HRT Questions from Maine Women

At one place: 198 Maine Mall Road, South Portland, ME 04106. Med Matrix has no other office, so every in-person visit, whether you live in Bangor, Rockland or Kittery, happens there. Labs can be drawn in our office, or at a partner lab near you, which keeps the number of trips down for women who live far from the coast.

Not always. The first visit is in person, because it includes the body composition scan and the full hour with your provider. Labs can be drawn in our office, or at a partner lab near you. Virtual visits are available only to established patients in Maine or New Hampshire. Your provider will tell you which follow-ups need you in the room. See directions from across Maine.

Onboarding is $1,500, a fixed price that covers the 80+ biomarker blood panel, the InBody 770 body composition scan and the 60-minute provider consultation. Follow-up visits are $275. The cost of any prescription is separate, because it depends on what your provider recommends, and it is discussed at your consultation.

No. Med Matrix does not accept insurance, and all services are paid out of pocket. HSA and FSA cards are accepted, along with CareCredit and major credit and debit cards. If you plan to use an HSA or FSA, check your plan's rules before your first visit.

Menopause is when periods stop for good. Perimenopause is the transition before it, and it usually begins in your forties, sometimes earlier. Changing cycles, hot flashes, poor sleep and mood shifts are common in both. No single test settles it. Your symptoms and history, read with a baseline panel that includes FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone, give your provider the clearest picture of where you are.

There is no evidence that they are. The FDA says it lacks evidence that compounded bioidentical hormones are safe and effective, or safer than approved therapy, and recommends FDA-approved products. Some bioidentical hormones are FDA-approved; others are compounded. Ask your provider whether what you are prescribed is an FDA-approved product or a compounded one, and why. See HRT options and safety.

For many women it is, but safety depends on your age, health history, and the type, dose and form used. The HHS Office on Women's Health notes that hormone therapy can carry risks such as blood clots, stroke, heart attack and certain cancers, and that the risk varies from woman to woman. Your provider reviews your personal and family history, aims for the lowest dose that helps, and rechecks your labs at follow-ups. More on the risks of hormone therapy.

Yes. Med Matrix sees women who live in Maine or New Hampshire and can come to the South Portland office for in-person care. Women from Portsmouth, Dover and the rest of the Seacoast are seen at the same Maine office as everyone else. Virtual visits later on are open to established patients in either state.

Bring a list of every medicine, hormone and supplement you take, with doses, and any recent lab results. Add notes on how your cycles have changed, the symptoms you have noticed, and your family history of breast cancer, blood clots, stroke and heart disease. Write your questions down too, so the full hour with your provider covers everything.