Bioidentical HRT can benefit both men & women

Colleen McCleery, MD, Medical Director, Renuva HRT & Wellness

When Colleen McCleery, MD, was well into her career as an OB/GYN, she started to notice a troubling trend. Her patients – who were just a few years older than she was – were experiencing dramatic changes that negatively affected almost every part of their lives. And she really didn’t know how to help.

“I started seeing more patients entering the perimenopause zone who were really suffering,” says Dr. McCleery. “That’s when it hit me: I didn’t have enough tools to help them effectively. And if I didn’t figure out how to treat these women, I would soon be in the same boat, along with many of my friends.”

Patients report significant improvements in energy, libido, muscle tone and mood, along with an overall sense of well-being.

This realization led Dr. McCleery to shift her focus from general obstetrics and gynecology to perimenopause, menopause and sexual dysfunction more than a decade ago. Driven by her desire to help women in middle age, she trained with bioidentical HRT pioneers to bring cutting-edge treatments back to South Jersey. Recently, she opened Renuva HRT & Wellness, a practice focused on HRT solutions designed to balance hormones and improve overall health for both men and women.

One of the signature treatments at Renuva is the use of hormone pellets. These tiny, time-release pellets are inserted in a quick, nearly painless procedure into the fatty tissue of the hip to help consistently alleviate symptoms over time. Patients report significant improvements in energy, libido, muscle tone and mood, along with an overall sense of well-being.

Many women don’t realize changes in their health – including low sex drive, lower muscle mass, hot flashes and mood changes – are a result of their shifting hormone levels until they are in the thick of perimenopause, which occurs during the years before they lose their periods completely, says Dr. McCleery. That length of time varies for women – perimenopause can be as short as 1 year or as long as 10.

“Perimenopause actually hits harder and is harder to treat than menopause, because the hormones are going up and down a lot during that time,” she explains. “Your body doesn’t like that.” 

But whether a woman is in perimenopause or menopause, Dr. McCleery has found that HRT is life changing – patients start to feel like themselves again. “It helps in general, particularly during perimenopause as we lose our testosterone and estrogen, leading to vaginal dryness, poor sleep, body image changes and low energy levels,” she says.

Dr. McCleery’s expertise also extends to treating men with low testosterone, commonly referred to as andropause. Testosterone treatments can help men with symptoms like fatigue, reduced libido and mood changes that often accompany low levels of this crucial hormone. 

“Men are talking about it more, realizing it’s a medical issue, not a personal failing,” Dr. McCleery says. “We see a lot of male patients now who come in because their friends recommended us.”

Besides pellets, Renuva offers a full spectrum of HRT options for both men and women. And Dr. McCleery and her team take time to create a customized, effective plan for each patient. “One person might not do well with one treatment, while another might thrive. And not everybody’s going to be perfect right away. We figure out what works for each individual,” she says.

And with every treatment plan, safety is a primary concern. “Our team has the expertise to do it right,” she says. “We use FDA-recognized pellets and stay up to date with the latest literature on estrogen, testosterone and their safe use.” 

“We’ve been through a lot as a society, and hormones play a role in our psychology, but so does everything that’s happening around us,” Dr. McCleery says. “At Renuva, we work with our patients to figure out what works for them. What gets me excited every day is that everybody’s different, and I have so many tools to help them.” 

Woodland Falls Corporate Center
220 Lake Drive East, Suite 103, Cherry Hill

856-229-9495 | renuvawellness.com