Men and women often experience hormonal imbalances at naturally occurring periods in their lives (puberty, pregnancy, etc). In addition, certain medical conditions, lifestyle habits, and environmental conditions can cause hormonal imbalances. If you are experiencing the symptoms of hormonal imbalance, TestMeD-Clinic can help you relieve your symptoms and optimize your hormone levels with Bioidentical Hormone Pellet Implants.
What is Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)?
Bio-identical hormones mean the hormones have exactly the same chemical and molecular structures as the hormones produced in the human body. With pellet hormone therapy, tiny hormone pellets are inserted under the skin. They release hormones called bioidentical hormones to regulate and optimize your hormone levels.
Hormone pellets often contain a mix of hormones. These are known as compounded bioidentical hormone pellets. Bioidentical compounded hormones may include estradiol, estrone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and testosterone. At TestMeD Clinic, Ruth Awah APRN, FNP-BC is your experienced provider. With a few tests, she can prescribe the appropriate hormones to be prepared by a laboratory to meet your needs.
What is Hormone Imbalance?
Put simply, hormone imbalance occurs when hormones are not within the expected normal range, when hormone levels or above or below normal levels, a variety of symptoms may occur.
Normal hormone levels in men and women differ because the hormones and their functions are different. That is why it is essential to consult a professional like Ruth Awah who can prescribe the appropriate hormone therapy.
Common Causes of Hormonal Imbalance
There are many reasons hormones can be imbalanced in your body. Some causes are natural while others are directly affected by diet and other lifestyle habits. Some of these causes include, but are not limited to:
- Unhealthy diet
- Excessive stress
- High body fat percentage
- Type 1/ Type 2 diabetes
- Pancreatitis
- Extreme infections
- Toxins, pollutants, herbicides, and pesticides
- Severe allergic reactions
- Use/Abuse of anabolic steroid medications
- Turner syndrome
- Overactive or underactive thyroid
- Birth control medications
- Cancers that impact the endocrine glands
- Chemotherapy or radiation
- High levels of the cortisol hormone
- Deficient levels of iodine
- Anorexia
- Certain Medications
Hormone Imbalance in Men
Testosterone deficiency is one of the most common hormonal imbalances. In fact, many men will experience testosterone deficiency after the age of 50.
Related symptoms of low testosterone include:
- Decreased Muscle mass and strength
- Decreased Bone mass
- Decreased Sexual interest and ability to function sexually
- Decreased Cognitive function
- Increase in fat mass.
Hormone Imbalance in Women
Decreased estrogen happens naturally during certain life events for a woman such as during menopause or pregnancy. However, hormonal imbalance can also occur outside of the expected events. Symptoms can include:
- Vasomotor symptoms (night sweats, hot flashes, and flushes)
- Vaginal dryness
- Bone loss, skin thinning
- Fatty replacement of the breast
- Changes in blood lipids
- Atrophy of the bladder and urethra
What to Expect: The BHRT Procedure
Bioidentical Hormone Pellet Implants are an effective way to battle hormonal imbalance and control the associated symptoms. To insert the hormone pellets, your healthcare professional will numb the skin and make a small incision into the hip area. One or more hormone pellets will be inserted underneath the skin.
Once inserted, the incision will be closed. Depending on the incision, your provider may place removable stitch-like patches that can be removed after a few days when the incision is healed.
In most cases, the pellets provide a constant supply of hormones for about 3 months.
Benefits of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Pellet Therapy
Benefits of BHRT Pellets Include:
- relieving menopause symptoms
- improving low sex drive
- improving energy and mood
- reducing body fat
- protecting against health conditions, such as heart disease and osteoporosis
- the convenience of not having to use creams, gels, patches, or medications daily.
How Long Does a BHRT Pellet Take to Work?
At TestMeD Clinic in Houston, TX, every patient’s hormone replacement therapy is customized to their situation and hormonal imbalance so treatment and relief will happen at different intervals.
That being said, most patients report relief in as little as 4 weeks! Additional therapy sessions can help provide uninterrupted relief, so be sure to discuss your goals and symptoms as your therapy continues.