I'm not sure if this is the proper place to post this, so just let me know if it isn't.
Oh, and I'm new here, so hello to everyone first off.
Now then, my dilemma; I am really hoping to start my transition as soon as I can, and I am currently in the process of figuring out how much it's all going to cost. So far, I have found estimates for the costs of therapy and the surgeries, but I have been unable to find anything regarding the cost of the hormone treatments. I understand that the cost will be different depending on the dosage I need, among other things, but I would appreciate if some of you guys would tell me how much it's costing for you so I can get an average or something.

In my experience, the costs of doctor visits + blood work is 200 dollars. That is without insurance. Also without insurance, each vial of Testosterone costs me 110 dollars. A vials longevity depends on your dosage. You will most likely be put on a higher dosage to start, and then a lower dosage to remain steady with. With insurance, however, I pay 10 dollars for any scripts. So when I do have insurance, it isn't that expensive. I go to the doc once a year for blood work.

For T, $60 USD or less every 5.5 months.

Quote from: LordKAT on July 16, 2013, 01:34:03 PM
For T, $60 USD or less every 5.5 months.

This is what it is from a certain mail order pharmacy (you still need a prescription, your dr sends it to them directly) that I think a lot of people use. They may ship to your state too, though they have a list where they can't ship to certain states (not sure if I can say the name of the pharmacy on the board).

Bloodwork for me was $200 without insurance, and then the cost of the doctor's appointments.  There are 3 for me to start T - the first appointment (bloodwork ordered), the second to get the script, and then a third to bring in the script and have them teach me how to do the shot.  I budgeted ~$500 for the whole process.

Quote from: LordKAT on July 16, 2013, 01:34:03 PM
For T, $60 USD or less every 5.5 months.

I don't know about every 5.5 months. I have to get more T every 3 or 4. Even when I was on a "normal" dose.

Quote from: Darrin Scott on July 16, 2013, 04:59:49 PM
I don't know about every 5.5 months. I have to get more T every 3 or 4. Even when I was on a "normal" dose.

I don't want to say too much as you can interpret dosage by saying how long a vial lasts, but I will say that when I first started I was on an extremely high dose and had to get a new vial BEFORE 3 months. Now, its closer to LordKAT's number and I'm still on a standard dose.
But like you can see, it all depends on your dose. So it's hard to say about cost.. but be prepared to spend up to 120 bucks per vial of testosterone if you dont have insurance and don't get it online.

A vial of T can come in different sizes, 1, 5 and 10 ml that I know of. It can also come in different strengths. This may cause you to fill your script at different rates.

The Oregon pharmacy that mails T and syringes to you is Stroheckers.

Wal greens cost $110 without insurance for the same vial size and strength as $60 from there. Stroheckers does not take insurance. Walgreens does not include syringes. Just some added things to think about.

It depends where you come from.

I pay $5 every 3 months.

Quote from: Hayzer12 on July 16, 2013, 12:35:30 PM
In my experience, the costs of doctor visits + blood work is 200 dollars. That is without insurance. Also without insurance, each vial of Testosterone costs me 110 dollars.

Dude, I'm shocked! Where do you live, if you don't mind me asking? I paid $500-ish just for blood work and about $150 for a doctor visit (although I went to an endo, not a GP). And that's after a 50% discount for not having insurance. Testosterone cost me the same amount though. If I could get blood work and a doctor's visit as cheap as that, I could totally afford to get back on T again--it's not the actual cost of T that's the problem, but the cost of the mandatory blood work/doctor visits.

These are helpful, thanks guys.

I work in a pharmacy, so I thought I'd weigh in here even though I'm not on T (yet).

-The cost will vary by your needs and the form of T you are taking. Vials come in different sizes and can vary in price. Someone also mentioned above that syringes may or may not be included with your medication. I'd recommend buying them from a medical supply place in bulk. Make sure to order the right kind. DON'T attempt to use insulin syringes for your hormone injections. That's a bad idea! You may be prescribed T gel as well, which is applied topically and prescribed in different amounts from the vials. There is also a T patch available. I have not seen this, but I do know that it exists.

-Another thing to consider is that you may not be prescribed standard T that you can get at any pharmacy. Some people may have to have their T compounded (custom mixed according to prescription). That may run you a bit more or a bit less than a standard scrip, depending on location and insurance. There are a few good online compounding pharmacies. If you're seeing an endo, they will usually have a go-to compounding pharmacy in their area that they will refer you to if you need your prescription compounded.

-Not all insurance plans will cover your T. At my workplace, I've dealt with one particular insurance company that does not cover these sorts of treatments for transfolk. I've not had experience with any of the other healthcare plans refusing, but I do know that it is something to be aware of. You should ask your provider if they cover it, what percentage, what forms, etc. Another company I've worked with does cover hormone treatments, but only certain brands/forms/amounts. It's a pain, but do your best to verify that your T will be covered by your insurance if you have it and plan on using it.

-There are labs that do not require doctor's orders and offer a variety of tests online. These places operate their own labs and are pretty basic, but they will get the job done for a fraction of what you'd pay at a standard lab. Just search for "blood testing services online" or something of that nature and it will pull up a few places. This sort of thing is not available in all states, though.

Hope this helps.

For mine it costs approximately $10 a month, or $5 per dose (every two weeks, so twice a month). My 10mL Testosterone Cypionate vial is $92.00 at Sam's Club. All in all a very reasonable cost, IHMO. I'm sure that's even higher cost than other States would have it at (California is pricey across the board at any rate). My 3cc 1-1/2 21G syringes are around $2.70 (for 30qty) at Sam's Club also.

From my observations, actually getting the approval for T is the most expensive (pretty much because of the therapy, first and foremost... depending on how long and how many appointments they'll require before your approval, it can rack up. Especially if they're just stringing you along and yes that does happen), followed by the periodical labs. The T itself is not cost-prohibitive. Its certainly far less than a cable TV or cell phone bill lol.

I pay $65.50 for a 10mL vial at Costco without insurance. It lasts me about 4 1/2 months.

I get a separate Rx for my needles and pay 14 cents each for them at Walmart.

Some may disagree and that is fine but I advise against using compounding pharmacies unless they have a great reputation (Strohecker's would be fine). I was thinking of using one myself in Florida until I did a little research and seen that they had been shut down previously for not so sterile conditions. Personally, I would rather buy from a big chain that stocks their shelves from reputable companies (Costco here stocks Watson brand).

QuoteSome may disagree and that is fine but I advise against using compounding pharmacies unless they have a great reputation (Strohecker's would be fine). I was thinking of using one myself in Florida until I did a little research and seen that they had been shut down previously for not so sterile conditions. Personally, I would rather buy from a big chain that stocks their shelves from reputable companies (Costco here stocks Watson brand).

Sometimes you may have to have a prescription compounded because of the amount/strength you are taking. In my case, since I have an adrenal disorder, I have to take low doses of any medication that affects my hormone levels. So I'm used to not being able to take stock meds unless it's something that can be taken in very small doses.

Also, some people are allergic to the standard compound that some companies use to suspend their T in. This is the reason why some guys quit taking injections and switch to creams, patches or other forms and it is a primary reason why some HRT patients are referred to compounding pharmacies. A traditional pharmacy usually does not have the capability or the supplies to custom mix a prescription for you.

However, if you have the option of buying stock T and are medically able to take it, I think it would be a better (and probably cheaper) way to go. Just my two cents, fwiw.

Stock T cheaper?  NO

$120/year on the low end. $240 on the high end.
Labwork is routine and costs me $40 without insurance with it being occasionally $100 if i'm getting T levels done.