How often do you test hormone levels? My current provider checks me every 3 months.

AlphaMD's Answer

Testing & re-testing are adjusted based on the patient to better meet their needs or means.

When someone starts with us, their provider will order baseline testing to choose which type of dose is correct for their form of hypogonadism & to have something to compare to later if needed.

Then around weeks 7 or 8 we want to hear from patients on how they're doing. If they are doing well and are not on a high-level dose, are completely side effect free, and are getting what they want out of TRT then the provider will typically continue the current dose without mandating testing. However if they are having side effects or something can't be deciphered from a video call then more testing would probably be ordered, likely including E2 at that point, so the provider knows how to adjust. Even if someone is perfectly fine, having testing data is still preferred, but that is sometimes a financial concern for them.

From there, testing is based on dose, which increases as you increase your weekly dose. <200mg a week typically does not require anything else (with the above stipulations). >200mg and the provider asks for labs ~6 months (this is also partially due to 200mg or above being past the normal use laid out by the DEA, even if you are doing fine, so they have records to support their choice). Then again as you increase from there frequency increases due to the same reasoning.

That said, we're always happy to coordinate additional testing at any time per request from our vendors or local alternatives, whichever is more affordable for the patient. Your provider then goes over the results to make sure things look right.

We aim to meet each patient's needs without turning testing into a money-making aspect of the business, which some online clinics do when it is not necessarily needed & create an up-charge.