Issues with Empower Pharmacy

Nelson Vergel · May 12, 2023

This is what their operations manager told me yesterday:

"Turnaround times should be back to 24-48 hours by June 5th."

Steve78 · May 13, 2023

I’m a doctor and it takes me a min of 30 mins to call in a script… the portal to do so was down so that wasn’t an option. They must be making a lot, why not hire more staff and pay them more?

Wilson7 · May 13, 2023

This thread explains what my urologist has been going through.

OMI100 · May 13, 2023

OMI100 said:
I am in the same sinking boat. Same dr for years.... Empower for years.... Using TD test cream for years... New script was sent in a week or so ago and down the rabbit hole I went... MSG left on my office answering machine that additional info was needed. I tried calling and got the "Your number 55 in line" response! Tried a few more times over a few days and same msg #55...#45...#51... I finally bit the bullet and sat in front of my computer as the phone msg SLOWLY counted down to 1!!! Talked to a person that could not find my script and transferred me to someone else who found that my script was entered with my first and last names listed backwards! He identified that the script was missing a diagnosis code and date of last dr visit? NEVER had ANY issues with the way the script was written until now. Said to have my dr call and provided that. I called my drs off and let them know what info was needed. It appears that even dr offices are getting that "You are #56 in line msg" as I called empower a bit ago to see if that missing info had been provided. Nope!!!. At least this time the rep made a simple suggestion ..... "Have your dr. send in a NEW script from scratch, with all the info". I will call my dr in the A.M. and ask them to send a NEW script in and will see if that works. I will give Empower one more chance to get it right before I look for another provider! I may have a days worth of TD cream left!. The silver lining is that I will be able to run some labs and see where my testosterone levels are at naturally without meds

UPDATE
I asked my PC to send a NEW script. They did. Got a call last Friday from Empower and called back and got the "you are number 55...." and stayed on the line. Finally made it to Number 1 and got to talk to a real person. They received the script and as I was confirming all my info got to the addressee confirmation part..."WE can't ship there"... That started another rabbit hole that lasted for at least 45 mins

. Finally got it all sorted out and I THINK my script was processed and is being filled. Time will tell. I will say that the rep I was on the phone with me went the extra mile to work out ALL the issues.

OMI100 · May 16, 2023

OMI100 said:
UPDATE
I asked my PC to send a NEW script. They did. Got a call last Friday from Empower and called back and got the "you are number 55...." and stayed on the line. Finally made it to Number 1 and got to talk to a real person. They received the script and as I was confirming all my info got to the addressee confirmation part..."WE can't ship there"... That started another rabbit hole that lasted for at least 45 mins. Finally got it all sorted out and I THINK my script was processed and is being filled. Time will tell. I will say that the rep I was on the phone with me went the extra mile to work out ALL the issues.

UPDATE 2
just received an email receipt for my TD cream so looks like my script was processed and went through. Now all I have to do is wait for the delivery

Nelson Vergel · Nov 18, 2023

Those dates mean nothing. They are the new FDA mandated ones.
Watch this interview

Wilson7 · Nov 19, 2023

excelnelg said:
So is this common because I'm in a major crash and suspect I've gotten a bad batch of either test or nandrolone. Checking the nandrolone vial that I've been using just a couple of weeks and the discard by date is TODAY.

Wilson7 · Nov 19, 2023

One of the guys on another board had his Empower ND tested HPLC, came back around 190 mg/ml. There are simple colormetric tests such as Roid Test that the BBs use for their gear. They make a quantitative and qualitative tests for testosterone esters (C and E) and ND. Crude yes, but they get you in the ballpark. I've used them and compared compounded with generic test, they are the same.I randomly check batches to make sure. Can order these from Amazon to check your compounded. As far as use dates for oil based, properly stored androgens have a very long shelf life. I've used Empower ND two years past use date without issue after finding an old vial buried in the med cab. A few days or a month or so if proper stored and used, very doubtful it will lose much potency. Water base solutions even with BAC, that's a different story as are reconstituted peptides, 30 - 60 days with BAC. I am not recommending anyone ignore these dates, but there is some wiggle room. I doubt it was a bad batch. Even the extreme, I've talked to guys that have used UGL testosterone 10 yrs old from decent UGL and it worked just fine for them. No infection, site reaction and the labs showed T levels they would have expected with X dose. Regulations and politics continue to make this harder and harder for those of us that just want QOL with advancing age, unfortunate. If you really think the batch was bad and you're crashing, go to walk in labs and get a total testosterone done, standard assay as that will cross react with the ND as well. If your levels are where they should be, then you know and the crash is being caused by something else. Going by how one feels without verifying with labs is useless.

madman · Nov 19, 2023

excelnelg said:
So is this common because I'm in a major crash and suspect I've gotten a bad batch of either test or nandrolone. Checking the nandrolone vial that I've been using just a couple of weeks and the discard by date is TODAY.

Hard to believe you are experiencing a major crash unless your T was bunk or you are running a very low T dose with a higher dose of ND and the ND is bunk.

Chances seem slim especially if you are dealing with a reputable compounding pharmacy.

The shelf life of the Xyosted (TE) auto-injector which is preservative free as it only contains testosterone enenthate in sesame oil is 2 years.

Unopened vials of various esterified T/ND formulations (ester, carrier oil, excipients) will have a shelf life of 3 years on average.

An unopened ampule/vial should still be okay to use past the expiration date as esterified testosterone is very stable, mind you there may be degradation in the potency/purity post-expiration date and no one can say with certainty to what degree.

I would tread lightly with an unopened multi-dose vial well beyond the 3 years especially when it comes to sterility.

I definitely would not touch an unopened 10-year-old vial!

The bottom line here is you need labs.

I would be testing TT using the most accurate assay (LC/MS-MS) and FT (Equilibrium Dialysis) to see where your trough TT/FT levels truly sit as the standard immunoassays would skew your results when using ND.

As another poster stated test your TT using the standard assay to see if your ND is legit as such assay will pick up the TT + ND and put your TT well beyond where it would truly sit.