Hello Everyone

[Kanecore]

Hello everyone. I have recently found this board after searching Dr. John's web page. I've been on the other board for about a year and a half now and notice a lot of familiar people here who have been so helpful to me with their knowledge and experience.

I've been on TRT for 11 years because of a family physician injecting me with T after lab results indicated I had low total T but had never checked any other reason for the result (medical, environmental, nutrition, etc...). He proceeded to inject me with T for four years before without checking any of the other labs that Dr. John advocates or indicating I should take Arimidex or HCG. Call me nieve, but I actually thought this doctor, who was my friend too, knew what he was doing until I start getting bph and all kind of other side effects.

I am now a patient of Dr. John and can't tell you how lucky I am to have found him. After years of going through many endos who made my situation worse, I finally have hope. Look forward to speaking with all of you. Take care!

Regards,

Patrick

 

[plymouth city]

Ive heard from so many people who are dealing with endo's and GP's that are essentially clueless when it comes to HRT.

To be honest, its not completely their fault. HRT has become such a beast that it really needs its own MD's who specialize in it primarily. Treating something like a thyroid issue is standard fare for an endo. Treating HRT is a whole another matter. Metaphorically speaking, its like comparing changing spark plugs versus redoing an entire engine block.

 

[ItsHectic]

I think endos would be capable of treating low T if they were just taught what to do.
I spoke to a GP today who has afew patients on 250mg sustanon every 3 weeks and he says there doing ok wich surprises me, and they probly are, but lots of people wouldnt be ok on that, its not a matter of it being difficult, its just politics and ethics.

BTW the closest thing to a TRT specialist is an Andrologist.

 

[Kanecore]

Thanks for sharing that experience Dr. John. Before traveling to see Dr. John, I was going to an endo in New York City. He was one of the heads of endochrinology for Columbia University Medical School and Presbyterian Hospital. He was in practice since 1968 and was a very nice guy. He would call me to tell me what my lab resutls were and to ask me how I was doing. At the time, I believed he was the best doctor I could find for my particular problems. I went to him for about six years.

He only prescribed T enanthate and nothing else. He regularly ran labs for E2, TSH, Free T, LH and prolactin. However, he didn't run the ultrasensitive E labs, free T3 and T4, cortisol or many of the labs Dr. John advocates. After I found that other site and read A Recipe for Success and posts from Phil, Marianco and many others, I confronted this doctor. He told me I was just getting older and needed to accept my hormonal limitations and that Dr. John's labs would not reveal anything beneficial. I responded by stating that I was 34, not 84! He would not budge though. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. I immediately cancelled all future appointments.

I've heard so many endo horror stories over the past several years. Hopefully, the efforts of the anti-aging community will reach the mainstream so more men won't feel like there is no hope for their condition.

 

[size]

Welcome to the board. I imagine some people will be able to benefit from your input and experiences.

 

[ItsHectic]

I have had brushes with two Endocrinologists in my own town recently, who I share a patient with. The poor fellow is being treated by them for his diabetes, and just wanted them to evaluate Estradiol and SHBG, so his insurance company would pay for the tests. Both stated they "disagree completely with what Dr. Crisler is doing for you", but, when pressed as to exactly what it is they disagree with, refused to specify. One, however, did say this patient should not be getting Growth Hormone. The patient informed the Endo he is not taking GH, but rather HCG. She could not be brought to an understanding that hGH and hCG are in fact different hormones.

One of them did mention "HCG should not be used because it is so expensive". Now, do they think $46 for a two month supply is a lot, or are they thinking it is GH? And do they prescribe any medications that cost more than $23 per month? LOL

The second Endo (after the first was promptly fired) said "HCG is for fertility ONLY!" It would be nice is this hormonal specialist would learn a bit about how these hormones work, and then give it a little thought. Afterall, HCG is the old school treatment of choice for secondary hypogonadism, so he doesn't even know that. BTW, this Endo does prescribe a lot of TRT in this town.

Nice story, I always make it clear to doctors that I dont mean HGH when I say HCG, I have had an endo straight out of medical school tell me testosterone can cause breast cancer wich is probly the biggest straight out lie I have heard from a doctor so far, I asked him if he was an endocrinologist and he responded that he was a trainee, everything should of been fresh in his head.
From my experience I have found simular although minor communication problems amongst specialists through written letters are very common, typos mixing words up, missing some of the points etc.

 

[KSman]

He only prescribed T enanthate and nothing else. He regularly ran labs for E2, TSH, Free T, LH and prolactin.

If the TRT was effective, from a T level point of view, you would be "shut down" and TSH LH levels would be zero or trace levels. So what was the point of all of that expense? The prolactin levels would show if you got laid the night before