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.

 

[Nelson Montana]

I'd circumvent the whole thing and just find a doc to write you a script.

 

[pbhardbody]

I'd circumvent the whole thing and just find a doc to write you a script.

Why would you go to a doc who usually just has a very general knowledge, and usually only has testosterone available versus an HRT Clinic whose doc specializes in TRT/HRT, and they have a wide variety of products available?

 

[busdriver320]

My experience with a South Florida HRT "clinic", was as pb mentioned, except that the "patient care coordinator" was basically a sales person, the medical exam was done off a form downloaded from the internet that said you were still alive, blood work was real but cost $250 (the clinic took a cut), the consult was $400, and the meds, 10 week supply of Test C and Deca and PCT was $990. I called and talked to a doc once during the 10 weeks. The cycle worked great, but I figure I paid more than double what doing my own blood work ($90), some extensive research on Elite and TSC (membership fee) and the AS and PCT ($450).
BTW my sales person (paitent care coordinator) called later and said that my doctor was having legal problems, but he's working with someone else now. Thanks but no thanks

 

[theemperor]

My experience with a South Florida HRT "clinic", was as pb mentioned, except that the "patient care coordinator" was basically a sales person, the medical exam was done off a form downloaded from the internet that said you were still alive, blood work was real but cost $250 (the clinic took a cut), the consult was $400, and the meds, 10 week supply of Test C and Deca and PCT was $990. I called and talked to a doc once during the 10 weeks. The cycle worked great, but I figure I paid more than double what doing my own blood work ($90), some extensive research on Elite and TSC (membership fee) and the AS and PCT ($450).
BTW my sales person (paitent care coordinator) called later and said that my doctor was having legal problems, but he's working with someone else now. Thanks but no thanks

Talk aboutg a ripoff with 10 week supply for $990?? Damn!! Clinics are out to make a "premium" on their end, and they will be more thsn happy to accomadate anyone. South forida clinics are abundant, yet I have many questions in them. I pay $65 a vial of Test Cypionate at walgreens and get a 6 month supply for around $260 or so.

 

[pbhardbody]

This goes right to my point. The key isnt merely which clinic to use. As I said in my original post, your Patient Care Coordinator will be the one who will have more control over what your overall experience is.

Notice that busdriver320 said that his therapy cost $990 for test cyp, deca, and PCT. Then he went further to say that his PCT was $450. So when we break it down that would mean $440 for ten weeks of test cyp, and based on their normal prescription ratio of half as much deca as test, that would mean 20 weeks of deca. I think the price is still too high, but it does put it into a little better perspective when all things are considered.

That goes to my point # 4 Cost above - prices can vary considerably. I've referred several people to my Patient Care Coordinator. Every single time he has saved them 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 that is way cheaper than busdriver320s experience.

Just like when purchasing gear from an UGL, you have to do your homework. But by getting doctor prescribed therapy, you eliminate the legality issues, as well as not having to worry that your product is counterfeit, like you have to with a UGL.

 

[Zyglamail]

That goes to my point # 4 Cost above - prices can vary considerably.

It really is crazy to see the price variations from clinic to clinic. Now that I am officially an old duffer ive been shopping around quite a bit and am baffled at the differences in price. One of the problems is few will even give you a ballpark on costs up front so it can make price shopping a bit tricky.

 

[pbhardbody]

It really is crazy to see the price variations from clinic to clinic. Now that I am officially an old duffer ive been shopping around quite a bit and am baffled at the differences in price. One of the problems is few will even give you a ballpark on costs up front so it can make price shopping a bit tricky.

I found the same thing - they didnt want to tell you prices up front. Have to wonder about a company that won't tell you the cost of their product ahead of time.

That's one reason I went with the guy I did. He was more than willing to tell me prices of products before I became a patient.

 

[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.

 

[pbhardbody]

Was talking to my Patient Care Coordinator this morning and he told me that he would be glad to answer any specific questions that anyone has regarding TRT/HRT, how it all works, how to get started, etc.

So post your questions in this thread, and I will get them to him, then I'll post up his answers for all to see. If you feel your question is too personal to post out in the open, PM it to me and I'll get it to him for you, or PM me and I'll put you in direct contact with him.