SERVICES PATIENT RESOURCES PHYSICIANS MEDICAL STAFF BLOG CONTACT HORMONE PELLET REPLACEMENT THERAPY WE MUST START THIS DISCUSSION WITH A BRIEF LOOK AT HORMONES AND MENOPAUSE. WHEN FEMALE PATIENTS BECOME MENOPAUSAL THEY ARE DEFICIENT IN ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE AND TO A LESSER DEGREE- TESTOSTERONE. Some patients move right through the menopausal years with very little or no complications. However, a lot of patients have varying degrees of hormone symptoms that can become debilitating. These range from mild to severe hot flashes with night sweats resulting in little sleep, fatigue, or irritability. Some women may have vaginal dryness, decreased libido, mental fogginess or just do not feel well. This is where hormone therapy replacement comes into action. Quite frankly most women can take a commercially prepared hormone replacement therapy and do just fine. However some just can’t quite find the right balance. This is where Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy comes into play. Most hormone replacement therapy is derived from soy or yams. However, compounding pharmacies tout the more natural release of the product if it is compounded. These types of hormones are compounded into capsules, creams or pellets. If a woman is having problems with commercially available hormone treatments she may have trouble with the capsules. The creams have a different route of absorption and may help some. I think the best route of administration is by pellets. Small pellets placed in the upper buttock just under the skin are slowly absorbed and can last from 3–5 months. Pellets are not for everybody but they have their place for women with menopausal symptoms that are not alleviated by the commercial available pills or the Bioidentical creams. Some caveats that must be considered are: All Bioidentical hormones (compounded) are not FDA approved and not covered by insurance, therefore the expense goes up. Pellets have to be placed with a local numbing agent and a small incision. There is no progesterone pellet available so a patient who still has a uterus must take some form of progesterone. In summary – Hormone Pellet Therapy works great for women who have menopausal symptoms not alleviated by other methods. Call us today for a consultation to see if Hormone Replacement Therapy is right for you!

SERVICES PATIENT RESOURCES PHYSICIANS MEDICAL STAFF BLOG CONTACT A. KENNETH HARPER MD FACOG EDUCATION: Dr. Harper is board certified with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He received his B.S. in Biology from Valdosta State University and his medical degree from The Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He completed his OB/GYN internship and residency at the Medical Center of Central Georgia. Dr Harper was a faculty member with Mercer University School of Medicine for 11 years before joining Women's Specialty Care. He and his wife live in Macon and have 2 daughters. They are enjoying their first grandbaby. He plays drums and loves to do Yoga. MEMBER OF: American College of OB/GYN Bibb County Medical Society Medical Association of Georgia Georgia OB/GYN Society International Academy of Pelvic Surgery