How To Choose the Right HRT Clinic

[pbhardbody]

Since I get so many PMs from people asking me the benefits of using an HRT Clinic versus an underground lab, and how to reach my friend that works at the HRT Clinic I use, I thought why not make one thread where I can put up info about HRT Clinics and my experiences over the 4 - 5 years that I've used them. In that 4 - 5 years I've used 3 different Clinics.

So here goes.

1. Location - You do NOT have to have an HRT Clinic near you to be able to use an HRT Clinic for Testosterone Replacement Therapy and/or Hormone Replacement Therapy (TRT/HRT). The HRT Clinic that my friend works at is located in south FL. However, he has patients all over the United States. They do not service patients in NY or NJ.

2. How It Works - By using an HRT Clinic, you provide yourself with the assurance that you are being monitored by the Clinic's Medical Staff. All HRT Clinics have a doctor on staff. Most also have either a Nurse Practioner or a Physicians Assistant on staff as well.

Every HRT Clinic I've ever been a patient at requires that you are at least 30 years old to be a patient.

Everything is done based on your bodies specific needs as shown by the bloodwork that the Clinic has done.

If you don't have recent bloodwork your Patient Care Coordinator, at the Clinic, will set everything up so that you can go to a LabCorp office that is close to you, and have your bloodwork done.

The Clinic requires that you have a recent "basic" physical - ie height/weight, blood pressure, heart rate, etc.

They will help you with finding a health clinic in your area that does basic physicals so that you can get right in, generally without an appointment.

The last detail is that you have to complete a Medical History form at the Clinics website.

Your Patient Care Coordinator builds a medical file that contains the bloodwork, physical, and Medical History.

This file is given to the Medical Staff so that they can make an analysis of it, and make recommendations for your TRT/HRT.

Once done, the Medical Staff gives your file back to your Patient Care Coordinator, who then contacts you and goes over your bloodwork levels, as well as the recommended therapy.

You pay for your prescription, and they have the meds overnighted direct from the pharmacy to your door.

3. Service - This is the # 1 criteria I recommend anyone use when selecting an HRT Clinic. And I'll even take that a step further... I don't think you can base your selection on the service you get just from the Clinic.

What I've found is that you can get different levels of service from different people within the same Clinic.

Here's what I mean:

It's really important who your Patient Care Coordinator at the clinic is and the quality of service they provide. They are the person who will work with you on everything from having a question about your prescription, to issues with a shipment, if you ever have one. So you really have to go with someone who works to provide you with a high level of great service.

Here's an example of what happened to me: A few years back I was with a different clinic than I'm at now. My Patient Care Coordinator moved out of the area and quit working there, and so I got reassigned to a different Patient Care Coordinator.

I ended up with a completely different level of service, at the exact same company, by just being with a different Patient Care Coordinator. It wasn't a good situation.

So IMO the best thing to do is to go with a Clinic based on a recommendation of the Patient Care Coordinator if you can. This enables you to make a decision based on the reputation of the Coordinator instead of just the Clinic.

4. Cost - I'm always looking for the best prices I can get. What I've learned is that the prices will vary widely from one clinic to another. I've referred several people to my Patient Care Coordinator. Every single time he has saved the referral money over what they were paying at their last HRT Clinic. One time his prices were 25% less than the other Clinic!

My Patient Care Coordinator has told me that a basic Testosterone Cypionate therapy costs about $60 - $75 per month. So prescribed therapy is way cheaper than most people expect it to be.

Ok that's good for now. In a few days I'll post some more information.

If you have any questions, post them, or send me a PM. If I don't know the answer, I'll get in touch with my Patient Care Coordinator and ask him, or I can put you in direct contact with him.

 

[Discreet User]

Thanks for all the great info.

 

[pbhardbody]

you're welcome

 

[kjcmjc]

I too have used a Clinic out of South FL. The only concern I have is does the Dr have to physically exam you? What are the legalities of this? I was told that since the meds are controlled that a Dr from the clinic must exam you before he can write a script? Now I am wondering if this is true can I get in legal trouble? I did submit my blood work and the questionnaire and had a consultation on the phone. I do have a real medical reason to use what I am on now. Just wondering?

 

[pbhardbody]

I too have used a Clinic out of South FL. The only concern I have is does the Dr have to physically exam you? What are the legalities of this? I was told that since the meds are controlled that a Dr from the clinic must exam you before he can write a script? Now I am wondering if this is true can I get in legal trouble? I did submit my blood work and the questionnaire and had a consultation on the phone. I do have a real medical reason to use what I am on now. Just wondering?

I did a little checking on this and learned that NY and NJ are the only states that require a face to face visit with the doctor for them to be able to write you a prescription and have the pharmacy ship meds to you.

If you are in NY or NJ, then you can make an appointment with the clinic, and get a physical done at their location.

 

[kjcmjc]

Thanks pbhardbody, that is good to know. I am not in one of those states. Was getting a little nervous. I tried finding out what the legality of this was and could not find answers.

 

[Discreet User]

Thanks pbhardbody, that is good to know. I am not in one of those states. Was getting a little nervous. I tried finding out what the legality of this was and could not find answers.

Stick with pbhardbody; He's a good bro.

 

[doublebicep]

Nicely done pbhardbody.

 

[pbhardbody]

I've been getting quite a few PMs from people asking me how low their testosterone levels have to be to qualify
for therapy through an HRT Clinic. So I contacted my Patient Care Coordinator and asked.

Here is what he said:

"A person who wants hormone replacement therapy does not have to be below the bottom end of the range
to qualify for therapy. For example, a 42 year old male: The testosterone range is 280 - 800. This
does not mean that you have to be below 280 to qualify for therapy. Overall physical health is taken
into account, but if the person is suffering from symptoms of Adult Hormone Deficiency, and his
bloodwork confirms that he is somewhere below the top end of the range, he is generally an eligible
candidate for therapy.

Our Medical Staff would determine the protocol (dosing and frequency of injections) based on
where the initial testosterone level falls in the range."

I hope this is helpful to those who had that question.

 

[Discreet User]

I've been getting quite a few PMs from people asking me how low their testosterone levels have to be to qualify
for therapy through an HRT Clinic. So I contacted my Patient Care Coordinator and asked.

Here is what he said:

"A person who wants hormone replacement therapy does not have to be below the bottom end of the range
to qualify for therapy. For example, a 42 year old male: The testosterone range is 280 - 800. This
does not mean that you have to be below 280 to qualify for therapy. Overall physical health is taken
into account, but if the person is suffering from symptoms of Adult Hormone Deficiency, and his
bloodwork confirms that he is somewhere below the top end of the range, he is generally an eligible
candidate for therapy.

Our Medical Staff would determine the protocol (dosing and frequency of injections) based on
where the initial testosterone level falls in the range."

I hope this is helpful to those who had that question.

"Our Medical Staff would determine the protocol (dosing and frequency of injections) based on where the initial testosterone level falls in the range."

If a patient goes on TRT doesn't there natural production cease anyway? Why is the dose dependent on their initial reading if their natural production becomes irrelevant after beginning therapy?

I'm also curious what the highest weekly TRT dose is, that you know of.