Why Do I Need Estrogen
In spite of the negative publicity regarding hormone therapy, I still feel long-term estrogen therapy provides numerous benefits for patients in menopause. More recent studies have also confirmed the positive benefits of hormone therapy. Estrogen protects a woman against bone loss, heart disease, memory loss, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and more. Estrogen keeps you looking young and healthy.
What Are The Side Effects & Risk Of Bhrt
In 1965, hormone replacement therapy became available to women in the UK who were struggling with menopause and post-menopausal symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, sexual dysfunction, sleep disturbances, mood changes, urinary incontinence, cognitive disturbances , and weight gain. Are you on of the women have this symptoms considering to have a bioidentical hormone therapy?
However, starting in the 1970s, several studies drew concern over the potential health risks of HRT, including increased risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, blood clots, heart disease, and stroke.
One study in particular sounded the alarm over HRT the Womens Health Initiative Hormone Therapy Trials. Between 1993 and 1998, 27,347 U.S. women ages 5079 enrolled in the study. Participants who had had their uterus removed received synthetic estrogen , while those who still had their uterus received synthetic estrogen + synthetic progestin .
The study ended in 2002 for the estrogen-plus-progestin group, and in 2004 for the estrogen-only group when participants were told to stop taking the medication due to the increased rates of serious health conditions, including coronary heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, blood clots in the lungs, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, hip fracture, and death.
Procedural Risks
Hormone Pellet Therapy Side Effects You Should Know
When looking at options to ameliorate hormone imbalance symptoms the route of hormone administration seems to matter as much as the compounds themselves. Hormone replacement therapy is a therapeutic approach used to supply the body with hormones that are either deficient or inadequate. The prescribing doctor prescribes the right amount to improve symptoms without causing more symptoms or health problems. To this end, the route of hormone administration will affect the outcome. As we will discuss, hormone pellet therapy side effects are more common than with other forms of hormone administration.
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What Are The Side Effects Of Hormone Replacement Therapy
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help men and women balance irregular hormones. Caused by natural fluctuations, thyroid issues, stress, diet and nutrition issues, or genetics, imbalanced hormones can cause various uncomfortable symptoms, such as fatigue, mood swings, loss of libido, hot flashes, painful sex, erectile dysfunction, and vaginal dryness. Dallas Cosmetic Center in Dallas, TX offers bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to help you live more comfortably and to address these issues. If you experience problems caused by erratic hormone fluctuations, our board-certified gynecologist Dr. Otto Huertas provides hormone replacement therapy. This beneficial procedure helps with a variety of symptoms. In rare cases, some patients may have a few side effects, but Dr. Huertas will adjust your prescription amount to ensure it works best for your needs. Please read through our blog to learn more about hormone imbalance and schedule a consultation with Dr. Huertas.
Muscle And Bone Changes
You might develop pains in your joints. This often settles down after a few weeks. You can take a mild painkiller to help control aches and pains.
Some hormone therapies such as aromatase inhibitors can cause thinning of your bones. Tamoxifen can cause bone thinning in pre menopausal women. Tamoxifen doesnt cause bone thinning in post menopausal women, and it can help to maintain the strength of your bones.
Weight bearing exercise can help to build up the bones and protect them. This means any exercise where you are carrying your own weight, such as walking, running, cycling or exercise in the gym.
Swimming is not weight bearing exercise. So, although it is good for you in other ways, it won’t help with bone thinning. Check with your doctor before starting any new type of exercise, especially if you have not exercised for a while.
Bone thinning can lead to osteoporosis and bone fractures if it continues for a few years. So, your doctor may treat you with a drug to strengthen your bones.
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What Are The Benefits Of Hormone Pellets
The relationship of estrogen deficiency in women to Alzheimer’s, heart disease, colon cancer, gall-bladder disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis is well-established. The previously mentioned Women’s Health Initiative Study found that hormone replacement therapy reduced the risk of diabetes by 14 to 19 percent and the risk of urinary incontinence by as much as 50 percent. And almost any woman who has gone through menopause will attest that estrogen deficiency is associated with mood changes, dry skin, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, night sweats, chills, and weight gain.
While women seek estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy for relief of a wide range of symptoms, men usually seek testosterone replacement therapy for a single concern, such as infertility, sexual dysfunction, or general physical condition. Hormone pellet therapy is the treatment of choice for women who would benefit from continuous bioidentical estrogen replacement therapy and for men who would benefit from long-term testosterone replacement therapy.
First-time patients may need brief counseling before insertion of the pellets. They need to know that the trocar makes a small incision through the skin and the fascia,so small that it does not need stitches.
However, patients need to be counseled to keep the incision bandaged as directed for 2 to 3 days. Since the fascia is affected by muscle movement, they need to understand that exercise or other strenuous activity until the wound begins to heal.
What Are Bioidentical Hormones
Bioidentical hormones are processed hormones designed to mimic the hormones made by your bodys glands. Taking bioidentical hormones can help people who experience symptoms of low or unbalanced hormones. This is often the case for people experiencing symptoms of perimenopause or menopause.
Hormones are chemicals made by your endocrine glands. They are messengers that tell other parts of your body how and when to work. Hormones affect many systems and functions in your body. Even the slightest imbalance can cause symptoms that interfere with your day. Healthcare providers may recommend hormone replacement therapy as a treatment for these symptoms.
Bioidentical hormone therapy uses processed hormones that come from plants. Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are the most commonly used bioidentical hormones.
Some prescription forms of bioidentical hormones are premade by drug companies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved certain types of bioidentical hormones. Other forms of bioidentical hormones are custom-made by a pharmacist based on a healthcare provider’s prescription. These are compounded bioidentical hormones.
The compounded forms have not been tested and approved by the FDA. Though it is often advertised that products that are made from plants are “natural” choices, they are altered in a lab so are no longer natural when done with processing.
Conventional hormone therapy vs. bioidentical hormone therapy
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Young Women May Need Hormone Therapy Especially If They Feel Tired
Most women feel tired, especially after having kids. The problem is so pervasive throughout society, its expected and standard for women to feel tired. Except, its not normal or healthy. We interviewed HTCA provider Dr. Armi Walker, who explains it well in our interview with her .
Women should be able to experience a full and vibrant life, filled with energy and a good nights sleep throughout their entire lives, including going through menopause. Decreasing levels of hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, affect a womans energy.
Using BHRT to help a woman stabilize her hormone levels helps reduce highs and lows of fatigue and sleep problems. As a woman feels better during the day and gets a better nights sleep, she finds that she has more energy during the day. Having more energy allows her to take care of her family, be successful at work, and have time to take care of herself properly without sacrificing anything.
Of course, if a woman simply feels tired, society expectations almost require her to ignore it. Its up to the doctor to begin speaking to women of all ages who report feeling a little tired. Additionally, doctors should talk to their women patients about fatigue, even if they dont bring it up themselves.
Hormone Pellet Side Effects Vs Benefits For Menopause Symptoms
Headaches, hot flashes, mood swings, and night sweatsmenopause can creep up on you or hit you like a freight train. For some, vague symptoms start years before menstruation ends, slowly taking a toll on your quality of life. For others, the change is more sudden but equally disconcertingyou no longer feel like yourself. When menopause symptoms threaten to derail your aspirations, challenge your productivity, and interfere with your relationships, you have options.
Bioidentical hormone pellet therapy is a unique treatment method that was created to mimic the bodys natural production of ovarian hormones. With an emphasis on convenience, implantable pellets relieve you of the burden of taking pills or applying creams or patches to maintain hormonal balance. But is it safe?
Weighing potential hormone pellet side effects against the benefits is vital to making smart treatment decisions. Being well-informed will allow you to work with your doctor to find the best approach and regain your vitality.
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What Are The Pros And Cons Of Pellet Hormone Replacement Therapy
If you are experiencing menopause, andropause or a hormonal imbalance, you know that hormones can have a profound impact on your physical and emotional health. You may already realize the potential value of hormone replacement therapy to replenish your hormone levels and regulate your body.
Today, there are more choices than ever before when it comes to HRT, and treatments such asbioidentical hormone replacement therapy can significantly minimize or even eliminate many of the symptoms related to hormonal changes. However, even if you know hormone therapy is the best option to address your discomfort, you may struggle to choose the best administration method.
In recent years, hormone replacement pellet therapy has become an increasingly popular option for both men and women seeking tore-establish their sense of well-being. So, how do you know if pellet therapy is right for you? By exploring the pros and cons of this innovative treatment method, you can gain the insight you need to make an informed choice and take the next step toward wellness.
Side Effects And Risks Of Biote
There are several side effects associated with , which some patients might experience more acutely in the beginning when theyre just starting treatment, says Dr. Roskin.
The most common side effects of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, she says, include:
- Increased facial hair in women
As with any hormone administration or replacement, if the dosage is not optimized, then adverse events specific to that hormone can occur, says Dr. Karram. Usually these adverse events are mild and can easily be treated or will spontaneously resolve over time.
Less than 1% of people receiving testosterone via bioidentical hormone replacement therapy report complications, according to a 2021 study in Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and MetabolismDonovitz GS. Low complication rates of testosterone and estradiol implants for androgen and estrogen replacement therapy in over 1 million procedures. Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab. 2021 12:20420188211015238. .
However, ACOG does note that compounded therapies in general pose more risk, as they vary in strength and purity. Like non-bioidentical hormones, bioidentical hormones can increase the risk of stroke, blood clots and gallbladder disease, and the risks may increase with long-term use, explains Dr. Roskin. Older women who use hormones may have an increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease.
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How Do I Start
If you are thinking about starting hormone replacement pellet therapy or any other kind of HRT, its important to seek out a practitioner with the training and experience necessary to provide the best treatment. Practitioners like those within the BodyLogicMD network will address any concerns you have, take the time to understand your symptoms, and offer comprehensive hormone testing to gain greater insight into your needs. They will then craft a treatment plan that is customized for you and offers the ongoing monitoring and guidance necessary to guide you to the results youre looking for.
Hormone fluctuations and imbalances can be disruptive and uncomfortable. But with the right care, you can find lasting relief from hormone-related symptoms and live life to its fullest.
Want to know more about hormone replacement pellet therapy?BodyLogicMD can help. The practitioners within the BodyLogicMD network are among the top medical professionals in the country and specially certified to help you address hormonal issues using the best treatment methods available so that you can experience the life you deserve. Get started on a custom treatment plan designed to fit your lifestyle and help you reach optimal wellnesscontact a local practitioner to schedule your first appointment, or take the BodyLogicMD Hormone Balance Quiz today.
How Are Biote Pellets Inserted
Biote pellet insertion is a quick, minimally invasive procedure. A certified providerwho often is a board-certified medical doctor injects a small amount of local anesthetic to numb the insertion site.
Next, your provider makes a small incision and places the pellets directly inside, where they dissolve over time. The area is covered with a bandage until its fully healed.
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What Type Of Pharmacies Do We Work With At Biote
The bioidentical hormones that Biote Certified Providers use are custom-compounded. Biote trains our providers to work with highly specialized outsourcing facilities during every step of the bioidentical hormone replacement therapy process. The pharmacies providing pellets employ rigorous standards and practices to ensure the sterility and potency of every pellet batch distributed.
Fee For Hormone Pellet Therapy For Women
Generally, health insurance will cover the cost of office visits and laboratory tests for evaluation of hormone related symptoms. However, insurance will not cover compounded bioidentical hormone pellets or the pellet insertion procedure.
The fee for female hormone pellet therapy is $365.00. The cost works out to approximately $3.00 per day, depending on how often new pellets are needed . When one considers the amount that may be saved on medications for sleep, depression, anxiety, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, and osteoporosis, plus benefits to quality of life, relationships, and job performance, the cost of pellet therapy is well worth it.
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Pros & Cons Of Hormone Pellets
Every procedure, therapy, or medication comes with a list of potential benefits and potential side effects.
You must weigh the pros and cons to determine if the procedure is right for you!
In some instances, your Doctor may have an incentive to push you in one direction even though there are other options available to you.
Make sure you understand these pros and cons before you get hormone pellet therapy.
Pros
#1. Set it and forget it approach
Perhaps the most important benefit of using hormone pellets is what I refer to as the set it and forget it approach.
This approach stems from the fact that hormone pellets are relatively hands-off in terms of patient compliance.
You get the procedure done in a short visit and then the pellet dumps hormone into your body over the next 3-4 months.
Theres usually a peak hormone rise around the first 1 month and a drop thereafter .
Most people tend to start feeling their symptoms return around 3-4 months which drives them back into the office to get another pellet.
This is great for some patients, especially if you find it difficult to apply gels/creams on a daily basis due to a heavy travel schedule or other conflicts.
This is also another option if you cant stand to be injected on a weekly/biweekly basis .
But, if you dont mind applying your hormones to your skin on a daily basis, then this benefit may not apply to you.
#2. Contains bio-identical hormones
Hormone pellets also have the benefit of containing bio-identical hormones.
Understanding Hormone Pellet Side Effects
The advantages of hormone pellets make them a highly attractive option for many who are considering starting BHRT or who want to switch from another administration method. Additionally, pellets are well-tolerated by most patients. But, as with any medical treatment, hormone pellets may have side effects. However, these are typically mild, transient, and related to the insertion process.
Hormone pellet implantation is an in-officesurgical procedure that typically only takes a few minutes. During theprocedure, a local anesthetic is administered, a small incision is made, andthe pellets are inserted into soft tissue in an area that will cause minimaldiscomfort, such as the back side of the hip above the glutes. The incision isthen closed with Steri-Strips and covered by a small bandage. While you willlikely be able to return to most of your normal activities immediately, youwill be asked to avoid heavy exercise for about 2 to 5 days following the procedure.
For most patients, the implantation process ispainless. However, some may experience side effects such as bruising, swelling,soreness, or redness at the incision site. There is also a small risk ofinfection any time an incision is made. However, major complications fromhormone pellet insertion are exceedingly rare.
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Other Problems From Hormone Pellet Therapy
Whether using pellets or topical treatment, hormone replacement therapy with bioidentical hormones is a safe effective treatment for hormone imbalance symptoms. The pellets do add some increased risk of side effects as noted above. In addition to the side effect noted above, the most common problem I have seen with hormone pellet therapy is the very high levels of hormones that are maintained. This typically occurs from poor monitoring of the hormone levels. As a result we see women with testosterone levels that are as high as men and men that have testosterone levels that are well above the upper reference range.
Now this can happen from time to time with any method of hormone treatment. With pellet therapy it seems to be a more common occurrence rather than an exception. This may occur from infrequent lab testing or checking when the hormone levels would naturally be running out and hence lower. This lower lab test then justifies a higher milligram pellet dose. While a more frequent lab monitoring may resolve this, pellet therapy is rarely monitored this way. For some excessively high hormone levels can make you feel just as poorly as low. If you started hormone pellet therapy and you don’t feel any better or feel worse consider having the levels checked a month after pellet insertion.