Concierge Women’s Health & BHRT

We have a passion for filling the gaps where traditional healthcare falls short. In this case, the hormonal and lifestyle management of perimenopause and menopause.

How these years are managed greatly influences a woman's short- and long-term health outcomes. We can help with many hormonal problems that women face, including other hormonal dysfunctions like thyroid disorders and Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS; formerly called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS).

For women seeking comprehensive healthspan-oriented medical care, hormone optimization is included in our Concierge Medicine program.

For women not currently interested in our Concierge Medicine program, our Women’s Health & BHRT program is available. This program is a collaborative effort with Melissa Abendroth, RN, and Dr. Matthew Abendroth working closely together to provide competent, modern menopausal and perimenopausal care.

Why a membership model for hormonal therapy?

We use a concierge model for our women’s health and BHRT patients, just like we do for our full Concierge Medicine patients. Our patients can reach out to us directly at any time to ask questions, report a side effect, request an earlier appointment, or for any other reason, without waiting until the next appointment. As a concierge patient, you will have as many appointments as you need, in person or remotely, without any additional per-visit expense.

With this practice model, we can address your questions and concerns as soon as they arise. Especially as you start, you will have questions you didn’t think to ask during your appointment or couldn’t anticipate, or you may need clarification on a detail. Being able to text your provider any time to ask a question or request a call allows us to help you feel your best as soon as possible. We are truly partnered with you in this process.

Please note that hormone replacement therapy is not right for everyone, and therapy is always individualized to your needs. An initial consultation does not guarantee a prescription.

How our program works

Our program begins with an initial, no-obligation consultation that costs $220 and includes a DEXA Bone Mineral Density scan, a SECA Body Composition analysis, and the consultation itself.

Before your consultation, you will complete an intake form and undergo a blood draw for a comprehensive lab evaluation to identify common, treatable conditions that can mimic menopausal symptoms. Labs are also used to assess for hormone imbalances, though in perimenopause, hormone levels are highly unpredictable and not diagnostic of perimenopause. Our initial comprehensive labs cost about $100 through our account at Quest

On the day of your consultation, you will meet with Melissa for your bone density scan and body composition analysis, review your symptoms, discuss your concerns and goals, ask questions, and learn about your options. She will have already reviewed your lab results and intake form with Dr. Abendroth. If you want to begin treatment after your initial consultation, you will meet with Dr. Abendroth, who will develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs, enroll you as a patient, and send in your prescriptions. You will be able to stay in close contact with Melissa throughout your time in our care, reaching out to her whenever you have questions or concerns. You will have direct access to her personal cell phone, and can have as many appointments as you need. Dr. Abendroth and Melissa hold regular meetings to review and discuss each patient. All medication adjustments are made by Dr. Abendroth, who works closely with Melissa and meets directly with you as needed. We will repeat labs as needed based on your unique situation and treatment plan.

Hormone therapy is highly individualized and requires thoughtful adjustments over time. Treatment plans emphasize foundational lifestyle strategies and, usually, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). This may include transdermal (through-the-skin) estrogen and/or testosterone, usually oral micronized progesterone, and vaginal hormones such as estrogen and or DHEA when indicated. We do not use hormone pellets for a variety of reasons. We place a strong emphasis on patient education, ensuring you understand your options, the risks & benefits, and can make informed decisions about the approach that best aligns with your health goals and situation.

After the first year of membership, you will have the option to convert to regularly scheduled appointments on a fee-per-appointment basis if you prefer. This works well for women on a stable regimen who only need to meet a few times per year for ongoing monitoring of therapy.

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Perimenopause can start just a few years to over 10 years before menopause. It is difficult to diagnose as there is no single test that definitively says you are in perimenopause, but there is a constellation of symptoms that can be highly suggestive. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is important in perimenopause, not just to control these symptoms and improve your quality of life, but also to protect your health for the future, especially your bone health. During perimenopause, your progesterone levels begin to decrease first, and estrogen levels may fluctuate wildly and rapidly, sometimes being far too low, and sometimes overcorrecting too high. By using hormones intelligently, we can correct your progesterone level and help put a “floor” to how low your estrogen levels will go, which will also help prevent such dramatic over-corrections. This therapy smooths out hormone levels, reducing symptoms and protecting your bones, brain, heart, and more.

Symptoms commonly experienced in perimenopause include:

Vasomotor symptoms: Hot flashes, night sweats, heat intolerance

Menstrual changes: Irregular periods, heavier or lighter bleeding, shorter or longer cycles, skipped periods

Sleep disturbances: Insomnia, difficulty staying asleep, poor sleep quality

Mood changes: Irritability, anxiety, depression, mood swings, emotional sensitivity

Cognitive issues: Brain fog, difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, word-finding difficulty

Physical changes: Weight gain (especially around the midsection), joint and muscle aches, headaches

Vaginal and urinary symptoms: Vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, urinary urgency or frequency, increased UTI risk

Sexual health: Decreased libido, reduced sexual satisfaction

Skin and hair changes: Dry skin, thinning hair, brittle nails

Fatigue: Persistent tiredness, low energy levels

Heart palpitations: Racing or irregular heartbeat

About Perimenopause

Menopause marks the 366th day after a woman’s final menstrual period. The years of fluctuating hormones leading up to this day (perimenopause), are often the most symptomatic. After this day, a woman is said to be post-menopausal, and your body dramatically reduces production of hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Many women continue to have symptoms, but some women get relief from some of the most bothersome symptoms like hot flashes and brain fog. But all women experience increased cardiovascular risk, cognitive risk, and decreased bone health as a result of this transition, leading to increased rates of heart disease, stroke, dementia, and fractures as you age, even in asymptomatic women. For these reasons, we recommend hormone replacement therapy for all women in whom it is not contraindicated.

Key benefits of postmenopausal hormone therapy:

Vasomotor symptom relief: Eliminates or significantly reduces hot flashes and night sweats

Improved sleep quality: Better rest due to reduced night sweats and hormonal stabilization

Bone health: Prevents & treats osteoporosis and reduces fracture risk by maintaining or increasing bone density

Genitourinary health: Relieves vaginal dryness, atrophy, and painful intercourse; reduces urinary symptoms and UTI frequency

Sexual function: Improves libido, arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual satisfaction

Mood stabilization: Reduces irritability, anxiety, and depressive symptoms related to hormonal decline

Cognitive support: May improve brain fog, memory, and concentration

Cardiovascular benefits: When started early (within 10 years of menopause), it appears to provide heart protection

Skin and tissue health: Maintains skin elasticity, collagen production, and tissue integrity

Joint and muscle comfort: Reduces aches and stiffness

Weight management support: Helps counteract metabolic changes that promote abdominal weight gain

Quality of life: Overall improvement in energy levels, well-being, and daily functioning

Potential disease prevention: May reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and dementia, and more

After Menopause

FAQ

  • The initial consultation is $220, paid to us, plus about $100 for labs, billed separately.

    Membership is $120 per month, billed annually.

  • We do not take insurance payment of any kind. By keeping insurance out of our practice, we can provide you with the level of quality, attention, & time we think is best, perform the testing we think is important for you, and provide the treatments you need.

  • Our Medicare panel is currently full. Please contact us to join our Medicare waitlist.

  • Melissa Abendroth, RN has many years of experience in women’s health and has a passion for this work. She has countless hours of education in women’s health and hormonal therapy. She is currently enrolled in a nurse practitioner program at Allen College and will graduate in December 2026. While she is the face of our Women’s Health and BHRT program, all labs and treatment plans are developed and overseen by Dr. Abendroth, who also meets with our BHRT patients and prescribes all medications. When Melissa graduates, her role will become more primary, with Dr. Abendroth serving in a consultative capacity as medical director for this program.