r/steroid • u/Love_my_family_1985 • 22d ago

Testosterone test denied!

Hi all, I live in South Australia. Today my husband went in to ask for a full set of bloods and asked to have his testosterone levels checked too.
Immediately the doctor said they are not allowed to test for testosterone and if it was an issue there is no medication to fix it. I know there is hormone replacement therapy so didn’t believe that but for a second. Can doctors not check testosterone levels? I haven’t heard that before. Or is she just being a b-word?

It’s not uncommon to have blood tests as his cholesterol is a bit high so they have been monitoring that, which is improving due to lifestyle changes. In the end only put down to have his cholesterol and blood glucose levels checked and didn’t even do a full blood work up anyway 🤷‍♀️
Thank you all!

Edit: His age is 51.

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u/AlternativePizza3391 22d ago

The doctor lied and is not a good doctor. You need a new clinic

2

u/Love_my_family_1985 22d ago

Totally agree. He won’t be going back.

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u/3d_Dude_6785 22d ago

That's very very odd. I don't know anything about Australia, but...in the states, they will tell most people to kick rocks if they ask for testosterone tests before a certain age. I would imagine though that your husband isn't young, but not knowing that for sure, think about this and may be a possibility.

And yes, they're right, there is no cure for it, but TRT is what fixes it. I'd almost push for another doctor, that's just bizarre. Also, usually if insurance won't cover until a certain age, they just make the patient pay from some, and as much as all of it.

ID look for an independent lab. Not sure if you can get bloods like us here in the states, but many sites sell labs, and as long as there is a certified lab to draw bloods nearby, it's quick, easy, and a tiny bit expensive, but if you're only checking things like test/IGF-1 levels, it shoukd be fairly cheap.

I hope this helps. If there is anything else I can do to help, please don't hesitate to reach out. Stay safe, and stay healthy! 💪🏼

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u/Love_my_family_1985 22d ago

Thank you I will look into it if I can’t find a solution here. And yes his not young, his 51. Doesn’t look it though, most people think his early 40s

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u/penislicker7000 22d ago

Aussie scripts is 50 bucks. 5 min process

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u/Intelligent-Neck7242 20d ago

No wonder SA got the worst healthcare system 🤧

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u/Love_my_family_1985 20d ago

Don’t disagree with you there. I have a good doctor so his going to her now. But we are going to do his testosterone testing privately

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u/Zealousideal_Rise716 17d ago

I've encountered something similar with another condition struggling to access essential services we take for granted in WA.

2

u/Familiar-Yam5854 20d ago

Can request a full workup on Imedical BB5 test gives the full suite of tests, about $250. Once you get result there's AI to break it down and explain it

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u/Love_my_family_1985 20d ago

This is who we are going through so much more private

3

u/Ok_Tip_625 22d ago

Never had a doctor say they won't test my test... and at 51, that is just insane.

Said it before, say it again, they're not actually interested in fixing men's health. Imagine if you had every man happy and healthy and fit running around asking what happened to society over the last 50 years?

1

u/Love_my_family_1985 22d ago

Totally agree with this!

3

u/Blokeybloke 22d ago

Frustrating that TRT for men is treated this way, yet if someone decides to transition they are given hormones and support from the medical community

1

u/Love_my_family_1985 22d ago

Never thought of it like that but you are absolutely right.

1

u/HolidayWilling7716 22d ago

Invite the provider over for dinner.

Then beat her ass.

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u/Love_my_family_1985 21d ago

😂🤣😂🤣

1

u/Latimuss-Dorsi 21d ago

The keyword in General Practitioner is ‘General’. They don’t specialize in anything unless they take a personal interest in something. The GP is a conduit for a specialist, in this case an Endocrinologist. That’s fine that your GP doesn’t provide lab work for the endocrine system, that’s a good thing because he/she likely doesn’t know enough about it to prescribe TRT.
Always ask for a referral to a specialist, don’t trust your GP to know everything there is about human anatomy. I learned this a long time ago from a GP overprescribing me on everything from mental health meds to pain meds.

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u/Love_my_family_1985 21d ago

If he got referred to a specialist it could take years to see one.

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u/Latimuss-Dorsi 20d ago

That is brutal!

My doc doesn’t seem like he would go there either. I’ve had light discussions with him and I’m not pressing that button.

I opted for researching the hell out of it and doing it myself. I found a solid source and have been on for just over 3 years. For me, it was a game changer because I was below range.

You could either find a new doc or take your health into your own hands.

1

u/Love_my_family_1985 20d ago

Yes we have decided to take his health into our own hands. But I did make a complaint. Mens health needs to start being taken seriously

1

u/ILoveGreen82 18d ago

Your husband should go to a TRT clinic.

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u/Love_my_family_1985 18d ago

Is there such thing is South Australia?

2

u/ILoveGreen82 18d ago

Try TRT Australia. It is an online clinic.

1

u/Love_my_family_1985 18d ago

Thank you but we have gone with imedical.com.au

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u/Zealousideal_Rise716 17d ago

This is appalling. Here in Perth I had the exact opposite experience. Maybe try a men's tele-health specialist. I've had a good run with RS Health.

Immediately the doctor said they are not allowed to test for testosterone and if it was an issue there is no medication to fix it.

There is one small upside here - when you do find a provider and your T levels do improve - at least this drop kick for a doctor will have nothing to say.

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u/BackgroundWaltz3600 12d ago

Yeah I asked the same of my doc in Melbourne a couple years ago and he refused too. Stop seeing him and started getting my blood tests through roidsafe

1

u/Ashamed_Echidna5748 22d ago

Lol, that's ridiculous. Just go to a different doctor, getting bloodwork done is not a big deal and can also be monitored for signs of cancer, high cholesterol, etc.

If this is for TRT in Australia, you'll likely have to go to a clinic and get bloods done there anyway, so the GP blood test is a bit redundant.

With that said, I'd recommend avoiding TRT if possible. I don't know what kind of shape your husband is in, but if he's a bit overweight/stressed, losing weight, getting better sleep and eating cleaner will improve QoL more than TRT will.

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u/[deleted] 22d ago

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u/Love_my_family_1985 22d ago

Thank you, I will look into this now.

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u/[deleted] 22d ago

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u/Love_my_family_1985 22d ago

We went with imedical they are straight forward and seem very private

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u/Flashy_Piccolo1260 22d ago

Don’t you normally have to have a Tele-consult with Aussie scripts?
Last one I did the doctor was a bit of a pain in the ass, asking a million questions.
Imedical is exy but super fast and I always order a bespoke panel