Hormone pellet therapy is a treatment method used to deliver bioidentical hormones into the body. Used by both men and women, hormone pellets are used to restore ideal hormone levels in persons who are looking to get relief from the symptoms of menopause and andropause (male menopause). These symptoms include hot flashes, fatigue, brain fog, low libido and many more.
The size of a tiny rice grain or tic tac, bio-identical hormone pellets are inserted underneath the skin in the hip area by a physician. They are composed of 100% bio-identical estrogen, testosterone, or the combination of estrogen and testosterone. Each pellet is created by a compounding pharmacy and sent to our medical facility in sterile glass jars.
Benefits of Hormone Pellet Therapy include:
Hormone pellet therapy has been used as a form of bioidentical hormone therapy for over 70 years. First introduced in 1935, pellet therapy has since been used in Europe and throughout medical universities in the United States.
Unlike pills and synthetic hormones, bioidentical hormone pellets do not increase the risk of blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks. Bioidentical hormones delivered by pill pass through the liver before entering the blood stream which has been shown to increase the risk of blood clotting.
Pellets are inserted in the upper buttocks through a tiny incision which is then covered with a steri-strip. Local anesthesia is used prior to insertion and you'll feel almost nothing at all during the 3-minute procedure other than perhaps a little pressure when the pellets are inserted through the trocar. Other than some bruising and possibly some minor discomfort afterwards, there are very rarely any complications from this simple procedure. After insertion we suggest that you avoid strenuous physical activity for 24-48 hours and refrain from swimming or soaking in the bath tub for 3-5 days.
Even though pellet therapy has been in use since the 1930's, many have not heard of the treatment because pellets cannot be patented and marketed by pharmaceutical companies. Companies cannot profit from pellets in the same way they can from other hormones such as Estratest, Premarin, Provera or PremPro.
The pellets are absorbed naturally by the body over a period of 4-6 months. There is no need to remove them.
Prior to treating you, a blood analysis is performed in order to gather information on your current hormone levels. Using this data, our physicians create the correct balance between the testosterone and estrogen pellets and the progesterone they prescribe for you. After your initial pellets are inserted, blood work is performed regularly so that we can continue to analyze your status and make sure the pellets are working like they should be.
Changes in hormones can affect humans at any age, not just at a menopausal point (although this is usually the most noticeable time). Many of these changes may yield weight loss or gain, lowering in libido, mood swings, and changes in sleep patterns. People find that they are either constantly fatigued or that it is a genuine struggle to fall asleep, but what exactly do our sleep patterns tell us about our hormonal levels?
When people find that they are struck with fatigue, they typically don’t have the suspicion that the culprit could be hormone imbalance. Fatigue affects people of all ages and is most often related to the amount of stress hormones your body is producing. When we are stressed out, our bodies produce excessive amounts of stress hormones, causing our bodies to be denied rest--ultimately leading to feelings of fatigue, sluggishness and cloudiness.
In addition, people with hormonal imbalances can also experience insomnia, where they get very little sleep or have difficulty trying to get to sleep. Hormone imbalances with regard to long-term stress may cause your body to stay alert and wide awake, while also suppressing your body’s internal clock that regulates when you sleep and when you wake up. Even minimal stressors such as a problem at work or with a personal relationship may be recognized by your body as bigger stress than they really are, keeping your body wide awake and alert (also called survival mode).
At IHA, there are options for hormone therapy treatments if you are a candidate for it. A simple blood test and a consultation with our medical team should clarify which method of hormone therapy is right for you. To book a consultation, please click here or call (561) 623-9344.
