Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) in Leawood, KS

Medically reviewed by Mark Strehlow, MD, Medical Director — October 2026

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) uses hormones with the same molecular structure as the ones your body makes. We offer it to women in perimenopause and menopause, and to men with low testosterone confirmed by testing. Fatigue, poor sleep, low libido and weight changes have many possible causes, so we test before we prescribe, and we’ll tell you if hormones aren’t the answer.

Our hormone care is cash-pay. Your first consultation is free: 30 minutes with one of our providers to talk through your options and whether we’re a good fit. We’re in Leawood, KS, serving the Kansas City area.

Book a free consultation · Compare plans and prices · Call (913) 727-7700

What is BHRT?

“Bioidentical” means a hormone has the same molecular structure as one your body makes, such as estradiol, progesterone or testosterone. It doesn’t mean natural, safer or more effective. Many FDA-approved hormone products are bioidentical, and they carry the same warnings as other hormone therapy.

Bioidentical hormones come two ways. FDA-approved products are made in standard doses and tested in clinical trials. Compounded hormones are made by a licensed compounding pharmacy to fill an individual patient’s prescription, and they aren’t FDA-approved. There’s also less evidence behind them, according to a 2020 review by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Every prescription we write is set for the individual patient. We most often prescribe compounded hormones, because compounding gives us more room to set the dose and combination for each person. We also prescribe FDA-approved products when they fit, such as testosterone and estradiol injections, progesterone capsules and thyroid medication. Either way, we’ll tell you which one you’re getting, and why.

BHRT vs. HRT: what’s the difference?

“HRT” is the umbrella term for any hormone replacement therapy. Some conventional products aren’t identical to human hormones, such as conjugated equine estrogens and synthetic progestins.

In the Women’s Health Initiative trial, women taking conjugated estrogens (Premarin) with a synthetic progestin had more breast cancers than women on placebo, while women taking conjugated estrogens alone had fewer. Some observational studies link micronized progesterone, the bioidentical form, to lower breast cancer risk than synthetic progestins, but others don’t, and no randomized trial has shown bioidentical hormones to be safer. Any estrogen taken alone, including bioidentical estradiol, raises the risk of uterine cancer in women who have a uterus, so we prescribe progesterone with it. We never prescribe synthetic progestins.

Who hormone replacement therapy is for, and who it isn’t for

Women

Women usually come to us in perimenopause or menopause, with symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, poor sleep, mood changes, brain fog, vaginal dryness or low sex drive. Read more about hormone therapy for women.

We also prescribe testosterone to women when symptoms and labs support it, at much lower doses than for men. The strongest evidence for testosterone in women is for low sexual desire after menopause, and there’s no FDA-approved testosterone product for women.

Men

Men usually come to us with symptoms such as low energy, low sex drive, erection problems or loss of muscle. We confirm low testosterone with your symptoms and repeat morning blood tests before we prescribe. Age alone isn’t a reason to start. Read more about testosterone therapy for men.

Who it isn’t for

Our hormone care is for adults: women in perimenopause and menopause, men with low testosterone, and thyroid care for both. We don’t provide hormone therapy for gender transition. We don’t start hormone care for anyone under 18, anyone with active cancer, or anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding. Some medical histories, such as blood clots, stroke or certain cancers, need a careful review; we’ll go over yours at the consultation.

If hormones aren’t the right answer for you, we’ll tell you.

What age should you start?

There’s no set age. The decision rests on your symptoms and your labs, not your birthday. For menopause, the labels of FDA-approved hormone products say to start “within 10 years of menopause onset or before 60.”

Hormone therapy and your bones

Estrogen therapy prevents bone loss after menopause, and in the Women’s Health Initiative, women taking hormones had fewer hip and spine fractures than women on placebo. Some FDA-approved estrogens are approved to prevent osteoporosis, though other medicines are usually tried first when bone is the only goal. These results come from FDA-approved products; compounded hormones and pellets haven’t been tested this way.

We look for the cause first

Fatigue, poor sleep, low libido and weight changes can come from hormones, but they can also come from thyroid problems, sleep disorders, medications, stress or other conditions. So we test before we prescribe. Depending on your plan, that can include:

Some medications and supplements affect lab results, so timing matters. See when to schedule your blood draw. Premier Care also includes nutrition and exercise guidance.

Forms of hormone therapy we prescribe

We prescribe every common form of hormone therapy, and we choose the form with you based on your labs, your health history and what fits your life. There’s no single best form.

Form How it’s taken How often Is there an FDA-approved version?
Pills and capsules By mouth Daily Yes, for estradiol and progesterone, and oral testosterone for men
Patches On the skin Once or twice a week Yes, for estradiol, and a testosterone patch for men
Gels and creams Rubbed into the skin Daily Yes, for estradiol gel and testosterone gel for men; compounded creams aren’t FDA-approved
Troches Dissolved between the cheek and gum Once or twice a day No; troches are compounded
Injections Under the skin or into the muscle Testosterone: a small daily dose under the skin, or once or twice a week into the muscle Yes, for testosterone (for men) and estradiol
Hormone pellet therapy Placed under the skin of the upper outer buttock About every 3 to 4 months for women, 4 to 5 months for men One testosterone pellet for men; no estradiol pellet. The pellets we use are compounded.
Vaginal products Cream or suppository in the vagina Daily at first, then usually twice a week Yes, for vaginal estradiol

We don’t space testosterone injections more than a week apart. Longer gaps cause bigger highs and lows, and we aim for a steady level.

An FDA-approved version existing doesn’t mean it’s the one you’ll get. We’ll tell you whether your product is FDA-approved or compounded, and why.

What happens at Rock Creek Wellness

  1. A free consultation. About 30 minutes with one of our providers to talk about your health, your options and which plan fits you.
  2. Labs and testing. Your first-visit lab panel, plus in-office testing with Premier Care.
  3. Your plan. Your provider recommends a hormone, a form and a dose based on your results.
  4. Your first follow-up, about 6 weeks after your first appointment.
  5. Visits every 3 months until your levels are on track.
  6. Then twice a year, with labs to keep your dose where it should be.

HRT-Only patients see Hannah Osborn, APRN. Premier Care patients see Dr. Mark McPhee, Dr. Angela Barnett or Hannah Osborn, APRN. All of our providers prescribe hormone therapy.

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Risks and side effects

Every form of hormone therapy has risks, and they depend on the hormone, the dose, the form and your health history. Your provider goes over them with you before you start, and we monitor your labs and symptoms while you’re on therapy. This is a summary; the women’s and men’s pages have more detail.

Estrogen

  • Uterine cancer. Estrogen taken alone raises the risk in women who have a uterus. That’s why we prescribe progesterone with estrogen for women who still have their uterus. This remains a boxed warning on estrogen-alone products.
  • Breast cancer. In the Women’s Health Initiative, the higher breast cancer risk was seen in women taking a synthetic progestin; women taking estrogen alone had fewer breast cancers. We prescribe progesterone and never synthetic progestins. Some studies link progesterone to lower risk than synthetic progestins, but others don’t. We’ll go over your personal and family history at your consultation.
  • Blood clots, stroke and gallbladder disease. In studies, these risks are mostly linked to estrogen taken by mouth and, for stroke, to higher doses.
  • Dementia. In a trial of women who started hormones at 65 or older, more women on hormones developed probable dementia. That finding remains in the labels’ warnings.

Testosterone

  • Higher blood pressure.
  • A higher red blood cell count, which we check with blood tests.
  • Lower sperm production and reduced fertility. Tell us if you’re planning a family.
  • Acne and fluid retention.
  • Worsening sleep apnea.
  • For men, prostate monitoring with PSA blood tests.
  • Gels and creams can pass to other people, including children, through skin contact. This is a boxed warning on testosterone gels.

Testosterone in women

  • Acne, unwanted hair growth, and voice changes that may not reverse.
  • No testosterone product is FDA-approved for women.

Pellets and compounded hormones

  • A pellet’s dose can’t be adjusted once it’s placed, and pellets aren’t designed to be removed. There’s also a small risk of infection or of a pellet working its way out. See hormone pellet therapy.
  • Compounded doses can vary more than FDA-approved products.

In 2025 and 2026, the FDA removed some boxed-warning language from FDA-approved menopausal hormone products. Those changes apply to FDA-approved products only, not to compounded hormones or pellets.

Individual results vary. Hormone therapy isn’t approved or recommended to prevent heart disease, dementia or cancer, and testosterone trials found no lower risk of heart disease, memory decline or prostate cancer.

Plans and prices: does insurance cover it?

Our hormone care is cash-pay; we don’t bill insurance. You can pay with an HSA or FSA card, and your plan decides which charges qualify, so check with your plan administrator. Your first consultation is free and separate from either plan’s fee to establish care.

We offer two plans. We recommend Premier Care because it looks at your whole health, not just your hormones. HRT-Only is for people who want focused hormone care.

HRT-Only Premier Care (recommended)
To establish care $250 (credited toward Premier Care if you upgrade). Labs are separate. $1,950 (4-hour evaluation, EKG, DEXA, cardiovascular ultrasound screening). Labs are separate.
First-visit labs Through your insurance at Quest, or our cash price: $250 (women) / $275 (men) Through your insurance at Quest, or our cash price: $700
Your provider Hannah Osborn, APRN Dr. Mark McPhee, Dr. Angela Barnett or Hannah Osborn, APRN
Monthly $110 $214 (Platinum) or $314 (Executive)
Scope Hormone care only: female or male hormones and thyroid, with testing and prescriptions Hormones and thyroid plus whole-health care: nutrition and exercise guidance, Cognitive Health, a yearly physical; yearly scans included (Executive) or discounted (Platinum)
Tests in the first-visit panel 14 tests: hormones, thyroid, blood count and chemistry, B12 and vitamin D 33 tests (women) or 35 (men): everything in HRT-Only plus metabolic, advanced cardiovascular, stress and growth-hormone markers, and an ApoE genotype
In-office testing — EKG, DEXA scan, cardiovascular ultrasound screening (limited echocardiogram, abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid artery, atrial fibrillation; peripheral arteries if needed)
Primary care Not included Limited primary care
Pellets Placement fee extra ($450 women / $900 men) Placement fee extra, 5% off (Platinum) or 10% off (Executive)

Between visits, Platinum members can reach our clinic staff by phone or email, and Executive members can also text us, including after hours. Medication cost depends on the form you’re prescribed. Read more about Premier Care and hormone pellet therapy, or about financing through CareCredit.

What’s tested at your first visit

Category HRT-Only Premier Care
Blood count and chemistry CBC, comprehensive metabolic panel CBC, comprehensive metabolic panel, uric acid; urinalysis (men)
Thyroid TSH, free T3, free T4, TPO antibodies TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3, TPO antibodies, thyroglobulin antibodies
Sex hormones (women) FSH, estradiol, progesterone, total testosterone FSH, estradiol, progesterone, total testosterone, DHT, SHBG
Sex hormones (men) Total and free testosterone, estradiol Total and free testosterone, DHT, estradiol, LH, SHBG
Adrenal and other hormones DHEA-S, pregnenolone DHEA-S, pregnenolone, cortisol, IGF-1, IGFBP-3
Prostate (men) PSA PSA
Blood sugar and insulin — Hemoglobin A1c, insulin
Cardiovascular — Advanced lipid panel, lipoprotein particle testing, Lp(a), hs-CRP, homocysteine, myeloperoxidase (MPO), Lp-PLA2, omega-3 index
Genetic — ApoE genotype
Vitamins B12, vitamin D B12, vitamin D

ApoE is a genetic test; your provider goes over what the result means with you. Learn about our Cognitive Health program.

Labs aren’t included in the fee to establish care. You can have Quest bill your insurance, or pay our cash price. If your insurance has a high deductible or limited lab coverage, the cash price is often the lower-cost option.

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Common questions

Is BHRT safe?

It depends on you, the product and how closely it’s monitored. Hormone therapy has benefits and risks, and the balance is different for each person. We review your health history before we prescribe, and we monitor your labs and symptoms while you’re on therapy. If hormones aren’t a good fit for you, we’ll say so.

Will hormone therapy help me lose weight?

Hormone therapy isn’t a weight-loss treatment, and we don’t prescribe it for weight loss. But low hormone levels can contribute to weight gain or make it harder to lose weight; menopause, for example, changes where the body stores fat. When we bring hormone levels into range, some patients see changes in body composition, such as more muscle and less fat in men on testosterone. Individual results vary. Read more: Does Estrogen Cause Weight Gain? What High and Low Estrogen Actually Do.

Do bioidentical hormones cause cancer?

Some hormone therapy raises the risk of some cancers, and the risk depends on the hormone, the combination and the person. Estrogen taken alone raises the risk of uterine cancer in women who have a uterus, which is why we prescribe progesterone with it. For breast cancer, the research differs by regimen; see risks and side effects above.

How long until I notice a difference?

Some people notice changes within a few weeks. Getting your levels where they should be takes longer, usually several follow-up visits. Individual results vary.

Where can I get hormone replacement therapy in Kansas City?

At our clinic in Leawood, KS: 5401 College Blvd #203, Leawood, KS 66211. Call (913) 727-7700. We’re open Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 5 pm, and Friday, 9 am to 4 pm.

What kind of doctor prescribes hormone replacement therapy?

Family physicians, gynecologists, urologists, endocrinologists and nurse practitioners all prescribe it. At Rock Creek Wellness, our physicians and our nurse practitioner prescribe hormone therapy.

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