@gravity3 please let us know what the functional medicine doc says. My only experiences with supplemental hormones are 1) my teen daughter with endometriosis did compounded bioidentical progesterone cream and 2) I briefly saw an alternative gyn. who prescribed a cream and I don't remember if it was bioidential estrogen and progesterone. I did it for two months and was allergic (It took awhile to figure that out). I also wonder if it contributed to my breast cancer which happened 10 years later.

In my experience hot flashes, mood issues, pain all eased up over the years but I get it that that is not true for all. I was quite sick in my 50's.