I had three hormone pellets (estrogen, testosterone and I believe, progesterone) inserted in the subcutaneous fat of my upper left buttock 8 days ago. This miraculous treatment is supposed to infuse me with energy and make me feel GREAT! The benefit of the pellet method, rather than cream or pill, is that there is a constant dose of beneficial hormones released, so there are no differing hormone levels that may make the treatment less effective. The promotional brochures, the video on continuous loop in the doctor's waiting room, the testimonials--all indicate that this treatment will erase all my ills. Joint pain, hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, low libido, mood swings--all the maladies of menopausal life will be GONE!!!
Something has to give. My hormone levels verify that I have definitely gone through menopause. I have gained a massive amount of weight and am almost 200 pounds (I'm 5'2"). I experience crushing depression. My default state is tired. Cognitively I am shot: I cannot remember what I have said from one minute to the next. Really. I literally forget what I am conversing about when I am conversing. This happens at work, too. The hot flashes seem to have stopped, but other than that, I feel dreadful. I lumber around. I am lazy. I am managing to keep up with the laundry and do some minor straightening, but other housework is just beyond me. My bathrooms are grimy, my kitchen disgusting. Litter boxes overflow and reek, floors are sticky and spotted, dust thick. I still exercise, which I find miraculous, but it doesn't help me maintain my weight and it makes my hip joints ache and my knees creak. Arthritis and weight, or just arthritis, I have no idea, it just hurts. I exist, rather than live. I have put all my hope on this hormone pellet treatment, because going on the way I am now is just unacceptable.
Except . . . when they tout the pellet therapy (About the size of a grain of rice! Easy to insert! You will feel better than you ever have!) they don't tell you that after they insert them, they will be writing you several prescriptions--for oral hormone pills! And that you will be expected to purchase SUPPLEMENTS! Yes, bottles of vitamins, or some sort of proprietary blend of something, without which the pellets will not be as effective. These supplements and oral hormones must be taken on a STRICT schedule. And the pellets will wear off in 3-4 months, so you have to keep getting your hormone levels checked and once they get low, you get new pellets inserted! And of course (and I knew this going in), insurance doesn't cover this treatment so it is all on my dime.
So, the jury is still out. It's only been eight days, and so far, I don't feel any different. The supplement part of this treatment plan makes me suspicious that this is nothing but a bunch of SNAKE OIL. But, I trust my doctor completely, he's been my doctor for almost 15 years and he's been a good one, and I don't think he would steer me wrong. And, like I said before, something has to give, because living and feeling the way I do now is just not going to work.
I'll check back in in a few days. As they say, don't give up before the miracle. And maybe these pellets in my butt will be the miracle I have been waiting for.
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