News

TILES VIEW

No more posts
menopause-symptoms.jpg
24/Jan/2021

You have finally reached menopause.  Your first thought is “Yeah!  No more periods!”, and then the symptoms of menopause hit.  You begin experiencing one or more of the following:

  • Hot flashes
  • Night sweats
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Anxiety
  • Lack of sex drive
  • Lack of energy
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Foggy thinking
  • Mood swings
  • Weight gain

These symptoms, along with lab work showing that your hormone levels are low, indicate that you are a candidate for starting Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Menopause does not have to be a miserable time in your life.  You could get back the vitality that you had in your 20s and 30s with Hormone Replacement Therapy.

At Hormones by Design, we recommend and utilize Bio-identical Hormone Replacement (BHRT).  BHRT uses hormones that are the exact same molecular structure as the hormones that your own body produced when you were younger.  Most of our patients opt for our unique monthly hormone injections.  This allows for a customized dose to address lab values and symptoms that the patient is experiencing.

Hormones by Design treats women experiencing the symptoms of menopause and even perimenopause (that comes before menopausal age).  We have locations in San Antonio, Boerne, and Waco, Texas.  Visit our website at www.hormonesbydesign.com.


blonde-middle-aged-woman-resized.jpg

Time flies the older we get.

It feels like one day we are chasing toddlers and the next we are nearing menopause. Two common symptoms that usher in this phase of life are hot flashes and night sweats.  For most women, establishing care with a qualified bio-identical hormone center makes these symptoms more manageable.

However, there are patients that cannot take bio-identical hormones (or simply do not want to).  What can those patients do? Here are some natural options for alleviating the frequency and severity of hot flashes and night sweats.

  1. Exercise Many scientific researchers have proven that exercise stimulates the release of feel-good hormones called endorphins. Brisk walking, jogging, and swimming are good aerobic activities that can help release tension in the body and mind.
  2. Relax and Mediate Practice deep abdominal breathing. Sit in a quiet spot to inhale and exhale slowly for just 15 minutes. Controlled breathing (characterized by slow and deep breaths) can calm and relax the body.  Waking up in the middle of the night because of night sweats?  Using this technique may help calm you.
  3. Keep a Diary – Keep track of the time of episodes, the stress level or emotional state when it occurs, food and drinks consumed prior to occurrence, clothing worn, sleeping conditions (if it’s a night sweat), activities done and other elements that might have triggered the episode.  This can help you avoid those triggers.
  4. Supplements – There are pharmaceutical grade supplements available that will help you through these symptoms.  For example, I recommend Xymogen’s Femquil.  This supplement helps your body deal with xenoestrogens (hormone disrupting compounds found in the environment) and promotes healthy hormone balance.  (More on Xymogen below).

You can try one or all these options.  They are all safe and do not involve the use of hormones.  Need more information on what you can do to help with your hormonal symptoms?  You can still see a qualified bio-identical hormone center.  On occasion, problems with your thyroid can cause symptoms like hot flashes or night sweats.  A simple blood test can help your doctor determine what you need (whether vitamin or prescription) and how much.

Interested in ordering the Femquil mentioned here?  Xymogen provides our pharmaceutical grade supplements we use in the office.  Simply go to Xymogen.com, Patients, Xymogen Xpress, and register.  Call or email our offices to get your Referral Code.  Physician Code is always: Miskell.

Dr. Melissa Miskell is the Medical Director of Hormones by Design, a bio-identical hormone replacement center in Waco and Boerne, Texas.  Her highly trained Nurse Practitioners have been treating hormone patients for more than 10 years and are accepting new patients.  In Waco call (254) 230-4225 to schedule with Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, Suzy Hancock.  In Boerne call (830) 981-9540 to schedule with Family Nurse Practitioner, Nancy Beebe.


01test2-1-1200x600.jpg

4 Common Activities that Trigger Hot Flashes

Yep, you know you are having a hot flash when you feel like you are going to spontaneously combust.  Nothing sounds better than standing in front of the open freezer door (and even then, that is not cool enough).  Well, there are some things in life that promote hot flashes.  If at all possible, you should try to minimize doing these things…

  • Drinking alcohol—I know, that glass of wine at the end of the day is one of the ways you relax.  I understand!  However, alcohol can trigger a histamine response in many women (you can see this when your cheeks start to get flushed after drinking).  This histamine response can also trigger a hot flash.  Try to limit your alcohol consumption and take a supplement like Xymogen’s Hist DAO before drinking.  (More on Xymogen below)
  • Eating spicy foods—Mexican, Thai, or Chinese…all these foods tend to be spicy.  Consumption of spicy foods tends to make you flush and sweat, leading to increased hot flashes.  Limit your consumption of spicy foods when possible.
  • Smoking—If you needed one more reason to quit, here it is.  Smoking increases hot flashes.  However, if you have a genetic predisposition to poor estrogen metabolism and increased sensitivity to environmental toxins smoking can make menopause in general more severe.  Consider kicking the habit.
  • Getting overheated—By this I mean getting overheated with no real way to cool down effectively.  Painting in a hot room with no air conditioning, or just being outside during a summer day in Texas.  Once you start the sweating and flushing, a full-blown hot flash can follow.  Try to plan these activities when the temperatures are not soaring.

avoid spicy foods to avoid hot flashes

One thing to always consider when dealing with hot flashes is when to see a hormone specialist.  Remember you don’t have to suffer.  Bio-Identical hormones can help replenish your levels to where you feel good again!  A simple blood test can tell your hormone doctor what you need to be taking and how much.Dr. Melissa Miskell is the Medical Director of Hormones by Design, a bio-identical hormone replacement center in Waco and Boerne, Texas.  Her highly trained Nurse Practitioners have been treating hormone patients for more than 10 years and are accepting new patients.  In Waco call (254) 230-4225 to schedule with Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, Suzy Hancock.  In Boerne call (830) 981-9540 to schedule with Family Nurse Practitioner, Nancy Beebe.

Want to order some of the Hist DAO mentioned above? You can order pharmaceutical grade supplements through Xymogen Xpress.  Simply go to Xymogen.com, Patients, Xymogen Xpress, and register.  Call or email our offices to get your Referral Code.  Physician Code is always: Miskell.


There are hundreds of clinics attempting to treat hormone imbalance. What makes us different? We listen, then we take action. Our business model makes it possible for us to start your treatment on day one. Faster treatment = feel better faster.
Hormone Replacement Therapy in San Antonio, Waco, New Braunfels, and Boerne

Copyright by Hormones By Design 2022. All rights reserved.