unfortunately doctors lie to their patients

[halfape211]

Generally, doctors do not want to help their patients with TRT. Either because they do not believe in the benefits or do not want to get involved. Doctors frequently tell their patients that they are in normal range, when the patients are at the bottom of range or are not in a healthy range. After years of me pushing my cousin to get checked for Low T, he finally got checked and was told TT of 195 was normal!! I always suggest to get the numbers.

So what do we learn from this: Don't trust your doctor?? or Doctors are idiots and liars?? Is that too harsh?

 

[Megatron28]

I think the take away is that you have to be your own best advocate when it comes to your health.

 

[MBB]

In retrospect it's doctors like the one mentioned that made most of us take our health into our own hands, read up and make the TRT section of this forum what it is today. In hindsight I'm glad I came up against so many idiot GPs, it just made me research more and push harder to get treatment.

 

[Alpin]

YES YES YES!!!!!!!!
YOU are absolutely CORRECT!!!!
REPS FOR YOU!!!!!

I been to 2 endos with BELOW range Free T and TT at 265 and the (dont want to say that word) had the nerve to tell me that my "levels are not abnormally low and to have a nice life"...he said "bye" as he left the room.

195 is def. Hypo man file a complaint to the state medical board. That guy doesn't deserve to practice medicine.

 

[Alpin]

I think the take away is that you have to be your own best advocate when it comes to your health.

Best advocate how?
When a doc doesn't want to treat you and says he doesn't think you are low in T and then shows you the door, what can you do?

 

[Alpin]

Oh you are in Canada. Forget about it.
no g.p. is going to give you Test unless you are in a diar state.

 

[Alpin]

Depending on what lab your cousin went to technically 195 is "normal". As one lab has a bottom range of 183 for TT.
You can PM me I'm not going to go into specifics.
There are other major labs that if you go to you are clearly hypo...

 

[cybrsage]

I went to my first doctor because I had all the symptoms they listed on the Low T commercials. I then researched it and found they were not lying, so I went to the doctor. A blood test later and it was confirmed, my T level was at 153 (bottom of normal range was 250). I asked the doctor what the next step was and he said we would do nothing. Shocked, I said "so you are saying to me, yes, you have low T, which matches all your symptoms, but too bad, so sad, sucks to be you - now go away, Nancy." He was surprised at my reply and told me he was not saying that. I asked if he was then going to treat my proven problem and he said no. So again, I said "So you are telling me, Yep, you have a problem, sucks to be you, go live with it.". He again said that is not what he was saying...and around we went a few times.

Finally, I told him "Why not take the easy way out and punt the football - send me to a specialist?" He agreed and referred me to an endocrinologist. The endo put me on TRT right away...but he left the practice and the other endos there were horrible, so I fired them (and my main doctor), got a new doctor. He sent me to his personal urologist and now I am happy.

Sometimes you have to be blunt with them and tell them how to do their job. Even if you have to drive a bit of a distance, eventually you will be on yearly visits so it will not be too bad.

 

[Dreaded Pirate Roberts]

My father's urologist targets 1150 for an older man. Dr Belman also targets 1150. If y our in California go see Dr Gary Belman an tell him Steroidology sent you.

My regular Doctor handles my TRT no problems. I had to ask him to retest to check levels. The key is to be informed so you are getting weekly injections prescribed and monitor and control estrogen.

 

[halfape211]

Otherwise, my cousin's doctor is actually a very good doctor. But he was trained that testosterone was bad drug.
In the end, I did have my cousin go back to the doc and get a referral to a specialist. Here in Canada, that will take a few months to get an appointment.
Just wanted to suggest that we help our friends when they are being tested for low T, so they don't get screwed over.

To Apollon
Yes, technically he is normal range but lucky for him, I knew he qualified for treatment

 

[Alpin]

Otherwise, my cousin's doctor is actually a very good doctor. But he was trained that testosterone was bad drug.
In the end, I did have my cousin go back to the doc and get a referral to a specialist. Here in Canada, that will take a few months to get an appointment.
Just wanted to suggest that we help our friends when they are being tested for low T, so they don't get screwed over.

To Apollon
Yes, technically he is normal range but lucky for him, I knew he qualified for treatment

Specialist? ??
Good luck with that.
Since that flawed u.s. study with heart attacks was released last fall....
most mainstream docs (specialists too...who were never really convinced of the benefits of TRT because they are obviously not hypogonadal themselves or else they wouldn't bash it) are enjoying the excuse they can now provide to low T guys that the stuff is potentially dangerous and they are actually better off to not treat it.
I for one was told this....

 

[Alpin]

I went to my first doctor because I had all the symptoms they listed on the Low T commercials. I then researched it and found they were not lying, so I went to the doctor. A blood test later and it was confirmed, my T level was at 153 (bottom of normal range was 250). I asked the doctor what the next step was and he said we would do nothing. Shocked, I said "so you are saying to me, yes, you have low T, which matches all your symptoms, but too bad, so sad, sucks to be you - now go away, Nancy." He was surprised at my reply and told me he was not saying that. I asked if he was then going to treat my proven problem and he said no. So again, I said "So you are telling me, Yep, you have a problem, sucks to be you, go live with it.". He again said that is not what he was saying...and around we went a few times.

Finally, I told him "Why not take the easy way out and punt the football - send me to a specialist?" He agreed and referred me to an endocrinologist. The endo put me on TRT right away...but he left the practice and the other endos there were horrible, so I fired them (and my main doctor), got a new doctor. He sent me to his personal urologist and now I am happy.

Sometimes you have to be blunt with them and tell them how to do their job. Even if you have to drive a bit of a distance, eventually you will be on yearly visits so it will not be too bad.

TT means very little. I was in the low 400's and was surprised how timid, how much muscle mass I lost, how much adipose tissue was slowly creeping in, falling apart more and more in as little as four months that went by off my restart. Technically I should not be complaining in the low 400'-s but upon further investigation (I could feel something was not right) my Bio Avail.T was actually BELOW range and very very likely my Free Testosterone as well.
60% of Testosterone in the body is bound to the main carrier hormone SHBG. This is known as TT. 40% is poorly bound to Albumin and this is the Testosterone thats able to do its job at the androgen receptors in your cells. Bio Avail.T is albumin bound T as well as Free T.
TT is really a poor indicator of well being when natty.
High SHBG and High Estradiol brings your bio avail.T to the gutter.
My Estradiol was high normal as well.

 

[Megatron28]

TT means very little. I was in the low 400's and was surprised how timid, how much muscle mass I lost, how much adipose tissue was slowly creeping in, falling apart more and more in as little as four months that went by off my restart. Technically I should not be complaining in the low 400'-s but upon further investigation (I could feel something was not right) my Bio Avail.T was actually BELOW range and very very likely my Free Testosterone as well.
60% of Testosterone in the body is bound to the main carrier hormone SHBG. This is known as TT. 40% is poorly bound to Albumin and this is the Testosterone thats able to do its job at the androgen receptors in your cells. Bio Avail.T is albumin bound T as well as Free T.
TT is really a poor indicator of well being when natty.
High SHBG and High Estradiol brings your bio avail.T to the gutter.
My Estradiol was high normal as well.

Estradiol binds to SHBG. You are forgetting that.

And there are many who would argue with you over the importance of Total Testosterone. But I have learned arguing with you often proves fruitless.

 

[Alpin]

Estradiol binds to SHBG. You are forgetting that.

And there are many who would argue with you over the importance of Total Testosterone. But I have learned arguing with you often proves fruitless.

So if a patient has TT in the 400's with Estradiol at 37 pg/ml and below in both ref. Ranges for Free T and Bio Avail.T. ..
then they are good to go??
As far as the arguing goes and what not you can do whatever ever you want.

 

[Megatron28]

So if a patient has TT in the 400's with Estradiol at 37 pg/ml and below in both ref. Ranges for Free T and Bio Avail.T. ..
then they are good to go??
As far as the arguing goes and what not you can do whatever ever you want.

You are kind of making my point for me...

 

[Alpin]

You are kind of making my point for me...

You Bored tonight Mega?

 

[halfwit]

So if a patient has TT in the 400's with Estradiol at 37 pg/ml and below in both ref. Ranges for Free T and Bio Avail.T. ..
then they are good to go??
As far as the arguing goes and what not you can do whatever ever you want.

I wouldn't want to have a TT of 400 personally. You're incorrect in that TT only counts bound-testosterone btw; it's all three forms (bound/free/albumin-bound).

Unless you have an underlying problem (SHBG for example), TT is sufficient for most. If you have a healthy TT, but still suffer from low T symptoms, THEN I'd investigate free test.

Note: I'm not arguing, just presenting information.

 

[Therealkozmo]

Sorry to thread jack. Apollon, have you ever been told you are a hypochondriac

 

[Alpin]

I wouldn't want to have a TT of 400 personally. You're incorrect in that TT only counts bound-testosterone btw; it's all three forms (bound/free/albumin-bound).

Unless you have an underlying problem (SHBG for example), TT is sufficient for most. If you have a healthy TT, but still suffer from low T symptoms, THEN I'd investigate free test.

Note: I'm not arguing, just presenting information.

That's low too (free test).
The docs here go by the "gold standard" of testing which for them is bio avail T.
Not arguing but when all the specialists and G.P.s tell you we want to know your Bio Avail.T for a better picture....
Not much to argue about.

 

[Alpin]

Sorry to thread jack. Apollon, have you ever been told you are a hypochondriac

My feelings are so hurt. Kozmo thought you loved me man?