Understanding Hormone Health & Treatment Planning
Hormone Care Should Start With You—not a Delivery Method
Hormone health is individual.
Age, life stage, symptoms, medical history, medications, laboratory findings and other health factors can all influence how a physician approaches hormonal concerns.
That’s why Ontario Regenerative Medicine doesn’t believe patients should have to choose a hormone treatment—or a particular method of treatment—before they have been appropriately assessed.
First understand your health. Then understand your options.
Start With Your Hormone Health
Hormones are part of complex physiological systems that change throughout life.
For women, this can include changes associated with the menstrual cycle, perimenopause and menopause.
For men, hormonal patterns can also change throughout adulthood.
Testosterone, estrogen, progesterone and other hormones may form part of the clinical picture depending on the individual.
But symptoms alone cannot determine whether a hormonal issue is present or whether treatment is appropriate.
That’s why assessment comes first.
Your Hormone Health Assessment
Look at the Whole Picture
At ORM, hormone-health assessment begins with the individual.
Your healthcare provider may consider:
- your current concerns
- your medical history
- medications and supplements
- menstrual or reproductive history when relevant
- age and life stage
- previous treatments
- lifestyle and other relevant health factors
- appropriate laboratory investigations
The objective isn’t simply to identify a laboratory number outside a particular range.
It’s to understand what the available information means in the context of your overall health.
What Happens If a Hormonal Concern Is Identified?
Understand the Finding Before Choosing a Treatment
A hormonal finding does not automatically mean treatment is necessary.
Your physician will consider your symptoms, medical history, laboratory findings and other relevant information before recommending next steps.
Depending on your circumstances, these may involve:
- further investigation
- monitoring
- lifestyle considerations
- management of other contributing factors
- physician-directed medical treatment when appropriate
If prescription treatment is being considered, your physician can discuss the specific options with you privately as part of your individual medical care.
Understanding Hormone Treatment Options
There Is More Than One Approach
When hormone treatment is medically appropriate, different treatment options and methods of administration may exist.
The appropriate approach depends on factors such as:
- the hormone being considered
- the reason treatment is being considered
- your individual medical history
- potential risks and contraindications
- your preferences and circumstances
- appropriate monitoring requirements
There isn’t one treatment method that’s automatically appropriate for every patient.
Your physician can explain the options relevant to you after your assessment.
What About Hormone Pellets?
A Treatment Option to Discuss With Your Physician
Hormone pellets are one method by which certain prescription hormones may be administered.
They are placed beneath the skin during an in-clinic procedure and are designed to release their contents over time.
Whether a pellet-based approach is available, appropriate or advisable depends on the individual patient, the hormone being considered and the physician’s clinical assessment.
If hormone treatment is appropriate for you, your physician can discuss the available options and explain the considerations associated with each.
Why Doesn’t ORM Recommend One Method for Everyone?
Because Individualized Medicine Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
Different patients can have different medical histories, needs, preferences and risk considerations.
A treatment method that is appropriate for one patient may not be appropriate for another.
Rather than presenting one method as universally superior, ORM’s approach is to:
Assess the individual.
Understand your concerns, history and relevant health information.
Determine whether treatment is appropriate.
A laboratory value alone does not automatically determine treatment.
Discuss the available options.
When treatment is indicated, your physician can explain the options and proposed hormone needs relevant to your circumstances.
Make an informed decision.
Potential benefits, risks, limitations, alternatives and monitoring requirements can be discussed before treatment begins.
What Should I Ask About Hormone Treatment?
If your physician determines that prescription hormone treatment should be considered, useful questions can include:
- Why is this treatment being considered for me?
- What are the available options?
- What are the potential benefits?
- What are the potential risks and side effects?
- Are there reasons this treatment may not be appropriate for me?
- Are there alternatives?
- How will my response be monitored?
- What follow-up will I need?
- What should I do if I experience a problem?
Good treatment decisions begin with informed conversations.
Monitoring Hormone Health
Treatment Isn’t the End of the Conversation
When medical treatment is initiated, appropriate follow-up is an important part of care.
Depending on the treatment and individual circumstances, this can involve clinical follow-up, laboratory investigations or other monitoring.
Your healthcare provider will determine which monitoring is appropriate and how frequently it should occur.
The purpose is to evaluate your health and treatment within the context of your individualized care plan.
Hormone Health at ORM
Ontario Regenerative Medicine provides physician-led assessment for men and women with questions or concerns about their hormonal health.
Explore our hormone-health resources:
Women’s Hormone Health
Learn about hormonal changes throughout women’s lives, including perimenopause and menopause.
Estrogen & Women’s Hormone Health
Learn about estrogen and estradiol as naturally occurring hormones.
Progesterone & Women’s Hormone Health
Learn about progesterone, the menstrual cycle and hormonal changes through different stages of life.
Testosterone & Women’s Hormone Health
Learn about the normal physiological role of testosterone in women.
Men’s Hormone Health & Testosterone
Learn about testosterone as a naturally occurring hormone and ORM’s approach to men’s hormone-health assessment.
Estrogen & Estradiol in Men
Learn why estrogen is part of normal male physiology and how it relates to testosterone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are hormone pellets?
Hormone pellets are one method of administering certain prescription hormones. They are placed beneath the skin during an in-clinic procedure and release their contents over time.
Are pellets appropriate for everyone?
No.
Whether any particular method of hormone administration is appropriate depends on the patient’s individual medical circumstances.
Are pellets better than creams or injections?
There isn’t one administration method that’s automatically appropriate or preferable for every patient. During the consultation our educated staff will provide education about the different options available for your specific requirements. If prescription hormone treatment is being considered, your physician can discuss the available options and the considerations relevant to your circumstances.
How often are pellets inserted?
Treatment protocols depend on the prescription product, patient and individual treatment plan.
If a pellet-based approach is being considered as part of your care, your physician can explain the proposed treatment schedule.
Can I request pellets?
You can discuss your treatment preferences and questions with your physician.
The first step is determining whether hormone treatment is medically appropriate. If it is, your physician can discuss the options relevant to you.
Will I need bloodwork?
Laboratory testing will be completed as one part of the comprehensive assessment before or during certain hormone treatments.
Your healthcare provider will determine which investigations and monitoring are appropriate for your individual circumstances.
Are hormone pellets safe?
Every medical treatment involves considerations related to potential benefits, risks, side effects and suitability.
Rather than making a general safety claim, your physician can discuss the specific risks and considerations relevant to the treatment being considered and your individual health.
Curious About Your Testosterone Levels?
If you have questions about your hormones—or you’ve heard about pellets, injections, creams or other hormone treatments—you don’t have to decide which option you need before coming to ORM.
Start with an individualized medical assessment.
Then, if treatment is appropriate, you and your physician can discuss the options relevant to you.
Assessment first. Treatment second.
Important Information
This page provides general information about hormone-health assessment and treatment planning.
References to hormone pellets are intended to explain that different methods of administering prescription hormone treatments may exist and should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advertisement for a particular prescription product.
Whether hormone treatment is appropriate, and which treatment or administration method should be considered, requires individualized assessment by a qualified healthcare professional.
