For several years of my practice I have been helping patients relieve their symptoms due to menopause and the male version-“andropause” – with individually compounded creams, gels, liquids and patches.
Men have also traditionally been offered injections or testosterone gel, some of which may be covered by insurance, many times it is poorly covered.
My experience with such patients was that they did not consistently feel much better and definitely didn’t feel as well as they thought they should.
Since my advanced training in hormone optimization with BioTE, specifically as part of my ongoing role as an aging well expert, the possibility exists now to help people feel great, energized and like themselves again while going through menopause, andropause and beyond. This goal is BIGGER AND BOLDER because it can be—because I am now using bioidentical hormone pellets.
My perspective has shifted with the goal of “optimization”. This means rather than nudging a patient up into the low end of the reference range (often called the “normal” range as misleading as that is), I am now treating with an adequate replacement dose with hormone pellets to raise levels into the higher end of the reference range- where patients typically feel their very best.
In our practice, with a consultation first to review symptoms, labs are done and the results determine the optimal dosing.
Pellets are a delivery method that allows for the steady release of hormones over 24H period-as well as a physiologic increase– or body-need driven- while stressing the body during exercise.
Other delivery methods create spikes and then lows such as testosterone injections, or never quite reach a therapeutic state, such as in creams, sublingual liquids or gels.
Pellets, on the other hand, are made of bioidentical testosterone or bioidentical estradiol from plant sources combined with a little stearic acid.
Bioidentical BioTE pellets are approximately the size of a grain of rice and are placed in the soft tissue of the buttock near the hip in a short office visit. This takes about 15 minutes and afterwards requires no swimming plus gluteal (or “butt) rest for 3 days for women and 7 days for men (normal activity is fine).
The pellets gradually release a steady state of estrogen or testosterone or both, and give a boost when needed- such as that long bike ride, Peleton spin session, or power yoga class.
The pellets are replaced every 3-4 months for women and every 4-6 months for men depending on how rigorously active they are. This delivery method is easy on the schedule, and promises a steady state of hormone balance.
So getting people to the levels where they feel their best- and staying there – is the name of the game now!
Check out upcoming blogs including “Top 10 Myths about Women and Testosterone Replacement”, “The What and Why of DIM supplementation” and “Why hormone imbalance is so insidious- its like the example of becoming a boiled frog!
Jen Nugent, is an NP at Silver Solutions Medspa as well as a DNP adjunct and clinical instructor. She is passionate about supporting people being in action and works with women and men to live their best lives with energy and vitality.
Both Jen Nugent, NP and Jackie Ramsey-Rosenhein DNP are available for hormone consultations at Silver Solutions Medspa in Pittsfield MA. Call or text the office at 413-441-8453.
