How to Get Testosterone Checked

[MashedTaters]

Couple questions...

Cost? From above, it looks like Gbraddock pays $40/mo for HCG and Soule pays $260 for T and HCG. That's quite a range, if I'm correct.

Does Medicare cover this?

Do you have to go to the clinic to get the injection (is it weekly?) or can you self-administer?

Thanks.

[Gbraddock]

Please provide references. There are androgen receptors almost everywhere in the body, but I have not read that brain and heart are the top 2.

The relationship between T and heart health is complicated and not well understood. People who abuse anabolic steroids have worse cardiovascular outcomes. Men who supplement T within near-physiologic levels seem to have better cardiovascular health. Men whose androgen production is shut down, chemically and/or by castration, usually to treat cancer, do not seem to have worse cardiovascular outcomes.

This is a complicated story, and I don't think that sweeping statements like this can be easily backed up.

My Cenegenics trained Dr told me this. He has since moved out of state so I no longer use him. He became trained after suffering from hypogonadism in his late 30s and felt strongly about helping men with the same issues who get told they need SSRIs etc when they present with the symptoms. This was in 2013 when I was told the statement about the receptor concentrations.

[Gbraddock]

Couple questions...

Cost? From above, it looks like Gbraddock pays $40/mo for HCG and Soule pays $260 for T and HCG. That's quite a range, if I'm correct.

Does Medicare cover this?

Do you have to go to the clinic to get the injection (is it weekly?) or can you self-administer?

Thanks.

I pay cash for my Rxs. It’s about $20 a month for Testosterone and around $40 month for hcg. I self administer the injections at home.

[Soule]

Couple questions...

Cost? From above, it looks like Gbraddock pays $40/mo for HCG and Soule pays $260 for T and HCG. That's quite a range, if I'm correct.

Does Medicare cover this?

Do you have to go to the clinic to get the injection (is it weekly?) or can you self-administer?

Thanks.

Correct, I pay $260 for T and HCG and this includes quarterly labs as well. I go to the clinic to get my shot — self-administration would require a doctor’s prescription i believe, assuming you want to stay legal. Different clinics have different pricing.

Some insurances cover it like blue cross/blue shield, but they have their own criteria in regards to what level your T is naturally. I don’t know about medicare.

[Gbraddock]

For clarification, I began TRT with an age management physician. Then, when I got dialed in, I switched to a local family Dr who maintains Rxs, etc. I order bloodwork thru PrivateMDLabs (there’s other ones too) and print copies for my doctor. If you don’t mind injecting yourself, it is a good option for convenience and cost to do it this way. Of course, you have to be disciplined and take the appropriate dose to optimize health, keep bloodwork looking good, and maintain trust with your doctor.

Hope it helps.

[MashedTaters]

Thanks!

[jfsully]

Doesn’t mean he’s wrong, but a verbal statement from someone about a product he is paid to sell shouldn’t sway opinion very much. Especially when it’s not corroborated. Likewise, I’m a psychiatrist, so you can factor that into whatever I opine about as well, unless I can back it up.

Like most things in medicine and science, T is complicated. Seeing whether you feel better on T or not is fairly simple, but figuring out the risks and benefits on a population level is not.

[jfsully]

My Cenegenics trained Dr told me this. He has since moved out of state so I no longer use him. He became trained after suffering from hypogonadism in his late 30s and felt strongly about helping men with the same issues who get told they need SSRIs etc when they present with the symptoms. This was in 2013 when I was told the statement about the receptor concentrations.

Doesn’t mean he’s wrong, but a verbal statement from someone about a product he is paid to sell shouldn’t sway opinion very much. Especially when it’s not corroborated. Likewise, I’m a psychiatrist, so you can factor that into whatever I opine about as well, unless I can back it up.

Like most things in medicine and science, T is complicated. Seeing whether you feel better on T or not is fairly simple, but figuring out the risks and benefits on a population level is not.

Just for clarification, the above is the post I was responding to.

[Mark Rippetoe]

From looking at Cenegenics' website, the program primarily delivers abz and a loss of body hair.

[Gbraddock]

You gotta love marketing “EXPERTS”

For clarification, there may be drs “selling” TRT products. The guy I saw held a very similar approach to his services as Rip. He was very clear and selective on who he saw based on your consult. He actually performed a VERY intense physical exam (to include a prostate exam...HELLO)! Woulda been fine with checking PSA on my bloods but I digress.

In fact, I tried to look him up in the new location where he moved and I can’t find where he is even offering age management services any longer. I do recognize there are some Docs out there rubber stamping Rxs.

Finally, as to his comments on T receptor concentrations, it’s just what he told me.