MID-LIFE COMEBACK

Hormones—you can’t live with them, and you can’t live without them. As women, we face times over our lifespan where we have too many or too few, and this can wreak havoc on both our physical and mental health. Getting them just right can be an overwhelming task dotted with questions like: What really works? Who to trust? Not to mention the extra hot flashes when faced with the reality that nope, your insurance won’t cover the help you need to merely function. Here, Dr. Amy S. Armstrong, and Co-owner and Medical Director LaBellaRX Weight Loss and Aesthetics, gives us the scoop on Menopause and her preferred path to the fountain of youth.

By Hayley Hill

 Getting to know Dr. Armstrong has been nothing short of an education. The best thing about her is that she speaks woman. That means she talks to her patients professionally and like a friend at the same time. Although she treats both men and women, when it comes to women and hormones, she sets us straight on her goal for her clients. “Different from an OB-GYN, I look at this through the lens of an internal medicine doctor who has spent nearly 20 years caring for people with chronic illness and acute issues that require hospitalization. That’s not a pretty picture. My goal for all my patients is not only to perhaps live a little longer, but to be able to enjoy life longer. For me personally, if I’m lucky enough to live into my 90’s, I want to be able to step on a boat from the dock. I want to be able to get off the floor using just my arms and legs.  I want to be able to walk down the beach, sit in a chair, get out of the chair by myself and walk home.  I want to live if I am alive. That’s my goal for my patients and every service we offer, too,” she explains. 

 Sign us up. In a world of endless choices, mixed reviews and snake oils, Amy walks us through what can seem like a cruel joke at times. “As people age, their hormone levels change. For women, our ovaries stop responding to signals from the brain to create our sex hormones. Menopause is ovarian failure, it’s when our ovaries no longer make hormones. Women experience a sudden hormone drop at the onset of menopause while men’s hormones gradually decline over time. That sudden loss of hormones can result in symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, depression, cognitive decline, insomnia, decreased energy and more.  And, all women experience a dramatic decrease in bone mineral density, increased risk for atherosclerotic heart disease, dementia and certain cancers following menopause,” she shares.

 When it comes to hormones, we often hear about balance. Dr. Armstrong explains, “Ideally, our hormones should work together in synchronicity. If we produce too much or too little, it can create a domino effect of negativity. For instance, when estrogen and progesterone are out of balance, it can not only cause the above symptoms, but we can also see brain fog, increased wrinkles, sagging skin, hair loss, facial hair growth, dry skin, vaginal dryness, cystic acne, painful intercourse, frequent urinary tract infections, decreased stamina, decreased muscle mass and more.” It really is hard to be a woman isn’t it? 

 When it comes to relief, Dr. Armstrong stands by her solution—Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). Bioidentical hormones are manmade hormones derived from plant estrogens that are chemically identical to those the human body produces. Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are among those most commonly replicated and used in treatment. Bioidentical hormones come in various forms, including pills, patches, creams, gels, wafers and injections.

 As for why Dr. Armstrong prefers this treatment?  “BHRT allows us to use hormones that are compounded biochemically identical to your natural hormones versus a hormone alternative patented and sold by a pharmaceutical company. BHRT is wildly successful because women feel like their “old self” prior to peri-menopause. People are interested in maintaining quality of life, not simply living longer. I have many clients who claim BHRT has been life changing. This is because it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach as each prescription is custom-compounded based on each patient’s individual diagnostic results. This makes bioidentical hormones safer and more effective than synthetic hormones,” Dr. Armstrong explains. 

 Like most medical treatments, your results can be directly linked to your chosen care provider and their expertise. “It takes a knowledgeable physician who has spent a lot of time studying hormones to get the right balance as each patient is unique. Sometimes patients notice an immediate change while others need a physician willing to try different therapeutics to get the right combination. I would not recommend a practitioner who gives everyone the same plan of care for hormones. Women’s hormones vary dramatically. Success depends on how well the practitioner listens to symptoms and how aggressively they work to treat those symptoms. I consider symptoms, medical history, family history, current medications, allergies, social history, lab work, weight and body fat percentage to customize each patient’s plan,” Dr. Armstrong shares.

 In business since 2017, Dr. Armstrong and her all-female team are dedicated to helping women not only feel their best, but look their best, too. They offer a range of aesthetic services like photofacials, microneedling, laser hair removal, dermaplaning, chemical peels, non-invasive body contouring, dermal fillers and toxins and weight loss. And, they’re super proud of their podcast, “The Best”, as they cover these not-so-simple topics to help women understand their options. Found on all podcast platforms, Dr. Armstrong and her team are quite entertaining as they’re fighting the good fight when it comes to aging, too. After all, being able to laugh our way through the hot flashes and mood swings is a welcome form of relief. As for us, we’ll be listening from our beach chairs that we happily climb in and out of with ease, knowing we have options.

LaBellaRX Weight Loss and Aesthetics | 30941 Mill Lane Suite A, Daphne, AL 36526

251.621.4950 | LaBellaRX.com