Doc Refusing to Prescribe T

Hey everyone. This is my first time posting on this board as I need some help and advice.

So I got my blood work done and my doctor (who is your typical boy scout kind of person, goes everything by the book) told me my lab results. He told me that my Testosterone level is low, however he refused to prescribe me Testosterone because of my age (30 yrs old). He said I’m very young and would not need Testosterone.

He refuses to give me my test results in paper and did not read my numbers off, simply said it’s low. For me, having low T has affected me in my work life, sex life, and just overall happiness so I feel like I need to boost my T levels back up. I’m a fully healthy adult, work life, social life, family life is good. Its the lack of energy, libido, basically all your typical low T symptoms.

I have already looked into Anti-Aging clinics, etc., around my area and they are all rather too expensive, my insurance wont cover it, or the waiting list is way too long!

I never want to buy Test through a non-pharmaceutical, but this looks like it has left me with no choice. Personally, I want to get a prescription for Testosterone, but that option is gone because of my doctor.

What should I do? How else can I get a prescription for Testosterone?

Also, are there any fellow Canadians here from Ontario that has experience with Testosterone prescriptions?

Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!

There are 7 stickies here, start with:

  • advice for new guys
  • finding a TRT doc

Demand your labs!
You need these:
TT
FT
E2
LH/FSH
prolactin
CBC
cholesterol [concern is too low]
TSH
fT3
fT4

Where are you? Affects your options and perhaps someone has a reference.

Thanks for the reply! ill give those a read.

Im located in the GTA area. Toronto and Mississauga, Canada.

I would definitely appreciate a reference from a doctor that actually knows what they are talking about.

You need to find a new doctor. My normal doctor that I go to would not put me on TRT because I was in the normal range. Mine was just in the low range and I had all the symptoms still said no. I waited about 2 years then decided to go and be checked again but this time I asked around and found an office full of doctors that are pro TRT. Mine had now dropped below the normal range and they work to get everyone in the top 75%. For some reason TRT is taboo for a lot of doctors.

TRT in all of the “Commonwealth countries” is like this. State controlled medicine is the problem as it seems to defeat progressive thinking and progress. [I used to live there.]

[quote]toennee wrote:
You need to find a new doctor. My normal doctor that I go to would not put me on TRT because I was in the normal range. Mine was just in the low range and I had all the symptoms still said no. I waited about 2 years then decided to go and be checked again but this time I asked around and found an office full of doctors that are pro TRT. Mine had now dropped below the normal range and they work to get everyone in the top 75%. For some reason TRT is taboo for a lot of doctors.[/quote]

Can you please tell me the name of that office? I have seen more than 6 doctors regarding my low testosterone and none of them have been helpful. Some even refused to check just my total testosterone while the others refused to check the other important variables like estradiol, prolactin, shbg, free t3, free t4.

I live in Virginia, but work with Defy Medical in Florida. I love them! I do have to get my meds through them, but my insurance covers labs, after I meet my deductible. They are very effective in working with people great distances away. Meds ( t cyp, HCG, anastrozole) runs about $240 every 3 months. They used to write me scripts for the t cyp and it would only run about $18 at CVS, but they stopped doing that. I guess they need to make enough to stay in business. Very pleased with their service. Go to their website and check them out. Not sure if there are any issues serving Canada.

My first attempt to get on HRT was just like you’ll read on this site - utterly ridiculous. Wanted me to come in for monthly shots. No HCG or AI. I said no to that. They did set me up with an apt with an endocrinologist at a university, but I had already found what I was looking for in Defy. They definitely know what they are doing. Initial labs, then 3-month follow-up, then every 6 months thereafter. Have no idea what others are paying for their HRT, but it is not so bad. I have a health savings account that I just set aside the money and it is there when I need it.

If you expect to find a T clinic or age management clinic that will work with OHIP and your budget, you are out of luck.

The answer may be one of the stickies that I suggested. You really need to look at those.

[quote]tdsg wrote:
I live in Virginia, but work with Defy Medical in Florida. I love them! I do have to get my meds through them, but my insurance covers labs, after I meet my deductible. They are very effective in working with people great distances away. Meds ( t cyp, HCG, anastrozole) runs about $240 every 3 months. They used to write me scripts for the t cyp and it would only run about $18 at CVS, but they stopped doing that. I guess they need to make enough to stay in business. Very pleased with their service. Go to their website and check them out. Not sure if there are any issues serving Canada.

My first attempt to get on HRT was just like you’ll read on this site - utterly ridiculous. Wanted me to come in for monthly shots. No HCG or AI. I said no to that. They did set me up with an apt with an endocrinologist at a university, but I had already found what I was looking for in Defy. They definitely know what they are doing. Initial labs, then 3-month follow-up, then every 6 months thereafter. Have no idea what others are paying for their HRT, but it is not so bad. I have a health savings account that I just set aside the money and it is there when I need it.[/quote]

Thanks for that. I’ll keep it as a last-resort. The blood work on their website is rather expensive though.

[quote]KSman wrote:
If you expect to find a T clinic or age management clinic that will work with OHIP and your budget, you are out of luck.

The answer may be one of the stickies that I suggested. You really need to look at those.[/quote]

Yeah, I read the threads. I’m guessing you’re referring to the one titled ‘Finding a TRT Doc’. I’ve found a compounding pharmacy that’s close to my home. I’ll check it out and ask for the names of the doctors that prescribe testosterone and/or clomid/nolvadex.

I’m in Ontario as well and just started TRT last month. Before starting I gathered as much info as I could about how our system works compared to what our American neighbours describe on the (excellent) forum.

A few of things to note about health care in Ontario:

  1. Your doctor is legally required to provide you with a copy of any test result you request. I have found that the easiest way to get the numbers you want is to call the office and ask the secretary to print off or fax a copy. Just have the date of the blood work handy when you call.

  2. The Ontario Ministry of Health guidelines recommend the following for low T diagnosis:

  • First test total T
  • If (and only if) total T falls below the normal range provided by the lab, then test free T, LH, FSH and prolactin
  • Based on the above tests diagnose with either primary hypogonadism, secondary hypogonadism, or follow up (which means figure something else out, usually blame depression or stress for symptoms).
  • However all diagnoses of hypogonadism must be confirmed with blood work from at least two different occasions.
  1. Despite research from an Ontario university (McMaster) that shows SubQ Testosterone Enanthate injections result is stable serum T levels as IM injections do, Ontario doctors will not prescribe SubQ injections, only IM.

  2. The Ontario Ministry of Health guidelines DO NOT recommend the use of hCG, hMG, or any AI in combination with any Testosterone product to treat any form of hypogonadism. They DO recommend the use of hCG alone to treat secondary hypogonadism in men who wish to maintain fertility during treatment.

Doctors in Ontario are not legally required to follow the ministry’s guidelines, but they tend to audited by the College of Physicians if they don’t. So most do. Your doctor is not a rule following boy scout if he refuses to give you a copy of your blood tests. In fact, he’s breaking the law. I recommend calling him on it if you need to (ask the secretary nicely first though). All of that being said, if you are in the low-normal range for total T, you will probably have to pay the guys in Burlington (Masters clinic) out of pocket if you want to get a prescription. Either that or change your family doctor a whole bunch of times until you find one that is willing to go against the guidelines.

Definitely get your test results though. You can’t really decide for yourself if you think T is problem without them.

Back to Defy… I think they offer (at least they did a year ago) an initial price of $299 which covers baseline labs and hour long consult. I did that the first time only because I realized my insurance will pay for labs (after deductible). Now the doc just writes me a lab work script and I go to Labcorp. It was a much better option before when I could get a script for the t cyp and fill it at CVS.

The thing I like about them is that they will work with you on med protocol. You do have to fill out a ton of paperwork initially concerning your health, issues, etc. but well worth it.

Good luck!

How’s it going, I’m new to this site. I don’t know if this is a private message or public… I’ve been trying to get TRT for more than a decade, can shed some light. I’ve had a small degree of progress… If you call lifelabs or your doc’s office, the receptionist should be able to read you your results… I was typically showing results in the 7’s, which translates to about 200 ng/dl - the american measurement. I recently tried Ontario Men’s Clinic; it’s too early to say if that was productive etc. Have you had any luck since your post?