Hormone pellets, with the full conversation they deserve.
Pellets are one of several bioidentical hormone delivery methods. We offer them when they're the right fit for a specific patient, and we explain honestly when another delivery method makes more sense.
Typical placement interval; pellets release continuously between visits
Testosterone pellets (Testopel) are FDA-approved for men; compounded estradiol pellets are not FDA-approved
Typical in-office placement procedure with local anesthetic
What are hormone pellets
Hormone pellets, explained plainly.
Hormone pellets are small compressed cylinders, about the size of a grain of rice, containing bioidentical hormones. Testosterone pellets (Testopel) are FDA-approved for men; estradiol pellets are compounded and not FDA-approved. They're placed under the skin in a brief in-office procedure and release hormone continuously as they dissolve. A typical placement lasts three to four months for women and four to six months for men.
The appeal is real: no daily creams, no weekly injections, nothing to remember. For specific patients, that convenience matters a lot. The tradeoff is also real: once a pellet is placed, the dose can't easily be adjusted until it absorbs, and levels vary through the cycle rather than holding steady.
We position pellets for patients who are experienced with hormone therapy, stable on an established dose, and clear-eyed about the tradeoffs, and we recommend adjustable methods for most patients starting out. Either way, the workup is identical, and the decision is made together.
The mechanics
How pellets actually behave.
These aren't problems, they're characteristics. For some patients the profile is exactly right. For others it's a meaningful drawback. Understanding it is the foundation of the decision.
Release
Continuous for months
Steady release as the pellet dissolves, typically stronger in the first weeks and tapering toward the end of the cycle. Many patients notice the arc.
Dose curve
Higher early, lower late
Levels often run above mid-range early in the cycle and drift down before replacement. Some patients tolerate the variation well; others notice it.
Adjustment
Set at placement
The dose decision happens at placement. If side effects appear mid-cycle, management is supportive while the pellet absorbs, which is why patient selection matters.
Best fit
Experienced & stable
Patients established on therapy, monitored on schedule, with well-understood responses, or with real practical constraints that make routines unworkable.
Usually better served
New to therapy
When initial dose response is unpredictable, adjustable methods let us titrate in days instead of months. That's the safer starting point for most.
Either way
Same workup
Full hormone panel, body composition, and history. The delivery decision comes after we understand your situation, never before.
Realistic expectations
What it can, and can't, do.
Setting expectations honestly is part of the work. Here's the straight version.
Pellets often make sense for
- Patients stable on pellets for years, monitored on schedule, who don't want to switch
- Patients with real practical constraints: needle aversion, heavy travel, no workable routine
- Established maintenance doses where your response curve is well understood
- Patients who've tried adjustable methods and found the routine genuinely unworkable
- Patients who prioritize the convenience tradeoff after understanding the full picture
Adjustable methods usually fit better for
- Patients new to hormone therapy, where dose response is unpredictable
- Patients whose screening labs benefit from rapid dose adjustment
- Women in perimenopause, where needs shift month to month
- Patients with unusual responses to past hormone therapy
- Patients whose main reason is "less hassle" rather than a specific clinical need
What it costs to start
Clear pricing, before you book.
Every plan starts with a consult. Choose the one that fits you.
Limited-time price
Targeted Consult
Peptide therapy · Medical weight loss · HRT · TRT
$49
In person in Houston or by video
- One-on-one visit with your provider
- Symptoms, history, and medication review
- Bring any recent labs you already have
- Your options and their costs explained before you commit
For TRT, labs are required. Bring your own recent labs, have them drawn in our office, or we can send your lab order to Quest.
Book a $49 consultMost complete
Comprehensive Consult
The full picture, for any goal
$349
In person at our Houston clinic
- Two visits: your consult, then a results review
- 40+ biomarker lab panel
- Body composition scan: muscle, fat, and visceral fat
- A written plan built around you, whether or not it includes treatment
Already have labs from the last 3 months? Bring them and we’ll review yours instead of drawing a new panel. You save $150 ($199).
Book the ComprehensiveConsult fees cover your visit. Any treatment costs depend on your plan and are reviewed with you before anything begins. Most programs are cash-pay, and many expenses are HSA/FSA eligible.
Come meet The Tide
A real clinic, with a real team.
Take a quick look inside our Houston clinic, next to the Texas Medical Center. This is where your labs are drawn, your scan happens, and your plan gets built: in person, by people you'll know by name.
How it works
From consultation to plan, in real medicine.
Whether you end up with pellets or an adjustable method, the workup is the same. The delivery decision is made together, after labs, and the reasoning is documented and shared with you.
Day 1 · 45 min
Consultation
In person at our Houston clinic. History, prior therapy including pellets elsewhere, and an honest walkthrough of the tradeoffs.
Days 2 to 4
Lab work
Full hormone and safety panel drawn in our office, plus body composition. The same workup regardless of delivery method.
By day 5
Delivery decision
We review your labs and have the delivery conversation explicitly. Pellets if they fit; an adjustable protocol if that serves you better, with the reasoning explained.
Days 7 to 10
First treatment
If pellets: a brief in-office placement with local anesthetic. If adjustable: prescription through a licensed pharmacy with training and clear guidance.
Ongoing
Monitor & adjust
Labs at 6 and 12 weeks, then on schedule, timed correctly to the pellet cycle. Monitoring is a core part of any delivery method long term.
Before you book
Questions everyone asks.
Do you offer pellet therapy?
I've had pellets at another clinic. Can I continue with you?
Can I transition off pellets to another method?
Are pellets more bioidentical than other options?
How much do pellets cost?
Our clinic, near the Texas Medical Center
Individual results vary.
“For the first time, I felt really heard about my concerns. I left there after my consultation knowing that my health is as much of a priority for them as it is for me.”
S.T.“Customer service through the roof and the in-depth, detailed and personalized plan given to me was like no other. I felt truly helped, educated and properly prepared for my future health journey.”
S.M.“Everyone there is knowledgeable and genuinely guides you in the right direction based on what your body actually needs — it’s not one-size-fits-all, it’s catered to you.”
J.S.
Our lead clinician
Meet Maya.
Maya Case, FNP-C, DNP, MBA
Board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with advanced degrees from UT Health and clinical experience across primary care, hormones, and metabolic health. At The Tide, she focuses on patient care, program design, and the follow-up work that turns a good first visit into lasting results.
See if I’m a candidateThe next step
Considering pellets? Let's talk it through.
A 45 minute consultation at our Houston clinic. We'll compare pellets against other delivery methods for your specific situation and decide together.
6909 Grand Blvd, Houston TX 77054 · Get directions →
We offer Telehealth Visits.
Provider-led · Labs and body scan in-office · Licensed pharmacies only