The most common reasons NOT to get the ‘great results’ you have experienced in the past are:

• Stress: Increased stress, either physical or mental, will definitely affect how you feel physically and emotionally. Stress can even cause hot flashes. Stress can affect how long the pellets last. Symptoms may return several weeks sooner.
• Medications: Anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications, sleeping pills, blood pressure and other medications have side effects and can interfere with the effects of testosterone therapy. Side effects include: decreased libido and sexual performance, fatigue, anxiety, hot flashes, disruption of sleep patterns, memory problems, weight gain and depression.
• Diet: A diet high in refined foods & processed carbohydrates and low in fat will definitely affect the result you get with testosterone. Fatigue, irritability and anxiety may be diet related. Whole foods, good fats and protein can beneficially affect mood and energy. Testosterone increases muscle mass and gets rid of fat deposits. Refined carbohydrates/whole grains can prevent weight loss usually seen with testosterone therapy.
• Lack of Consistent Exercise: Aerobic exercise is a remarkable stress reliever. It increases energy and metabolism and decreases anxiety. Exercise improves sleep patterns. The best results from pellets are seen in people who exercise.
• Lack of Sunlight: The lack of sunlight will affect mood, sense of well-being and physical energy. Lack of sunlight and subsequent low levels of Vitamin D are detrimental to health.
• Estrogen Dominance: Fluid retention, weight gain, breast pain, anxiety, PMS, insulin resistance, and lack of ‘sense of well being’ are all symptoms of excess estrogen.

Often complaints of ‘pellets not working’ occur during the winter months. The stress of the holidays, change in diets, lack of sunlight, and change in activity level can all affect how you feel both mentally and physically. Some patients do much better with a higher dose of testosterone in the winter months, especially those with ‘seasonal affective disorder’.
The body makes healthy levels of estragon by converting testosterone to estradiol. If estrogen levels become too high, the symptoms of estrogen dominance may manifest themselves. Exercise, whole foods, fiber, losing weight and getting rid of refined carbohydrates can help lower estrogen levels. Occasionally a medication may be prescribed or given with the testosterone in the implant to reduce estrogen excess.
The implant always delivers a steady stream of testosterone.

Cortef is a hormone made in the adrenal gland. Symptoms of cortisol deficiency include:

• Fatigue, especially in the afternoon
• Stress
• Sugar/Salt cravings
• Low blood sugar
• Allergies, asthma, sinusitis
• Chemical sensitivity (perfume, detergents, odors), eczema
• Aches, pains (especially neck and back)
• Muscle stiffness, joint pain, arthritis
• Hives, itching, skin sensitivity, reaction to bug bites, acne
• Weak immune system, repeated infections, pneumonia
• Autoimmune diseases, thyroiditis, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease
• Low blood pressure, low fluid volume (dehydrate easily)

Cortef is usually prescribed in 5 to 10 mg tablets given two to three times daily for a total daily dose of 15-20 mg. This dose does not have the side effects of ‘steroid therapy.’ This is important for you to understand because you will receive information from the pharmacy that describes the ‘side effects’ of steroids. Some health care providers are not aware of the difference between therapeutic replacement doses of cortef and ‘steroids’. Cortef does not cause these side-effects.
Cortef 5 mg may be taken three times daily with meals. Some people prefer to take it twice daily, 20 mg in the morning and 5 -10 mg around 4 pm. Because cortef is a natural hormone it will not interfere with taking any other medication. If you develop a respiratory infection or go through a period of extreme stress you may need to temporarily increase your dose of cortef (up to 20 mg four times daily).

Thyroid Treatment

Levothyroxine or USP thyroid may be prescribed if thyroid-stimulated hormone is elevated. ½ dose is taken on an empty stomach for 4 days, followed by the whole dose. Follow up thyroid blood levels are tested 2-3 months following the initiation of thyroid therapy or a change in dosage. The dose must be lowered or discontinued if the patient experiences the following side effects.

• Anxiety, nervousness, agitation, sweating
• Insomnia, headaches
• Rapid heartbeat, palpitations, rapid pulse
• Pain or tightness in chest
• Fatigue
• Hair loss

Signs & Symptoms Associated with Hypothyroidism

• Fatigue (morning)
• Weakness
• Constipation
• Weight gain
• Cold extremities, intolerance to cold
• Edema around ankles or below eyes
• Muscle aches, headaches
• Depression
• Poor concentration, memory loss
• Hoarseness
• Dry, rough skin
• Orange tint to palms and soles, pallor
• Dry, thinning hair

Conditions Associated with Hypothyroidism

• Hypertension
• Chest pain
• Atherosclerosis
• Elevated cholesterol
• Irregular menstrual cycles, infertility
• PMS, fibrocystic breast disease
• Hypoglycemia
• Psoriasis, urticarial
• Allergies, asthma, rhinitis.

Andropause is the gradual, progressive decline of testosterone levels in men that typically begins around the age of 50. This decrease in hormone levels can cause mild to severe physiological and psychological changes. Low testosterone levels may also be associated with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and rapid aging. Symptoms of low testosterone levels include erectile dysfunction, muscular weakness, and weight gain, and may be detected as early as the mid-thirties.

Andropause is treated using testosterone supplementation. Treatment can be administered using topical gels, sublingual lozenges, or intramuscular injections. However, pellet therapy is the most effective way to supplement testosterone levels.

Benefits of Testosterone Pellet Therapy

Pellet therapy allows the body to absorb the testosterone more effectively, and do not have to worry about inactivation, changed in blood clotting, or fluctuations in plasma testosterone levels, which can be seen with injections and other forms of testosterone therapy. Pellet therapy may be suitable for patients who have not had success with topical treatments or sublingual lozenges.

Before your pellet therapy, your testosterone and estrogen levels will be checked to assess the absorption of testosterone and the conversion to estrogen. The pellets are implanted with a trocar after numbing the area.

Recovery and Results After Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Pellet therapy is safe, reliable, and has been shown to improve health and quality of life. Recovery time is minimal. You may experience slight bruising or swelling at the injection site, but these symptoms should resolve within a few days. Strenuous activity should be avoided for one to two days after your injections.

Patients will notice an increase in energy levels and libido, as well as improvements in endurance and mental acuity. On average, testosterone pellets are implanted at six-month intervals.

Menopause – Hormone Balancing for Women

Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause and pre-menopause. Hormone fluctuation, diet and lifestyle all play a role in the onset and severity of hot flashes. Meditation, stress reduction, high fiber diets, and testosterone pellet implants can all relieve hot flashes in the majority of women.

Female Testosterone Implant Treatment

Testosterone pellets in women relieve hot flashes, decrease vaginal dryness, increase libido, increase bone density, and relieve depression.

Testosterone pellets deliver testosterone for three to four months on average. Testosterone stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells. Estrogen pellet and also progesterone in pellet form may be given along with testosterone as a vaginal cream to treat vaginal discomfort. CNP prior to the procedure, if you have a history of heavy menstrual flow, abnormal uterine bleeding, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids or have required a D&C or endometrial ablation in the past.

Pure Gold Medical Center offers hormone balancing treatments. Hormone balancing can alleviate many symptoms, including depression, decreased sexual desire, anxiety, insomnia, and hot flashes. These symptoms might very well be due to a lack of hormones or a hormone imbalance.

Testosterone levels gradually decline with age in both men and women. Testosterone is an essential hormone that affects many important physiological and psychological functions. Testosterone deficiency leads to declining health conditions that can reduce quality of life.

Testosterone therapy by pellet implant is an approach that restores the right balance of hormones to reverse this trend. It is safe, reliable, and has been shown to improve health and quality of life.

Overview

Current data supports that testosterone implants effectively treat symptoms in both men and women. Implants, placed under the skin, consistently release small, physiologic doses of hormones providing optimal therapy without adverse effects.

What Are Pellets?

Pellets or implants are made up of hormones (i.e., testosterone) that are pressed or fused into very small solid cylinders. These pellets are larger than a grain of rice and smaller than a Tic Tac®. In the United States, the majority of pellets are made by compounding pharmacists and delivered in sterile glass vials. There is an FDA-approved 75mg testosterone pellet.

Why Pellets?

Pellets deliver consistent, healthy levels of hormones for three to four months in women and four to five months in men. They avoid the fluctuation or ups and downs of hormone levels seen with every other method of delivery. This is important for optimal health and disease prevention. Pellets do not increase the risk of blood clots like conventional or synthetic hormone replacement therapy.

In studies, when compared to conventional hormone replacement therapy, pellets have been shown to be superior relief for:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Sleep problems
• Depression
• Lack of energy
• Irritability
• Tension
• Aggression
• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Physical/Mental exhaustion
• Impaired memory
• Decreased sex drive
• Incontinence
• Vaginal dryness
• Painful intercourse
• Joint and muscular pain

Testosterone delivered by implant increases lean body mass (muscle strength, bone density) and decreases fat mass. Men and women need adequate levels of testosterone for optimal mental and physical health and for the prevention of chronic illnesses like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, which are associated with low testosterone levels.

Mood Improvement

Women, in particular, benefit from pellets because they are a unique mode of delivering bio-identical hormones, which can vastly improve mood and health, as well as provide anti-aging benefits. Forget about ups and downs when these pellets are slowly, yet evenly secreting the right amount of hormones required to balance your mood. Feeling young has never been easier or felt better.