Bioidentical Hormone Pellets: The Good, the Bad, and the Hormonal

LB
Mar 31
3 min read

Updated: Apr 15

No, this blog is not about a bowl of rice. Just stay with me...

There was a time in my life when I couldn’t figure out why I was so exhausted. Not “oh-I-need-a-nap” tired. I’m talking full-on, don’t-look-at-me-unless-you’re-holding-coffee kind of fatigue.

So, I did what any desperate, Google-search-weary woman would do—I went to a gynecologist who also specialized in bioidentical hormone pellets. My neighbor recommended him, and she's a nurse. They know everything right?

Well, they ran bloodwork, and guess what? My testosterone levels were basically on vacation. And yes, women need testosterone too. It helps with energy, focus, mood, strength… and other fun things.

They scheduled me to come back for my first pellet—a teeny-tiny thing, about the size of a grain of rice, inserted into your hip. The pellets are made from plant-based sources and are chemically identical to the hormones your body produces. They slowly release over 3 to 4 months.

Of course, I brought my husband to hold my hand—because I am, proudly, a medical procedures wimp.

First, they numbbed the area. A couple minutes later, the doctor asked, “Can you feel that?”

“Nope,” I said. But according to my husband, the way he jammed that needle in, I definitely should have.

Then he inserted the pellet. Again, didn’t feel a thing.

But here’s where it gets wild: Two days later, I felt better than I had ever felt in my entire life. Like, full-body energy, clarity of thought, pep in my step… and oh yeah, my libido came back with a vengeance. My husband actually had to push me away and tell me to calm down. It was like waking up in a brand-new body that remembered what “alive” felt like.

Sounds amazing, right? It was.

But here comes the plot twist…

These little miracle pellets? They cost $500+ a pop. You need three to four of them a year and they are not covered by insurance. No coupons. No two-for-one sale. Just straight-up, out-of-pocket, hormone magic.

But that wasn’t even the worst part.

By the third time I went in, something felt… off. I had a little nudge (thank you, God) to look at my lab results myself (I called the lab and they sent me a copy). And lo and behold—my estrogen levels were off the charts. Like, “Houston, we have a hormone problem” high.

When I went in, the doctor didn’t mention a thing. They just started prepping me like usual. So I asked, “Hey, how are my hormone levels looking?”

He kind of blinked and said, “Uh, we misdiagnosed you. You’re not in menopause—you’re having extreme hormonal fluctuations.”

Y’all… I didn’t even go into menopause for another three years. But here’s the kicker: he gave me another pellet anyway. And it was the worst I’d ever felt. Ever. I never went back.