Testosterone Pellet Therapy

Pellet therapy is done in our office every 3 months. The pellets dissolve over time.

What is this medication?

TESTOSTERONE (tes TOS ter one) is used to increase testosterone levels in your body. It belongs to a group of medications called androgen hormones.

This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

COMMON BRAND NAME(S): Testopel

What should I tell my care team before I take this medication?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

• Breast cancer

• Diabetes

• Heart disease

• Kidney disease

• Liver disease

• Lung disease

• Prostate cancer, enlargement

• An unusual or allergic reaction to testosterone, other medications, foods, dyes, or preservatives

• If a female partner is pregnant or trying to get pregnant

• Breastfeeding

How should I use this medication?

This medication will be inserted under your skin by your care team.

What if I miss a dose?

Try not to miss a dose. Your care team will tell you when your next dose is due. Notify the office if you are unable to keep an appointment.

What may interact with this medication?

• Medications for diabetes

• Medications that treat or prevent blood clots like warfarin

• Oxyphenbutazone

• Propranolol

• Steroid medications like prednisone or cortisone

This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.

What should I watch for while using this medication?

Visit your care team for regular checks on your progress. They will need to check the level of testosterone in your blood.

This medication may affect blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes, check with your care team before you change your diet or the dose of your diabetic medication.

Call your care team if you notice a change in the way this medication is working. It is possible that the pellets may accidentally fall out.

This medication is banned from use in athletes by most athletic organizations.

What side effects may I notice from receiving this medication?

Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:

• Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat

• Blood clot—pain, swelling, or warmth in the leg, shortness of breath, chest pain

• Heart attack—pain or tightness in the chest, shoulders, arms, or jaw, nausea, shortness of breath, cold or clammy skin, feeling faint or lightheaded

• Increase in blood pressure

• Liver injury—right upper belly pain, loss of appetite, nausea, light-colored stool, dark yellow or brown urine, yellowing skin or eyes, unusual weakness or fatigue

• Mood swings, irritability, or hostility

• Prolonged or painful erection

• Sleep apnea—loud snoring, gasping during sleep, daytime sleepiness

• Stroke—sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, trouble speaking, confusion, trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination, dizziness, severe headache, change in vision

• Swelling of the ankles, hands, or feet

• Thoughts of suicide or self-harm, worsening mood, feelings of depression

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):

• Acne

• Change in sex drive or performance

• Unexpected breast tissue growth

This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. 

Post Pellet Insertion Care:

• Apply an ice pack for 10 minutes, twice daily on the day of pellet insertion.

• Keep wound completely dry for 12 hours. After that, showering is OK. Avoid soaking in tubs, pools or baths for at least 5 days.

• Remove the clear bandage and gauze after 48 hours, leaving the steri-strips in place.

• If needed, re-apply Band-Aid over the wound for a few days to catch any drainage that might occur.

• Leave steri-strips on wound for 5-7 days. If they fall off before, just keep a Band-Aid on and put a little tension across the wound just to give extra support for healing good and tight.

• Avoid vigorous exercise for 72 hours to reduce the chance of bruising, drainage or infection, or delayed wound healing. Walking and easy stair climbing is fine. Avoid running, biking, volleyball, racquet games, aerobic exercise or yoga for 3-4 days. It would be best to avoid heavy lifting, repetitive squatting, and extensive housecleaning, like vacuuming, for 3 days. Avoid massage therapy directly at pellet site for 6 months.

• A little redness, bruising and swelling for 3-4 days is normal. The area may be tender for 4-14 days.

• If you have significant redness, pain (without putting pressure on the wound), warmth, or pus from the wound, call as you might need an antibiotic. This happens rarely, but infection is always a possibility with any kind of minimally invasive procedure.