What do men want to know when considering testosterone replacement?
This week we are beginning a new feature that we will revisit from time to time, we are looking at frequently asked questions. What do men want to know when they come to the office for the first time to see if they need to replace their testosterone? What concerns will they have about side effects and expectations?
In the coming weeks, we will also provide a list of frequently asked questions that women have when they first visit our offices.
Where do the pellets go after six months?
Pellets are made out of Yams that is chemically converted to testosterone (and estradiol) in powder form. They are then pressed into a standard pellet size for each dosage. When there are placed in the fat of the hip or love handle they dissolve completely without scaring or irritation in most people. The answer is testosterone pellets dissolve in fat and are completely dissolved (absorbed by the body) over 4 to 6 months
How long will my pellets last?
Pellets dissolve and are essentially “time released” over 3-6 months. They actually are still present in your body 1-2 months but not clinically active
Six months is typical. If you don’t sleep much, exercise many hours a day, do stressful work, or are an athlete, you will use them up more quickly and we may need to dose you with more pellets on the next insertion
Will my testicles shrink while I take the testosterone pellets?
Unfortunately, they will get smaller because they are not doing the work of producing testosterone any more, the pellet T has taken over. If you stop pellets your own testosterone level return and the testicle size with it.
Why can’t I just add a little testosterone to what I make myself to bring up the blood level?
Men produce testosterone throughout their lives. The amount of testosterone decreases as men age, but they always make some. The blood level is controlled by the pituitary-testicular hormonal feedback system. When testosterone levels increase naturally the pituitary puts out less LH to stimulate more T. But we interrupt the system when we ADD T. Even if I give a man a small dose of T it shuts his own system down and he makes no testosterone and has to live on the small amount I gave him. It is this face that causes doctors to refrain from giving a healthy man with normal T levels “a bump” of some kind of T. The bump drops his level to only the bump, and it is not added to his natural T level. We give T to men who cannot make adequate T anymore and who are willing to have their T replaced.
If you have these or other questions, please check out the information on our web site, BioBalanceHealth.com and find the information you need in order to schedule an appointment and receive your answers so that you can make an informed decision.
This Health cast was written and presented by Dr. Kathy Maupin, M.D., Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Expert and Author, with Brett Newcomb, MA., LPC., Family Counselor, Presenter and Author. www.BioBalanceHealth.com.
