Need advice on switching doctors!

[Pacman]

So after being with my current Endocrinologist for almost one year, I have decided that I may very well want to switch to a different specialist.

Instead of posting a huge long explanation, I will bullet point the advantages and disadvantages of him (i.e. reasons to stay with him, reasons that cause me to want to switch to a different doctor):

Advantages:

1) He's a good doctor. He seems to know what he's talking about.

Disadvantages:

1) Bad communication outside of appointments. His secretaries (he has three!) barely answer the phone, and usually will only call me back after I leave like 3-4 messages (sometimes they don't). So wish me luck if I'm ever experiencing difficulties and need to get in contact with him to ask him some questions..

2) Appointments feel "rushed". Granted, this may be because he has lots of appointments, but still...

3) He is very conservative. That bothers me. Like in our last appointment I mentioned to him that I'm interested in the anabolic effects of TRT, and I'd want to choose the best option to help me out in that area. He became very wary about that topic. What the hell?! As a guy I cannot want to take advantage of TRT to build muscle? I am not requesting steroid doses, I just want to maximize my benefit in the muscle building department... After explaining that to him, he accepted it, but it still seemed to be a grey area for him.

The main reasons I want to switch are reasons 1 and 3 though.

-----------------

What can I do to find a doctor who specializes in TRT and keeps lines of communication open outside the 15 minute window that is called the "appointment"? Also, I really really REALLY would like to have a doctor who understands me and will help me maximize me benefits of TRT in ALL departments, not just departments that HE deems important.

Please! I need someone like this! Any advice? I live in Miami by the way, if any of you have specific recommendations. Thank you!

 

[Vision]

Look to your right on the screen and see the Defy medical ad?? Call them, Dr Saya is very knowledgeable and the nurses and nurse practitioner, respond to emails and phone calls quickly.

 

[Gene Devine]

Look to your right on the screen and see the Defy medical ad?? Call them, Dr Saya is very knowledgeable and the nurses and nurse practitioner, respond to emails and phone calls quickly.

^^^^What he said.

You pay for this service, they work for you; where else can you pay such high prices for service and be treated like this???

Move on...and tell the Doc why you are as well.

 

[CoastWatcher]

Move on...and tell the Doc why you are as well.

Tell the doctor - you'll feel better about standing up for your rights as a patient (as a human being) and you "may" help future patients who consult that practice.

Best of luck.

 

[Pacman]

How much do they charge at Defy Medical? Insurance doesn't cover it? I'm not a millionaire... And it shows they are in Tampa? Nothing in Miami???

 

[46and2]

Defy does not accept insurance. I am halfway across the country and I use them. I have never been required to go to Tampa.

 

[Vision]

I live in Colorado, and am not rich... You will have to go to a Dr (any Dr) to get a physical, also Defy will order some blood work to be done. All told testing and a 20 to 30 minute phone call with Dr Saya, plus Meds (which they supply) was around $400. The meds will last about 90 days.
MUCH less than most TRT clinics....
V

 

[Vince Carter]

How much do they charge at Defy Medical? Insurance doesn't cover it? I'm not a millionaire... And it shows they are in Tampa? Nothing in Miami???

AS I understand it, they don't file insurance but you should get receipts, etc.., that you can file for reimbursement. I'm doing this with another clinic, it's not bad, you have to deal with insurance directly which is kind of a challenge.

 

[T-dog]

These guys already told you how you can switch doctors. I'm just chiming in because I'm almost in the same boat and have definitely made the decision to switch myself...addressing your "any advice?" question.

Your only advantage is he's a good doctor and seems to know what he's talking about. That doesn't help you at all if you don't know what he's talking about. So there are essentially no advantages you've listed.

My current doctor may or may not know what's going on, but the information isn't being relayed to me. All I'm doing is taking Androgel that isn't working. And frankly I'm glad it isn't, because if it was I would just keep cruising blindly along, not having looked into switching doctors, and not realizing all I'm missing out on. As far as I can tell, I'm not even getting any tests to see what my estrogen is doing, or most other tests beyond that where an increase in testosterone could affect other things. How is my doctor supposed to know how to prevent side effects and what changes are taking place if all that's being monitored is my testosterone level? Frankly it scares me that I'm in this boat.

That's one of the justifications I'm using to switch. The other is I could continue to see my doctor, and all lab tests and injections if I could go from topical to shots would be covered by insurance...but I'd still have a $20 copay weekly. It turns out it will be less than $15-$20 more monthly to do this all outside of insurance. And if it works out I will be able to do it at home instead of having to go in to the office like insurance requires, which I can assure you is a major pain in the butt for me and is basically an inhibitor of sustainable treatment. So do the math on your copay and see how much more going outside your insurance will really cost you.

Also, like you, my doctor seems to want to play "just the tip" with the testosterone. From what I'm reading about where I'm hoping to go, the doctor likes to keep you at least high-middle to get the most benefit from this. After multiple blood tests and a description of symptoms, my current doctor even seems skeptical that I'm really experiencing problems and it makes me feel extremely guilty trying to get treated.

All-in-all, at first I was hesitant to change...but then I realized it's my health and I've got to do the best thing for me to improve, and going to my current doctor isn't it.

Again, I still haven't locked down my new treatment (I did get my forms filled out, physical done, and lab tests taken...so I'm close) but if you're anything like me, the more you learn about this and then realize where you sit right now, the angrier you will get and wonder why you didn't do this earlier.