therapy has done for me. Both the glitter and the grit. My sleep quality, guess who's sleeping like a baby? This gal, my smartwatch, is all thumbs up, confirming that I'm snagging some serious restful Z's. Energy and mobility. I've turned into an energizer bunny, walking faster, lifting more, and those creaky joints? They're getting their act together, popping way less,

Mood Improvement:

Bouncing back from blues is quicker these days, and sad movies? I can watch them without turning into a tearful fountain. Hydration and health. Dry eyes and skin is a distant memory. Plus say goodbye to that annoying vaginal dryness and discomfort - hello to comfort. Mental clarity. The brain fog is lifting! It's not all sunrise yet, but we're getting there. Confidence, I'm feeling top notch in my own skin. Whether it's in decision making or driving, that old confidence is back in the driver's seat. Libido, let's just say the romance department is back on track. No old flames here, just rekindling the fire at home. Symptoms relief, hot flash and night sweats are out the door. And my jaw? Much happier without those nightly grind sessions. No more Botox for TMJ from grinding my teeth. My digestive health, acid reflex has packed its bags and I'm back to enjoying the spicy side of life. My pain and migraines, body aches and migraines are playing nice and letting me live a little bit more freely. Now here's the cons. Hair and skin changes. I'm dealing with more facial hair and some hair shedding, possibly due to elevated testosterone levels. Plus, my voice is deeper and I'm experiencing facial acne. And I tried Finasteride, which led to an allergic reaction and unintended side effects like weight gain, coarse facial hair. Now you might be wondering, would I go through another round of treatment? You bet! But with a little tweaks on the testosterone. This isn't just about feeling good- it's about thriving in every role. I cherish wife, mom, sister, and more. Sharing this journey wasn't about convincing you to follow suit, but it was to walk beside me as we navigate these waters. And as we look forward to what's next, my doctor and I will decide when it's time for another treatment based on the return of any menopausal symptoms. And speaking of what's next, don't miss next week's episode. We'll have Alison Bruhn, who after midlife moved to New York City, went back to school and became a personal stylist and co-owner of The Style That Binds Us. I don't care how old you are. Whether you're 50, 60, 70, we want to attract attention. We want to be told, wow, she's pretty. Oh, wow. She looks a little sexy, but not in a promiscuous way. In a wow, look at, she's a girl. She's rocking it. Right. I feel like that just kills me when my clients say. You know, I've become, I'm just invisible. And there was actually an article in the New York Times about that, it was an editorial. She said, I've become invisible and I think I'm happy about it because I don't have to try anymore. And I thought, okay, well, the minute you stop trying, you get old, right? And then you start looking in the mirror and you look old. That's just what your brain is registering. And a lot of times then you become cranky and you start hurting and everything. Cause you've just gone there, right? I'm not saying desperately hold on, but I'm saying We'll dive into fashion for empty nesters- something you surely don't want to miss. For more details or to download today's transcript, visit createthebestme.com/ep081 Thank you for joining me and remember you are beautiful, strong, and capable of creating the best version of yourself. See you next week. Bye for now.