Enhancing Your Hormone Health Journey: Pellet Therapy and Weight Loss Success Stories
Menopause’s (Not-so-) Hidden Struggles
Menopause, menopause, menopause. Hot flashes, mental fog, nonexistent libido, vaginal dryness, changes in skin appearance, weight gain with redistribution of body fat to the abdominal region. Does that sound familiar? As a hormone specialist dealing mostly with women of perimenopausal and menopausal age, I hear this EVERY single day. You are not alone nor do you have to continue to suffer. We have a solution for YOU!
The Power of Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement
Aging is inevitable but feeling lousy because of declining hormone levels associated with aging is NOT. We cannot stop the clock but we CAN change the way we feel as we age by optimizing our hormones with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). Bio-identical hormones are compounds comprised of plant products like soy and yams and are identical to those found in the human body. BHRT aims to provide relief to many of the symptoms associated with hormonal imbalances such as mental fog, anxiety, depression, decreased libido, fatigue, weight gain, and vaginal dryness. Studies have also demonstrated health benefits such as disease prevention (i.e. decrease risk of developing heart disease, cancer, dementia, osteoporosis, etc.)
The Revolution of Pellet Therapy: A Steadier Path to Wellness
At our clinic, we provide HRT in various forms (creams, pills, injections, pellets). Pellet therapy as a vehicle for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy has become increasingly popular. These compounds which are roughly the size of a grain of rice are placed under the skin in the hip region every 3 to 4 months depending on the patient. Patients love pellet therapy for ease of compliance. Pellets provide steady hormone levels avoiding fluctuations seen with other routes of delivery. This results in enhanced relief and ultimately happier patients.
Jody's Transformation with BHRT
For the purposes of this article, we will call our patient Jody. Jody is a lovely 54-year-old female patient who presented to CR8 Health in desperate need. She initially came in complaining of your classic menopause symptoms. “Doctor, please help me. In the last 2 years, I can’t sleep, I’m anxious and depressed, have debilitating hot- flashes, zero sex drive, always tired, I’ve gained 45 pounds and my marriage is falling apart.” Jody was crying during our initial consultation. She lacked any motivation at this point in her life and had succumbed to menopause, thinking that this was a normal part of aging.
I knew I had to help Jody in every capacity and get her life back on track. After completing a thorough hormone and metabolic panel, we elected to start Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy with pellets.
The following week we used estradiol and testosterone pellets and I provided her with a prescription for oral progesterone to be taken at bedtime. Six weeks later when she returned to the clinic for the first time for routine labs, I could immediately tell something was different. She had a bright smile on her face, she gave me a huge hug and said “You changed my life”. Her hot flashes were gone, and she reported improvement in her mood, libido, and energy levels.
Exploring Weight Management Options
Four months later during a follow-up visit for another pellet insertion, Jody stated she had lost 7 pounds since first seeing me. She asked me how we could further address her weight issues. While menopause is certainly associated with weight gain, BHRT will unlikely result in significant reductions in body weight.
After spending some time discussing treatment paths, Jody and I decided to start a medically supervised weight loss program. During our lengthy discussion, we explored different options such as Semaglutide (a compound similar to Ozempic or Wegovy), Tirzepatide (a compound similar to Mounjaro), as well as other weight-loss peptides. We both decided that Tirzepatide would be her best option.
Jody's Remarkable Weight Loss Journey
Jody was started on Tirzepatide and her dose was gradually increased based on her needs. With lifestyle modifications including a balanced diet, she was able to lose 40 pounds in 4 months without exercise. Six months after initially presenting to our clinic, Jody was a new woman. She said she felt like she was 35 years old again. Jody’s husband even accompanied her to the clinic on her next visit to express his gratitude. He said his wife went from being depressed and sleeping all day, to being her normal self again. On top of that he booked an appointment for consideration of testosterone replacement therapy because he “couldn’t keep up with his wife”. Jody is one of many CR8 Health patients with a similar story. At CR8 Health nothing brings us more satisfaction than witnessing such life-changing transformations.
Proceeding with Caution in Weight Management
Given the growing popularity and demand of injectable weight management medications such as Mounjaro and Ozempic, many clinics, and Med Spas have now started offering “weight loss” programs.
I do advise patients to proceed with caution. These medications, like any other, require a depth of medical fundamentals and knowledge to appropriately treat patients in weight management. Like any medication, it has risks and side effects, and if not managed correctly, it could result in negative health outcomes. Offering a medication is NOT the same as having the capacity to treat and certainly does not equate to a “medical weight loss program”.
Medical weight loss requires proper training, experience, and a medical background. Medicine is not only a science but is also an art. At CR8 Health in Boca Raton, our team is board-certified in Obesity Medicine.
Written by: Dr. Nadav D. Fields Board Certified in Internal Medicine & Obesity Medicine
