Although Pellet Hormone Therapy has been approved for human use, there are relatively few doctors who currently administer testosterone pellets in the United States. I realize that this is not the usual and customary means of prescribing testosterone. I realize that the advantages of testosterone for men often include: a.) behavioral changes including decreasing depression, decreasing anxiety and irritability, increasing energy and motivation, stabilizing mood, allowing one to cope better, improving one's self-image and self-worth, and enhancing one's stamina; b.) improvement in one's cognitive function, i.e. reducing "brain fog", improving short-term memory and allowing one to stay focused to complete a task; c.) physical effects such as decreasing total body fat, increasing lean body mass, increasing muscle mass, and increasing bone mass; and d.) sexual benefits such as increasing libido, increasing early morning erections, increasing firmness and duration of erections.
I realize there are potential concerns with testosterone therapy and they include the possibility of enhancing a current prostate cancer to grow more rapidly. For this reason, a prostate specific antigen blood test and possibly a digital rectal exam should be done annually. If there is any question about possible prostate cancer, I consent to a follow-up with an ultrasound of the prostate gland.
I realize that there is an issue with male athletes abusing testosterone. When taking large quantities of SYNTHETIC testosterone, there may be resultant heart problems and elevated cholesterol. However, low dose, non-oral, natural testosterone that is used in bio-identical hormone therapy has not been associated with these problems.
Testosterone therapy may increase one's hemoglobin and hematocrit, or thicken one's blood. This can be reversed through donating blood periodically. This problem can be diagnosed with a blood test. Thus, a complete blood count may be done at least annually, and it is suggested that patients donate blood, a worthy endeavor, 1-3 times annually to prevent blood thickening from occurring.
Especially in younger men, testosterone administration can suppress the development of sperm and sperm count could dramatically reduce while a person is on testosterone therapy. However, to date, this appears to be, in the majority of men, a reversible process. Once the testosterone is discontinued, the sperm recount is restored, usually in 6-12 months. This is extremely important to be aware of, in particular for younger men taking testosterone therapy. In this early stage, we have encouraged them to produce samples and have them frozen, just in case there is any permanent long-term effect on their situation. We have encouraged any men who are concerned about their fertility in the future to have a semen analysis prior to initiation of testosterone therapy. Currently, testosterone administration administration is not to be used as a form of male contraception.
My signature certifies that I have read the above and acknowledge I have been encouraged to ask any questions regarding testosterone pellets. Individual results may of course vary.