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 PCOS.
For women seeking comprehensive healthspan-oriented medical care, hormone optimization is included in our expansive 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 concierge?
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 at any time, directly, 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 you have them. 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 with Melissa Abendroth, RN. This consultation costs $120 and includes a DEXA Bone Mineral Density test and a SECA Body Composition analysis, as well as the consultation itself.
Before your consultation, you will complete an intake form and have a blood draw for a comprehensive lab evaluation to identify common and 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 $155, paid directly to the lab company.
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 labs 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 any time you have any 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, working closely with Melissa and meeting 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, when appropriate, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). This may include transdermal (through-the-skin) estrogen, testosterone, and/or oral micronized progesterone, as well as vaginal hormones 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.
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 osteoporosis and reduces fracture risk by maintaining 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), may 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 risk of colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes
After Menopause
FAQ
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Initial consultation is $120 paid to us, plus about $155 paid to the lab
If you become a patient after the consultation, the consultation fee covers your first month of membership.
Membership is $120 per month, or can be paid annually with a 10% discount
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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 we think you need.
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Medicare patients pay an annual retainer fee for services not covered by Medicare, plus we must bill Medicare for services covered by Medicare. Please contact us to join our Medicare waitlist.
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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 2026. While she is the face of our Women’s Health and BHRT program, all lab results, consultation reports, and treatment plans are developed and overseen by Dr. Abendroth. When she graduates, her role will become more primary, with Dr. Abendroth serving in a consultative capacity as medical director for this program.