Hormone
Replacement Therapy with Pellet Implants
Testosterone
Pellets are one of the most effective forms of Testosterone Hormone
Replacement Therapy. This form of Hormone Balance Treatment involves
surgically inserting tiny cylinders of pure Testosterone just
underneath the skin. In addition to Testosterone Pellets, there are
also Estradiol Implants as well. Testosterone Pellets are made up of
Bio-Identical Testosterone, and the Estradiol Pellets contain both
Bio-Identical Estradiol and Stearic Acid.
The
cylinders are created by taking the hormones and other ingredients
and either fusing them or applying high levels of pressure in order
to form the hormones into small cylindrical shapes. The pellets are
relatively small. They are smaller than a Tic-Tac breath mint and
bigger than a grain of rice.
The body
of clinical evidence suggests that Pellet Implant Hormone Replacement
Therapy is the best way to restore hormone levels in the human body.
The rate that the Testosterone is absorbed into the body is more
closely compared to the body's natural release patterns than any
other form of Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy.
Unlike
some other forms of therapy, such as Testosterone Patches,
Testosterone Pellets are perfectly designed for Female Testosterone
Replacement Therapy. Testosterone Pellets release small and steady
levels of Bio-Identical Testosterone which closely mimic the body's
own natural patterns. Because of this, Testosterone Pellets restore
normal hormone balance more effectively than any other method.
How are
Testosterone and Estrogen Pellets made?
In
America, most Testosterone and Estrogen Pellets are actually made in
pharmacies by compounding specialists. The Pellets are created in a
sterile environment and stored in treated glass vials. Although most
Testosterone Pellets are made in pharmacies, there is also a form of
Testosterone Pellet known as Testopel which is the only current form
of Testosterone Pellet Therapy that is expressly approved by the Food
and Drug Administration. Testopel provides a 75 milligram dose of
Testosterone, but compounded Testosterone Pellets can be specially
designed for the individual patient.
What
Makes Testosterone Pellets Such a Strong Treatment Option for
Testosterone Deficiency?
Testosterone
Pellets are highly effective because of their ability to deliver a
consistent dose of Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy for an
extended period of time. For women, a single implant provides three
to five months of Testosterone. For men, a single pellet provides
four to six months of Testosterone.
Pellet
Implants are a highly desirable form of Testosterone HRT because they
effectively bypass the varying and fluctuating Hormone Levels
associated with all other forms of Testosterone Replacement Therapy.
Creams apply a large dose early in the day that starts to fade later
on. Testosterone Patches are steadier than Testosterone Creams, but
they are still less consistent than Pellets. Testosterone Injections
are the least consistent of all of the above, but they provide a
larger initial boost of Testosterone. For this reason, Testosterone
Injections also have a slightly higher risk of side-effect than other
forms of Testosterone Treatment.
Estrogen
Pellets also provide a similar level of consistency in regard to
hormone balance. Estrogen Implants optimize health and protect
against disease by maintaining a healthy ratio of Estrone and
Estradiol. Unlike some other forms of therapy, neither Estrogen
Pellets or Testosterone Pellets increase the chance of experiencing
blood blots.
Testosterone
Replacement Therapy Menopause Benefits
In
clinical studies, Testosterone Pellets have been shown to be more
successful than other forms of Hormone Replacement Therapy for the
treatment of hormone imbalance in women. For women undergoing
Menopause, Testosterone Replacement Therapy offers the following
benefits:
Fosters Healthy Bone Mineral Density Reduces the Risk of Osteoporosis and Osteopenia Increases Sex Drive Increases Sexual Ability Improves Sleeping Habits Reduces Occurrence of Hot Flashes Provides Migraine Relief
Testosterone
Pellets have been fully accepted as a successful treatment to relieve
the headaches and migraines that are sometimes associated with
menopause. In regard to sexuality, Testosterone is just as important
for women as it is for men. Although Estrogen primarily controls the
sexual cycles of the human body, Testosterone controls most aspects
of sexual performance, desire, and ability. Testosterone Replacement
Therapy improves sexual performance by increasing the sensitivity of
the sexual organs and the ability to produce lubrication in
preparation for sex.
For women,
Testosterone also provides a number of urological benefits. In
decreases the intensity of the urge to go, and it prevents patients
from having to go as often. It also alleviates the experience of
incontinence.
Testosterone
Replacement Therapy Benefits
Testosterone
Pellets also offer a number of powerful benefits to both men and
women suffering from Testosterone Deficiency:
Testosterone
is vitally important for the mental and physical health for both
sexes, and there is strong evidence that healthy Testosterone Levels
have a preventative impact on the risk of experiencing a number of
different illnesses, including Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's,
which appear to have at least some association with Testosterone
Deficiency.
Testosterone
Implants also have the highest success rate of any form of
Testosterone Replacement Therapy. Testosterone Pellets are incredibly
convenient, requiring only two to four simple outpatient procedures
per year. Many patients simply aren't committed enough to maintain
some other forms of therapy as effectively. With Testosterone
Implants, the patient has no responsibility other than making his or
her doctor's appointments.
Testosterone
Pellets have been used for a long time. They were first used as a
medical treatment in the 1930s, using real Testosterone harvested
from organ donors. Today, Testosterone is formulated using
Recombinant-DNA Technology in a laboratory, and it is completely safe
and sterile. Although Testosterone Replacement Therapy is made in a
lab, it is completely identical to the Testosterone made by the human
body, meaning that there is no risk of rejection and no negative
consequences of using an unnatural medical treatment. Because
Testosterone has been used for so long, there is an extensive body of
evidence regarding its safety and efficacy.
Where
and How are Testosterone Pellets Inserted?
Testosterone
Pellets are implanted in an outpatient procedure utilizing local
anesthetic. The process is quick, easy, and produces very little pain
for the patient, so it's very easy for the patient to handle. Most
commonly, the Testosterone Pellet is surgically inserted underneath
the skin into the upper buttocks. The physician will make a small
incision and insert the Testosterone Pellet, then use medical tape to
close the wound for quick and natural healing.
When
choosing Testosterone Pellets, it is important to find a highly
experienced medical professional that has a history of performing the
treatment in order to perform the treatment effectively and provide
the optimum appropriate dose.
What
are the Side-Effects of Testosterone Implantation
As with
any other form of Testosterone Hormone Replacement, there is always
at least some risk of experiencing side effects. These are some side
effects that you may experience directly as a result of Testosterone
Implantation Surgery:
Discoloration
and minor bruising are relatively common side effects, but the other
side effects are incredibly rare. In some cases, Testosterone
Replacement Therapy may lead to a very minor increase in hair in some
female patients.
Testosterone
can also lead to elevated Red Blood Cell counts in some patients.
This is because Testosterone plays a role in bone marrow function,
which increases the production of the cells. One of the most common
symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency is anemia, which leads directly
to feelings of fatigue and exhaustion related to Low-T. Testosterone
Hormone Replacement Therapy may in some cases increase Red Blood Cell
counts to above normal. In the case that Hematocrit and Hemoblogin
levels become elevated, it can be treated simply by giving a routine
donation of blood.
In order
to limit the risk of experiencing side effects, it is important to
avoid vigorous activity following Surgical Testosterone Implantation.
Women should wait for about 48 hours before engaging in this form of
activity. Men should wait for between five and seven days. Performing
vigorous activity before the wound has had time to heal is the
primary cause of Testosterone Pellet Extrusion, which means that the
pellet has worked out of the skin. Under certain circumstances, the
patient may be prescribed antibiotics in order to prevent infection.
This is most common when the patient has recently undergone a joint
replacement or is diabetic. Even under these circumstances,
antibiotics might not be needed, because the procedure is completely
sterile and only causes minor bleeding at most.
Why
Don't I Hear about Testosterone Implants as Much as Other Forms of
Testosterone Therapy?
You may
find it strange that Testosterone Pellets aren't as widely talked
about as other forms of therapy. This is because Testosterone Pellets
are not a patented product and they are not heavily marketed. The
only patented form of Testosterone Implant is Testopel, and most
Testosterone Implants are simply made inside of a pharmacy. In
Australia and Europe, Testosterone Pellets are much more commonly
prescribed, and there are actually more pharmaceutical manufacturers
which make the pellets. Today, most of the new scientific data
regarding Testosterone Pellets come from Australia and Europe for
this reason.
Do Men
Need Testosterone Replacement Therapy?
As men
age, they start to experience a medical condition which shares many
similarities with Menopause known as Andropause. The human body
starts to slowly produce less and less Testosterone, which can
eventually lead to severe hormone deficiency. Men generally produce
strong levels of Testosterone throughout late adolescence and early
adulthood, and Testosterone Levels start to drop when men enter their
early thirties.
In spite
of this decline, most men maintain categorically normal Testosterone
Levels until sometime between in their mid-forties and mid-fifties.
Some men even maintain healthy Testosterone Production into their
seventies and eighties! Testosterone Deficiency is a real and
significant medical condition that many men experience in America.
Recognizing the signs of Testosterone Deficiency is incredible
important, because men can start to experience a significant decline
in their quality of life even in the thirties as a result of
Testosterone Deficiency. Some of the most common symptoms of
Testosterone Deficiency that male patients experience in their early
thirties are:
At the
first signs of deficiency, a man should get his Testosterone Levels
evaluated. Beginning around the age of fifty, it is highly beneficial
for men to have their hormone levels tested even if they are not
experiencing significant signs of hormone imbalance, simply to give
them a more accurate knowledge of their current hormone state and
what they can do to maintain their health.
Estrogen
Pellets and Breast Cancer Risk
Compared
to other forms of Estrogen Hormone Replacement Therapy, Bio-Identical
Estrogen and Testosterone Pellets contribute less to breast cancer
risk than other forms of therapy. In regard to Estrogen Replacement
Therapy, other forms of the hormone such as Oral Estrogen are not
nearly as effective at maintaining an optimal ratio of estrogen and
its various metabolites, which increases breast cancer risk. Since
Estrogen Pellets closely mimic the natural processes of the body,
evidence actually shows that Bio-Identical Estrogen actually may have
protective effects upon breast health.
Testosterone
Pellets and Breast Cancer Risk
Testosterone
Implantation has also been shown to have positive effects upon the
health of the breasts. Healthy Testosterone Levels slow down the
proliferation of breast cells and have the ability to reduce the risk
of breast cancer directly as a result. Clinical evidence shows that
Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy has the ability to regulate
Estrogen Levels and provide further protection to the health of the
breasts.
Other
forms of treatment, such as the oral methyl-Testosterone are
converted by the body into a synthetic form of estrogen which can
actually increase breast proliferation, increasing the risk of breast
cancer. Testosterone Pellets have been used in the past as a
treatment for patients suffering from advanced breast cancer. In
recent years specifically, Androgens like Testosterone have been
clinically shown to increase the effectiveness of the breast cancer
treatment Tamoxifen.
Why are
Recombinant Bio-Identical Hormones Safer than other Synthetic Forms
of Therapy?
Bio-Identical
Hormones and Synthetic Hormones both have their place in treatment,
but for standard Hormone Replacement Therapy Treatment, Bio-Identical
Estrogen is generally superior to other forms of Estrogen Therapy.
Recombinant Progesterone, for example, does not lead to an increased
breast cancer risk like other synthetic Progestin medications. In
addition to this, Vaginal Progesterone does not cancel out the heart
benefits of Estrogen Replacement Therapy like Synthetic Progestins.
Estriol is
a form of Estrogen Replacement Therapy that is commonly used in
Europe, but has never been submitted to the Food and Drug
Administration for approval in America. This form of Bio-Identical
Estrogen does not bind as powerfully to Estrogen Receptors as other,
synthetic forms of Estrogen, and it does not have a negative impact
on breast tissue proliferation. There are a number of studies that
show that the vaginal application of Bio-Identical Estriol does not
raise breast cancer risk.
There is
actually evidence that patients that survive breast cancer and take
Estriol as a preventative measure have a lower risk of experiencing
breast cancer recurrence and have a lower mortality risk. Hormone
Balance is one of the most important keys to a healthy body, and
hormone restoration has been shown to have numerous restorative
benefits, whether it be in the form of Testosterone Hormone
Replacement Therapy, Estrogen Hormone Replacement Therapy, or Human
Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy. Patients suffering from
significant hormone deficiency are at substantially increased risk of
experiencing a number of health disorders and conditions.
Can
Estrogen and Testosterone Pellets Counteract Hair Loss and Thinning
Associated with Aging in Women?
In women,
hormone deficiency is one of the most common reasons that hair loss
occurs. Testosterone and Estradiol Implants have the ability to help
women grow healthier and thicker hair. It can even encourage the
growth of hair in areas where hair has fallen out as a result of
hormone deficiency in many cases.
When
does the patient start to feel improvement after Pellet Implantation
has taken place?
Some
psychological changes may take place in the first day or two after
implantation. Many patients don't experience any significant changes
for as long as fourteen days. Most patients start to experience at
least some benefit after around a week of treatment. Physiological
changes will start to take place relatively quickly, but changes in
body composition may take a few months to occur.
Although
Hormone Replacement Therapy has the ability to induce positive
changes even without any changes in lifestyle, in order to receive
the optimal benefits of treatment, it is necessary to make proactive
changes in your life in order to foster a healthier body. This means
that you should engage in a healthy exercise routine, start a healthy
and responsible diet, and manage your stress. Stress has a
significant impact on human health, and is the strongest
environmental pressure which contributes to hormone imbalance.
How
Long do Testosterone and Estrogen Pellets Remain Active?
Testosterone
and Estrogen Pellets slowly break down over time, releasing
Bio-Identical Testosterone at a slow and steady rate until the entire
pellet has dissolved. The Pellets are made entirely of desolvable
products, so the pellet will disappear completely by the time that a
new treatment is required. Hormone Replacement Therapy Pellets last
for an extensive period of time, much longer than any other form of
treatment. Testosterone Patches and Gels must be applied daily.
Testosterone Injections are much more flexible, but at best, you will
require a Bio-Identical Testosterone Injection once every two weeks.
Testosterone and Estrogen Pellets, on the other hand, remain active
for months. For women, a single Estrogen or Testosterone Pellet will
remain active between three and five months. For Men, the
Testosterone Pellet will remain active for four to six months.
How is
Hormone Balance Assessed before and during Therapy?
Before
treatment begins, you will provide your prescribing physician with a
blood sample. This blood sample will be evaluated in a number of
different ways, providing the physician with a vivid outlook of your
current health and hormone status. In women, the most important tests
will reveal underlying levels of Free Testosterone, Total
Testosterone, Estradiol, and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone. In many
cases, Thyroid Hormone Levels will also be evaluated. In male
patients, complete blood count, liver profile, Free and Total
Testosterone Levels, and Prostate Specific Antigen Levels will need
to be tested. The PSA Test is important because it screens for
prostate cancer.
With
Hormone Replacement Therapy Pellets, hormone levels are generally
tested at some point just before the new HRT Pellets are to be
implanted, so that the physician can evaluate the success of therapy
and take steps to streamline treatment and ensure its continuing
success. The first year is the most important, and after the first
year it may not be necessary to evaluate hormone balance quite as
frequently.
Ensuring
a Safe and Successful Recovery from Testosterone Pellet Implantation
If you are a woman, avoid any strenuous activity for two days. If you are a man, avoid such activity for seven days. Wait a full day before you take a shower. If recommended, take two antibiotic pills. After implantation, ice the area for one to two hours in order to prevent swelling. Leave the incision dressed in dry gauze for two full days. After two days, leave the area open. Keep the tape applied over the incision until the edges begin to curl. If it does not loosen on its own, take it off in five to seven days. Don't worry if you experience light redness around the incision. This is a common side effect. You may experience light physiological discomfort in the three days after the surgery. This is common. Infection is a very rare side effect. If swelling and redness grows after two days, you may be experiencing a slight skin infection. In order to alleviate discomfort, you can use a heating pad twice a day for ten to fifteen minutes to alleviate discomfort. A warm cloth is also acceptable. If you do experience infection, you will need to get a prescription for an anti-biotic such as Keflex. If you are allergic to Keflex or Penicillin, you can get an alternate anti-biotic treatment.
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