Farrell offers bioidentical hormone replacement

After the Women's Health Initiative was published, women became aware that synthetic hormone replacement carried risks that they had not previously been aware of. This left many women confused and feeling as though they had no other options, according to Christine Farrell, a family nurse practitioner who saw this happening in her practice and wanted to find a way to help women with this dilemma.

Through investigation and talking to fellow medical practitioners, Farrell learned about and became trained in bioidentical hormone replacement as an alternative treatment for her patients.

The goal of bioidentical hormone replacement is to use natural, plant-based hormones that are made into a formula, specific to each individual, to balance hormone levels to the levels that are natural to that person's body. To determine each patient's needs, Farrell conducts a comprehensive consultation and laboratory workup. "Each patient is an individual and has individual complaints, medical history and laboratory findings. You can't prescribe a 'one size fits all' and expect it to work for everyone," she said.

Farrell, MSN, is an associate clinical professor at UCLA and has practiced in the local area for more than 17 years. She has always believed in a balance between Western and Eastern medicine and holds to the philosophy in her hormone practice. "Hormones are a medication and not to be used lightly, but when monitored carefully and used conservatively, they can greatly help the symptoms and prevent the diseases that both men and women experience with hormonal imbalance," she said.

Farrell practices in Agoura Hills and Santa Barbara and plans to expand to Dos Vientos, Thousand Oaks, in the summer.

For an appointment, call (805) 2084439. For more information, visit the website bioidenticalwellness.com.