Hormone replacement therapy with trocar-inserted hormone pellets may be appropriate for individuals who have low levels of certain hormones, such as estrogen or testosterone, and who are experiencing symptoms related to hormone deficiency. It is typically used to treat conditions such as hypogonadism (low testosterone) in both women and men, as well as menopause-related symptoms in women. The advantages of hormone pellet therapy include:
- Custom dosing. Hormone pellet therapy is prepared by a compounding pharmacy. Your doctor can specify the exact amount of hormone replacement you need.
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No need to remember to take pills or come into the office every month for injections. Hormonal pellet therapy is one-and-done for four to six months at a time, whether it is hormone pellet therapy for women or hormone pellet therapy for men.
- Reliable relief of symptoms. Injections of testosterone result in high levels for the first two weeks and plummeting levels for the next two weeks. Synthetic estrogen replacements have to be activated in the liver, which may be more or less active, depending on other drug therapy, diet, and stress.
- Bioidentical hormone therapy. Hormone pellet therapy provides exactly the hormone manufactured by the human body. Synthetic hormones are similar substances that don't interact with the human body in quite the same way.
We describe the procedure for this kind of hormone replacement in more detail in our article "What Is Hormone Pellet Therapy?" But how would you know that you need to be seen by a doctor to be evaluated for hormone pellet therapy?
Are You Experiencing Hormone Imbalances?
Seven symptoms of hormone imbalances show up again and again in patients over 30. You should make an appointment to be evaluated by a doctor for hormonal pellet therapy if any of the following symptoms trouble you.
- Changes in mood or emotional well-being: Hormonal imbalances can affect mood, and individuals may experience changes in mood or emotional well-being, such as feeling anxious, depressed, or irritable.
- Changes in sleep patterns: Hormonal imbalances can affect sleep patterns, and individuals may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or they may experience excessive sleepiness.
- Changes in energy levels: Hormonal imbalances can affect energy levels, and individuals may feel excessively tired or have difficulty maintaining energy levels throughout the day.
- Changes in weight: Hormonal imbalances can affect weight, and individuals may experience unexplained weight gain or weight loss.
- Changes in skin or hair: Hormonal imbalances can affect the skin and hair, and individuals may experience changes in their skin or hair, such as acne, dryness, or thinning hair.
- Changes in menstrual cycle: In women, hormonal imbalances can affect the menstrual cycle, and individuals may experience irregular periods, heavy bleeding, or missed periods.
- Changes in sexual function: Hormonal imbalances can affect sexual function, and individuals may experience changes in their libido or difficulties with sexual performance.
To determine whether hormone replacement therapy with trocar-inserted hormone pellets is an appropriate treatment option, your healthcare provider will take a detailed health history. There will be blood tests to measure your current hormone levels. These tests can identify whether the problem is that your body just isn't making enough of the hormone, or it is not being transformed into its active form, or whether some other condition is contributing to your symptoms.
It is important to understand that hormone replacement therapy is not suitable for everyone, and your doctor must consider the effects of hormone replacement on your total health. It's not unusual for doctors to prescribe a combination of therapies to achieve the best possible results, for example, relying on estrogen replacement pellets to provide a steady level of estrogen replacement, but using a progesterone cream to get needed levels of progesterone just 14 days out of every 28. Testosterone replacement therapy, however, usually is done with pellets alone.
It is also important to note that hormone replacement therapy can have potential risks and side effects, and individuals considering this treatment should discuss all potential benefits and risks with a healthcare provider before starting therapy.
Who is Not a Candidate for Bioidentical Pellets?
Hormone pellet therapy may not be suitable for everyone. Your doctor will take the time to discuss all potential benefits and risks before starting your treatment. There are several factors that may make an individual a poor candidate for any kind of hormone replacement therapy (not just hormone pellet therapy).
- Personal or family history of certain cancers: Hormone replacement therapy may increase the risk of recurrence of certain cancers, such as breast or ovarian cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. If an individual has a personal or family history of these cancers, they may not be a good candidate for hormone replacement therapy. However, in men, testosterone replacement therapy has been linked to a possible reduction in the risk of prostate cancer.
- Active or recent cancer treatment. Hormone replacement therapy may not be appropriate for people who are currently receiving or have recently received cancer treatment. Your body may simply not be ready for it.
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure. Your doctor will want to make sure your blood pressure is well-controlled. Some kinds of Hormone replacement therapy may increase the risk of high blood pressure, and individuals with uncontrolled high blood pressure may not be suitable candidates for this treatment.
- Blood clotting disorders. This is a concern for estrogen replacement in women. In rare cases, estrogen replacement therapy may increase the risk of blood clots, and women with blood clotting disorders may not be suitable candidates for this treatment. Any clotting disorder will be diagnosed with a separate set of blood tests that most doctors run when setting the baseline for treatment.
- Liver or kidney disease. Hormone replacement therapy may not be appropriate for people with liver or kidney disease, as these conditions may affect the body's ability to metabolize hormones.
- Pregnancy: Hormone replacement therapy is not suitable for people who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
These are the most common considerations that may make an individual a poor candidate for hormone replacement therapy. Any healthcare provider will consider a variety of factors when determining whether hormone replacement therapy is an appropriate treatment option for an individual.
Did You Know Hormone Pellet Therapy is Specifically Designed for You?
The really great thing about hormonal pellet therapy is that it is compounded by a pharmacy in the exact dosage you need. Hormonal pellet therapy is never one-size-fits-all. With hormonal pellet therapy, your doctor can provide you with the hormone replacement you need that is just enough to relieve your symptoms, with hormones manufactured from substances found in nature.
Don't suffer needlessly. Make an appointment with your doctor to discuss hormone pellet therapy today!
