Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve Got Questions
We’ve Got Answers
Many of our patients come to us with questions and even misconceptions regarding Bioidentical Hormone Optimization Therapy (or BHOT, as we call it). Dr. Matthew McAuliffe and our team strive to provide accurate, evidence based, and up-to-date information to our patients so that they can make informed decisions regarding their hormones and overall wellness. And, if you don’t see an answer you wish you did, send us a message and we will be happy to help!
New Patient FAQ's
Your initial consultation will be one hour, and we will have you do some blood work prior to the appointment. During this time, you will visit with your provider and share how you have been feeling and your reasons for coming into the office. You will get a recommendation for treatment based on the results of your blood work and the description of your symptoms. We believe in treating the person, not the number, meaning that blood work will be done for reference, but your recommendation will be driven largely based on your description of how you are feeling. For this reason, we encourage complete openness. If you wish to begin your treatment, you will be able to do so same-day.
Absolutely! We will answer all your questions at your initial consultation. We also encourage our patients to attend a New Patient Orientation just prior to their consultation. New Patient Orientations are offered twice a month. During the orientation, a provider will explain what bio-identical hormones are, why they are medically necessary, and how they contribute to the longevity and quality of your life. At the orientation we also describe the other treatments we offer for sexual and overall wellness. This is not a sales session. It is an educational session designed to teach you about your treatment options, so you have more time during your consultation to discuss issues specifically affecting you! Check out the events calendar for the next New Patient Orientation, and please sign up!
The short answer is yes. However, in some circumstances we can work with you. If you have had blood work done recently (within a few months of your appointment), you can send the results to your Patient Liaison, who will find out if it has all the tests we need. If it does have all the tests we need, we can use that. In some cases, we can take your blood the day you start treatment for a baseline, but you must have that approved by your Patient Liaison first. In most cases we recommend that you get your blood work completed one week prior to your initial consultation.
Existing Patient FAQ's
With a membership plan you may schedule time with the doctor as needed. Our office will attempt to answer and solve any concerns you have, but if the doctor is needed you will get a scheduled appointment time. With the a la carte pricing plan you may schedule an in office or phone visit as needed and the charge will be $150 per 15 minute appointment.
During the first year, we strongly encourage you to get the prescribed follow up blood work completed between pellets and/or hormone prescriptions. Your doctor uses the blood work results as a guide to manage your dosing. Without it, dosing is not as accurate and your results may not be as good as they could be. However, if you do not get your blood work done, please call and speak to your Patient Liaison and we will work with you. The doctor is unable to give a prescription or do a pellet if you have not been seen for six months or longer, so make sure to get those labs done!
Arizona Performance Medicine has set up a convenient Patient Portal that you can access via your computer or a phone app. All your medications are stored in your secure portal and you can request a refill anytime. We ask that you give us three business days to respond to your refill request.
Once you log in to your portal, you will see a section called “Ask the Doctor”. In this section, you can write questions to the doctor and receive a response usually within one to two business days. This is a great resource to get your questions answered by the doctor, but never use this feature for medical emergencies. If your issue is of an urgent nature, please call our office at 480-250-3339
Yes, you can. You can use your insurance for all the blood work the doctor prescribes. In addition, if your insurance covers any of the treatments you get in our office, please ask your Patient Liaison for a Super Bill with diagnosis codes on it that you can submit for out of network benefits.
There is no medical reason why you would not be a good candidate for bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. Hormones are naturally produced in your body and are necessary for healthy living, so you are definitely a good candidate. If you are not feeling better with your hormones, please contact our office and talk to the doctor. Every person is unique, and hormones are metabolized differently for everyone. There are a number of reasons why you may not be getting the full effect of the hormones and we need to work together to find the cause.
Hormone FAQ's
Bio-identical hormones are exact copies of the hormones that are found in the human body. What does that mean? Our chemical scientists have found a way to take a chemical derived from yams and modify it in order to create an exact replica of the hormones our bodies produce. This means that the hormones are used, broken down, metabolized, and excreted in the same way our natural hormones are. These biologically identical hormones have the exact same benefits and effects as our own.
For the same reasons that everyday doctors don’t perform surgery or treat terminal illnesses, hormone therapy is an intricate practice that requires specialized education and training. Most doctors are in the practice of treating illness, not preventing it — that’s where we come in. In addition, hormone replacement therapy is widely misunderstood by those who have not gone out of their way to read and study the boundless literature which supports the benefits and safety of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy.
“Normal” is a term which is used to describe a statistical average. Meaning, you take 1,000 people of your age group who aren’t complaining of a particular symptom relating to a hormone, you draw their blood, and you measure the value of that hormone in that blood. What happens is you arrive at a statistical average. Many people will be centered around the average, but many will also fall outside of that range. Throughout the entire statistical test, we’ve never taken into consideration the quality of what the patients experienced. People don’t care about statistical averages, though, they care about how they feel. This is where the term “optimal” comes into play. Do you want to feel like the average individual your age? Or do you want to feel younger and more vital?
Testosterone does, indeed, sometimes cause facial acne in women. It’s usually not very severe, and is usually readily treatable. Testosterone naturally increases the oil on the skin, and said oil can clog pores and cause a pimple. We are trying to improve or restore very important metabolic processes which promote health, wellness, and vitality, so we must strike a balance between these benefits and side effects such as acne. Facial hygiene as well as spironolactone are both highly effective at blocking the effects of testosterone on the skin.
In every study shown to date, bio-identical hormone therapy is consistently shown to result in the decrease of visceral fat and an increase in lean body mass. However, in both men and women, during the early initiation phase of bio-identical hormone therapy, we often see a slight increase in weight (approximately 3-5lbs).
What happens in the short run sometimes is that when you introduce hormones to those who have been deprived for some time, the hormones mimic another hormone and result in the body temporarily increasing retention of water weight. This is almost always the case as long as nothing else has been done to change diet or physical activity levels. The body will, in time, recognize the water overload and readjust its retention, resulting in the normalizing of weight.
Overwhelmingly, hair loss in women in their menopausal years is either related to their thyroid, nutrient deficiencies, or iron. What often happens with our patients is that when thyroid is restored to optimal levels, hair loss is resolved. Iron and ferritin levels are also crucial in ensuring hair growth. We also offer hair growth supplements which help support hair growth.
Cost depends on the treatment that is prescribed. We offer solutions for hormone health, sexual wellness, metabolic concerns, and a few aesthetic services. You can choose between a la carte pricing and our membership plan pricing. Membership plan pricing means that we calculate all the treatments you will be getting over a year and we divide the total into 12 monthly payments. The membership option can make it more affordable for you to get the treatments you need without having to come up with all of the costs at once.
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So, You’re Curious About Hormone Therapy…
But not quite ready to dive in?
Our New Patient Orientations were created with you in mind. We want to hand you everything you need to know to make the best decision of your life.