[quote]63longroof wrote:
Not trying to argue with the above poster but it is NOT that simple. Quite the opposite for most.
At least that is my experience with the whole deal.
[/quote]
Well, I have limited experience too, but in my case it was EXACTLY that simple.
I persuaded my primary care physician to test my T-levels. When he saw how low they were, he sent me straight to an endo, who ran some more tests and put me on TRT.
My insurance company even paid 100% for the T because it was an injectable. Their specialty pharmacy would send it to me by UPS overnight.
When I moved last year I went through the process again, no problem. And this time the endo is a woman, although she prefers to prescribe androgel, which I just pick up at the pharmacy every month. No big deal…
When I started out, I expected massive problems too. There were none. Remember that doctors prescribe all sorts of medicines that are abused much more than testosterone.
Perhaps, there is also the issue that TRT specialists who charge thousands of $$ for an initial consult have little incentive to educate doctors at large.
Neither the Endocrine Society nor the AACE mention hCG or AI as part of the treatment regime in their guidelines except in reference to gyno.
I am just self-paying my TRT. They cover my blood work and the office visits, but they will only cover testosterone and not the HCG/Al at all. They also don’t want to cover more than one month of a supply at a time. It doesn’t come out much more to just pay for it directly to the doctor who gets a discount from the wholesale pharmacy and sells to his patients at his cost.
Still hijacked. The issue was how doctors are fearful of dealing with testosterone or prescribing cancer drugs [aromatase inhibitors]. The issue is not about doctors who are clueless about these things; there is a ‘your doctor is an idiot’ thread some where.
My father-in-law (plastic and reconstructive surgeon) and uncle (DO and OBGYN) would say it has everything to do with lawsuits. They are very cautious about using things for “off label” use because it makes it easier for them to get sued. My father-in-law is brilliant and has worked miracles for patients (did tons of reconstructive work over the years on hands, faces, legs, feet, etc), but finally retired because he could not practice the way he wanted to anymore. Plus, his malpractice insurance was the same as the doc down the street that had been sued a dozen times, even though he had NEVER been sued in more than 35 years!
A loser pays system, which is prevalent around the world but not in the US, would give doctors mo freedom to practice better medicine again…