CobraMustangSVT
New member
It's good that you have them testing e2. As you get better informed, you can ask for more tests. I'm going to ask them today to test my DHT levels since I'm on the gel.
Starting TRT injections this week.
- Thread starter Oldcade
- Start date
It's good that you have them testing e2. As you get better informed, you can ask for more tests. I'm going to ask them today to test my DHT levels since I'm on the gel.
Megatron28
Moderator
I'm not adding anything because Mega seems to know his shitbut Mega why the heck don't these endos know wtf they're doing? It seems I see this "once a month protocol" all too much. It's ridiculous. All the best on your journey Cade!
That is kind of a how to solve world hunger question. We all know it is distribution problem, but that doesn't get you very far.
Endos are mainly trained to treat diabetes and women problems. TRT is new to them and they are biased by the media just like anyone else. They also lack incentives to truly help you. As for the VA, docs there seem to have their hands tied by predetermined protocols. And throw in the docs don't want to think outside the box because they have 8 minutes to treat you.
CobraMustangSVT
New member
And that's what I ran into at the VA. The docs might know something, or are even willing to listen, but they're tied by protocols in place at the VA.
I was finally able to convine one doc to let me get HCG. It's not in the VA forumlary so they won't prescribe it in their system. I showed him that I had prior authorization from my insurance carrier and he wrote me a script, outside of the VA, that I can take to a pharmacy and fill.
It's good that you found a doc that will listen. Do what I do, learn as much as you can and ask questions. My docs at the VA see that I'm concerned about my health and they listen enough that I can deal with them.
I had my appointment Friday. My doctor apparently studied TRT last week, and has made some new decisions. We are going to do a monthly shot for 2 more months. She will check my testosterone levels in 3 months, and decide changes from there. We are not going to test for E2 unless I start showing symptoms of gynecomastia. This is the only safe to start this treatment she says. I am so glad I have this great doctor. Woo hoo.
Megatron28
Moderator
Did you ask her which century the text books that she consulted were written in?
That protocol is worse than doing nothing and remaining hypogonadal.
I use the Va and have never been on anything more than 7 days, If you do use the Va try using a urologist not the GP or the endo. My GP started me on every 7 days but left it at that, and wasn't open to anything. I went to the ENDO and they were terrible, tried to make me do gel even after I was doing good on injections, felt like crap and got put back on injections. Then asked about HCG for fertility and they are not allowed to do it as its no in the formulary and they didn't agree with it.
So I went I asked to go to the URO. He kept me on injections, he tried doing an exception for the HCG but it was denied, pretty much told me they wouldn't grant it except for like missing a nut or something. But he wrote me a script for HCG that I could take and get it anywhere. I started out walmart as it was like 200 bucks for a 10,000 IU vial which last roughly 3 months, I bought a $4 a month script card and HCG at walmart cost me $86 bucks for the same vial. He did sperm analysis' which was contracted next door but was fully paid for by the Va. But if you aren't interested in fertility Id skip the HCG mess, if you ask me, just my opinion.
Now AIs that's a tough one you can get them the Va carried it but are very stringent with it, unless your labs show high and you have major signs you wont get it. Which is a little extreme, but I don't know if I buy taking it small doses to start as precaution as many do here, as why take it if you don't need it. I don't seem to need it. My uro personally likes to see a 10:1 ration, so if my test is 500 and im in the 50 range Im good. The Va also is going to keep you in the 400-700 for total test, which IMO is adequate, maybe not great but adequate.
I have been getting Test for 2 years now with needles for free from Va.
But they are right once a month you will feel like garbage, even the instructions say 2 weeks. But its widely known 7 days is the average and where you should be at. Really your going to feel worse then before. Better of taking the gel at 4 pumps a day or something.
Ask to see URO, they should let you. While your at it with Va get all the test done, they should do an MRI of your pituitary, get bloods for thyroid, liver, kidney, prolactin, PSA, LH and FH, feratin, get the cortisol jug test. They should be testing these anyways to ensure its nothing something else, and a minimum gives you a baseline before you start test.
So I went I asked to go to the URO. He kept me on injections, he tried doing an exception for the HCG but it was denied, pretty much told me they wouldn't grant it except for like missing a nut or something. But he wrote me a script for HCG that I could take and get it anywhere. I started out walmart as it was like 200 bucks for a 10,000 IU vial which last roughly 3 months, I bought a $4 a month script card and HCG at walmart cost me $86 bucks for the same vial. He did sperm analysis' which was contracted next door but was fully paid for by the Va. But if you aren't interested in fertility Id skip the HCG mess, if you ask me, just my opinion.
Now AIs that's a tough one you can get them the Va carried it but are very stringent with it, unless your labs show high and you have major signs you wont get it. Which is a little extreme, but I don't know if I buy taking it small doses to start as precaution as many do here, as why take it if you don't need it. I don't seem to need it. My uro personally likes to see a 10:1 ration, so if my test is 500 and im in the 50 range Im good. The Va also is going to keep you in the 400-700 for total test, which IMO is adequate, maybe not great but adequate.
I have been getting Test for 2 years now with needles for free from Va.
But they are right once a month you will feel like garbage, even the instructions say 2 weeks. But its widely known 7 days is the average and where you should be at. Really your going to feel worse then before. Better of taking the gel at 4 pumps a day or something.
Ask to see URO, they should let you. While your at it with Va get all the test done, they should do an MRI of your pituitary, get bloods for thyroid, liver, kidney, prolactin, PSA, LH and FH, feratin, get the cortisol jug test. They should be testing these anyways to ensure its nothing something else, and a minimum gives you a baseline before you start test.
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If that's the case , I don't know if they will inject you or you will do it, but schedule your blood test 2-3 weeks after your shot. If you take a blood test within a week after your shot your levels will show normal and you might feel good that week, but week 2-4 you will feel like garbage.
don't waste your time with a claim for low test. Its a lab result and can not be claimed. I tried it already, they admit I have it but its not claimable. You have to go for something like ED or another symptom.
I phrased that wrong. I opened a claim with HR about not being taken care of properly by the PA to go around her and get with someone more knowledgeable.
Thanks for the info. Hopefully that's what i'll see when I go to the VA. For now i'm still active so i'm dealing with that portion still. Same protocols though. My doctor right now will not run anymore tests until three months from now. As soon as I get on with a better doctor, hopefully we can get on board with something more stable.
Good luck. Yeah best bet if your in the army still, like I said is ensure you get a blood test 2-3 weeks preferably three after your shot.
When you get out which Im assuming you are, show the low results and labs to your GP at the Va and ask for a referral to a Uro.
Also like I said if you try and claim it, you'll have to go for something like ED or Gulf war syndrome(very hard to prove). I would shoot for ED, so if that's the case start ensuring that's documented NOW!!!
Getting a blood test is part of the problem. She won't put me in for one until after monthly shots for 3 months at the end of the third shot.
Megatron28
Moderator
Look at my signature below. Get the $54 one. You will have the results back in about 24 hours.
Awesome. I'll do that. Next Thursday is the third week after my injection.
Megatron28
Moderator
so I posted about 9 times in this thread and you never noticed what I wrote in my signature? Not too observant?
so I posted about 9 times in this thread and you never noticed what I wrote in my signature? Not too observant?
Hah. I saw, just never really thought about it.
