Age Management FAQ's

Show Only Questions | Show Questions and Answers

• How will it help me?
  
  Having optimal hormone levels will have a profoundly beneficial effect on your post menopausal symptoms such as night sweats & hot flashes. Your immune system, your sex drive, emotional stability, and cholesterol modulation will be improved. With Bio-identical hormones, you can virtually prevent breast cancer, Alzheimer?s disease and memory loss, osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke and diabetes! Optimal hormone replacement will decrease your body fat, keep your skin soft and supple, increase muscle strength and lower your blood pressure. In short, you will feel better, look better & live longer!
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• What about progesterone?
  
  Progesterone works in conjunction with estrogen to relieve menopausal symptoms, protect against breast & uterine cancer, prevent osteroporosis, improve heart health & enhance overall feelings of well being. Natural progesterone, when used with estrogen, provides women significant relief of many symptoms of aging and manopause and is indicated in ALL postmenopausal women irregardless of wether on not the uterus has been surgically removed. In addition to the health benefits of progesterone, there are 'feel good benefits' as well!
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• How is it done?
  
  Dr. Porcaro will inject local anesthesia into the area & introduce your hormone pellets after making a small nick in the skin. A steri- strip is applied over the insertion site; no stitches are used.
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• Do I need it?
  
  Most women & men over the age of 40 and ALL women who have gone thru menopause will have insufficient hormone levels to function optimally. Treating hormone deficiencies documented by blood work with natural, Bio-identical hormones is the safest and best form of hormone replacement for you.
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• What about over-the-counter products containing phytoestrogens, and topical products containing low-dose progesterone?
  
  These products will provide temporary relief in PMS, perimenopausal, and menopausal symptoms. Long-term benefits and improved health can only be achieved through prescription BIO-EQUIVALENT PELLET HORMONE THERAPY .
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• When will I see Dr. Porcaro again?
  
  At the time of your next insertion-typically 4 mos. for women & 5 mos. for men
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• What about Estrogen?
  
  Estrogen protects against heart disease and stroke, decreases cholesterol, prevents and lowers the incidence of Alzheimer's disease, improves memory, decreases symptoms of menopause, decreases insulin resistence and prevents osteoporosis
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• What about Testosterone?
  
  Testosterone can produce improvement in well being, energy, body composition, bone density, sexual function & clitoral sensitivity. Testosterone protects against deterioration of muscles, ligaments, joints, tendons, bone and skin and also helps to prevent skin wrinkles and skin thinning from loss of collagen. Even though testosterone is the principal male sex hormone, women need testosterone their entire lives too.Testosterone enables a women to live a vibrant life as she ages.
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• Are there restrictions afterwards?
  
  You will need to leave the water proof tape on the site for 6 days. You can shower but you need to avoid baths, hot tubs, pools, etc for one week.
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• Is it safe?
  
  Dr. Porcaro replaces deficient hormones with bio-identical estradiol & testosterone in pellet form, which are smaller than the size of a tic tac. These hormones are grown in soy & are chemically indistinguishable from estradiol & testosterone you already have in your body.
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• How often will I need it?
  
  A follow up blood test will be ordered for 3-4 weeks after your first insertion & occasionally thereafter. Pellets are long acting and typically last 4 mos. in women & 5 mos. in men. Once a hormone deficiency has been documented there is no expectation for improvement on its own, so you will need life long treatment in order to maintain optimal results.
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• What about The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study?
  
  There has been controversy on the topic of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for the last 15 years. Negative attitudes about hormone replacement have dominated the media since 2002. Combine this with the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study that was halted three years ago because of health risks, women and physicians are having diffulty making informed decisions on their health. Let?s shed a little light on the confusion. First, the WHI study and the subsequent media reports about HRT are based on Commercial-synthetic- HRT only- not natural hormones! They are based on findings from use of the combination of conjugated estrogens and medroxyprogesterone (called PremPro). Thus, when you hear about HRT in the news, this is what they are referring to. The complications seen with these synthetic products are NOT seen with Natural- Bio-Identical- hormones! These Natural Hormones are SAFE!
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• Does it hurt?
  
  You may experience minimal discomfort at the injection site for the first several days. It is unlikely that you would need to take a pain pill.
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• Do you accept my insurance & will my insurance cover it?
  
  We do not accept insurance or Medicare. We will provide you with coding information that you can submit to your insurance carrier. We have seen some patients get full reimbursement while other patients have gotten no reimbursement.
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No
  
  
  
• How much does it cost?
  
  There is a one time consultation fee of $175. There is a fee for pellet insertion & a per pellet charge. There is a charge of $150 for our standard blood work when done at our facility.
  
  Did this question and answer help you? Yes / No