Hey everyone.
Today was a very good day. My therapist is writing the letter for the endocrinologist and I can pick it up next week! Agh. I'm so excited!

I was just curious though, what generally happens at the first appointment? As requested by the endocrinologist, I had a physical and then some general bloodwork done to have ready for the appointment, but the bloodwork didn't include a hormone panel since I had one from last year which the secretary said was good enough. I'm guessing that they'll want to redo the hormone tests to get a better idea of where the levels are since the previous test was so long ago. I'm thinkin' though that when I call to set up the appointment, I'll ask about getting a script for another hormone test (+ liver function or any other test they think would be good to have first) to be done now before the appointment so the results will be in by the time the it comes around. This particular endo is an 8 hour round trip for me and usually has a month-long wait list, so it's going to be quite a journey until they recommend another endocrinologist in my area that they feel is competent (competent endocrinologists are a rarity in my area), so I just want to make sure the first appointment is as productive as can be.

My first appointment was a consultation. The doc did a little exam on me,  like feeling my stomach and chest,  and then had to get an okay from my counselor that it was okay for me to get on T and she wrote up the script that day. Their not doing blood work until later. But they asked a few question of why I wanted to get on T and that was about it for me.

I'm still not on T yet though. Got some issues and things to think about before I get my first shot.

Oh wow. Didn't think that they would write the prescription so quickly. Did they discuss the different types and brands and things like that? From my research, injections look like the best option for me right now but I don't know for sure about the more specific aspects.
Not going to get my hopes up and expect them to write me the script the first visit, but that's great to know that that's a possibility.

Thanks! I don't know how soon I'll start once I get the script though either, still some issues with family that have to be worked out first. I hope everything goes well for you.

Yes, the doc did discuss the different ways to take T. I wanted to do the gel packets b/c I don't like needles, but the gel was way too expensive and so was the patch, so my only other option was shots, and shots are the cheapest and with the shots changes come faster.

I would think the endo doc would write you up a script the same day and give it to you since your therapist is giving a letter to take to the endo doctor so you can get on T.  But every endo doc is different. But I don't see why the doc wouldn't write it up the same day.

Quote from: Nonstandard on January 21, 2011, 08:58:27 PM
I hope everything goes well for you.

Thanks. Hope things work out well with you too.

Ah yeah. I've had a lifelong fear of needles that I've been trying to overcome for this.

I'm not really sure what'll happen, but I've had endocrine problems in the past and I was on steroids for about 5 years to deal with narcolepsy (thankfully resolved and off the meds). I'm figuring that they'd want to take some precautions to make sure that I'm healthy enough and such.

Glad that your problems with that have been resolved and your off meds.

Yeah, I would think they would want to take caution to make sure everything is okay.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!  ... I am sure things will go well

::hugs::