Hormone Replacement Therapy

What is hormone replacement therapy?

Hormones affect many facets of your well-being, from mood to temperature regulation. When the chemicals aren’t balanced, you may not look, feel, or function like you normally do. Hormone replacement therapy supplements or replaces your natural hormones with chemically identical substances to restore proper balance.

What are the signs I might benefit from hormone replacement therapy?

A hormone imbalance can cause many uncomfortable symptoms, including:

• Low libido
• Erectile dysfunction (ED)
• Mood swings
• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Fatigue and low energy levels
• Difficulty concentrating or memory issues
• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
• Insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns
• Changes in skin texture, such as dryness or sagging
• Muscle loss or reduced muscle strength
• Joint pain and stiffness

If you experience any of these symptoms, Dr. Balder can test your hormones and develop a personalized treatment plan to restore their balance.  Hormone imbalance is common in both men and women, and of course worsens with age.

How does hormone replacement therapy work?

Hormone replacement therapy involves introducing synthetic or plant-derived hormones into the body to restore hormonal balance. In women, Dr. Balder can administer estrogen, testosterone and progesterone replacement through gels/creams, or implantable pellets to relieve and even reverse horrible symptoms of menopause. Best success is the implanted hormone pellets which allow long term steady state hormone levels.

Men struggling with low testosterone replacement may benefit from hormone injections, gels, or pellets implanted under the skin. 

By supplementing the body with these hormones, the treatment mimics their natural functions to relieve symptoms and improve overall quality of life. The specific type, dosage, and delivery method of hormone replacement depend on individual health factors, symptoms, and treatment goals.

What can I expect during and after hormone replacement therapy?

First, Dr. Balder runs a comprehensive diagnostic panel to test your hormones. He uses the results to recommend the appropriate type of hormone replacement therapy for you. The most popular types are BioTE® pellet therapy and in men, intramuscular (IM) testosterone injections.

If you choose pellet therapy, Dr. Balder sterilizes the posterior-lateral buttock/hip region and numbs the area with a lidocaine injection. Next, he uses a small sterile device to place the pellet, the size of a small grain of rice. He holds pressure in the area for a few minutes and applies a sterile dressing. The procedure takes about 10 minutes.

You may notice your symptoms subsiding within a few weeks. Dr. Balder checks your progress every 3-4 months to determine whether you need adjustments.

Call Mississippi Institute of Weight Loss Surgery today or schedule an appointment online to learn whether hormone replacement therapy is right for you.