nhs payment

[masterp]

hey guys due to huge waiting lists to see an endo i was forced to cough up the cash and see a private endocrhonologist. he has prescribed me hcg and testogel, but i didnt realise that i now have to pay for the stuff instead of getting it on the nhs. this is the first time i have gone private, it cost me an arm and a leg and i only did because i felt obliged. is there anyway to get my prescription converted onto the nhs because i cant really handle the cost.

any advice would be really appreciated.

[chestrockwell]

What is the cost of your medicens? for hcg and testogel?.
and for how long have you got to take it for and what dosage is it?.

chris.

[masterp]

about 70 quid a month, and indeffineltly. im also only a student.

[chestrockwell]

about 70 quid a month, and indeffineltly. im also only a student.

Thats criminal mate, 70 quid.. testosterone is such a cheap hormone, a kilo of pure raw testosterone sells for around £400-500 , there is 1 000 000 mg of testosterone in a kilo, and TRT dosages are aound 50mg a day split in to 2 doses, divide 1 000 000 in to 50mg doses and it leaves you with 20000 doses divide that by 365 days in the year and a kilo will last around 54.7 years x 12 months = 648 months  then divide £500 by 648 months and your total cost of testoserone per month is 77pence

And HCG is as equaly as cheap!.

some body somewere is making to much money!.
Il have a scout around for you mate and see if i can find any information to help you out.

[Worrier]

Iam no expert on the nhs, but i assume the endo you saw was recommended by your Gp and you saw the endo on a private basis from a GP referral. If that is the case and the endo has said you need these drugs for your health then the nHs should prescribe them.
     He would have sent  a letter to your GP saying what the diagnosis was and that you need those drugs.
      When I devloped gyne they thought I may have low testosterone and because I did not want to wait mths  I saw a private endo and was referred to this person by my gp.I remember asking him if the tests indicated I needed treatment, could I get this on the NHS he said yes. Turned out my gyne was drug induced and the growth stopped when I stopped the drug. So I did not need the treatment anyway.
            If you bypassed your GP and you went to one of those 'clinics' I doubt know about that though.I would maybe see your GP with a copy of your tests results or maybe get the endo to contact your GP.
         Treatment for low testosterone male hormone problems is available on the NHS I now that much.

Steve
     

[masterp]

lads thanks for all the help/ yeah testogel is 40 quid a month on private from boots, and hcg will be about 25. by the time you add up all the costs it comes to about 70 quid. is there no documentation on the web which says that when a gp has instructed a patient to go see an specialist, private or otherwise, it is appropriate for the nhs to cover the cost of subsequent treatment. i mean this gp diagnosed me with hypergonadism in the first place. i think that he is worried that it is morally corrupt, for the nhs to be paying for a private prescripotion, and i need to show him that its fine. that it is moral, and that he wont go to jail for doing it.

but thanks for the continued suppoort guys. i dont have gyne particularly, just a shit physique because of low T

[chestrockwell]

doesnt matter wich way you look at it bro you have a physical problem, its just the same as if you had depresion from low Serotonin levels, you can have   antidepresants prescribed on the nhs so there is no reason for you not to have this treatment on the nhs.

good luck

chris.

[Worrier]

I went to a private (again) psychiatrist and he prescribed antidepressants. and other drugs after being referred by my GP.
       gp had no  problem whatsover about giving me an nhs prescription on the psychiatrists recommendations. And this occured for a number of years until I did not need them.
      How is this different.?

      I think some gp's may be reluctant to presribe hormone treatment for men because it might be a 'new concept' to them. Keep fighting man.

[masterp]

i think thats exactky it. my gp is just old school i think. hes actually guite young, so maybe hes just inexperienced. but lets be honest, there is porvision for gps to to prescirbe stuff based on privat specialists recommendations.

what a chump, why cant my guy just help me out. its not like hes breaking the law or anthing

[Worrier]

If you are in a practice you could simply ask to see another GP. I have done this.As I had a GP who shall we say was 'overworked'
        If you really unhappy and the practice won't let you transfer you can apply  through the primary care trust to change your doctor. As you have a right to do this.
       Don't be to hasty though maybe see your GP again and lay it on the line you shouldn't be paying that much for treatment you need. esp as you will need this treatment for a long time.All you have done is fastracked getting a diagnosis and who can blame you? now the nhs should treat this as any other medical problem.
       what is the difference if you had spent six months on an nhs waiting list to get the same diagnosis and the same recomendations for treatment. You probably would have seen the same endo as well.As most tend to have a private practice.If the endo says you need this treatment I can't see what the Gp's problem is either.
         I know Gp's are reluctant to prescribe testosterone and other hormones themselves as they are a serious business esp if your testosterone was on the borderline or something so they tend to get you to see an endo before they prescribe. But if a consultant has said you need this then that should be the end of the discussion in my view.

[masterp]

exactly you guys are so right. i even saved the guy trouble as my going private he didnt need to make a refferal. i think because i am borderline and that i am combining trt with hcg, my gp thinks i am being progressive and that it is not the nhs duty to support my investigations. in any event im just going to work at it. as long as i know that there is provision within the nhs system to do this, then ill just keep working at it. its noit like the gp can loose his job or anthing.

thanks a bunch lads