Insurance and HRT
- Thread starter ECTOmorph
- Start date
JanSz
Well-known member
Any insurance will cover visit to a doctor.ECTOmorph said:
Question is, some doctors have really high fees, insurance will cover only what they consider costumary. Often the high price doctors will not bother with filling out insurance forms, that may be of concern since it must be complicated process since those who do, often do not get it straight the first time.
The other part of cost is blood work. I did not have much of a problem when using my Blue Cross Blue Shield. Now I am 66yo, using Medicare, some of the blood work may not be allowed at frequency desired for TRT, will have to cover that bill myself.
Next cost is for Testosterone. My Androgel cost is (IIRC) about 6k per year, my prescription plan charges me about $600/yr for handling. I have heard that injections are less expensive. Arimidex, HCG, I cannot get my doc to write script for it, I am on my own with that. Did not used HCG as of now, Arimidex (original) can be had over internet, I used it. Liquid Adex is less expensive and, I guess, more covenient to dose. Recently I realised that I have to be carefull with AI's, since other suplements that I am already taking act as AI.
AI that I know of are Arimidex, Adex, Femara, Aromasin, DIM, IC3, Chrysin (when taken with piperine).
glg
Member
Just started on Androderm 2.5 mg ed and my BC/BS is covering it. Haven't ried for any additional HRT. Took awhile to find the D.O. that wrote this script. My promary wouldn't consider it and the uro I saw said I was "in the range" my total t was 317 and free T was 9.9 on LabCorps scale. The D.O. said she want to do follow up in 8 weeks. I plan on asking about HCG and HGH but don't have very high hopes. She is into holistic/naturopathic but i sense a boundry in her treatments. She also refers me to a lot of reading material and alternative practioners so I just have the feeling that she is going to go other directions than what i think my needs are. So I may be on the search again but at least I am started on something.
Oh and she doesn't accept my BC/BS so I have to play games that way.
Oh and she doesn't accept my BC/BS so I have to play games that way.
JanSz
Well-known member
glg said:
I use Androgel.
From my experience, 2.5grams that is a way too small.
2 packs 5grams every day is where I ended.
Because you are going to go thru testicles shutdown process the usual 2 weeks blood checks
will probably cause lots of confusion. If you keep your testicles going
by immediate use of HCG then you may need somewhat less of Androgel.
Next test 3 months latter should be sufficient. Again, my own experience.
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Big but.
Since you just started, I hope you have all baseline blood test in you hand,
for future reference. If not, it may be a good idea to stop Androgel
and anything else that you are taking, for a month or two.
Get tests per our resident Dr John's recommendation:
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When hi says Thyroid panel, that may mean
TSH, FreeT3, FreeT4,
for now, expand latter as/if needed,
(I could use input here)
Add test for DHEA
Clarify what Cortisol test you should have (LabCorp provides many different cortisol tests)
Stay with LabCorp for consistency
get your TRT per his updated protocol:
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There is a possibility that you do not need any TRT.
Check your adrenals and thyroid first.
Thyroid may be affecting your T production.
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glg
Member
I went thru 6 mo of testing before I was finally put on the patch (Test, Thyroid, Adrenals, Vit/Min, Cholesterol, misc, Hormones, infectious anti-bodies - I mostly followed the tests recommended by Dr. John in his thread plus a few extras). I do feel that 8 weeks is to long to wait and that 2.5 mg patch is to low. But she at least started me on something.
My next apt I am going to try pursuing a higher dose (depending on blood work results) and HCG/HGH.
My thyroid was a little high and my Adrenals were very low so she mentioned she might start me on a mineral corticoid (?).
Still have 4 weeks to wait.
My next apt I am going to try pursuing a higher dose (depending on blood work results) and HCG/HGH.
My thyroid was a little high and my Adrenals were very low so she mentioned she might start me on a mineral corticoid (?).
Still have 4 weeks to wait.
kincaiddave
Member
glg said:
I don't know of any authorities that would agree with the 8 weeks. My doc argued that we needed to wait the same amount of time (8 weeks) for my symptoms to change. I was able to convince him to go ahead and test earlier by providing data showing how quickly the serum level responds and mostly levels off in a few days after starting a transdermal (5g AndroGel in my case). I also made the strong point that I wanted to have my testosterone level tested and not my symptoms! It was a good thing, because the 5g took me from 319 to 161 total. You may very well go down also. Don't let your doctor do that to you for longer than is necessary.
kincaiddave
Member
ECTOmorph said:
I didn't absorb well and it must have been just enough to shut my test production down. I was changed to 10g and that just got me up to 331, so just barely more than I made naturally.
I was changed to shots and have only done two so far.
I'd be happy to answer more questions if you have any, but would prefer to do so in my thread "My First Self Injection".