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Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What is Age Management?

Medical Age Management and or Anti Aging Medicine greatly simplified is: the science of "restoring" our hormone levels to more optimum and efficient levels. Simply imagine how you felt at, let's say, 21.  This is our goal in age management medicine, allowing you those youthful qualities both mentally and physically.

Is treatment covered by insurance?

Doubtful.  Managed care and Medicare generally do not reimburse for any treatment related to hormone depletion.

What is Interventional Endocrinology?

Interventional Endocrinology is the science endocrinologists use to intervene and treat a host of ailments and conditions usually at the cellular level and related to our endocrine systems.  Many Endocrinologists are now, for the first time, starting to recommend many of the treatments we have been using for years.  It is this awakening that has sparked the recent revolution in Age Management.

What are Bio Identical Hormones?

These are hormones that are exact replicas of our bodies own hormones.  It is a proven medical fact that replacing our lost or declining hormones with Bio Identical hormones is the safest and most effective way to manage the aging process.

When should I seek treatment?

Symptoms of premature or advanced aging vary greatly from patient to patient.  Some of the more identifiable signs are:

Fatigue, weight gain, increased body fat, decreased sex drive, vaginal dryness, poor skin, hair loss, mood swings, hot flashes, tiredness, loss of drive and ambition, decrease in stamina, decrease in strength, more prone to injuries and breaks, poor sleep, increased worry, shifts in attitude, general decline in appearance, weak erections or erectile dysfunction (ED), heart disease, high cholesterol, adult onset diabetes and much more.

Research has shown that many of these ailments or conditions can be directly attributed to premature aging or what we like to refer to as Non Optimal Aging™.

Am I right for treatment?

There is only one way to find out.  If you are over 35 we will send you to a lab for very simple and accurate blood tests.  These tests will tell us exactly where you are on the aging scale and if you suffer from premature aging.  Simply call us at (919) 825-0500.  The answers you seek are less than a week away and you are not obligated to continue or undergo treatment.  You have nothing to lose.

Is a medical approach safe?

Any person seeking treatment must undergo a complete family medical history, a personal medical history, full exam and comprehensive labs before ever being treated.  We would not proceed with treatment if any risk factors were discovered.  Stocks Institute uses only Bio-Identical Hormones combined with closely monitored physician supervised programs.  All exams and prescriptions are conducted by and prescribed by a Stocks Institute trained physician.

Please beware of internet anti aging sites that simply send you to an urgent care doctor and then have an unqualified physician or Physicians Assistant prescribe medications and hormones to you.  If these people are not properly trained specifically in Age Management you should consider going somewhere else.

What exactly is aging?

In addition to the years slipping away on the calendar, a common occurrence of "normal" aging is a state of systemic inflammation.  This inflammatory and oxidative state can cause premature aging and diseases as diverse as detached retina, macular degeneration, atherosclerosis, cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diverticulitis, dementia, hypertension, Alzheimer's, erectile dysfunction, low libido, stroke, and many other devastating conditions.

Those choosing age management do not intend to age normally.

To protect against excess pro-inflammatory cytokines, we optimize our naturally occurring hormones such as DHEA, testosterone, pregneneolone, estradiol, progesterone, and human growth hormone.  Human Chorionic Gonadotropin is also utilized to enhance the above hormones and provide a rich hormonal environment and sense of well being, thus returning our bodies to a healthier state.

Do I have to change my diet?

We encourage our patients to eat a low glycemic diet, free of high fructose corn syrup, food additives, and sugar.  Moderate exercise raises growth hormone levels naturally.  Other anti-inflammatory supplements include fish oil and curcumin.  Melatonin is also a natural anti-oxidant.  Sustaining and maintaining a healthy weight is also critical in reducing systemic inflammatory conditions which affect aging.

A large number of scientific studies reveal that one's risk of premature aging can be significantly reduced by eating a healthy diet, rich in raw fruits and vegetables, fish, and hormone-free meat, and taking the proper nutrients and hormones.  We are the experts, ready to counsel and advise, along with providing an individualized anti-aging protocol for each of our patients.

How long does it take?

At Stocks Institute, we have develop a medical age management program just for you.  We are not selling a quick fix in a bottle.  Every patient's response to therapy is different.

Do I have to take shots?

No.  We have several options available to you that include treatments that do not use needles.

Can I do this over the internet or over the phone?

No.  Each patient must be seen, in person, by a qualified physician before any medications or treatments are granted.

What happens if I stop treatment?

Nothing.  You will continue to feel and look the way you did before the treatment and perhaps maintain the gains you have made while in treatment.

How long do I have to continue treatment?

At Stocks Institute, we have no contracts.  You can do our program for as long as you like.  We strongly recommend committing to at least 6 months on our Age Management Program as this will give you a good idea as to how the program works.  Any less than this is not a real commitment and probably a waste of time.

How do I get my medications and hormones?

Once you are examined and a treatment plan is established your medications, supplies, supplements, and hormones are shipped to you from our licensed pharmacy.

If I am already on hormone therapy, can you manage me?

Yes.  We have to have the details of your program, but we take over many programs for patients for a variety of reasons.  It is quite common in our practice.

Isn't this like taking steroids?

No.  When on a proper medically based anti aging program you a given just enough hormones and medications to balance your system.  Not shock it.  Steroids in essence are an overdose of hormones usually 4 or 5 times the recommended therapeutic dose.  When treating patients on an Age Management Protocol we only prescribe in "Therapeutic Ranges or Dosages".  These dosages are replacement doses and bring your levels back to where they were, into a "normal range".  In addition we do not use many of the medications and compounds that are considered steroids.

Are these medications FDA approved?

Yes.  We only prescribe medications that are compounded in the United States.

How will I know it is working?

Besides the obvious response to our program of looking and feeling better we will be sending you for follow up labs at least 4 times your first year.  These blood tests will show us exactly where your levels are.  Age Management is just that, management.  We carefully monitor you and fine tune your body to its optimum levels.  Beware of anti aging programs that let you simply vanish and do not provide you good follow up care and maintenance.  Tweaking and adjusting an age management program is crucial to a successful program.

How is my privacy protected?

The Stocks Institute is a real medical practice and as such, we follow to the letter, all privacy laws to guard your personal information and protect your privacy.

How old do I have to be to get tested?

Usually men over 35 and women over 40 are good candidates to at least get tested.  Everyone is different.  This does not mean that if you are a man of 32 and are suffering from the signs of Andropause you should not get tested.  What this means is that this age range is where we have found it to be worth while to check your levels.  Some are younger, some are older.

Is there something to increase my HGH without taking HGH?

Yes.  Dr. Stocks will discuss that at the time of consultation.

What does medical anti-aging do for body fat?

Our treatment protocol does address body composition, specifically for those patients looking to lose fat.  We prescribe various medications and hormones that counteract our body's ability to store fat and help accelerate its loss.  Age Management Medicine is not just hormones.  There are many medications and supplements that support a proper treatment plan.  At Stocks Institute, we use many medications in conjunction with hormones.  These treatments are based on a patient's specific needs.  We are never limited to just hormones.

Do I have to diet and exercise?

No.  However we strongly recommend you do.  Based on our current patient results we can tell you that by following a low glycemic diet and exercising just 15 to 20 minutes a day, you will reap superior benefits opposed to someone that is not exercising and watching what they eat.  The doctor will discuss diet and exercise with you during your consultation.  We take care of the whole person at Stocks Institute and feel a balanced lifestyle and approach is best however we will not force a regimen upon you.  The more you put in the more you get out.

Will this treatment interfere with the medications I take now?

Not usually.  However we need to understand your medical history before starting you on an Age Management regimen.  Our doctors will look at your history and your current medications and be better able to advise you at that point.

If I am already on a program can you manage it for me?

Yes we can.  You will have to follow our protocol and we will have to evaluate your current program, its results and your labs.  Please contact us and we would be happy to discuss it.