Answers about appointments, hormone replacement therapy for men and women, and weight-loss care at Wellness Jumpstart. If you don't see your question here, our team is happy to walk you through it.
Please bring your picture identification and your most current insurance card to your first visit. We also ask that you download our new patient forms, print them out, complete them, and bring them with you to your appointment. If relevant, also bring in a list of the medications you currently take.
If you are a new patient and you haven't completed the new-patient paperwork, please arrive early to complete it, or download our app to complete your intake forms in advance. If you're a returning patient, please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment.
How frequently you need to come to Wellness Jumpstart depends on the details of your care.
Hormone replacement therapy is a treatment to restore hormonal balance and hormone levels for men and women experiencing symptoms. Wellness Jumpstart's approach is highly individualized and involves continual monitoring and variable dosing. Hormone doses are provided based on the needs of each person and vary as those needs change. Along with monitoring blood thickness and responding with treatments to thin the blood, these practices reduce the risks associated with the typical approaches to hormone therapy. Testosterone (men) is typically injected. Estrogen and progesterone (women) can be administered via several different methods.
Dosing is varied depending on each person's needs. Also, because blood thickening is a central aspect of the risks of typical hormone replacement, Wellness Jumpstart continually monitors patients with bloodwork. If thickening results from hormone replacement, Wellness Jumpstart takes action to address this effect.
The benefits of testosterone replacement therapy — and when and how much they affect you — differ from one individual to the next. However, the first benefits men tend to see are improved sleep quality and increased libido, sometimes noticeable as soon as week 4 of treatment. In subsequent weeks, some men report improved focus and clarity, increased energy levels, better mood, and improved muscle mass. For some men, it has taken six weeks or more to start noticing benefits, so it's important not to get discouraged.
Treatment for Low T is typically long-term, for as long as you and your provider determine it's appropriate. Testosterone replacement therapy provides the testosterone you need, but it doesn't cause your body to produce its own testosterone. Treatment for Low Testosterone only provides benefit while you're receiving replacement testosterone.
While nothing adverse is expected if you cease therapy, your testosterone levels will typically return toward where they were before beginning treatment, or possibly lower — meaning your symptoms may return. If you do stop treatment, you can discuss resuming it later with your provider.
It's not possible to know in advance what side effects any individual is likely to experience. Acne, bloating, and temporary weight gain are among the more commonly reported effects. We monitor hormone levels and symptoms continually throughout treatment to watch for and help manage, through adjustment of dose and other actions, any side effects.
Not necessarily. Throughout treatment, we monitor your estrogen/estradiol levels and your symptoms and will discuss with you if a supplement or blocker becomes appropriate to help manage estradiol levels.
Current evidence does not show that testosterone replacement therapy causes prostate cancer. However, pre-existing prostate conditions could potentially be affected by treatment, which is why we conduct a baseline PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test prior to starting treatment and repeat this testing periodically to monitor your risk, discussing any concerns directly with you.
Synthetic hormones don't have the same molecular makeup as what your body naturally produces; they bind to receptor sites but work through negative feedback that can shut off your body's own hormone production. Combining bio-identical hormones with synthetic ones isn't recommended, as it can increase risk and cause hormone levels to build up to unsafe levels, worsening imbalance. Your provider will guide you on the safest approach for your situation.
Temporary weight gain and bloating are commonly reported in the first several weeks of treatment, as your body adjusts to hormone changes. Other reported effects can include mood changes and nipple sensitivity. We run blood tests at specific treatment intervals to evaluate levels in the context of your symptoms in order to help minimize side effects.
Testosterone can, in some cases, contribute to male-pattern characteristics in females. Proper dosing and close follow-up are intended to reduce this risk, and any concerns are addressed with your provider directly.
An EKG is a screening test used to check that your heart rhythm is normal. Some weight-loss medications can affect the cells in the heart, making it more sensitive to changes in electrical activity, so it's important to rule out an underlying cardiovascular issue that could be made worse. If your heart rate or rhythm is found to be abnormal, you would be referred to cardiology for clearance before starting that medication.
If your question isn't answered here, reach out and we'll walk you through what to expect before your first visit.
