Hormone Replacement Therapy in Jacksonville FL

What are hormones?

Hormones are part of your body’s messaging system. Made by your endocrine glands, hormones travel in your blood, telling your organs and body systems what to do. Your hormones play a major role in the function of your:

• Metabolism
• Appetite
• Sleep cycle
• Mood
• Reproduction

When hormone levels are in balance, your body works as it should. However, any increase or decrease in your hormone levels will significantly affect your physical and emotional well-being.

What is hormone replacement therapy?

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment for low hormone levels. Though any one of your hormones may fall below what’s considered normal, everyone experiences a decrease in sex hormone production as they get older. This includes the female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, and the male hormone, testosterone. We provide HRT in a variety of forms, including hormonal pellets, injections, and oral and topical medications. We make it easier for you to receive female and testosterone replacement therapy in Jacksonville, Fl.

Who needs hormone replacement therapy?

Anyone with low levels of sex hormones can benefit from HRT. Signs and symptoms of declining levels of sex hormones include:

• Fatigue
• Mood swings
• Weight gain
• Dry skin
• Thinning hair
• Low libido
• Hot flashes
• Vaginal dryness in women (estrogen and progesterone levels)
• Erectile dysfunction in men (testosterone levels)

Many of the symptoms you consider part of the aging process are due to changes in hormone balance. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, and it’s affecting your quality of life, schedule a consultation with the team at Northeast Florida Internal Medicine today.

What can I expect from hormone replacement therapy?

Before making any specific recommendations, we will complete a thorough evaluation to learn about your medical history, any medical conditions you may be at risk for, and perform a physical exam. We’ll also check your blood hormone levels to see if your hormones are responsible for your symptoms. We’ll walk you through potential side effects, as HRT therapy can increase the risk of blood clots. We provide HRT pellets specific to you. Your hormone pellet contains the hormones your body needs. Your provider places this pellet under your skin (usually above your buttocks) where it slowly releases hormones, keeping your blood levels in balance. You should notice improvements in your symptoms about a month after the placement of your pellet*. HRT may boost your bone density, for example, improving your health and reducing your risk of osteoporosis. Our team will schedule regular follow-up appointments to monitor your symptoms and replace your HRT pellet when appropriate.

Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women

For many women, hormone levels begin shifting years before menopause actually arrives. During perimenopause and menopause, declining estrogen and progesterone can cause:

• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Disrupted sleep
• Mood changes, anxiety, and irritability
• Brain fog and trouble concentrating
• Vaginal dryness and discomfort with intimacy
• Loss of bone density

We offer bioidentical hormone options — including pellets, injections, and oral and topical medications — dosed to your lab results and adjusted at follow-up visits, not a one-size-fits-all protocol. Because decisions about estrogen therapy depend on your personal and family history (including breast cancer, blood clots, and cardiovascular risk), we review the risks and benefits with you before starting treatment.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy for Men

Testosterone declines gradually in men — roughly 1% per year after age 30 — and low levels often go unrecognized because the symptoms creep in slowly:

• Persistent fatigue and low motivation
• Reduced libido and erectile dysfunction
• Loss of muscle mass despite exercise
• Increased belly fat
• Irritability or low mood
• Poor sleep and slow recovery from workouts

Diagnosis starts with morning blood testing, when testosterone is at its peak, and we confirm low levels with repeat labs before recommending treatment. If your levels are genuinely low, we’ll walk you through your options — pellets, injections, or topical preparations — and monitor your blood counts and prostate labs at regular intervals while you’re on therapy.

How Do Hormone Pellets Work, and How Long Do They Last?

Pellets are one of our most popular options because they eliminate daily pills and weekly injections. Each pellet is about the size of a grain of rice and contains bioidentical hormones matched to your lab results. Your provider inserts it under the skin during a brief in-office visit using local anesthetic— most patients are in and out in under 30 minutes. The pellet then releases a steady, low dose of hormones around the clock, avoiding the peaks and crashes some patients experience with other delivery methods. A pellet typically lasts three to six months depending on your dose and how quickly your body metabolizes it; we track your labs and symptoms to find the right replacement interval for you.

Why Choose an Internal Medicine Practice for HRT?

Hormones don’t operate in isolation. Thyroid disorders, insulin resistance, sleep apnea, medication side effects, and vitamin deficiencies can all produce the same symptoms as low sex hormones — and hormone therapy itself interacts with your cardiovascular risk, bone health, and the medications you already take. As a board-certified internal medicine practice, we evaluate the whole picture before prescribing, rather than treating every symptom as a hormone problem. And if something else turns out to be driving your fatigue or weight gain, we can diagnose and manage that too, in the same office.

Do You Offer Telemedicine for Hormone Therapy?

Yes. Dr. Blissenbach is licensed in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, and we offer telemedicine consultations and follow-up visits for patients across all six states. Lab work can be completed at a laboratory near you, and we’ll review your results together by video. Certain services — such as pellet insertion and some prescriptions — require an in-office visit, and our team will let you know what applies to your treatment plan when you schedule. To learn more about hormone replacement therapy, call Northeast Florida Internal Medicine or schedule your appointment online today. *Individual results may vary