So I finally got around to calling TRT clinics to address my low T. Most of them were silly expensive, with $500/blood tests and $250/month just for the Testosterone pretty standard.
Called a place in palm beach and they offered $125 for a blood test and offered the meds as a kit:
10 week supply of Test Cyp (10CC at 200mg/ml)
10 week supply of anastrozole .25mg 2x a week
10 week supply of HCG delivered as bacteriostatic water and powder
all this for $400, or $40/week.
This seemed eminently reasonable, though 200mg/week seems a bit high to start. I was thinking of using insulin syringes and pinning 20mg/day to try and keep everything level.
Are these costs in line with what you’re paying?
I was under the impression daily injections kept SHBG and Aromatase/E2 activity lower. Am I wrong? Was also thinking about requesting the enthanate ester
I pay $54 for Test Out of pocket and $5 for Anost/With insurance. $75 for hcg for 10ml out of pocket. I think you are being ripped. But, it’s a common rip unless you find a dr who sends your orders through a compounding pharmacy. When I was at the T-clinic, they were nailing my ass too.
Define excessive, everyone has their own tolerance and some are over-responders. A 0.050 is enough to ruin my joints for weeks and if I keep taking it, hell on earth.
When you take an AI, you are gambling with your health. There is a member who was on a AI 5 months ago, he is still battling with estrogen <10 pg/mL. His is suffering.
Some like enanthate over cypionate, some prefer cypionate. I’ve used both and notice zero difference.
Costs, yes. Protocol, can’t really say. Not sure you need anastrozole, most don’t. As for hCG, why? Maintain fertility, actively trying to conceive? Avoid testicular atrophy?
Basement,
Seems high to me. I pay $52(Costco with good rx coupon)for 10mg of test c out of pocket that last 10 weeks, zero for generic anastrozole(with insurance) but I don’t take hcg. My labs are every 4 months and they run about $150. Not sure what area you are in but I would look around.
Costco pharmacy is super cheap…def worth checking there, and you don’t have to have a membership to use it.
I used to get like a years worth of finasteride (barf) for like $100, no insurance, it was crazy. It was cheaper without insurance for whatever reason.
I knew Costco was the cheapest. I just have to find a doc to write a scrip there. My GP who’s super enlightened about other stuff, saw the range, saw that my <400ng/dl number was “in range” and just shrugged at me and said “nothing I can do for you”.
There’s a lot of stigma in western medicine regarding TRT, 10 years ago seeking a managed healthcare doctor looking for what amounts to steroids and you wouldn’t get past first base.
TRT is very taboo and a touchy subject for doctors which usually provokes a sharp criticism and a change in subject. Doctors still believe TRT causes prostate cancer, heart attacks and strokes.
So when your doctors says, “can’t help you”, he is going into self preservation mode, in other words he likes his career.
I hear you. Just don’t know how a TRT clinic has an MD that can keep his license when a GP is scared to prescribe something that’s already in my veins (just not enough).
The blood test almost seems like a superfluous CYA for the clinics:
“What are your symptoms?”
“Uh, malaise, apathy, inability to focus, unexplained fat gain, limited recovery from workouts…”
“Yep that’s low T alright. Here’s your scrip for 10 weeks worth at 300% markup. Call me in 9 weeks for a refill. NEXT!”