How do I get a testosterone prescription?

We have you fill out some forms, our specialist will assess you, and you will go in and take a blood test. The test assesses the current level of testosterone in the blood, if warranted, then issue a prescription for testosterone or a variant. A total of 2 separate testosterone level tests are generally required for a prescription. Like all testosterone replacement clinics in Calgary, there is a fee for assessment that is not covered by Alberta health or by insurance companies. The full price for the consultation is $1000 payable at the time or in advance of your appointment. The fee is immediately 100% fully refundable, if the patient is eligible for a testosterone prescription.

questions-about-eligibility-testosterone-prescription

What age am I eligible for Testosterone Replacement Therapy?

From the time a mans growth plates close, around 25 years old, TRT can be use to restore testosterone levels.

Why can’t I get testosterone prescription from my regular GP?

The problem is most GPs are generalists and are not equipped with the training or have even taken a single semester covering hormones to be able to recognize, address or let alone treat male hormone deficiency. For this reason most general practitioners decline to treat men with low levels of testosterone, and write a testosterone prescription, conversely they feel very confident writing estrogen hormone prescriptions on demand. Another issue is that abundance of mis-information about testosterone enanthate one of the common prescribed testosterone esters in Calgary.

The second issue is the question of free testosterone test ranges. The range covers 18 to 70 year olds- if you are in the bottom part of this range and are under 40, it is like being lumped in with elderly males. Medically, this is a big problem. The other issue is where they are getting these standardized testosterone reference levels– the average men are obese to medically obese. It is well known that obese men have lower testosterone levels.

Blood testing is skewed towards peak testosterone levels, in order for blood tests to be “valid” tests and a testosterone prescription issued tests have to be done prior to 10am where testosterone is at peak. When men test average or low at “peak” this doesn’t mean that they do not have low testosterone. Additionally, the testosterone ranges have been lowered, this new normal is lower making males with low hormone levels even more difficult to medically treat.

To be fair your regular doctor is overwhelmed with patients and issues- it would be impossible for them to keep up about treatments, research, reference range skews, and even how to administrate. We have seen GP’s prescribe 100mg of testosterone cypionate a month, or 150mg of testosterone a week combined with very high aromatase inhibitor dosage that could lower estrogen to a degree which is unhealthy, and never test for estrogen. For a small upfront cost, having a specialist work with you is vital to your health.

How many clinics across Canada do you have?

This is a pretty revolutionary therapy, we are among the few the envelope and talking about testosterone deficiency and TRT. We are actively looking in Florida for doctors to work with as we anticipate opening a clinic there soon.

Once TRT is started, what is the time that it will take to see positive body changes?

It is known that testosterone decreases body fat and has other positive effects like increasing lean muscle tissue, energy level, stamina, and cognitive improvement, a vital piece is your caloric intake and weight training program. This will help also with compounded stress of modern living.

When patients are given testosterone, the amount of recovery and progress will exceed males with lower hormone levels. When administered in conjunction with a local Calgary personal trainer to assess and correct baseline muscle imbalances and give written diet advice.

How much time before I start to “feel great, look better”?

The length of time for your body to metabolize and boost testosterone levels in the body, varies greatly from patient to patient. The variables and barriers to the greatest positive changes are:

Overall body fat percentage pre testosterone therapy
Age
Initial fitness level
Diet
Training regimen
Sleep quality and quantity
Overall Stress and how it is dealt with

But in general, men taking exogenous testosterone boosters such as testosterone enanthate notice a difference within two to four weeks. Generally starting in quality of morning erections, energy levels, recovery, and a sense of wellbeing and steadfastness.

Who aren’t candidates for testosterone replacement therapy?

People with moderate to severe sleep apnea as testosterone replacement can, in some cases worsen the condition.

Men with normal or high normal levels of testosterone, will probably not be eligible for a testosterone prescription.
Couples who are attempting to have children: Men may experience a reduction in sperm count leading to infertility, and for that reason will not be able to have children. This is not always the case though.
Men with current prostate and breast cancer may in some cases, testosterone can accelerate it’s progression. But this is not always the case- recent studies have shown that testosterone administration actually regresses prostate cancer. study here

What are side and adverse effects of TRT?

Blood clots may possibly develop (particularly in the veins in the legs) due to the surge in red blood cell generation. Nevertheless, one study performed by the British Journal of Medicine showed that a thrombus develops in about sixteen people out of ten thousand.

The most frequent time being in within the first Six months of commencing TRT. Following Six months, the chance decreases dramatically. A similar study completed in Chest (a U.S. medical journal) found that there wasn’t any connection between blood clot formation and TRT. Regardless, clot formation is one reason why regular blood testing is important to ensure that your levels aren’t too high. In case a blood clot forms, subsequently TRT needs to be ceased and remedy for the blood clot must be started. One suggestion by the medical journals to lessen the increase in thrombus would be to donate blood or a medical phlebotomy, especially within the first 6 months following TRT treatment

•As mentioned previously, TRT may cause acceleration of benign prostatic hyperplasia, an age related, dosage dependent temporarily enlargement of the prostate gland. Routine check-ups will likely be vital to monitor, treat BPH, or modify or even discontinue TRT temporarily or permanently.

•Breast development (gynecomastia) may occur in males in the event the testosterone levels are too high for the reason that excess testosterone may be converted to estrogen. This specific symptom can easily be treated by either decreasing the levels of testosterone or with the use of an estrogen blocking medication. Anecdotally, males with a higher percentage of body fat will require higher amounts of AI (aromatase inhibitor), those same males will require less AI as they decrease body fat.

•Unwanted growth of hair in men?: There is less potential for unwanted hair growth with normal testosterone compared to synthetic hormones. Waxing or laser hair removal will mitigate any hair growth experienced.

•Acne can develop after receiving a testosterone prescription TRT therapy, more notably in those who have a history of acne in the past. We have found several root causes, particularly, bad diet, high estrogen, sudden increase in testosterone levels, kind of testosterone preparation, and discontinuation of testosterone. Use monitoring of estrogen levels is very effective in combatting acne. The majority of patients with good diets, and optimal body fat taking under 500mg a week of testosterone generally do not require an AI and are relatively negative side effect free.

•Testicular shrinkage of various levels may occur since the testicles aren’t generating testosterone and since they do not have to work all the time, they may undergo a decrease in dimension and volume (“testicular atrophy”). This does not happen to all TRT patients, if excessive shrinking is occurring, using a product like HCG, (Human chorionic gonadotropin) will return the testicles to the normal size very quickly.