How do you guys get bloodwork done?

[bonez3113]

I know sounds like a dumb question, but alot of people seem to get bloodwork before, during and after a cycle. Do you go to your PCP/Doctor and ask to get blood work done and check the lipid profile? Also, can you tell them you are about to cycle? I heard that if you tell your doctor this, he/she could drop you as a patient due to liabilities and such...Is this broscience?

Any takers?

About to do my first cycle (P-Mag), and want to make sure I have all the bases covered before I start it.

 

[MakaveliThaDon]

http://anabolicminds.com/forum/steroids/157529-cheap-bloodwork-how.html

 

[owenz]

Guess im the odd one out but I go to my normal doctor and just tell him what I want looked at on the panel. Works everytime and I have a 20 dollar copay

 

[MakaveliThaDon]

Guess im the odd one out but I go to my normal doctor and just tell him what I want looked at on the panel. Works everytime and I have a 20 dollar copay

How much info do you provide? I mean for instance, if you walked into this docs office and said "well...i'm doin a cycle right now, and I wanna know if my AI is handling my estrogen properly, can you sign off on getting my e2 tested?" Would he be like yah sure we can do that?

I was just thinking the other day how useful it would be to have a "brodoctor" who would do this, and like you said, would only be a 20 dollar co pay for me as well...

 

[JudoJosh]

Either tell him you are on a cycle or just describe signs and symptoms to him so he would order the blood work himself.

 

[MidwestBeast]

I was just thinking the other day how useful it would be to have a "brodoctor" who would do this, and like you said, would only be a 20 dollar co pay for me as well...

My gym owner and I have talked about this a number of times and how big of a cashcrop this could be. I'd love it and it would keep people healthy.

As for me, I've never had levels checked directly because of a cycle, but my insurance told me what tests are covered and I'm basically greenlit on bloodwork as long as it's not due to infertility lol (I'd asked them about test and they said as long as it wasn't tied to that, I was good). I even got IGF-1 covered.

So for me, I think it would depend on how frequently you went in and how cool your doc was in terms of what he'd think when he saw levels, but in theory I can just keep going in and requesting tests and as long as he says "cool" then sends the slip to the lab, I'm good to go.

 

[MakaveliThaDon]

Either tell him you are on a cycle or just describe signs and symptoms to him so he would order the blood work himself.

I think my doc would just look at me and tell me he's not going to help me do something illegal. And you can't blame him..

 

[MakaveliThaDon]

My gym owner and I have talked about this a number of times and how big of a cashcrop this could be. I'd love it and it would keep people healthy.

As for me, I've never had levels checked directly because of a cycle, but my insurance told me what tests are covered and I'm basically greenlit on bloodwork as long as it's not due to infertility lol (I'd asked them about test and they said as long as it wasn't tied to that, I was good). I even got IGF-1 covered.

So for me, I think it would depend on how frequently you went in and how cool your doc was in terms of what he'd think when he saw levels, but in theory I can just keep going in and requesting tests and as long as he says "cool" then sends the slip to the lab, I'm good to go.

Is this the guy that your gym owner referred you to? How old is he just out of curiosity? Seems maybe a younger guy would be a bit easier to play ball with so to speak.

 

[MidwestBeast]

Is this the guy that your gym owner referred you to? How old is he just out of curiosity? Seems maybe a younger guy would be a bit easier to play ball with so to speak.

Haha actually, yes, the guy I'm seeing now is the guy who has my gym owner on TRT (and adderall....). So far he's done a set of thyroid labs for me and then the 24-hour cortisol test. I have an appointment with him again on the 2nd to I assume discuss things. I had a random GP (didn't have a doc in the year that I'd been living down here) do my full blood panel back in Jan when I had test, estro, everything else checked. But yeah, I imagine he'd be fine signing off on most tests, though like I said, I don't know what he'd say if he saw lipids and hormones all over the charts if I were to cycle and then have the bloods done.

 

[owenz]

How much info do you provide? I mean for instance, if you walked into this docs office and said "well...i'm doin a cycle right now, and I wanna know if my AI is handling my estrogen properly, can you sign off on getting my e2 tested?" Would he be like yah sure we can do that?

I was just thinking the other day how useful it would be to have a "brodoctor" who would do this, and like you said, would only be a 20 dollar co pay for me as well...

This was a new doctor that I just got connected with. Had my physical with him and said I needed blood work to check all the normal indicators because I had used some anabolics. He's a doctor, he wont rat you out. He's trying to make sure you're healthy too. didn't tell him what I cycle or how long, just that there was some info I needed and they made the appointment. Real simple.

 

[jbryand101b]

yea, but if you ever need something big, the insurance company has acces to your file, and the aas usage, and all the blood work will give time a reason to say no.

that is one of the reasons to go around using your insurance. leaving a paper trail that you use aas can hurt you down the road, esp when/if you become a senior citizen, kiss health insurance good bye, their going to take one look at your medical records, and say, forget it. too much of a liable risk.

 

[JudoJosh]

yea, but if you ever need something big, the insurance company has acces to your file, and the aas usage, and all the blood work will give time a reason to say no.

that is one of the reasons to go around using your insurance. leaving a paper trail that you use aas can hurt you down the road, esp when/if you become a senior citizen, kiss health insurance good bye, their going to take one look at your medical records, and say, forget it. too much of a liable risk.

Hmmm... As far as I know medical records are confidential and protected under HIPPA. You would have to sign off to give someone else permission to access them. When I got my health insurance and life insurance, neither of them asked me to sign anything over involving my medical records.

Maybe it is different when you are older? Also medical records aren't kept in some big database. The are only in the doctors office. This is why junkies go to doctors out of counties to get meds prescribed. I work in a ER and you won't believe how many how of state people we get claiming they are in pain, and without knowing who their physician is and also having their permission we can't access their records.

Then again maybe as you get older you are more of a risk to them and the insurance company would want to see records. I don't know..

 

[freefall365]

Your medical records are protected by HIPPA, however, insurance companies require you to release your records before they will issue a policy -- that's how they know what to charge you (based on medical history).

the more health issues on your record, the more insurance costs (if you can even get it at all).

 

[HondaV65]

Maybe I'm missing something ... we do steroids ... that's an ELECTIVE activity.

We assume all the risks and hazards when we do them (or, we should).

Why should insurance ever pay for bloodwork that we'd like done because of our "elective" endeavor?

Makes no sense.

That's forcing others to pay for us choosing to participate in a risky activity.

Isn't that kind of the Libertarian philosophy I've seen on these boards? I mean, if you're like me, you're mad as hell the government outlaws steroids in the first place - along with other things like Marijuana and other drugs ... not to mention things like Prostitution. All victimless crimes unless ...

You "create" a victim by forcing others to pay for your bloodwork that you need to monitor your steroid activity.

 

[MidwestBeast]

Maybe I'm missing something ... we do steroids ... that's an ELECTIVE activity.

We assume all the risks and hazards when we do them (or, we should).

Why should insurance ever pay for bloodwork that we'd like done because of our "elective" endeavor?

Makes no sense.

That's forcing others to pay for us choosing to participate in a risky activity.

Isn't that kind of the Libertarian philosophy I've seen on these boards? I mean, if you're like me, you're mad as hell the government outlaws steroids in the first place - along with other things like Marijuana and other drugs ... not to mention things like Prostitution. All victimless crimes unless ...

You "create" a victim by forcing others to pay for your bloodwork that you need to monitor your steroid activity.

It's an opinion for sure.

For me, I haven't had blood work done related to steroid use or anything like that. Mine was a full hormonal panel to figure out what was flat out wrong with me. However, I think we should all do fairly regular bloodwork, anyway, so I don't see what harm scheduling it around a cycle you were planning on doing does (e.g. do blood work before hand to make sure things are stable and then another 6 months later to make sure things are back to normal well after PCT). If you do it that way instead of pre-cycle, on-cycle, before PCT, after PCT all in matter of 2 months, I don't see the harm/unethical behavior.

 

[JudoJosh]

Maybe I'm missing something ... we do steroids ... that's an ELECTIVE activity.

We assume all the risks and hazards when we do them (or, we should).

Why should insurance ever pay for bloodwork that we'd like done because of our "elective" endeavor?

Makes no sense.

That's forcing others to pay for us choosing to participate in a risky activity.

Isn't that kind of the Libertarian philosophy I've seen on these boards? I mean, if you're like me, you're mad as hell the government outlaws steroids in the first place - along with other things like Marijuana and other drugs ... not to mention things like Prostitution. All victimless crimes unless ...

You "create" a victim by forcing others to pay for your bloodwork that you need to monitor your steroid activity.

WTF?

First, yes it is elective as so are playing sports. By competing in judo, if I break my arm my insurance would cover it, as it should since I pay for it. How is that different then me electing to use steroids? Both come with health risk do they not?

Insurance should pay for it since I pay for insurance. How do you figure they shouldn't pay for it?

Also how are my endeavors a burden on anyone else? How am I forcing other to pay for my blood work? I pay for my insurance and my insurance pays for my medical expenses, where are others charged for any of this?

 

[jamesm11]

While I don't agree with his ideas, you obviously don't understand how health insurance works.

Your money doesn't pay for your medical expenses. Essentially everyone pays rates based on their risk. Companies need to profit. If you are paying say $10k a year for insurance and you are on a constant treatment (chemotherapy) it costs a great deal more but insurance still pays. They use other people's money who pay and don't have medical costs higher than their premium. So yeah people do foot bills in insurance for others. Its essentially a collective pool. If companies had to foot the bill for extra stuff like this all the time then everyone pays more. So it does cost others money if everyone does it.

 

[jbryand101b]

Hmmm... As far as I know medical records are confidential and protected under HIPPA. You would have to sign off to give someone else permission to access them. When I got my health insurance and life insurance, neither of them asked me to sign anything over involving my medical records.

Maybe it is different when you are older? Also medical records aren't kept in some big database. The are only in the doctors office. This is why junkies go to doctors out of counties to get meds prescribed. I work in a ER and you won't believe how many how of state people we get claiming they are in pain, and without knowing who their physician is and also having their permission we can't access their records.

Then again maybe as you get older you are more of a risk to them and the insurance company would want to see records. I don't know..

Your medical records are protected by HIPPA, however, insurance companies require you to release your records before they will issue a policy -- that's how they know what to charge you (based on medical history).

the more health issues on your record, the more insurance costs (if you can even get it at all).

this--^
and that---v

when your insurance pays for something, the doctor has to send them what they are paying for, and why. you dont think they keep a record of that?

 

[JudoJosh]

While I don't agree with his ideas, you obviously don't understand how health insurance works.

Your money doesn't pay for your medical expenses. Essentially everyone pays rates based on their risk. Companies need to profit. If you are paying say $10k a year for insurance and you are on a constant treatment (chemotherapy) it costs a great deal more but insurance still pays. They use other people's money who pay and don't have medical costs higher than their premium. So yeah people do foot bills in insurance for others. Its essentially a collective pool. If companies had to foot the bill for extra stuff like this all the time then everyone pays more. So it does cost others money if everyone does it.

Yea I do understand how insurance works. No, other people don't pay for my expenses, the insurance company does. While yes they do get the money from multiple people, those people don't pay my bills. Once you give your money to the insurance company for your monthly dues or co-pays, it is no longer "your money" it is theirs.

this--^
and that---v

when your insurance pays for something, the doctor has to send them what they are paying for, and why. you dont think they keep a record of that?

Yes the doctor has to justify whatever he is doing and ordering. But the statement was about prior to having insurance, not afterwards. And even then the insurance company can not release their record to another insurance company, a doctor, a civilian, etc without your permission. All they can do is refuse to pay for something being done.

 

[jbryand101b]

or refuse to give you insurance. for me, it's a risk i dont want to take.

 

[JudoJosh]

or refuse to give you insurance. for me, it's a risk i dont want to take.

I guess worst case they could drop your coverage but I honestly don't know. I assume it would be based upon your policy agreement. But again even if you are dropped, when you apply for new insurance at a different company your old insurance cant disclose your medical records to them.

What is the difference between me telling my doctor I smoke weed or do coke and want bloodwork or have wild crazy promiscuous sex and need steady STD test and that I engage in steroid usage and need bloodwork to monitor my health? My doctor knows I use ph/DS and writes me scripts for blood work whenever I want and it has never been an issue with my insurance company before.

You also always have the option if just paying for the bloodwork cash and not use your insurance. Just get the script from your doctor and pay cash for your bloodwork and then your insurance company won't know (unless they audit your records from your doctor)

I believe HTS is an insurance agent. Let me get him to chime in here and help clear some stuff up for us

 

[HereToStudy]

I touched on this in the "cheap bloodwork" thread. I am a licensed agent for life and health (along with P&C) in Illinois.

My word of caution is to strongly avoid using insurance for bloodwork related to a steroid cycle. If you are not a user, and would like bloodwork done "just to see," by all means, use your doctor. In fact depending on your state, it might be a no-charge once a year if your state considers it part of the physical. (IIRC Illinois does not).

Now here is why to avoid it. As others here have alluded to, anything your insurance company has, they have access to. HIPAA will not stop this. If you blood results are skewed (say you bilirubin and ALT/AST is out of range) you might be labeled as a high risk (in this case for various liver diseases/failure). Now this isn't a huge issue if you are on a group plan, or even an individual you plan to maintain. The issue arises however if you ever have to switch insurance companies (Way more common than you may think). On an application for health insurance, you must answer various questions about health, including "Have you had any tests with abnormal results?" You can obviously see where I am going with this. Tell the truth, and you most likely will end up denied (the worst case), receive rate hikes (called premium adjustment, or being "rated"), or have related conditions as an exclusion on your health insurance (So assume your test results were trashed HDL/LDL, now they will exclude conditions related to the heart! Not Good!).

Some say you can just lie to them right? Not Quite. Insurance companies keep extensive records on clients (almost to the point of being sick) and much of this information is reported to the MIB, which is a database of information that can be shared between insurance companies for risk assessment. Lets assume it wasn't reported to the MIB, and they accept your lie. 2 years later you have a heart attack. This is where insurance companies are good at making money. They will investigate the hell out of you. They will turn up every rock until they find a reason they do not need to pay out that money, and you can bet your ass they will find a previously insurance paid for blood lab.

I know many will disagree with me, but I restate that you should avoid completely using insurance for your steroid related bloodwork. Keep it to private clinics (I used privatemdlabs).

 

[MakaveliThaDon]

I touched on this in the "cheap bloodwork" thread. I am a licensed agent for life and health (along with P&C) in Illinois.

My word of caution is to strongly avoid using insurance for bloodwork related to a steroid cycle. If you are not a user, and would like bloodwork done "just to see," by all means, use your doctor. In fact depending on your state, it might be a no-charge once a year if your state considers it part of the physical. (IIRC Illinois does not).

Now here is why to avoid it. As others here have alluded to, anything your insurance company has, they have access to. HIPAA will not stop this. If you blood results are skewed (say you bilirubin and ALT/AST is out of range) you might be labeled as a high risk (in this case for various liver diseases/failure). Now this isn't a huge issue if you are on a group plan, or even an individual you plan to maintain. The issue arises however if you ever have to switch insurance companies (Way more common than you may think). On an application for health insurance, you must answer various questions about health, including "Have you had any tests with abnormal results?" You can obviously see where I am going with this. Tell the truth, and you most likely will end up denied (the worst case), receive rate hikes (called premium adjustment, or being "rated"), or have related conditions as an exclusion on your health insurance (So assume your test results were trashed HDL/LDL, now they will exclude conditions related to the heart! Not Good!).

Some say you can just lie to them right? Not Quite. Insurance companies keep extensive records on clients (almost to the point of being sick) and much of this information is reported to the MIB, which is a database of information that can be shared between insurance companies for risk assessment. Lets assume it wasn't reported to the MIB, and they accept your lie. 2 years later you have a heart attack. This is where insurance companies are good at making money. They will investigate the hell out of you. They will turn up every rock until they find a reason they do not need to pay out that money, and you can bet your ass they will find a previously insurance paid for blood lab.

I know many will disagree with me, but I restate that you should avoid completely using insurance for your steroid related bloodwork. Keep it to private clinics (I used privatemdlabs).

good info to know. I usually use labcorp for all mine, the frustrating thing is that where I live, the closest labcorp to me is literally 2 hours away just across the state border into indiana. So you kinda gotta make a day of it anytime you want to get bloods.

 

[HereToStudy]

good info to know. I usually use labcorp for all mine, the frustrating thing is that where I live, the closest labcorp to me is literally 2 hours away just across the state border into indiana. So you kinda gotta make a day of it anytime you want to get bloods.

Yeah, Im lucky in that regard that in Chicago, there are multiple locations. Worst part for me is the dreaded fasting when getting lipids.