TRT using TRICARE that allows take home injections?

[Thunderbird45]

What is the best way for me to get prescribed my Testosterone and HCG injections that I self inject, while using my TRICARE standard insurance? I currently self inject using Endocranologist in Bristol TN, he dropped my dose down to 100mg week from the 180mg week I was previously receiving at the Low T Center. Endocranologist wants to keep me at a lower dose than is effective. But at same time I can't stand going to Clinic for injections. I would like to know the other options I have if anyone knows or can help. Thanks

 

[CoastWatcher]

What is the best way for me to get prescribed my Testosterone and HCG injections that I self inject, while using my TRICARE standard insurance? I currently self inject using Endocranologist in Bristol TN, he dropped my dose down to 100mg week from the 180mg week I was previously receiving at the Low T Center. Endocranologist wants to keep me at a lower dose than is effective. But at same time I can't stand going to Clinic for injections. I would like to know the other options I have if anyone knows or can help. Thanks

Welcome to Excelmale.com.

You are asking how, using your insurance coverage, you can find a doctor who will help you manage a protocol calling for 180mg of testosterone a week. If the deal requires the doctor be in-network, I don't know what we can advise. You're limiting yourself drastically if you insist the doctor be a part of a TRICARE network. We can certainly offer you suggestions for out of network medical care, as so many US-based members have long ago stepped away from the insurance game and pay for service.

Why did the doctor you mention, the endocrinologist, reduce your dose? Do you have blood work, with reference ranges, you can post? Perhaps we can see something there that you could point out to your current provider.

 

[Thunderbird45]

Thanks CoastWatcher for your reply,

 

[Thunderbird45]

I didn't mean to send, just the thanks, I accidentally hit send FYI,

 

[Thunderbird45]

I would like to find more of a "Testosterone friendly Doctor". The endocranologist initially wanted to only treat me with anastrozole and I had to tell him I still wanted the injections that I was receiving at the Low T center. He said my estrogen was high according to my blood work,"I didn't keep the results, I know now to keep my results for stuff like this". I also told him that I believed that my low T was due to a head injury I received a couple years back, I don't know if that is what influenced his decision to drop my dose either. I told the Endo that I felt good at the 180, but he said to wait a month till my next batch of blood work results come until he adjust my dose. How should I go about getting my dose back to 180 with this Endo? I hate asking such a simple question but I can't seem to understand these Doctors and why they do what they do. Thanks again for help answering my question's

 

[stevep]

I am using TriCare Prime and receive my Test E through this insurance. I pick it up at the closest military pharmacy.

It's the PCP and my choice if I have to come into the office for them to inject or I inject at home (which I do). TriCare doesn't care as far as I know. Me doing it at home saves TriCare a $10 administrative fee (from what a previous doctors office told me)

With that said my PCP won't prescribe HCG so I go through Defy's program (out of pocket expense) even though HCG is on the formulary for TriCare/ExpressScripts.

You'll need to do what I did. Search for a new provider within the network. Call their office and see if they handle male hormone treatment. I went through at least 4 previous doctors before I landed with my current doctor, and I'm in a small TN town.

https://tricare.mil/FindDoctor/AllProviderDirectories/Network

 

[Thunderbird45]

Steve, My buddy that uses Tricare Prime gets his HCG paid for by Tricare, you have to fax the prescription to Express Scripts, and it HAS to be a 10,000IU bottle. I even have a pic of his prescription, so that I can get my doc to copy it word for word and get mine for 20$ 90 days, ill attach it so maybe you can get an idea of what it needs to say. I do know Express Scripts will TRY and not pay but all it takes is for your Doctor to write up your prescription correctly. Ill do what you said and look up providers that are in network in my area and call them and ask. I just moved to a small town in east Tn that doesn't allow me to sign up for Prime, apparently you have to live within 100 miles of a military facility to be eligible. Thanks for the advice

 

[stevep]

Steve, My buddy that uses Tricare Prime gets his HCG paid for by Tricare, you have to fax the prescription to Express Scripts, and it HAS to be a 10,000IU bottle. I even have a pic of his prescription, so that I can get my doc to copy it word for word and get mine for 20$ 90 days, ill attach it so maybe you can get an idea of what it needs to say. I do know Express Scripts will TRY and not pay but all it takes is for your Doctor to write up your prescription correctly. Ill do what you said and look up providers that are in network in my area and call them and ask. I just moved to a small town in east Tn that doesn't allow me to sign up for Prime, apparently you have to live within 100 miles of a military facility to be eligible. Thanks for the advice View attachment 3989View attachment 3990

I wish my doctor would prescribe HCG but he won't do it. He said he's not comfortable/know enough about it but he does support me with Defy. I've been talking to a guy at the gym that wasn't aware of HCG so I brought him up to speed on it, and he approached his doctor about it and she is investigating it. She was suppose to even call Defy to ask them about it.

If she decides to approve it for him, and that office takes TriCare I'll move over to her to save a couple hundred dollars every couple months. I'm happy with Defy, but if I can get it prescribed through TriCare I'll change doctors.

Thanks for the good info on how the RX needs to be written. I'll save the .jpg in case I change doctors.

 

[CoastWatcher]

I wish my doctor would prescribe HCG but he won't do it. He said he's not comfortable/know enough about it but he does support me with Defy. I've been talking to a guy at the gym that wasn't aware of HCG so I brought him up to speed on it, and he approached his doctor about it and she is investigating it. She was suppose to even call Defy to ask them about it.

If she decides to approve it for him, and that office takes TriCare I'll move over to her to save a couple hundred dollars every couple months. I'm happy with Defy, but if I can get it prescribed through TriCare I'll change doctors.

Thanks for the good info on how the RX needs to be written. I'll save the .jpg in case I change doctors.

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/017692s021lbl.pdf

Here's the FDA approved insert for HCG. It clearly presents that it is indicated for hypogonadism and spells out the prescribing instructions. This is as "official" as it gets...which doesn't mean most doctors will have read it!

 

[stevep]

"Here's the FDA approved insert for HCG. It clearly presents that it is indicated for hypogonadism and spells out the prescribing instructions. This is as "official" as it gets...which doesn't mean most doctors will have read it!"


Selected cases of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in males.
1. 500 to 1,000 USP Units three times a week for three weeks, followed by the same dose twice a weekfor three weeks.2. 4,000 USP Units three times weekly for six to nine months, following which the dosage may bereduced to 2,000 USP Units three times weekly for an additional three months.

I've read this in the past and I need to bring it up to him. I guess if he changed his mind then he'll follow the timelines of #1 and after the six weeks he'll say I'm fixed and stop my prescriptions. Honestly I have nothing to loose by bringing it up since I'm already paying out of pocket for Defy.

Hopefully he'll understand why I need Anastrazole which ExpressScripts carry's in 1mg doses. I only take .125mg so I'd be cutting them.

 

[Thunderbird45]

your welcome steve

 

[CoastWatcher]

"Here's the FDA approved insert for HCG. It clearly presents that it is indicated for hypogonadism and spells out the prescribing instructions. This is as "official" as it gets...which doesn't mean most doctors will have read it!"


Selected cases of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in males.
1. 500 to 1,000 USP Units three times a week for three weeks, followed by the same dose twice a weekfor three weeks.2. 4,000 USP Units three times weekly for six to nine months, following which the dosage may bereduced to 2,000 USP Units three times weekly for an additional three months.

I've read this in the past and I need to bring it up to him. I guess if he changed his mind then he'll follow the timelines of #1 and after the six weeks he'll say I'm fixed and stop my prescriptions. Honestly I have nothing to loose by bringing it up since I'm already paying out of pocket for Defy.

Hopefully he'll understand why I need Anastrazole which ExpressScripts carry's in 1mg doses. I only take .125mg so I'd be cutting them.

A good approach Nelson references is to simply point out that HCG maintains your testicular fullness and they hurt when shrunken, absent HCG. It sounds so elmentary, but he claims it's been enough - more times than not. The battles that have to be waged for us to obtain care...

 

[j4ever]

good luck to ya man, I use Tricare standard as well and have not had a problem, like mentioned above check network to find docs, you can also check authorized providers that are non-network, I actually use a authorized non-network doc, you pay just a bit more vs network but not much, just make sure they are authorized to accept Tricare, with a lot of docs if they have a web-site you can read it and know immediately if they are trt friendly, after that you just have to set appt and discuss protocol with him/her, if they try to put you on some crazy ass protocol or will not listen to your input, and you are not satisfied you have to go else where, I would try urologist.