It changed my life. I spoke with my doctor after attending a seminar, to see if this was a good treatment for me. I have been taking them for five years now and have a much better quality of life. I can compare with my sisters that have not had this treatment. I do not have the bad experiences that they have bring post menopausal.

I am a retired RN. I have been using bioidentical hormones since December of 2012. They have greatly enhanced my emotional, and physical health. Throughout my reproductive years, I had been a patient of a well loved and well thought of male OBGYN. I was very satisfied with my care until I hit my menopause years. At that time he did not address my hormonal changes and their symptoms in any way. They would not check my hormone levels and denied my request to have an appointment with the female doctor in that group. Their suggestion was to give me an anti-anxiety medicine which I refused! I knew that was not the answer to the problem but would just cause more problems! At that point I turned to my female internists for my yearly pap and told her I was looking for a doctor to address my hormonal status. My main symptoms at that time were hot flashes, interrupted sleep, decrease libido, and painful sex. It was a difficult decision to leave my long time association with my OBGYN, but I felt I had no choice. I then became a patient of Dr. Michael Barnthouse in Kansas City, MO. After a lot of researching on my own, meeting with Dr. Barnthouse, having lab for my hormones drawn, and talking with Karen Butler, a pharmacist with Stark Pharmacy at Menorah Hospital in Overland Park, KS, I decided to start on the bioidentical hormones delivered by troches. Best decision I ever made! I hadn't slept through the night in 2-3 years and after a week on the troches, I was dreaming and waking up rested! My energy level improved, vaginal dryness improved, libido returned, my joints became less achy, and as an added bonus my lipid profile improved drastically! I follow up with Dr. Barnthouse every six months, see my internist yearly, and see a DO for antiaging at New You Health studio in Leawood, KS. I am very proactive in taking care of my health and try to eat organic when possible, do Jazzercice on a regular basis, and take supplements to improve my health. Bioidentical hormones are a big part of my healthy routine and my health would suffer greatly without them. Thank you for letting me express my views.

I have tried medication in the form of a pill, and it had little effect on my total well-being. My quality of sleeping diminished, as well as feeling "even keel". I feel that some women do better with the compounded capsule being distributed in the body slowly and blending with my body chemistry.

It makes me feel great and has improved my sleep. It improved my body and my outlook about how I feel about my age. My mind keeps telling that I'm still in my forties. It greatly enhances my life so why would you want me to go back feeling bad every day?

I feel that is helping a lot.

Before I had access to compounded hormones, I was having extreme hot flashes several times per hour. Also, during the night, I could not sleep, as I would awake with night sweats that completely drenched my sleepwear and bed sheets. Intercourse with my husband was extremely painful and nearly impossible, which comes with the depletion of hormones during and after menopause. I am now completely free of hot flashes, night sweats, and I have a restored sex life. I also believe the hormones help me think more clearly throughout the day. My life would change DRASTICALLY for the worse if I were without my hormones!

I'm 58 and have been on cBHT for about five years. Prior to cBHT, for several years, I was treated for low thyroid and still had low energy, poor attention, was falling asleep while driving to work and my thinking wasn't very sharp. I first used the implanted pellets which worked well but were rather expensive. About a year and a half ago, I switched to the cream that's applied to my shoulders. That is working very well and is much less expensive. Without cBHT, I'd still be dragging daily. With cBHT, I've hiked the Grand Canyon to the bottom and back, hiked to the top of a 14,000 ft high mountain in Colorado, rode my bike across the state of Missouri and a few weeks ago went rock climbing in Colorado. cBHT is the best thing that's happened to me in a long time! Please do not restrict it but make it more affordable and accepted so more can enjoy it's benefits.

The supplementing of the troche hormone replacement has taken away all hot flashes, my moods are better and this improves my quality of life in all ways.

I love the way cBHT has helped me through all my symptoms of menopause. It has helped me so much and I don't think I could have gotten through all of the symptoms without this great help. This medication is matched to me and is perfect for what I need.

I began cBHT about six years ago after doing my own research/reading about its benefits with women my age who have osteoporosis tendencies. I have had other benefits such as no hot flashes and younger-looking skin and decreased vaginal dryness. To my knowledge, I have had no negative side effects and wish to continue the cBHT. Please do not restrict my compounded hormone therapy.

I had to have a hysterectomy at age 50. I first tried the patch, but had to keep increasing the dose every year. I then tried the estrogen pill but did not care for the accompanying nausea and it did not take care of all of my postmenopausal symptoms. I tried the troches, based on my lab results and levels, and BINGO! What a difference! I eventually got tired of the goopy troche and switched to the quick dissolve formulation and have been on them ever since. I can't imagine having to try something else, since these are compounded based on MY own hormone levels, not some standard dose that is given out to anyone.

I had a hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy when I was 41 years old. After having hot flashes and vaginal dryness following this, I tried oral hormones, but did not feel well, and I struggled with feeling moderate depression. I also tried patches and gels but never felt "well". After hearing the success of compounded hormone use among other women I knew, I decided to try that therapy mode. It was not easy to find a physician who offered that kind of HRT, but I did find remarkable results once I started using it. I felt truly "well", like I had once felt before my surgery. I am a health professional and in the past I would have scoffed at the effectiveness of using compounded hormones, but I have truly found it to be a life changing therapy in my life.

Hormone pellets allowed me to function physically, mentally and emotionally after my organs were needlessly removed. (I was suicidal for 18+ months post-op while on FDA approved pharmaceutical highest dose estrogen patch before switching to pellets.) Also, there are no FDA approved testosterone products for women so I have used compounded T creams and suppositories since I do not have the benefits of testosterone from my ovaries / gonads. Few people seem to know that naturally menopausal women's ovaries produce increasing amounts of T over the postmenopausal years. Intact menopausal women have significantly higher levels of total and bioavailable testosterone than either hysterectomized or oophorectomized women - https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/85/2/645/2854045. With the gross overuse of female organ removal (45% of U.S. women have a hysterectomy), FDA approved hormones are not enough for some of these women. They have to go the compounded route to get some semblance of normalcy.

I am 70 years old and have taken cBHT hormones for approximately 20 years. It has prevented maternal osteoporosis, and I have absolutely no bone density loss, and no cardiovascular incidences. I have NOT experienced hot flashes or weight gain in 20 years, depression or mood swings, or vaginal dryness. My husband has Alzheimer's, therefore sexual activity is nonexistant. I have recommended bioidentical hormones to other women. The advantages, to me, greatly outweigh the out of pocket cost.

I am taking estrogen for its beneficial effects on my urinary tract. In the past, I spent $64 of my own money per month for the medicine. After talking to my pharmacist, I tried the compounded estrogen that worked just as well and it cost $60 for an entire six months. That is quite a saving since Medicare seems to think 75 year olds do not need estrogen. I would hate to give up this much cheaper, just as effective medicine.

It has increased my bone density along with vitamin D and calcium. My mother had fractures up and down her spine from osteoporosis and I was headed in the same direction. I could not take hormones by mouth. They made me sick.

I have been using cBHT since 2012 when I had problems with Premarin, managing the symptoms of menopause. I had a complete hysterectomy at age 39 (I am 64) and have needed hormone replacement since that time. I have found the troche to manage severe menopause symptoms since that time. I did not have success with creams. I have completed regular labs since beginning cBHT and worked to minimize my dosage to the lowest level that are able to be beneficial - as measured by symptom relief. I have medical providers in my family and have read Estrogen Matters by Bluming & Tarvis to be informed of the history and research related to hormone replacement given my unique history, family factors, etc. Please, please be mindful of the research outlined in Estrogen Matters which is different from what many physicians are operating from. And please provide approval of this meaningful treatment for over half of the population.

Entering into perimenopause, then full menopause, caused distressing physical and even some cognitive issues. The treatments prescribed of estrogen/estriol and also low dose testosterone were absolutely life restoring. I could think clearly again and function at capacity. The thought of losing this medicine is frightening. I am a new widow and have to be on my game to manage my life and new responsibilities.

Based on blood tests for annual physicals, my GP determined I was pre-menopausal, approximately six years ago. She prescribed a compounded cream to help balance my hormones. I applied the cream during pre-menopause and she adjusted the compound after menopause. Balanced hormones helped me in many ways, including better sleep, mood swings, night sweats, etc. It made my life a LOT better. My doctor was able to adjust my prescription according to where I was in the process. I don't like the thought of my doctor not being able to customize what I specifically need. I don't think a standardized approach to hormone therapy would be at all effective.