I wanted to know how often should a person on T have a blood-work done? Is it ok to have it monthly or is it considered too often? Also, what things should be checked?
If you're doing it legally, your doctor should know this.
Blood work intervals depend on many factors that your doctor should discuss with you, such as what point you are at in your hormone replacement treatment, other potential health factors, and so on. The intervals will probably also change as you progress in your treatment.
I like to give people the benefit of the doubt when they ask questions since it is so easy for people in the health care industry to try and make a quick buck (or hundreds) off of patients like us since we are pretty much locked into long term care and have little choice but to go with what they say. I've had it happen to me and the health care "professional" literally got hundreds from me in copays alone and who knows how much from my insurance before I was told by someone else that it didn't seem right and got a second opinion.
My doctor gets it every 3 months.
I've read a few different things, but the one that I read that made a lot of sense to me (and the one that my doctor and I agreed on) was:
From starting T to the end of the first year on T - bloodwork once every 3 months
From the start of year 2 - bloodwork once every 6 months
After year 3 - bloodwork once every year
Thank you, that does make sense. I am just very cautious about T's effects because I don't want changes happening fast at all.
Quote from: Kreuzfidel on February 28, 2014, 07:52:37 PM
I've read a few different things, but the one that I read that made a lot of sense to me (and the one that my doctor and I agreed on) was:
From starting T to the end of the first year on T - bloodwork once every 3 months
From the start of year 2 - bloodwork once every 6 months
After year 3 - bloodwork once every year
My (first) bloodwork and script hasn't got back yet, but she was already like "you'll be back in to see me in three months, three months after, and then six months" and then I think either six months or once a year. Seems reasonable to me.