Dilemma

[Mmartin]

Hey all, I'm in a little bit of a bind and need to write this out.

The doctor who originally prescribed HRT for me (100mg test cyp./week) had me go and see a urologist, who raised concerns over the need for me to even be on HRT ( ), but he admits he isn't an expert. Accordingly, he made an appointment for me to see an endocrinologist on the 24th of May. The GP who was handling my injections has now decided that he will not give me any more shots until after I see the endo.
Unfortunately this will leave me with about 16 days where I'm going to feel like crap, as I start to feel lethargic and lose libido about 6 days after my 100mg shot.

I have everything necessary to administer shots myself safely BUT I don't want to betray any trust these doctors have vested in me.
Should I just tough it out? Going cold turkey on HRT seems like a very bad idea.

 

[pmgamer18]

Good luck finding a good Endo that knows about treating Low T make calls and ask a lot of questions before wasting your time. I have yet to find one here in MI. And could care less after what the ones that I did see put me through. Read above Finding a Dr.
Phil

 

[Astrozombie]

Explain to the Dr. and have him prescribe you enough to get to the Endo, or move the appointment from the Endo up. I wouldn't go cold turkey either.

 

[bigmark]

Wow what a nice guy, I am sure he knows how bad a crash feels

 

[Mmartin]

Update as of 11/05/2005:

It's been 11 days since my last shot of test cyp. (100mg), and I'm feeling worse than before I started treatment. My test results came in from the urologist:
Total testosterone: 27.2 (range 11-30)
Bioavailable: 18.2 (should be >4.4)
This was 3 days after my final shot. I felt really good at that point, though my libido was still lagging.

Back to the present - I feel like shit. Started getting hot flashes today, eyes stinging non-stop, constantly tired, trouble sleeping, but the GPs still refuse to give me a shot (on grounds that they haven't explained) until I see the endo. on the 24th of may. I don't think I can take another 13 days of this. Depressed, irritable, pissed off.

I don't understand why I was taken off of the shots without any support like clomid or nolvadex. The female doctor even asked me what Cialis was when I told her I was going to be a wet noodle in the bedroom without the shots.

What am I supposed to do? I have testicles the size of raisins and nothing positive to show for it.
I apologize if this is just so much unnecessary ranting, but I'm confused.

 

[pmgamer18]

Do you live in the UK or can you see a new Dr. one that knows about Low T. Endo's are not the best as far as I am conserned. You need to get a DR. that treats a lot of men for this no Dr. that know about this would cut you off cold like this.
Phil

 

[Mmartin]

I live in BC, Canada.
Essentially the only local HRT specialist is booked until August. I am going to call and get on the cancellation list.

 

[SWALE]

Phil--You live in MI, haven't found anyone to best administer your TRT, and haven't made the pilgrimage to "The Man Cave" in Lansing yet?

Martin--I am sorry to hear of your plight. I pray you will get the treatemnt you need and deserve.

It woul dhave been MUCH more preferable for you to present to the Endo wiht serum levels stabilized at that particular dose. In addition to your needless suffering, an opportunity to gather valuable information about how your Endo system functions has been squandered.

 

[pmgamer18]

I have a good Dr. and he has heard about you and had good things to say about you. I gave him print outs of your treatment plains and he reads them all. I asked him 10 yrs. ago to look into treating me after sending me to see some Endo's that made me sicker. I told him he is more that 80% being a Dr. The next month he told me he will start treating me and today he treats a lot of men. He owns North Oakland Interest in Auburn Hills. I have no complants. I must have told over 35 men to contact you from all over the country to work with you and there Dr. My Dr. will not do this.
Phil

 

[SWALE]

Well thanks, Phil.

 

[Mmartin]

Here's an unpleasant update:

The GP I've been seeing recognized that I was having trouble functioning, and called the endocrinologist to get me in quicker (I didn't ask her to do this). So I wait another week, and go and see the endo., trying to be as cheerful as possible to keep the endo. happy.
Sadly she was rude, continually telling me that she "has patients much sicker than me," and that my concerns over my libido "weren't very important."
She didn't seem to listen to me as I told her about my extreme fatigue and trouble functioning. When I asked for direction in the interim she just said "be patient, I have patients much sicker than you" again. I've already been reprimanded for seeing more than one doctor

I'm about ready to give up on the Canadian healthcare system. Is it possible to visit U.S. doctors if you are a Canadian citizen? If not, what are my options?

 

[bigmark]

Phil--You live in MI, haven't found anyone to best administer your TRT, and haven't made the pilgrimage to "The Man Cave" in Lansing yet?

I am a big fan of he "Man Cave" Swale has a super nice set up there, besides the fact that he's one of the best at what he does.

Missed the big Super bowl party at the Man Cave but I hope to hit the next event, anything on the burner yet Doctor?

 

[cpeil2]

I'm about ready to give up on the Canadian healthcare system. Is it possible to visit U.S. doctors if you are a Canadian citizen? If not, what are my options?

Well sure you can. We don't have a national health plan like Canada so all you do to see a doc is call and make an appointment. Of course the Canadian plan probably won't pay for you to see a US doc. But I'm sure you already knew that. Can your GP refer you to another endo? He seems a little sympathetic since he went to bat for you with the endo.

I imagine US providers and hospitals in towns and cities close to the border are fairly used to Canadians coming to the US because the wheels of the Canadian system are turning too slowly for them.

I understand that there are fee-for-service docs in Canada that have opted out of the national plan. Is there any possibility of finding one of these to go to? If you're considering coming to the US, you were obviously willing to pay out of pocket. You might be better off finding a fee-for-service doc in Canada because Canadian docs tend to charge considerably less than US docs.

I hope this helps. I stopped TRT cold turkey a few weeks ago myself, after being on it intermittently for about 6mos, so I know how rotten you feel. Hang in there.

 

[SWALE]

BigMark--We are going to be holding regular lectures here on Monday nights soon. TRT, ED, BOTOX, nutrition, smoking cessation, etc. Once football season rolls 'round, we'll switch the projector on the 100" over to ABC Sports at the end of the lecture.

Mmartin--I am ashamed she is in the same profession. What a horrible thing to say to a patient. I guess anyone not currently residing in the ICU is ignorable, then.

 

[earthdog]

100"?? I'd settle for 46", either DLP or LCD rear-projection.

Mmartin, I really feel for you, bro. It doesn't sound like the endo is going to be of much help even when you do go to see her. I looked at your old posts, and that XY clinic seems like a valid TRT clinic, have you looked into going there? Also, I'm weak on my geography. How far away is Lansing, MI (Swale's office) from you? If a US doctor writes you a prescription, can you get it filled at a Candadian pharmacy? Or can you get it filled at a US pharmacy, then carry it legally across the border, assuming its a controlled substance? That may be another option.

It's stories like these that make me very reluctant to turn over my TRT care to my local PCP. What if he decides he wants to change my treatment, or refers me to a clueless endo? I'll make the pilgrimage to Lansing instead. Swale, you'd better never stop seeing patients!! We need you!!

 

[SWALE]

The doors to The Man Cave are wide open, Bro's.

 

[greatgro]

BigMark--We are going to be holding regular lectures here on Monday nights soon. TRT, ED, BOTOX, nutrition, smoking cessation, etc. Once football season rolls 'round, we'll switch the projector on the 100" over to ABC Sports at the end of the lecture.

I think in 2006 though MNF will be on ESPN. I hope it's hooked up to cable or satellite!

 

[Mmartin]

Thanks for the replies bro's, it's extremely helpful to just be able to jot all of these problems down somewhere. I'm calling a lot of doctors in my local area using the links in Phil's post. So far no luck.

I can't keep functioning like this; I don't want to get up in the morning,
I've stopped going to the gym because I don't have the energy, the muscle I've worked so hard to build is turning into fat (I use calipers and take measurements).
After 10 hours of sleep last night, I feel completely horrible. Eyes sting all day long. Can't stop yawning. With Cialis my erections are sporadic at best.
I went to see the GP who prescribed this for me (the 2 GPs I see are in the same office), and asked him "why was I taken off of this?" and "what do I do in the interim?"
All he does is reprimand me for coming in every 6 days for 2 or 3 weeks. I did this to move my injection date to Sunday, but he doesn't seem to listen.
I end up crying (at this point feeling completely wussy and supremely emasculated.) He writes me a prescription for Cialis that I asked for, and doesn't answer my questions, shrugging his shoulders. How is this medicare?

From doing a search on this board, it seems like 6-oxo isn't a good idea. I don't have access to clomid or anything like that.
I can get everything I would need to give myself injections until I can find a competent doctor, but using doctor-prescribed testosterone to give myself injections seems dishonest and unlikely to end well.