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Spandex & Wine
Spandex & Wine is a podcast for finding balance between being healthy & living a happy life. Hosted by Robin Hackney, a 23-year veteran in the fitness industry & wine consultant, this is a place to be our authentic selves as we have real conversations exploring wellness and all things wine! Subscribe now so you don’t miss an episode.
Spandex & Wine
Feeling Like Yourself Again: The Pellet Promise
Feeling tired, foggy, and unlike yourself? You're not alone—and it's not just "getting older." Meet CarolAnn Tatera, CEO of SotoPelle and widow of Dr. Gino Tatera, the physician who revolutionized bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Her personal transformation began at age 42 when debilitating night sweats, memory problems, and stubborn weight gain led her to discover her testosterone levels were nearly depleted.
CarolAnn takes us behind the scenes of hormone pellet therapy, a method that's actually been around since 1939 but remains unfamiliar to many. Unlike the hormone roller coaster created by creams, patches, or pills, these rice-sized pellets deliver steady hormone levels with a simple 15-minute procedure just a few times yearly. The results? Renewed energy, mental clarity, improved metabolism, and skin so rejuvenated that friends assumed she'd had cosmetic surgery.
What makes this conversation particularly fascinating is learning how bioidentical hormones are making waves far beyond treating menopause. From professional athletes with traumatic brain injuries contemplating suicide to Parkinson's patients seeking relief, hormone therapy is showing remarkable promise for cognitive and neurological health. CarolAnn, approaching 70 but looking decades younger, embodies the potential benefits, having been named Arizona's top HRT company for ten consecutive years.
Whether you're struggling with perimenopausal symptoms, unexplained fatigue, or simply curious about optimizing your wellness as you age, this eye-opening discussion might offer the missing piece you've been searching for. Remember that while gut health remains foundational (as we often discuss on Spandex and Wine), hormone balance could be the key to feeling like yourself again. Ready to explore further? Visit sottopelletherapy.com to learn more about getting your hormone levels tested and finding a qualified provider.
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Hello and welcome to the Spandex and Wine podcast. I'm your host, robin Hackney, and I'm so happy that you're here. This podcast is a place for conversations about balancing a healthy lifestyle and being happy more specifically, happy hour. Together we'll explore all things wellness and wine. I hope you learn a little, laugh a lot and, along the way, know you're not alone on this balanced wellness journey. Ready to jump in, pour something in your glass that makes you happy, because it's time for Spandex and Wine, hey friends.
Speaker 1:So for today's episode, I had the honor of interviewing Carol Ann Tatera. She's the CEO of Sotopella and the widow of Dr Gino Tatera, the pioneer who helped bring bioidentical hormone replacement therapy into the spotlight. And if you've ever wondered whether your fatigue or mood swings or energy dips are just part of getting older, this episode will probably open your eyes a little bit. You know that I'm all about starting with the gut and healing your gut can truly change your life, but sometimes, especially during perimenopause and menopause, we need a little extra support, and hormone replacement therapy might be the missing piece for you. This conversation blends a little science, personal passion and a little real talk about what it means to actually feel good. So let's dive in. Hey Carolann, thanks so much for being on the Spandex and Wine podcast. I'm happy to hear you and learn more from you today.
Speaker 2:Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1:Yes, absolutely. I don't know that much about hormone replacement therapy, so I feel like this is going to be a really good conversation. How did you get started with all of this therapy?
Speaker 2:So I feel like this is going to be a really good conversation. How did you get started with all of this? Well, my late husband was an OBGYN. Okay.
Speaker 2:When we left Kansas City to go out to Rancho Mirage, california. They had asked him to come out and build the birthing center. So while he was working on the birthing center there, a physician came up to him and said, hey, how would you like to put in a pellet? And he said, sure, but what's a pellet? So in Kansas City he was always using his common sense, as he did his entire life, but he was using progesterone to save pregnancies. He was trying to do everything the natural way and he felt that when he learned about this little hormone that's a pellet, that this was the final piece that he'd been looking to for actually treating women with menopausal symptoms Okay, okay, that's how it started back in 92.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow, okay, my goodness, that is crazy. I have a couple of clients Go ahead.
Speaker 2:I need to tell you, Robin, that the hormone pellet's been around since 1939.
Speaker 1:It's not new.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I had no idea. It was in use pretty much until the mid-50s, which is when Primer and came out and started having all their reps go into GYN offices and they said they're like Tic Tacs, m&ms. My late husband said red, blue, green, yellow, this color didn't work, try that color. That color didn't work, try this one. And he taught me that if you took a perimerin pill and smash it up with a mortar and pestle, it would smell like mare urine, hence the name pre-mare urine, premarin, okay, which is really kind of a shame.
Speaker 1:Yes, Huh, it's so interesting. I have a couple of clients that use the pellets and they swear by them. So, um, so how do you know if that's something that would be good for you?
Speaker 2:swear by him so, um. So how do you know if that's something that would be good for you? Well, first of all, a lot of people come to us not only by referral, because of their symptoms, and for everybody it's different, but yet everybody it's the same. It's so bizarre. So, just like with the dosing, not everybody gets the same size dose, which is what my late husband did. He individualized the dosing in the nineties, when he was taught everyone was getting way too much estrogen and not enough testosterone. Believe it or not, women in their thirties were making 300 milligrams of testosterone a day, wow. So he wanted to keep that ratio up. And as you aged, he wanted you to feel physiologically like you were in your 30s, mm. Hmm.
Speaker 2:So when I was 42, I was living with horrendous symptoms. My night sweats were so bad I was changing the sheets, I was forgetting where I put the proverbial car keys. Like everybody generally does, you forget things. I love to exercise and work out, wasn't able to burn any fat whatsoever. I was a shoemaker's daughter. So when I realized I had a problem, I had to go to him and say I think I need to have my hormones checked. It's a good thing I did because I had a testosterone less than 10, which is not normal for women. Wow, that was a big issue for me. I'm not even feeling like I wanted to do anything. Testosterone is great for the brain and I and once I got on the hormones, of course I cried the first time I got them because it meant that must be menopausal symptoms. I'm only 42, which it kind of was.
Speaker 2:So yeah, big life changer, big life changer. The estrogen plumped up my skin. People thought I'd had a facelift, which I did not. It just had the vitality back to it. I was able to start burning fat the right way again. I felt like my old self. And when a couple come into the office, the woman comes in, she gets treated, she brings her husband back and he is constantly thanking us for bringing back his wife.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's the story you hear from people are just amazing at how their lives have changed. We used to have an office in Kansas City long ago. We had a patient there who said she lost, I think, 30 to 40 pounds when she got on the pellets because she was able to get off the couch, she felt like moving. She started going to the gym, she was eating right. These aren't weight loss pills, but they give you the motivation and the desire to go and do something.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and as we age, we have to constantly keep moving and doing things. I have a 96 year old mom who goes to the gym with a trainer four times a week. So she's an inspiration to me, but I am an inspiration because I'm on the hormones, to those much younger, because they have a hard time believing that I'm almost 70.
Speaker 1:Oh wow, I wouldn't have guessed that. Oh, I know you look great.
Speaker 2:Thank you, yep. I'm the poster child for pellets.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, and I think when you feel good, it just shines through too, and there's nothing worse than not feeling like yourself. And, like you said, everyone is different. This might be perfect for so many women, maybe it's not for others, but finding what works for you and not being afraid to ask and do that research and find that. So tell me what happens when, like how often does someone do it, and what do you do with the pellet?
Speaker 2:Perfect, great question. They need to have lab work done first to see if they're a candidate. So they'll sit down with the provider, they'll go through their lab work, go through their symptoms, go through their history and they'll make a decision. As you said, the pellets are not for everybody. The pellets are placed under the skin minor incision. Women can't do much for three days Big deal. They're coming in three to four times a year. Men are seen twice a year. They have to take it easy for a week because the pellets being placed in the hip, we don't want them the hip to move so much that the pellets wiggle themselves out. So you need to keep that hip quiet. Walking is fine, but here in Arizona we've got a lot of golfers. That's fine, you can. You know, climbing the mountains, where you really have to use the hips Not good, okay. So no lower body workout either. Upper body is fine, okay. Okay, it's so minor. It's like going to the dentist you get a shot of Novocaine, you feel nothing and you're in and out within 15 minutes.
Speaker 1:Okay. So then a couple of questions like how soon do you feel it? And then, does it leave any scars, since you're making an decision?
Speaker 2:Well, you know, everybody is different. We had a breast cancer surgeon as a patient and she was going in for to renew her testing. She felt it immediately and she was so excited so she could get help with the test. Others may take up to two weeks, depending on how depleted you are. There's no scarring for me. You go every other side when you do the hormone placements. Okay, but if you're a person who does scar and keloid, talk to your physician about that. The incision is so minor and the pellets are the size of a grain of rice At nine times out of 10, there's really not an issue with any scarring.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay. So obviously it is a pellet, but other than that, how is it different than other hormone therapy, replacement therapy? Sorry.
Speaker 2:Well, pellets are pure estradiol or pure testosterone with a small bit of stearic acid that binds them together. Okay, they give you a nice steady rise of hormone and then you ride along this nice steady stream of hormones and when you, uh, it's like a kid licking a lollipop, because the heart rate controls the blood. The blood goes by the pellets. So the faster the heart pumps, the quicker the blood goes and it's taking more and more of the hope of the hormone. Uh, you'll feel a slow, steady decline. We have it timed so you come in before you go all the way down, because we don't want you to go back down. You really won't go back down there if you stick to our schedule, which is really nice.
Speaker 2:You've got patches which are not are not bioidentical, and you can end up having the Olympic rings on your belly, where they ask you to normally place them. Or sometimes, when it's hot, humid and you're sweaty, they fall off and you forget what. You can't even find where they went. Yeah, creams, you never know if you get enough of those. You may get a teaspoon, you may get a little more than a teaspoon less, and then some of it falls on the floor. It's also not a bioidentical product, and then you've got the pills and the pills. Not the same thing either. It's not a bioidentical product, everything besides the pellets. They keep you on a constant roller coaster. That's the issue. And for males who are taking the testosterone injections, they're constantly spiking and then crashing, spiking and then crashing.
Speaker 1:Ah yeah, that would not be good. The idea of staying consistent and level just sounds so much better than up and down.
Speaker 2:It is, and once it's there you forget it. So you don't have to remember to take a pill, you don't have to remember to put on a cream it's wonderful. And then you don't want the cream to transfer to somebody else. If you're wearing a short sleeve and you've got it on your arm, it's like where did my cream go? I know I put it on today.
Speaker 1:I when did my cream go? I know I put it on today. I'm not feeling anything. Wow, okay, okay. And I just feel so fortunate that I haven't had to do any of that. So I didn't even know that there were so many different types of things that you could do. But, like I said, I've had a couple of clients of they swear by the pellets.
Speaker 2:And they're good. Yeah, they really are. For me, it was a life changer.
Speaker 1:So what about someone that you know they're just, they're afraid and they hear incision and they hear something foreign in their body. What would you say to that person? Or not foreign, but in their mind they think foreign.
Speaker 2:I tell everyone to get their lab work done. They get a base level of the labs and go and speak to your physician. You can always start slowly and see if maybe you'd rather have something that slipped under the tongue is a trochee, or try a cream. You know if you're. If you're not in favor, then you're not in favor. There's nothing I can say or do. Everybody has to make their own decision on what kind of treatment and therapy they want, Right?
Speaker 1:But I did see a personal decision, it really is. Oh sure, Absolutely. I saw that you have lots of testimonials on your website as well, so I'm sure it's helpful for them to be able to go see other women identify with what they're going through and they're like, oh wow, I'm doing. You know, I have that too. I should try this.
Speaker 2:Right. Yeah, we're very blessed to have received the top HRT company in Arizona for 10 years in a row. We were named most admired company last year, so we're doing something right, ms Robin.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it sounds like it yeah, and for a long time too for a long time too.
Speaker 2:For a very long time, Dr T and I moved from California to Arizona in 2004,. Full-time in 2006. And basically he's the one who brought pellets to the forefront. He individualized the dosing with them in the early nineties, started training physicians in the late nineties. He's touched a lot of lives a lot of lives, which is nice.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it sounds like, and it sounds like you're keeping that up and helping so many women. That's wonderful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, keeping the legacy going Good.
Speaker 1:So then, do you have children of your own that you would pass it on to, or family?
Speaker 2:No, my. I have one son and he's happy in New York doing finance.
Speaker 1:Okay. Well then there you go. So what else would you want the listeners to know, and how can they find you?
Speaker 2:I would do your homework. Most undoubtedly you've got to talk to friends, talk to your providers, get that lab work done. They find us at, I'll spell it, soda pelly, which is italian for under the skin. So he knew what he was doing. He was italian and the website is s-o-t-t-o. He is in peter e-l-l-e therapycom it.
Speaker 2:That's how you can find us. That's how you can read up about us. Lot of good information. We were working with Parkinson patients while he was alive. We're still doing that. We work with some hall of fame and some ex football players. Nick Lowry is one of our ambassadors. He was a kicker for the Kansas city chiefs.
Speaker 1:Yep, I remember him.
Speaker 2:He's a great spokesman for us, as is Jim McMahon, who is a quarterback from the Bears. So it changed his life completely. There's another one from Minnesota who was ready to commit suicide because of the traumatic brain injury, for these guys is horrendous, yes, yes, and the pellets made a big difference in his life, turned it completely around.
Speaker 1:That's so interesting Because when we first got on the call, I mean I was just thinking menopausal women and then I thought, okay, I do know a gentleman that does the testosterone pellets. So for you to say to talk about athletes like that, that's just fascinating how it can help them.
Speaker 2:Wow, yeah, it's incredible how much the hormones actually help the brain, and that's what we're studying. Next within the company, we're working with a very large, well-known brain clinic, the Amen Clinic. We've got visuals of the brain and then we want to see how the pellets really work with the brain. I'm real excited about that. I'm an educator by trade, so the education that I can provide to other physicians we've trained and to people reading our website really does a lot for me.
Speaker 1:Sure, absolutely, oh my gosh, and I don't think people realize just, I think we're still learning so much about the brain. You know, it's just fascinating to me. So, yeah, awesome. Well, carol Ann, what else can we share then? What else do we need to know from you?
Speaker 2:I think that's pretty much all about Sotopela and the history of how we started and how we landed in Arizona and the fact that we're still going on. It's just a real honor for me to keep carrying on the legacy and trying to educate people as much as possible.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, thank you. Well, thank you for helping all those people out there. Congratulations on your success. You're welcome. Thank you, yeah, thanks for taking time out of your day. Yeah, oh, my goodness, I hope you enjoyed that conversation with Carol Ann. She just brought so much wisdom and heart to the mic today. So thank you, caroline, for taking time out of your schedule. It's just a great reminder that science evolves and so should our approach to our health.
Speaker 1:Gut healing is so powerful, but if you're still struggling with symptoms, don't be afraid to explore what's next. You deserve to feel like yourself again and, as she suggested, do your research. You know, get out there and learn everything that you can learn and find the right fit for you. I'll put her website in the show notes, so make sure that you check that out. I think you'll really appreciate the testimonials that they have there and just all the information. And then also, you know what, just reach out to me if you're interested in learning more about healing your gut, if you are interested in our new Spandex Wine VIP Lounge membership and remember, just because we're aging doesn't mean we're meant to suffer.
Speaker 1:Let's rewrite that story together to follow Spandex and Wine, so you don't miss an episode. To do this, just go to the podcast and click subscribe or follow. Wherever you're listening, look for the plus sign or follow button. This is one of the best things that you can do for the podcast. If you'd also be willing to give a five-star review, that would be amazing and much appreciated. Lastly, please share an episode with a friend or five to keep the love going, and join the Spandex and Wine community in our private Facebook group by searching Spandex and Wine. Feel free to reach out to me at any time by emailing info at spandexandwinecom or text me at 913-392-2877. I appreciate you. Thank you.
