Do patients need progesterone when they use the pellets?
Any time estradiol is prescribed and a woman still has her uterus, progesterone must be prescribed. Progesterone is most effective as an oral capsule, and tends not to hold together well in pellet form, so it is generally not used in pellet form.
Is hormone pellet therapy only for women in menopause?
Definitely not! Women at any age may experience hormone imbalance. Levels can decline or fluctuate at any age, contributing to debilitating symptoms. Pellets are useful in PMS, postpartum depression, menstrual or migraine headaches, and sleep disorders. Pellets may also be used to treat hormone deficiencies caused by the birth control pill.
Is there a need for testosterone in women?
Absolutely! Unfortunately still today many patients and even health care practitioners consider testosterone to be a “male hormone”. This, however, is definitely not the case. The role of testosterone in women is just as important as it is in men; women simply need less of it. Women benefit from the proper amount of testosterone with, among other benefits: • Increased energy levels • Restored or increased sexual drive • Consistency in moods • Relief from anxiety and depression • Increased mental focus and clarity • Decreased body fat • Greater capacity for getting the body in shape
Will insurance cover the pellets and insertion?
Unfortunately, extremely rarely. It is always wise, however, to check with your specific insurance company.
Why do so many providers say “there is no data to support the use of pellets?
If your healthcare practitioner says this, they are wrong! There is of course a big difference between “no data” and not having read the data. It is much easier for busy practitioners to say this and dismiss the patient than it is to question their beliefs and do the research.
Are there differences in pellets among different providers?
Hormone pellets are always produced by either a compounding pharmacy or in the case of testopel, a drug manufacturer. There is not a single medical practice in the U.S. that produces its own pellets or that has an exclusive relationship with a pharmacy which produces pellets. Today there are a number of pharmacies creating pellets and quality can vary from one pharmacy to the next. Dr. Dagstani acquires his pellets from only one specific pharmacy that has been producing pellets for more than 45 years and sends pellet samples to a third party lab for independent testing. There are a few medical practices today that focus exclusively on providing pellet hormone therapy and attempt to create the illusion that they are utilizing a specialized form of pellets and pellet hormone therapy. This is simply a marketing strategy and not factual. The difference among the medical practices is typically not in the pellets but in the knowledge and skill level of the practitioners, i.e. dosing knowledge, procedure skill, problem resolution abilities, etc. Dr. Dagstani has performed thousands of pellet procedures and has acquired a level of expertise in pellet hormone therapy possessed by only a handful of others. In his current practice, Dr. Dagstani provides more than pellet hormone therapy to his patients because he does not believe that there is any single treatment method that is the answer for all patients or all health issues.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dagstani, or for additional information, please call us directly at 480.861.3916. We look forward to working with you and restoring you to optimum health.
Healthy Isn’t A Goal, It’s A Way Of Living!
