Anyone have experience going to a wellness center (I'm not tryin to be a pain guys)

[Jake LaMotta]

I know I have posted numerous threads on this subject but I'm really starting to get worried that I won't be able to find a doctor that will treat my low testosterone levels. Some of you have read about my situation here with my (now former) doctor:

http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42186

I have an appointment scheduled with a wellness doctor at the end of February. And if that doesn't work out with him there is another wellness center in my area. I'm very nervous and scared that these docs won't treat me because my testosterone is too high. My first test was very low, total test 236 and free test 43.4. But my second test wasn't that bad, total test 509 and free test 101.7. I'm sure they will retest me but I'm nervous if it comes back around total test 509 and free test 101.7 again that I won't get treated. Someone told me today that a wellness doc is different from a uro or an endo in that the uro and the endo are only concerned if you're in range (like my last idiot doctor who was a urologist) as opposed to a wellness doc who wants you to be in optimal range (which I heard is upper third of 260-100 scale or around 800). Even after I was told that I still believe that I will be doomed forever and that the wellness docs will treat me just like the uro and my primary doc did ("YOU'RE FINE! YOU DON'T HAVE LOW TESTOSTERONE!"). BTW, I'll be paying out of pocket for this so that shows how desperate I am.

Here is the doc I'm scheduled to see in late February:

**broken link removed**

And here is the wellness center I can go to if things don't work out for me with the first doc:

http://www.drerner.com/index.php

My questions to you guys is:

1. If my next test results come back around 509 total test and around 101.7 free test (just like my last test), will these docs tell me "you're test is too high to be treated with TRT. Sorry, have a nice day"? And than I will have wasted $750 on an appointment and more importantly...I WILL STILL BE DEALING WITH THIS.

2. Can you guys look at these websites and tell me if you think they're the right docs for me (TRT, HRT)?

3. For those of you that have had success going to a wellness doctor, did insurance reimburse you at all? If not, how much does it usually cost you to be cared for by your doctor including consultations, blood work, and prescriptions (by month, year, etc)?

4. Again, for those of you that have had success going to a wellness doctor, once you were situated and put on a drug regimen, how often do you have to go follow up with the doctor and get blood work (every 3 months? 6 months? etc.)?

Again, sorry for being a pain fellas. It's just that my urologist made me feel like shit today.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

I found this on the Life Extension website where it talks about blood tests range:

Testosterone, Total

This test is used to evaluate gonadal and adrenal function. It is helpful in diagnosing hypogonadism, hypopituitarism, Klinefelter’s syndrome, and impotence in men and hirsutism, anovulation, amenorrhea, and virilism in women.

Reference Range:

Men:

241–827 ng/dL

LE’s Optimal Range

500–827 ng/dL

Well seeing my last test was 509 ng/dL I can bet that if I test near that again that I won't be able to find a doctor even at a wellness clinic because I'm 'in range' even according to the Life Extension websites range.

Is there any hope I will find a doctor at either one of the clinics I plan to go to?

 

[Jake LaMotta]

One more thing I'd like to add:

Even though my insurance covers these prescriptions (if I were to get them prescribed for a legit medical condition), is there a chance that even if the doctor writing it (the wellness doctor) is a board certified doctor will my insurance still refuse to pay for it because it's not deemed medically necessary because I'm going to a wellness doctor and NOT a uro or endo?

Basically what I'm asking is, all you guys here that are prescribed testosterone, HCG, Nolvadex, etc. from a wellness doctor (NOT a uro or endo) does your insurance pay for the prescriptions or do you have to pay out of pocket?

 

[Massive G]

You are asking ?'s we can't answer we can only speculate-
Insurance it really depends on what company you have-concerning blood work dr is in or out of the net work. I have been to a naturopathic doc and the script was covered 100% for Armour thyroid.
We discussed HRT but he wanted to do some weird blood work and give me vitamin IV's etc and he was out of network so it was only 50% coverage.

The answer to this is 2 fold really most dr's won't give you a supplemental test with a blood work on the 509 ng/dl level you have now.

A wellness center is more open and repsonsive to anti-aging and how you feel, but I nor anyone else can really rate them.

What you REALLY need to do is to research on how to lower you blood test levels-if you are hell bent on getting HRT-which it seems you are.
There are numerous threads on this and topics all over the board-basically you need to induce an extreme case of catabolism in your body and get tested late in the day.

This usually has a protocol of over training and under eating, involves sleep deprivation, and some alcohol a night or 2 before. Search around on T-nation or whatever it's called they had an article your DR your Dealer or some crap like that many years ago.

This isn't medical advice and also when you go in a catabolic state you risk having other hormonal blood levels false like thyroid and etc.

I know many people are set on thinking that test is the holy grail in HRT, but really you don't notice THAT much of a difference on it from my experience-especially if you are a younger aged male. I am on HRT from one of the top endos in the area and he was the 4th or 5th guy I went to before I got the script. MY PCP gave me A-Gel but I was looking for the shot.

Also I wouldn't discuss my past experience with trying to HRT, you need to start fresh and let these docs do their thing. You come back with a 200-300ng/dl blood level it will be easier for them to write the script and start treatment.

good luck.

 

[BlueNile08]

One more thing I'd like to add:

Even though my insurance covers these prescriptions (if I were to get them prescribed for a legit medical condition), is there a chance that even if the doctor writing it (the wellness doctor) is a board certified doctor will my insurance still refuse to pay for it because it's not deemed medically necessary because I'm going to a wellness doctor and NOT a uro or endo?

Basically what I'm asking is, all you guys here that are prescribed testosterone, HCG, Nolvadex, etc. from a wellness doctor (NOT a uro or endo) does your insurance pay for the prescriptions or do you have to pay out of pocket?

Jake, Ive never used a wellness doctor myself but in my experience people I know who used them usually paid out of pocket.

Id say the best thing to do would be to consult with the physician during the conultation to find out if they will take your insurance.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Question: Why would you ask an insurance company to pay for you to abuse drugs? If you want to ruin a what is a perfectly NORMAL testosterone level with drugs, that's your business. But you want someone else to pay for it?

My testosterone script costs me 90 dollars a month. Out of pocket. And I have a legitimate prescription from my medical doctor. I simply don't want anyone, including my providers to know that I am taking a prescription unless I specifically tell them.

A doctor will not indulge your request if you ask for testosterone with a 500+ ng/dL level. A "wellness center" might but that's every bit as illegal as buying off the black market.

I pay a small fortune for my employees to have coverage and I would be upset to find out one of them was using our insurance company to get juiced up.

Just my two cents.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

...I wouldn't discuss my past experience with trying to HRT, you need to start fresh and let these docs do their thing. You come back with a 200-300ng/dl blood level it will be easier for them to write the script and start treatment...

Why do you say that? So I shouldn't tell him about my second blood work?

...A doctor will not indulge your request if you ask for testosterone with a 500+ ng/dL level...

What if I never tell him about my second blood work and only show him results from the first one. Is that a good idea?