Symptoms of testosterone deficiency for both men and women are weight gain and insulin resistance, memory loss and brain fog, loss of muscle tone, body aches, sexual dysfunction including low libido, lack of mental motivation, and even depression. Symptoms of estrogen deficiency in women are depression, anxiety, weight gain, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and pain. Generally, hormone deficiency makes men and women feel grumpy all the time.
At Mesa Naturopathic, hormone deficiencies are checked along with general health markers at your first appointment with a blood test — we offer cash pricing and take insurance for the lab tests. Then a discussion will happen on the different types of hormone replacement. For my female patients, I usually start them off on hormone cream so they can get used to the increase in hormones.
Males can start immediately with pellets if they want. Choices for men are injectable, gel, or pellet testosterone.
So why choose pellets? They are the most consistent way to keep hormone levels balanced. Hormone creams can take a month or more to get optimal hormone levels due to having to be absorbed through the skin. Absorption issues include too much sweating, not applying it correctly, or skin absorption not being optimal.
Injectables for men can give them a feeling of being on a roller coaster during the week with high levels of testosterone surging at the beginning days of the injection and then sudden drops in levels at the end of seven days.
To combat this, I usually have my men do two half-dose injections a week.
This brings in the issue of some men not wanting to do injections at all. Gel testosterone can be transferred to loved ones and must be applied every day. Our busy lives can distract us from using our hormones as directed and thus not getting the full benefit from these types of hormone therapies.
This is where pellets win every time. Pellets are small, rice-shaped, and inserted into the gluteal/hip area every three to four months. The pellets are inserted in the superficial fat just below the skin. The skin is numbed, a small incision is made, and then the pellets are inserted with a unique Pellecome device that was invented to place the pellets perfectly flat and even. The small incision is taped, and the wound is usually healed within three to five days.
Personally, I have received hormone pellet therapy myself for over 10 years. I became weary of putting creams on every day. The convenience of pellets is once they are in, you can go about your life without thinking about applying or injecting anything. Hormone levels improve in two weeks and are optimal within six weeks. Then the levels stay steady for about three more months. Once the levels start to come down, more are inserted so there isn’t this bottoming-out surge of symptoms. Blood levels are checked before each additional insertion appointment.
Contraindications for estrogen hormone therapy for women include a history of breast or uterine cancer or clotting issues. Contraindications for testosterone replacement therapy are high-risk cardiovascular issues, history of clotting disorders, and prostate cancer. (Though testosterone is cardioprotective, it helps prevent type 2 diabetes,
and protects men from aggressive prostate cancer.) Also, testosterone can build blood, creating excess red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, mostly in men.
These levels must be checked every three to four months to prevent thick blood, which can lead to complications. In the event there is an increase in these blood cells, a pint of blood will be donated. This is healthy to do anyway — donating a pint of blood activates bone marrow and new, healthy red blood cells are made.
So why not get rid of the grumpys and get your happy back? Call for a free 15-minute consultation to see if hormone replacement therapy is right for you.
For more information, contact Mesa Naturopathic at (480) 306-8111 or visit mesadr.com.