Medically reviewed by Anand Thakkar, MD. Last updated: October 9, 2026.
Founder and medical director Anand Thakkar, MD · Internal Medicine (ABIM) board certified · A4M board certified · 15 years of experience · Lincoln Park clinic, about 14 miles from Winnetka
HRT Winnetka patients are seen at our Lincoln Park clinic in Chicago, 2707 N Halsted St, about 14 miles south. Bliss MD doesn’t have a Winnetka office. Dr. Anand Thakkar offers bioidentical hormone therapy and second opinions for women and men, beginning with a free 15-minute discovery call.
Plenty of people from Winnetka come to us already on hormones, or after being told their results are fine when they don’t feel fine. This page explains how we handle both. The complete program lives on our hormone replacement therapy Chicago page.
Getting From Winnetka to Lincoln Park
From Elm Street, near the Winnetka Metra station, the simplest route runs south on Green Bay Road and Ridge Avenue, then Clark Street into Lincoln Park. Some drivers use the Edens instead when traffic is moving. Expect about 14 miles and 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the hour. Glencoe and Kenilworth patients have a similar trip.
Labs are drawn in the office during your visit. Once your plan is steady, some follow-ups can happen by video, which saves HRT Winnetka patients a few drives.
Second Opinions for HRT Winnetka Patients
If you’re on hormones and something feels off, bring everything: current doses, how you take them, and your last two or three sets of labs. Dr. Thakkar looks for common problems:
- A dose that looks fine on paper but doesn’t match how you feel
- Estrogen without progesterone in a woman who still has a uterus
- Pellets that wear off unevenly, or symptoms that return early
- Thyroid, sleep or medication issues that hormones alone won’t fix
You won’t be pushed to change everything at once. Sometimes the answer is a small adjustment. Sometimes it’s a different form, or a switch to an FDA-approved product. Our bioidentical vs. conventional HRT article explains those options.
Testing That Goes Past "Normal"
Hormone therapy in Winnetka, as at both our clinics, starts with detailed blood work: sex hormones, thyroid, metabolic markers and nutrients, chosen from your symptoms. When it would change the plan, we add a DUTCH test, a dried-urine panel showing how you process hormones.
Results are read against your symptoms. A number at the bottom of the normal range may matter if you feel exhausted; a number in range with no symptoms usually doesn’t need treating. That’s what we mean by optimal, not just normal.
The thyroid gets the same attention. A slow thyroid can look a lot like a sex-hormone problem, so HRT Winnetka patients get a full thyroid panel, not just a TSH, and bioidentical thyroid hormone is an option when the results call for it.
Hormone Replacement Therapy for Winnetka Women and Men
Women typically come in around perimenopause or menopause: hot flashes, night sweats, sleep that falls apart, lower desire or vaginal dryness. Plans may use an estradiol patch or gel, micronized progesterone, or compounded creams, troches or pellets. See our page on menopause and hormone care for women.
Men usually describe low energy, lower libido and lost strength. Low testosterone must show up on two morning blood tests before we treat it. Read about testosterone replacement therapy in Chicago.
Hormones aren’t right after some cancers, clots or strokes, and we’ll explain if that applies to you.
How Ongoing HRT Winnetka Care Works
- Free discovery call, 15 minutes, to decide whether a visit makes sense.
- First appointment, 60 minutes with Dr. Thakkar, plus blood work.
- A written plan listing each hormone, its form and whether it is compounded or FDA-approved.
- Recheck at 8 to 12 weeks, then monitoring on a schedule.
Many patients choose a monthly membership that bundles hormones, visits, labs and follow-ups. Outside the clinic, staying active helps too, whether that’s a program with the Winnetka Park District or a book from the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library.
HRT Winnetka Questions
Does Bliss MD have a Winnetka location?
No. Our nearest clinic to Winnetka is in Lincoln Park, 2707 N Halsted St, about 14 miles south. Our other clinic is in Hanover Park.
I already take hormones. Can you review my plan?
Yes. Bring your current doses and recent labs. Dr. Thakkar will tell you what he’d keep, what he’d change and why.
What is a DUTCH test?
A dried urine test that shows how your body breaks down hormones. We add it when that detail would change your plan; a standard blood panel comes first.
How often are labs checked?
About 8 to 12 weeks after you start or change a dose, then on a set schedule. Men’s monitoring includes PSA and blood counts.
Is there a membership option?
Yes. A monthly membership covers your bioidentical hormones, physician visits, labs and follow-ups; specialty tests such as DUTCH are separate. We explain the details on your discovery call.
Are hormone pellets FDA-approved?
No. Pellets are compounded, so they are not FDA-approved, and they can’t be removed once placed. We discuss that before you choose them.
What does "optimal, not just normal" mean for hormone therapy in Winnetka?
Lab ranges are wide and built to flag disease. We look for the level at which you feel and function well, using the lowest dose that gets you there, confirmed with follow-up labs.
Let's Talk
Your Free 15-Minute Discovery Call
Whether you’re new to hormones or want a second opinion, start with a short call. We’ll go over your situation and the next step. Phone (630) 289-0440.
Where Winnetka Patients Are Seen
Lincoln Park is the nearer clinic. Hanover Park is about 30 miles west of Winnetka, roughly 50 minutes by car, and can suit patients who spend their weekdays in the northwest suburbs. Wherever you’re seen, Dr. Thakkar oversees your plan and the hormone options are the same.
Lincoln Park Clinic (nearest to Winnetka)
2707 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
Call (630) 289-0440 · Directions in Google Maps
Hanover Park Clinic
1802 Irving Park Rd, Hanover Park, IL 60133
Call (630) 289-0440 · Directions in Google Maps
Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Compounded Bioidentical Menopausal Hormone Therapy, 2023. acog.org
Provided for education; it is not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. Individual responses differ. Compounded hormones, including pellets, are not FDA-approved.
