HRT PELLET THERAPY IN KNOXVILLE, TN
REVITALYZEMD | DR. DEBRA DURST
If you are experiencing menopause, andropause, or a hormonal imbalance, hormones can have a profound impact on your quality of life
Once you realize the benefit of HRT, you will find there are more choices when it comes to treatment options for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). So what are the options for treatment:
- Topical treatments (creams)
- Oral treatments
- Injectables
- Pellets
In recent years, hormone replacement pellet therapy has become an increasingly popular option for both men and women seeking to re-establish their sense of wellbeing. 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 about Hormone Replacement Therapy in Knoxville and take the next step toward wellness.
What Are HRT Pellets?
Hormone replacement therapy has been used for almost a century to provide relief from hormone-related symptoms and improve quality of life. During that time, both the medications and the administration methods used to deliver them have evolved to better meet the needs of patients. For many, hormone pellets are the most exciting method to date.
Pellet therapy administers hormones via small pellets implanted under the skin, typically in your hip, buttock or lower abdominal wall. These pellets are very small –about the size of a grain of rice–and contain custom hormone preparations. They are gradually metabolized by your body over the course of three to six months. How many pellets you need and how often they need to be replaced –depends on your personal symptoms and hormone levels. The number of pellets does not affect the size of the wound. Implantation is performed in your doctor’s office, usually under local anesthesia, and is painless for most of our Knoxville HRT Pellet patients. Significantly, pellets do not have to be removed, as they dissolve in your body.
What are the Pros and Cons of Hormone Replacement Pellet Therapy?
If you’re wondering if hormone pellets are right for you, it is important to consider the pros and cons of hormone replacement therapy vs. other administration methods.
HRT Pellet Pros
- Ease of Use: Unlike other hormone administration methods, pellet therapy does not require you to remember to take medication on a daily or weekly basis. Instead, hormone pellets require only a short outpatient procedure 2-4 times a year.
- Steady Dosage: Hormone pellets are designed to deliver a more physiologic, steady, and predictable dose of hormones over the course of several months. This helps you avoid the noticeable peaks and valleys caused by some other administration methods and may help you feel better more consistently.
- Better Adherence: Methods like pills, patches, creams, gels, and injections may produce good results, they only work if you remember to take them, and even a small deviation from your dosing schedule could compromise your results. Hormone pellets eliminate this risk by taking patient error out of the equation, potentially allowing you to experience greater therapeutic benefits.
- Less Side Effects: Less variations in blood levels and less peaks and troughs–means less potential for side effects. Side effects HRT will be discussed by your doctor
HRT Pellet Cons
- Minor Procedure: The implantation process for hormone pellets is a minor surgical procedure. While this surgery is quick, often painless, and carries a low risk of complications, it does carry a small risk of infection or extrusion of the pellets. It may cause discomfort both during and/or after the procedure.
- Recovery Period: You should avoid strenuous physical activity and prolonged water exposure for several days after implantation. During this time you may experience swelling, bruising, or redness of the incision site– although these are typically mild.
- Limited Alterations: While more pellets can be added after your initial procedure, pellets cannot be removed. As such, it is critical that you work with a highly trained and experienced practitioner to avoid over-treatment.
- Cost: Hormone replacement pellet therapy may have a slightly higher cost than other forms of hormone therapy
At RMD, our providers work with each patient to customize a treatment protocol that is right for you. While all options are available, the provider will discuss pros and cons of options as it relates to you. Every case is so unique, we believe there is no one size fits all at RevitalyzeMD. You will get to know the staff and providers at RMD very well as this is your wellness journey and we are here to help you every step of the way!!
SYMPTOMS OF PERIMENOPAUSE/MENOPAUSE:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Weight gain
- Body composition changes
- Low libido
SYMPTOMS OF ANDROPAUSE:
- Low confidence
- Low libido
- Weight gain
- Anxiety
- Brain fog
- Decreased muscle mass
- Erectile dysfunction
