Made appointment at TRT Clinic but...

[V-ROID]

Made appointment at TRT Clinic for next Tuesday. They said first thing they do is draw blood and get TEST and PSA levels while you wait. Depending on the numbers, you could be receiving a poke in the ass that same day! Whoa, wait, slow down... The ditzy receptionist said I would have to speak to the physician about any other tests when I have my visit. What kind of reaction should I expect when I present him with this list?

• Total Testosterone
• Bioavailable Testosterone
• Free Testosterone
• SHBG
• DHT
• Estradiol
• LH
• FSH
• Prolactin
• Cortisol
• Thyroid Panel
• CBC
• Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
• Lipid Profile
• PSA
• IGF -1, IGFBP-3

I got the impression that the TRT Clinic was a high volume in-and-out kinda place. I definitely want to go more in depth with my hormone levels than just TEST and PSA. If the Dr. agrees to all of the tests how long should it take to get the results? I am in no hurry but it seems like they are... I have considered sending away for my own labs, but hoping insurance can make them way less expensive for me. I would much rather bring the numbers here and be evaluated by a bunch of over the hill juice heads than a PhD...

[TRT2010]

My TRT is expensive untill i pay my deductable then i am 100% covered. My first visit was about 20 minutes with the PA. Told him symptoms and what i wanted to get out of it. My test for 404 when it came back which was the next day. This is when i was 25. They told me to come in and i did got my first injection 250 test c and a shot of b12.. Good luck and all man

[V-ROID]

Thanks. I have had blood work done before but never a detailed panel. Have felt slow to recover from exercise for over 20 years. Also hangovers became too severe to keep drinking. Liver and thyroid always came back fine. I never put too much worry into having low Test considering I have ALWAYS been raring to go sexually. Other than that I have a lot of the symptoms...

[sirupate]

Depends on who is doing the labs. If it is the clinic you are going to, labs can be turned around pretty quickly. My doctor has sent me out for labs with a hospital lab and he gets results back to his office within a day or so. So turnaround can be very short. No experience with a TRT clinic, but my guess is that they won't want to do all of the necessary labs...just make money by treating your for low test. Could be wrong about that though...

[SlimmerMe]

I have considered sending away for my own labs, but hoping insurance can make them way less expensive for me. I would much rather bring the numbers here and be evaluated by a bunch of over the hill juice heads than a PhD...

Sometimes insurance doesn't pay for your BW even thru an AA clinic. And even if you do your own out of pocket and take them to the AA doc, they sometimes do not honor the BW since they did not order it even though you in fact went to Labcorp or such.

So before you do anything I would call the office to ask re: insurance and bringing in your own test.

This is my experience and what I have read from some other members as well.

Good luck~

[flatscat]

Insurance will most always pay for BW - just depends on how it's coded.

[V-ROID]

Insurance will most always pay for BW - just depends on how it's coded.

They said they accept my insurance so I guess we shall see how it goes. I have serious doubts that I have low Test, but I gotta know for sure. I scheduled my appointment for Tuesday because usually the combination of weekend activities and deadlifts on Mondays has me feeling worse then than usual. Not sure if lack of Test is the reason... They said I don't need to fast for the Test and PSA tests, but should I be fasted for any of the other tests I would like to have done? Would like to take care of it in one visit if I can.

Hey Flats, what part of the state are you in? Burleson here, near Ft Worth.

[flatscat]

Way south of you.

[SlimmerMe]

Insurance will most always pay for BW - just depends on how it's coded.

key word: coded

evidently my doc didn't do this since mine was never covered.....oh well. Don't see him anymore anyway..

[HRTstudent]

You will likely feel very good about getting all the information up front before you start anything. Once you start you may wonder things like... is this right for me? Maybe I had other options... what was my XYZ starting out? How does this number compare to where I started? etc etc

There is no sense rushing into something that is a long term therapy. At most it probably takes 2 weeks.

[bullshark99]

Good advice above, get every panel done ahead of time because once you start all bets are off.

[V-ROID]

I definitely don't want to rush into any lifetime plan on a whim. I just got the feeling over the phone that is how they roll...

[HRTstudent]

I definitely don't want to rush into any lifetime plan on a whim. I just got the feeling over the phone that is how they roll...

Never, ever forget that you alone are your biggest health advocate. You absolutely call the shots; and at the end of the day it is your body, your health, and your well-being on the line.

This is true for all of us.

[V-ROID]

Well I had the Test and PSA tests done today. Got the results while I waited. Test was 358 and PSA was 1.7. Doc said Test levels decrease throughout the day by anywhere from 15-50%. I get up at 5am. Blood drawn at 2:30pm. So according to his logic I am somewhere between 412 and 537 when I wake up (it was only afternoon so likely between 4-500). Either way I am happy with that number and I think I can cross Test off of the list of reasons why I might feel so fatigued after exercise or drinking alcohol. I have all but quit alcohol, haven't got drunk in years (jealous of those that can!) but ain't no way I am quitting exercising. Ramping up the exercise until I get over the hump or die trying! I know the tests I had done are less than the bare minimum required to get any kind of handle on where my hormones are. I have been having the best luck so far with diet modification. I don't mean cleaning it up or changing macro's (currently 45/35/20), I have that covered. I mean eliminating foods that I could have an intolerance to. Started by dropping anything with wheat and corn in it a few months back. To my surprise no more daily headaches. Will keep exploring common food allergies/intolerances and see where it leads. If I don't get the results I am looking for, I think the Doc I saw today would green light more tests. At this point just glad to know the boys are still kickin' it...