18: The Pitfalls of Hormone Pellets: The Bad, The Worst, and The Ugly

I can't bring myself emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, or physically to use hormone pellets with my patients. Hormone pellets are tiny pellets containing hormones and medications inserted under your skin and replaced every three to six months. In my clinic, many unhappy patients come to me with complications from pellets. Outside of my clinical experience, I also tried pellets myself a few years ago, which was the worst experience of my life. Looking at the science, there are much better methods of getting bioidentical hormones, such as topical creams and sublingual troches, and they don't come with the downsides of hormone pellets. Today I'm sharing the top ten reasons why I'm a pellet anarchist, misleading ways that pellets are marketed, the things women need to know before using pellets, and what to do if you've had pellets and want to make a change.   Highlights How hormone pellets work Pitfall #1: They're expensive On average, pellets are around three times more expensive than other delivery options for bioidentical hormones Pellets average around $100-125/month versus around $45/month for sublingual troches, tablets, or topicals from a compounding pharmacy Pitfall #2: Hormone levels are too high The sawtooth pattern that occurs with pellets: initially dramatically increased hormone levels followed by a steep decline Pitfall #3: It's a surgical procedure Adverse side effects from the procedure Although it's a minor procedure, it's one you'll have to have repeated every couple of months Pitfall #4: Once they're in, they don't come out If you have side effects or complications, you're stuck with the pellets for 3-6 months Pitfall #5: You're subjected to minor surgery every 3-6 months Two irreversible side effects of pellet testosterone therapy if the levels go too high Pitfall #6: Irregular absorption rates Pellets are sold as being the ultimate in stable absorption rates, but research shows that's not true Pitfall #7: It's a cash cow for providers The financial upside incentivizes providers to push pellets as the top hormone replacement option Pitfall #8: Who's inserting them? Lots of times, the providers putting in pellets are hormone dabblers, not experts Pitfall #9: It's a club Hormone pellet companies charge providers a monthly fee to use the company name, logo, and product Pitfall #10: You're a number Hormone treatment plans should be personalized Why I don't like protocol-driven hormones What you can do if you've had pellets and you want to make a change Bioidentical hormones versus synthetic hormones   Resources Dr. Shawn Tassone's Practice https://www.drshawntassone.com/ Dr. Shawn Tassone's Book | The Hormone Balance Bible https://tassonemd.com/hormone-balance-bible/ Dr. Shawn Tassone's Integrative Hormonal Mapping System | Hormone Archetype Quiz https://tassonemd.lpages.co/hormonearchetypequiz/       Disclaimer This podcast and website represent the opinions of Dr. Shawn Tassone and his guests. The content here should not be taken as medical advice and is for informational purposes only. Because each person is so unique, please consult your health care professional for any medical questions.