Testosterone Pellet Therapy in Orlando | Svelte Medical Weight Loss - DR Phillips
How to Know You Have Low Testosterone
A lot of guys don’t just wake up one morning and suddenly realize their testosterone is low. In fact, it usually creeps up on you a bit more slowly than that. Perhaps you find yourself hitting a wall at 3pm more and more frequently. Maybe you used to be pretty active, but now you find yourself skipping the gym just because you don’t have the motivation. Maybe lately you find yourself getting irritated easily or having a mood swing that seems to have no cause.
And it can get much worse.
The most common thing we hear on a week to week basis is men in Orlando in their mid 40’s or so who just assume what they are experiencing is part of the aging process. He lives around College Park, or he works downtown, and they start to notice he is experiencing fatigue and lack of concentration, or his drive is not the same. He might feel as though he is not as driven as he used to be. They think they must be older and they just can’t handle things like they could when they were in their twenties or even thirties. It isn’t, however. It is Low T and there are symptoms, which are measurable by the body.
Here are the most common symptoms that we treat for in our practice:
- You are tired a lot. Sleep doesn’t fix it
- You are losing muscle mass, even with exercise
- You are storing more fat, including belly fat
- You are suffering with low libido, or erectile issues
- You feel irritable, anxious, and down
Sound like you? You aren’t alone. 40% of men who are 45 and over have Low T. Many of these guys have not been diagnosed and have no clue they are part of the statistic. That is because many times, if men have not been tested, they do not know. And you really can’t figure this out by yourself. You get labs run for the first time before anything else, because the first thing we have to do is find out your testosterone levels for both total and free testosterone. This can’t just be a random guess. We have a board-certified physician that goes over every lab personally — and that evaluation is what determines whether bioidentical testosterone pellet therapy is the right path for you.
And you need to know something else. You don’t have to live with Low T. It is not a character weakness. It is not a weakness that you need to be ashamed of. It is a medical condition that can be improved. We don’t see broken people; we see men that have imbalanced hormones that can be restored so that they function well.
If you think some of these symptoms sound like you, and you haven’t been able to get over them for months, then we definitely need to chat.
How Do I Know If Pellet Therapy Is Right For Me?
Of course, not everyone in Orlando is a candidate for testosterone pellet therapy, and not everyone who has Low T needs pellet therapy. For some men, other methods might work better. But what we usually find is that men who have tried creams or gels, or weekly injections, have just had a difficult time keeping up with the application or treatment schedule.
That is a tough question. Do you think that you could follow a daily application or even weekly injections over several months? Most men at first glance say they could. The rest of the story is that life happens; they forget, and they’re back at the beginning. Their levels are all over the map because they miss doses. With Pellet therapy, we eliminate all the variables involved.
Common Traits for Pellet Therapy Candidates
- Low testosterone confirmed through lab testing, accompanied by symptoms that are reducing your overall quality of life
- You are tired of missing doses and skipping treatments for other forms of hormone delivery
- You have had enough of having hormones administered and removed with such inconsistent timing
- You want consistent hormone levels and to minimize the time spent managing it
We never start treatment without lab work and blood analysis. That’s just standard protocol. A board-certified doctor carefully reviews your bloodwork, medical history, and personal treatment goals before we even mention that pellet therapy might be a viable treatment for you. That’s how we’ve done it for 18-plus years in Central Florida, and we’ve never had an instance where it hasn’t been successful.
Many people in the Lake Nona area tell us that they tried using a testosterone cream for an entire year without any noticeable or life-changing difference. The culprit was often that absorption was too erratic. Pellet therapy overcomes that issue because they are inserted in a way that delivers them directly into the blood stream through a process of subcutaneous absorption.
Also not often considered is the fact that Testosterone Pellet Therapy may even be able to help your metabolic health. When your hormones are at a healthy equilibrium, the body is more efficient at regulating blood sugar (insulin), burning fat, and avoiding excess fat accumulation. This is a big bonus for most individuals in our area who are actively working toward weight loss and body composition goals.
Obviously, this is not going to be the treatment option for everyone. If you currently have certain types of prostate issues or untreated sleep apnea, we will definitely discuss that with you at the time of your consultation. That’s all part of the transparency in which we operate here. No, no false claims.
Still thinking about it? Many of our prospective patients say the same thing. Give us a call. Let’s take a look at your blood tests together.
Preparing to Get Your Testosterone Pellets Inserted in Orlando
Seriously, most of our patients say that they spent more time thinking about or worrying about their initial pellet insertion appointment than it took. That is pretty normal, after all, anything that is new can be a little unsettling for some people. Well, the truth is, it is fairly easy to get ready for testosterone pellets implantation, and we go over each individual step with you before you even step into our office for your appointment.
It all starts with your bloodwork. We do our work up, our testing, and all lab analysis before any treatment ever occurs. That is standard practice. Your total testosterone, free testosterone, complete blood count (CBC), metabolic panel, and PSA (for men) are all reviewed personally by a board-certified doctor. Nothing is based on a guess. Nothing is done by a “glance.” Your blood hormone levels determine exactly where you’re standing at this time and determine the dosing we will administer during your initial pellet insertion.
The “Day Before” Preparation for Getting Testosterone Pellets
- Avoid or take a break from taking supplements that can contribute to increased blood clotting. This includes supplements like Fish Oil, Vitamin E, and Aspirin. Stop taking them 5-7 days prior to your appointment unless your doctor has instructed otherwise.
- Eat at least one regular-sized meal that evening, unless you have been instructed that your labs need to be done on an empty stomach that morning.
- Wear loose and easy-to-remove clothing for your pellet implantation. It’s a lot easier for doctors if you’re in athletic clothes and comfortable with elastic-waist trousers that can be pulled down easily. The pelvic area is typically where they do the pellet insertion.
- Be sure to plan for some downtime in the hours and evening following. No bed rest required, but refrain from heavy lifting and high-impact workouts for approximately 72 hours.
We see patients from across Orlando, including those nearby in the Milk District or College Park, who come on their lunch hour and head back to work immediately. That’s how straightforward this is.
There are a few things that we recommend before you come in: Have a list of any medications or supplements that you are currently taking. There are a number of drugs that interact with hormone therapy, and we have our physician review everything before we start. This has often saved patients from complications.
If you’re feeling anxious, tell us. We’re used to hearing it. Our team has been providing hormone therapy to patients in Central Florida for over 18 years, and we want you to feel comfortable from your first phone call to the day you start your treatment. There’s no pressure, no shame, and we work with your lab tests, your current health, and your goals to formulate a plan. By the time you’re booked and you’re ready to go, you’ll wonder why you didn’t call sooner.
What Happens When I Come in For Insertion
This is the part that gets the most attention, but the actual insertion takes about 10 minutes.
Many people worry that it’s a surgical or medical procedure. It’s not. Pellet therapy involves a small incision, usually near your upper hip, and there are no stitches, sedation, or downtime needed. Here’s what you can expect on your visit to our Orlando office:
- The area is cleansed and a local anesthetic is used to numb the hip. You will feel a pinprick and after that you will feel nothing.
- A small trocar (sharp pointed device) creates an opening in the tissue just under the skin. This is about the size of a grain of rice.
- The pellets are placed in the fatty tissue below the skin. You will generally get between two and six pellets depending on lab test results and body composition.
- The site is closed off with a strip tape. There are no stitches to be removed.
- You spend a few moments resting, receive your aftercare instructions, and go home.
That’s it. People tell us it was easier than a blood test.
Pellets are small, about the size of a grain of rice and are made of crystalline testosterone that dissolve over time. In about 3 to 5 months they dissolve. Your body slowly absorbs a consistent amount of the hormone every day, giving your body a steady supply without the highs and lows of other hormone replacement options. There’s no worrying about remembering to apply creams or missing a dose from a missed injection.
It’s done by our physician. The physician is board certified and performs the procedure here in Orlando. Many things are going on during the insertion, such as determining pellet placement depth, deciding on pellet dosage based on lab testing results, and determining which site is appropriate for your needs. This impacts how well you respond to the therapy, which makes it extremely important that you be treated by our team.
After the procedure you are asked to refrain from lower body workouts for 48 hours. People in the Thornton Park area have been known to skip walking their dog the day after their insertion. Yes. Mild activity is okay. You can drive yourself home and most people return right to work. If you have questions about whether or not this is the right treatment for you, feel free to give us a call to go over everything. You may experience some mild pain at the insertion site for a day or two. Bruising may also occur, although serious complications from pellet implantation should be rare if the pellets are inserted by an experienced physician in a clinical setting.
How We Monitor and Track Your Results
One thing we tell patients is that the pellet insertion is only the beginning.
We see testosterone pellet therapy results show up in stages. Some happen quickly, improvements to sleep may happen in the first couple weeks, for example. Energy levels may also pick up early. But it takes time to see the full effect, which is why we schedule follow-ups at our Orlando office. We aren’t just sticking the pellets in your body and letting you walk out the door. That’s not the approach we take.
What We Watch and When
Your first follow-up lab visit usually occurs four to six weeks after the insertion. We’re measuring total testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, and hematocrit. We’re checking to make sure you’re releasing the pellets at an appropriate pace, because everyone metabolizes pellets at different rates. We see this all the time from our patients close to the Lake Nona area, many who are active outdoors in the Florida sunshine all year round.
In addition to looking at lab results, we’ll also talk about key indicators you may notice:
- Sleep quality and how rested you feel in the morning
- Mental sharpness and mental clarity throughout the day
- Mood stability and energy levels
- Libido, sexual performance and physical energy
- Changes in body composition that you may notice
All of this matters as much as what shows up on a lab report. Lab values don’t always perfectly correlate with how you’re feeling, and our board-certified doctor looks at both to decide whether a change is necessary.
Ongoing Optimization
Most of our patients come back every three to five months for their next round of testosterone pellets. But that interval isn’t written in stone, your labs and your progress together decide that. If your levels are low, you probably will need pellets again sooner. If you are still going strong and feeling like the person you want to be, we won’t disturb that.
And here’s something most doctors fail to mention. We also monitor your body’s long-term response to testosterone pellet therapy and its effect on metabolic health parameters like blood sugar stability, body fat, and inflammatory levels. This data tells us that patients who follow a consistent monitoring schedule have better success and outcomes than those who don’t. The scientific literature backs this up. And in our practice, we’ve seen it over and over again.
Wondering if your levels are where they should be? Call us to find out.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the pellet insertion procedure take?
The actual insertion takes about 15 to 20 minutes in our Orlando office. You will get a small numbing shot first, so you won’t feel much during the process. Most guys are surprised at how quick and simple it is. You can drive yourself home right after, and many patients head back to work the same day near downtown or College Park.
What should I do to prepare for my pellet therapy appointment?
Wear loose, comfortable clothing and plan for a light, low-key day. We ask you to avoid heavy exercise or workouts right before your visit. Bring any recent lab work if you have it, though we can also draw blood on site. Most patients tell us the appointment felt easier than they expected once they walked through our door.
How soon will I notice a difference after getting testosterone pellets?
Most men in Orlando start feeling changes within two to four weeks. Energy and mood often shift first, with better focus and drive returning to normal. Muscle tone and libido improvements usually follow over the next month or two. Your board-certified physician will check your labs again to confirm your levels are landing where they should.
Will Orlando’s heat and humidity affect my recovery after insertion?
You can still enjoy Orlando’s weather, but we do ask you to skip swimming and hot tubs for a few days. Sweating heavily or soaking the insertion site can slow healing and raise infection risk. Light daily activity is fine, and most patients are back to their normal routine, including workouts, within about a week.
Do I need lab work before starting pellet therapy?
Yes, we always run bloodwork first to confirm your total and free testosterone levels. This is not a guessing game, and we never insert pellets without lab results in hand. A board-certified physician reviews every result personally alongside your symptoms and health history. This step protects you and makes sure pellet therapy is actually the right fit.
Is testosterone pellet therapy available if I live near Lake Nona or Baldwin Park?
Yes, patients from Lake Nona, Baldwin Park, and all across Orlando come to our office for pellet therapy. We have served Central Florida for over 18 years, and location is rarely a barrier for the men we treat. Most patients say the drive is worth it once they feel steady energy and mood again.