Thoughts on bloods....

[Fizzypopcorn]

Not sure how this turned into a money debate, but since it has, it currently costs me $15 a month. That’s it. Through defy it was about $45 a month. Twice a year there’s bloodwork which was like $300 or so and a consultation at $60. So yeah it’s more.

That’s not really what it’s about. I wanted to get some input on the blood results, so I can make a decision on where to go from here.

well in your Original post you said: I used to be with defy and my doseage was higher which had my free test quite a bit higher. I felt amazing then. But it’s expensive and my wife has really good insurance

It sounds as if that is the reason you switched hence why others may have taken it why it’s about money. With that being said, you mentioned you are covering the ed meds and insurance isn’t. That stuff def isn’t cheap. Last I saw a generic script is atleast $1 a pill. 30 days of that almost covers your Defy bill. Perhaps if you got back to your old routine you can drop it.

I can can tell you that I’ve tried a couple GP’s and a urologist and all were very skittish around TRT. One didn’t even know how to answer basic questions about AI and another didn’t even order the right tests. There are unfortunately a lot of people out there “practicing” medicine.

 

[Gman86]

If you never have to pay for labs, they must be covered by your insurance. Because I can 100% guarantee that your doctor isn’t covering them. So since your insurance covers your labs, you can do what I do and have Defy write you a requisition for labs that you can then take to a Questdiagnostics location and get them drawn there, and your insurance will cover them. Defy doesn’t charge anything to write the lab requisition.

This is what I do and insurance covers my labs 100%. So labs don’t cost me a thing. And sounds like it would be the same for you. Which then will bring your cost per month back down to $43, only $28 more than what you’re paying now. Obviously worth the switch.

But if you can just up your dose on your own with the doctor that you’re with now, I would just do that for now.

 

[straight30weight]

Labs are covered by insurance, yes. However there are no quest diagnostics labs locally. NY is weird about blood testing.

The reason I switched originally was because the cost was far less and I assumed (my bad) that a local doctor would be knowledgeable about such things. Looks like I’m quite wrong.

 

[Gman86]

Labs are covered by insurance, yes. However there are no quest diagnostics labs locally. NY is weird about blood testing.

The reason I switched originally was because the cost was far less and I assumed (my bad) that a local doctor would be knowledgeable about such things. Looks like I'm quite wrong.

Wow I thought quest was everywhere. I live in Massachusetts and 2 minutes from my house there is literally 2 Quest locations directly across the street from eachother, no exaggeration. And then another location 5 minutes away if I go the opposite direction from my house. Not sure, but I would assume you would be able to take the lab requisition to labcorp too if you have any of those near you.

But ya don't feel bad, I'm a nurse and have been in the medical field for 10+ years and I still had to find out the hard way that most doctors know zero about testosterone. When I first found out I had low testosterone, I went to a local endocrinologist, who was in his 30's, and was a guy, so I had hope he would have some clue about it. Not only did he have zero knowledge on low testosterone, the whole appt was him telling me how dangerous going on TRT would be and that it would basically increase my chance of death 10 fold. He made it seem like I was retarded for even considering it. He said my testosterone was perfect for my age and that i needed to stop listening to the internet.

I also saw two general practitioners. One was young and although she had zero clue about low T, she was a little intrigued and asked me about what a person would experience with low t and what I was going through and everything. She had just never heard about low t or learned about that hormonal system, and it's effects, in medical school she said. She said if she did learn about it, she doesn't remember. Ultimately she obv didn't want to treat it since she knew nothing about it. And the second GP thought I was crazy and then recommended I try acupuncture. Which I did, and actually really liked it, but it obviously did nothing for my low T symptoms.

 

[straight30weight]

It's disappointing really. I pay good money for insurance and the doctors get paid well to know wtf they're talking about. In my lifetime I've spoken with 4 local “doctors” regarding testosterone, and all 4 were clueless. Not one paid any attention to the free test portion of the bloodwork and now that I look back at my old bloods since switching to local, they've never run the correct estradiol test. I'm going to go back to my old protocol for the time being and more than likely make the switch back to defy. I read my bloodwork as there was a problem and you guys confirmed it.