FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Patients prefer hormone pellets over hormone injections, creams & oral preparations because they last for several months and the hormone delivery is very consistent.  It is more convenient to come to the office for the bio-identical hormone implant procedure every 3-5 months than it is to take a daily cream, pill or receive a weekly injection.

In most cases, it has been shown that peri/menopausal symptoms are relieved with a low dose of testosterone alone. Bio-identical testosterone delivered by hormone pellet therapy is an extremely effective therapy for peri/menopausal symptoms without the side effects of estrogen.

Testosterone pellet therapy is advocated by many oncologists and breast cancer surgeons as a safe method of hormone replacement. It is known that estrogen can be a cell proliferator and is not necessary in all female hormone replacement protocols. The female body has the ability to convert testosterone into estrogen as needed. For some women, estrogen does provide added benefit. In these cases, we compound bio-identical estrogen into our hormone pellets.

During a comprehensive initial consultation, Dr. Madda will review your health history, current symptoms and request a comprehensive blood work panel. With this information, Dr. Madda will help to identify the root cause of any imbalance and effectively address concerns through a customized treatment plan that may include hormone pellet therapy.

The dosage of the testosterone pellet is based on lab results and the goal is to use only what is needed to restore hormone balance.

$225 Basic Female/Male Panel (6 labs)

Bio-identical hormone pellets are a very effective way to optimize hormone levels in the body. Most of our patients find this to be a preferred method of delivery due to ease and effectiveness. The hormone pellet is placed just under the skin and consistently releases a physiological dose of bio-identical hormones to provide optimal results. Hormone pellet therapy has been used in medicine since the 1930’s. In the past decade, it has made a strong resurgence in the medical world due to its safety and efficacy. A unique feature of the pellet is that hormone levels stay consistent over a 3-5 month period. Most other methods of hormone delivery will have an up and down effect on hormone levels throughout the course of a day.

This form of hormone replacement is extremely safe.  Even with a history of breast cancer or prostate cancer, studies show that testosterone can be used safely and effectively.

The bio-identical hormone pellets are made by a reputable compounding pharmacy with strict control of dosage and sterile procedures. The size of the pellet is similar to a grain of rice. After a local anesthetic, the procedure is virtually painless and takes only a few minutes.

Men with erectile dysfunction: The GAINSWave™ has proven to be a safe and effective drug free, surgery free alternative to Viagra and other oral ED medications. In fact, the GAINSWave™ has been shown to be TWICE as effective as Viagra and similar ED drugs without any of the harmful side effects!

Men with Peyronie’s Disease: The GAINSWave™ has been shown to be a drug free, surgery free way to break down the scar tissue and reduce the curvature of the penis typical of Peyronie’s Disease.

The GAINSWave™ is an alternative treatment for erectile dysfunction that uses pulsed energy waves to open and repair aging blood vessels and increase blood flow to the penis. The key to satisfactory erectile function is optimal blood flow within the erectile tissue, so this process improves sexual health and results in stronger and harder erections. This is an FDA approved therapy that is new to the U.S. although it’s successfully been used in Europe for over 15 years.

Before the treatment begins a topical numbing agent is used, then GAINSWave™ “wand” is applied directly onto the penis to deliver a specific frequency of energy waves to the tissue. Each treatment lasts about 20 minutes and it is pain-free and non-invasive.

Results of the GAINSWave™ include improved sexual performance, increased sensation in the penis, more spontaneous erections, and enhanced erections. This treatment is drug-free and non-invasive.

In recent studies, 80% of men with ED who received the GAINSWave™ treatment saw a reversal of their condition and stopped taking oral ED drugs. Nearly 90% of all men receiving the treatment have reported positive results and improved sexual performance.

Series of 6 GainsWave treatments with Tadalafil and Dr. Joel Kaplan Pump is $2,600.  For the best results and saving we offer an ED Treatment Package that includes:  2 P-Shots™ and a series of 6 GAINSWave™ treatments, Tadalafil and a Dr. Joel Kaplan pump for only $3,600.

The gently pulsating waves of the GAINSWave™ promote increased blood flow to the penis by opening existing blood vascular and stimulating the growth of new blood vessels. The pulsating waves also trigger a healing response that “wakes-up” dormant stem cells and growth factors in the penis. The release of these growth factors also stimulates the creation of new blood vessels and rejuvenates erectile tissue.

Our fax number is 503-208-7105

$850 Male Pellet per insertion visit.

$295 Prolozone (starting cost per appointment); each joint/area injected has a different price

$225 Basic Female/Male Panel (6 labs)

$295 1 hour new patient visit (Testosterone Optimization, General Patient)

Series of 6 GainsWave treatments with Tadalafil and Dr. Joel Kaplan Pump is $2,600.  For the best results and saving we offer an ED Treatment Package that includes:  2 P-Shots™ and a series of 6 GAINSWave™ treatments, Tadalafil and a Dr. Joel Kaplan pump for only $3,600.

If you just follow the very low calorie diet as outlined in phase II of the hCG weight loss program and do not use the Rx hCG, you will lose weight.  The problem is that you will be very hungry, tired and most importantly, you will be losing muscle from lean body mass. Without Rx hCG in combination with the hCG specific diet, you will most likely not lose any of the excess fat deposits in the problem areas.  In our clinical experience, our patients lose little to no lean body mass on our hCG Diet program and metabolism stays strong

The Natural Path HCG diet program is based off of Dr. Simeons original protocol. However, over the past 10 years, our doctors have revolutionized the diet by integrating modern science and years of clinical experience. During the program, Rx HCG will be administered daily for a period of 23 to 42 days (depending upon the patients specific goals) while observing a specific, low calorie diet.  While on the HCG Diet, the body begins to use excess fat stores for fuel.  It is theorized that the hypothalamus gland, the “master gland” in the brain that controls appetite and fat burning is “reset” leaving you with a new metabolic set-point.

HCG is a peptide hormone that is naturally produced in large amounts by the placenta during early pregnancy.  It has many functions in utero and is used medically to treat a variety of conditions.  In the 1950’s and 1960’s, Dr. Simeons made a groundbreaking discovery with HCG and weight loss! He discovered that when patients were given the hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), along with a specific low-calorie diet, the result was increased weight loss that came from fat stores and protected lean mass. In Rome, Dr. Simeons treated thousands of patients successfully with his protocol.

HCG was thought by Dr. Simeons to work on the hypothalamus of the brain where it encourages the body to release “abnormal” fat stores for fuel. In order for the hCG Diet to be effective in burning stored fat, a specific, low calorie diet must be followed.  Most of our patients experience little to no hunger on the program and lose little to no lean body mass.

Although you are eating a low calorie diet, the HCG is theorized to allow your body to burn an average of ½ to 1 lb. of fat per day … this puts an estimated 1300 – 2000 calories into your bloodstream to be used for fuel. Remember, you are also eating 500-700 calories daily of food. Therefore, you are not at a caloric deficit during this time.

The hCG Diet has clinically proven itself to be quite safe.  Women experience extremely high levels of hCG during the early months of pregnancy and can be pregnant many times without adverse effects.  The small amount of hCG used for weight loss has little to no side effects on men or women. The low calorie diet used in conjunction with the Rx hCG has also shown to be safe in our clinical experience. We rarely have patients who deal with a strong sense of hunger on the program. We offer our patients full medical support while under our care.

On average, most patients will lose ½ -1 lb. per day while on phase 2 of the HCG Diet program. In most cases, the weight stays off while healthy dietary and lifestyle habits become established through the “stabilization phase.” We are dedicated to helping our patients maintain their weight loss by guiding them every step of the way through all phases of the hCG diet program.

In our experience, most of the HCG Diet side effects are positive … energy begins to rise, sleep gets deeper, blood pressure and blood sugar tend to normalize, cholesterol levels lower, arthritis and joint pain will often improve, skin conditions clear, mood elevates, digestive symptoms improve and the list goes on.  We also help our patients to identify certain food sensitivities which can be contributing factors to health issues and weight gain.

There are a few conditions in which we take precaution with the HCG Diet.  Patients with a history of gallstone formation may tend to form stones on the program. This is due to the low fat diet and not the Rx HCG as a substance. Gout symptoms can occur in patients who have a history of gout episodes. In patients with a history of ovarian cysts, there have been noted cases of ovarian cyst stimulation on the HCG Diet. In the past 10 years of facilitating this diet, we have seen only 5 patients deal with any of the above issues. Negative side effects on the HCG Diet are rare in our clinical experience.

At this time, HCG is only offered in the injectable form.

Most patients will reach their weight loss goals on the hCG Diet program. We spend a great deal of time educating our patients on how to keep the weight off with specific diet and lifestyle changes.  Most patients seem to have no problem losing an average of .5 to 1 lb. per day while on phase II of the hCG Diet. The amount of weight you lose really depends upon the amount of abnormal fat stores that you have to burn.

The answer is YES! This is our goal for you! Through the HCG diet program at The Natural Path, we will teach you some easy, manageable diet and lifestyle changes to keep you on the path to optimal health. The “stabilization phase” or phase 3 of the HCG Diet program is of utmost importance. It is very important that this phase is followed in order to maintain the weight that is lost in phase 2 (HCG phase) of the program.

As with any weight loss program, it would not be difficult to put some pounds back on if you choose to go back to eating some variation of the standard American diet. The HCG diet protocol is not a “magic wand” that can remove fat stores forever, reset the hypothalamus or allow you to eat anything you would like.  After phase II and phase III of the HCG Diet, it is important to make manageable dietary and lifestyle changes to support your body.

With medical supervision, the hCG Diet can provide a safe, reliable means to treating obesity.  One of our favorite things about the hCG Diet protocol is that our patients lose the majority of their weight from fat stores and not lean body mass. Results are fast and long lasting if you’re willing to make simple, healthy changes to your diet and lifestyle.

At The Natural Path, we optimize testosterone and suggest that the compound hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is used to insure that your own testes will continue functioning to produce testosterone. With our testosterone optimization program, we offer an injectable form of bioidentical testosterone that is administered on a weekly basis or pellets given every 4-5 months. We combine this therapy with a painless, weekly injection of hCG to keep the testes producing testosterone. If men are still planning to have children, hCG will stimulate sperm production as well as increase testosterone. Some men use hCG as a monotherapy to optimize testosterone.

Patients prefer hormone pellets over hormone injections, creams & oral preparations because they last for several months and the hormone delivery is very consistent.  It is more convenient to come to the office for the bio-identical hormone implant procedure every 3-5 months than it is to take a daily cream, pill or receive a weekly injection.

During a comprehensive initial consultation, Dr. Madda will review your health history, current symptoms and request a comprehensive blood work panel. With this information, Dr. Madda will help to identify the root cause of any imbalance and effectively address concerns through a customized treatment plan that may include hormone pellet therapy.

The dosage of the testosterone pellet is based on lab results and the goal is to use only what is needed to restore hormone balance.

$850 Male Pellet per insertion visit.

The cost of our comprehensive program is $250 a month and includes:

• All product & supplies for your specific program
• An office visit with Dr. Madda every 6 months
• Lab work with interpretation & feedback every 6 months (includes bi annual comprehensive labs)
• InBody composition analysis at each office visit
• Iodine Px (oral supplement), suggested to be taken 3 times per week ongoing
• Accessibility to Dr. Madda by email/ phone with personalized care

$225 Basic Female/Male Panel (6 labs)

$295 1 hour new patient visit (Testosterone Optimization, General Patient)

Bio-identical hormone pellets are a very effective way to optimize hormone levels in the body. Most of our patients find this to be a preferred method of delivery due to ease and effectiveness. The hormone pellet is placed just under the skin and consistently releases a physiological dose of bio-identical hormones to provide optimal results. Hormone pellet therapy has been used in medicine since the 1930’s. In the past decade, it has made a strong resurgence in the medical world due to its safety and efficacy. A unique feature of the pellet is that hormone levels stay consistent over a 3-5 month period. Most other methods of hormone delivery will have an up and down effect on hormone levels throughout the course of a day.

In general, the body will restore hormone levels back to the pre-treatment baseline within 3 to 6 weeks after bio-identical hormone replacement is stopped. The reason this occurs so effectively and efficiently is due to the use of hCG as it stimulate testosterone production via the testes (preventing testicular shrinkage). In general, it is safe to say that most men prefer the benefits of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and choose to continue with treatment long term.

This form of hormone replacement is extremely safe.  Even with a history of breast cancer or prostate cancer, studies show that testosterone can be used safely and effectively.

You should continue treatment as long as you wish to see results.

Our ozone therapy treatments also utilize the healing capabilities of oxygen, but instead of being applied directly to an area of pain or injury, they are administered via IV into the bloodstream. Ozone therapy optimizes your oxygen levels so your body is better equipped to repair itself and fight off inflammation, infection and disease.

Cortisone (steroid) injections are given to help relieve pain and inflammation in a specific area of the body (typically a joint). The purpose of cortisone shots is to mask pain temporarily, not to address its underlying cause. The potential side effects of cortisone injections increase with larger doses and repeated use, so doctors limit the number of cortisone shots a patient can receive per year.

Prolozone injections can often result in permanent pain relief. By stimulating the damaged tendon, ligament, muscle or joint to repair itself, the body can heal from acute and chronic injuries. Most people need a limited number of treatments per area to achieve maximum improvement.

$295 Prolozone (starting cost per appointment); each joint/area injected has a different price

The response to Prolozone Therapy varies from person to person. Most people need three to six treatments per area to achieve the best results. The injections are repeated every four to six weeks until maximum improvement is reached.

Prolozone provides rapid relief for many patients. A noticeable decrease in pain typically occurs within three to seven days. If there is still pain after this timeframe, additional injections may be needed.

Results depend on the severity of the injury and how your unique body responds to the treatment. Prolozone injections can lead to significant pain reduction, and for some patients, the treatment permanently reverses chronic pain. Depending on the degree of degeneration, some patients may be treated as needed.

Prolozone Therapy involves two simple steps. First, a healing agent is injected into the damaged tissue, ensuring it reaches the entire targeted area. Next, medical ozone is introduced to promote healing. You will be seated or lying in a comfortable position throughout the procedure.

Ozone is a powerful healing agent that consists of three oxygen molecules (O3), instead of the two found in the oxygen we breathe (O2). The Prolozone treatment combines ozone, anti-inflammatories, vitamins and minerals that are injected directly into the damaged tissue. The combination of these substances that create prolozone are beneficial in many ways:

• Anti-inflammatory – reduce swelling, ease pain and promote blood circulation to stabilize the damaged area
• Healing factors flood the area with nutrients that are critical for tissue strengthening
• Ozone increases oxygen in the area to stimulate growth factors, optimize tissue regeneration and decrease potential microbes.

Patients describe a sensation of fullness in the injected area immediately after treatment. Although this can feel strange, it is generally not painful, and often subsides within minutes. The area may feel mildly sore and achy for the 1-2 days post treatment.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is a hormone that causes huge effects on the regulation of blood sugar by stimulating glucose-dependent insulin secretion. Insulin is a hormone that promotes sugar uptake by the cells, stores sugar as glycogen, promotes the building of fat, and signals the body to build skeletal muscle. In addition, GLP-1 inhibits glucagon release (which slows down the release of sugar into the blood so that you burn more fat), slows down gastric emptying (makes you feel full), and lowers the desire for food intake (because you feel full).

Compounded Semaglutide sodium or semaglutide acetate is a once a week, subcutaneous injectable medication that has been shown to reduce appetite and suppress cravings. When used in combination with diet and exercise, this form of Semaglutide can help with blood sugar control in type 2 diabetics. It has also been shown to help with weight loss. Semaglutide belongs to a class of medications – glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, which mimic the hormone GLP-1 to lower blood sugar levels after eating. Compounded Semaglutide sodium or semaglutide acetate is a different form of Semaglutide than the one used in the pharmaceutically branded products by Novo Nordisk. There is a significant amount of data showing the safety and effectiveness of compounded Semaglutide as a medication for weight loss.

The common side effects are nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, and stomach pain. It is also advised to avoid or reduce alcohol consumption on the program.

We do not use the pharmaceutically branded forms of Semaglutide or the patented molecule of Semaglutide in our clinic. We use the form of semaglutide sodium or semaglutide acetate made in compouding pharmacies. Novo Nordisk’s form is patented at this time. We can only use the compounded forms of Semaglutide at this time due to the fact that the pharmaceutically branded forms are on the “shortage list.”

In our clinical experience, we have found Semaglutide to be safe and effective, However, Semaglutide acetate and semaglutide sodium have not been tested or approved by the FDA. The form of Semaglutide made by Novo Nordisk is different and is the only one with FDA testing and approval. Pharmaceutically branded forms of Semaglutide have a box warning about thyroid C-cell tumors occurring in rodents (with unknown risk in humans), and Semaglutide shouldn’t be used if you or your family have a history of certain thyroid cancers. Semaglutide should not be used in people with type-1 diabetes or a history of pancreatitis. Semaglutide should be used cautiously for people on other blood sugar lowering medications. It should also not be used if you are under 18, pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding.

No, Semaglutide is not a type of insulin or a substitute for insulin.

No, Semaglutide is not a stimulant.

At The Natural Path, we do not bill any insurance companies – fee for service only.

With Semaglutide sodium or Semaglutide acetate, you will slowly work your way up to the target dose at which time you will see the most amount of weight loss. We prefer to keep the max dose at 1.75 mg to avoid potential side effects. Clinically, we have found semaglutide sodium and semaglutide acetate to be highly effective in our patient population. It is important to keep in mind that weight loss can take time. You will see the best results when you are using it in combination with a healthy diet and exercise. Sometimes the medication may not work for you, or you may not be able to tolerate it. Most do well.

GLP-1 agonists like Semaglutide help to control your blood sugar. Those taking it also tend to lose weight. GLP-1, the key hormone involved, slows down stomach emptying and in addition, can stimulate your pancreas to release insulin.  Semaglutide also blocks a hormone that causes your liver to release sugar (glucagon). Together, these functions can help you feel less hungry, causing you to eat less food and lose more weight.

Yes, it is believed and clinically seen that Semaglutide sodium and semagluitde acetate can help curb your appetite. In addition to slowing gastric emptying to make you feel full for longer, GLP-1 also plays a direct role with appetite.