Admin - You repeatedly state to get blood work done through numerous posts. However I have not read in any post that there is a common hormone problem associated with this condition. Is there a common hormone problem we should be looking for? I would consider trying to get all of these test and blood work done if I knew what I was looking for.
Could you specify every test’s reasons? What does TSH do in my body, for example?
Read FAQ at top of site, it outlines the common problem very clearly.
Hypogonadal levels of Total & Free Testosterone, LH and FSH, either low or extremely high DHT… often elevated Estradiol, TSH or Prolactin, and other imbalances such as increased Progesterone and issues with other hormones listed. The problem is we don’t know every single hormone the drug affects by inhibiting 5AR, so it is important to get as big a picture as possible.
The links are right in the FIRST POST of this thread. Please read!
Is urine a better way to find out wht’s goin on instead of serum at 9am etc, Shippen is on youtube saying he is coming around to doing urine samples now.
Hey,
Do you have any resources on complete blood count (CBC)?
Yes, it’s called Google. Try it sometime.
Ok so I’ve been thinking now we’re getting to a point where we have a few theories as to the problem we experience. So I thought I would put a list of tests that we should have done in lab setting:
Ones we can’t easily do without:
Adiol 17-G
Adiol 3-G
11b-OH-Etiocholanolone
androsterone/etiocholanolone
11ß-hydroxy androsterone/11ß-hydroxy etiocholanolone
5-tetrahydrocorticosterone (THB)/THB
5-THF/THF
Genital Skin Fibroblast testing
Genetic test for AR gene mutation
Genetic test for 5AR2 mutation
6b-hydroxy-5a-dihydrotestosterone
6beta-hydroxy testosterone
7α-hydroxytestosterone
Ratio of hydroxy-testosterone to normal testosterone
4-androstene,16,17β-diol-3-one (16-OH-testosterone)
AR gene CAG and GGC repeats
Determine if 17B-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase pathway is working - testosterone to Δ4-androstenedione ratio
Determine if 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency
Genome wide methylation analysis - concentrating on AR receptor function and CYP… enzymes in liver. - see studies in viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3901&start=120 for which areas.
The usual:
Total testosterone
Bioavailable Testosterone
Free Testosterone
DHT
FSH
LH
SHBG
Free t3
Free t4
TSH
DHEAs
Androstendione
Estradiol
24 hour cortisol
Progesterone
Prolactin
Vitamin D
Zinc
IGF-1
IGF-BP3
CRP
ESR
This should cover everything. Any other suggestions?
The link above provided by joshcurtz for a 24 hour urine profile from rein labs rheinlabs.com/hp.html seems to cover quite a few of those metabolites. MIght be a good place to start, unfortunately there are no prices on the website. I wonder if they would be able to do a special request for the other metabolites.
reverse t3 and saliva cortisol test should be on here as well. i just got my reverse t3 and free t3 done and found out i have too much reverse t3 in my body. its what JN did to recover himself as well.
reverse T3 absolutely should be in there.
Reverse T4?
3*
Yes
Please add:
Cortisol binding globulin / transcortin
Durinal cortisol salivary profile
RT3
Daily temperatures.
Ige
CBG and Silivary cortisol are very important and If i got them years ago I would have saved a lot of time messing around with things.
Thanks
I’m going to my doctor tomorrow and presenting him with the list provided to try and get these checked. I’m assuming he won’t do all of them, but I’ll try to get the most I can out of him and do the rest somewhere at another lab.
Are there any other tests that I should consider besides the OP? Last time it was edited was 2007. I want to make sure to cover all my basis.
You should review this entire thread for advice on which tests to have done, but most here will agree testing for vitamin D3 is extremely important. Blood tests often reveal us as being deficient. Also, T3, T4, free T3, free T4, and reverse T3 are useful for ruling out thyroid issues, while a saliva cortisol test is useful for examining potential adrenal gland problems.
Hello, I am wanting to obtain the blood tests recommended from propeciahelp.com/testing and post the results back here.
What I am curious about - is what are the typical costs for getting these blood tests done? I am uninsured. So I am guessing that I should start with the “Recommended Short List”. I just have no idea what the tests will cost and I’m am unfortunately going to guess that they are rather expensive.
The “Short List” Includes:
I would like to get all the recommended tests but don’t know if I can.
I am wanting to obtain health insurance anyway for the long term. I’m 30 now and should be thinking about that stuff regardless. I am not offered insurance through work so I would have to find an individual plan.
But, is this going to hurt my chances of being approved/ premiums and rates? Does health insurance even cover these tests? Should I wait? Please help…
Thank you sincerely for your time!
There is a link to a thread explaining where to get testing done without a doctor visit in the first post:
You can go to the website to price the tests. Many have found resistance from their doctors when requesting the blood tests, you may actually spend more time and energy requesting the tests than you would just paying for them yourself.
Hey man,
I actually finally got health insurance again after about a year without coverage. When I listed previous medications, I told them I used Propecia, and my monthly premium turned out to be $20 higher than I was originally quoted. However, I was told to provide proof of creditable coverage (which is proof that I was recently insured with another company) and that would bring my payments down to what I was quoted before I even mentioned Propecia. So with my insurance company, they want to know your previous medications taken, but I don’t believe Propecia has any effect on my monthly premium.
I just went to an endocrinologist last week to have the short list done as well. However, my plan is crummy and they only cover $300 of lab work per calendar year. The testosterone test cost $250 alone, so it was all I had done (I didn’t want to pay out of pocket). I believe I calculated that the entire short list, plus a few other thyroid related tests, would have totaled about $1200. However, I have since gone to my primary physician and he has quoted me a lot lower prices on some of these tests than they were charging at my endocrinologist. I’m looking at some of the prices now… Vitamin D is a $70 test and TSH is $50. It will vary from lab to lab, but that will give you an idea of what you might be spending if you have them all done. I do believe testosterone and a few of the others are considerably more expensive (hence the $250). Hopefully this is of some help to you, and hopefully you find a better healthcare plan than I did, so that they might cover all or most of these tests that you need done. Good luck.
Hey guys, I am wanting to get the tests that are outlined one the site done and post up the results here. I just have a couple logistical questions maybe you can advise me on to help me achieve that.
I’m uninsured, 30 yr old male, no other real health problems. Being that I want to have at the very minimum, the recommended “short” list done, but would definitely prefer to have the whole panel done, and have absolutely no clue as to what the expense would be, I’ve got a couple questions…
I am already actually considering purchasing health insurance anyway, and I’m thinking if it might help cover some of these costs, I might as well. If I picked up a PPO health plan/ 5k deductible, would that help me? Granted, I probably wouldn’t meet the deductible, but do the insurance companies actually do that whole pre-negotiated rate thing, or is that just a crock of shit? For example, even though I would have to pay out-of-pocket for the lab work because I haven’t met the deductible, would the lab work actually cost me less though because the insurance company has negotiated a lower rate, which I would be entitled to as a member? This is a hard question to spell out properly, hope you understand what I’m saying…
Because what the insurance agent told me on the phone is that even if I needed lab work done but haven’t met the deductible, it would be 90% cheaper if I had the insurance. Another example he gave was if I ever needed an MRI, which could cost $2-3k, they have a negotiated rate where it would only cost $470.
I REALLY want to have these tests done, more so for your review than my doctor even. I’m just trying to figure out how I can possibly have it done. I previously have talked to him about Testosterone and Thyroid lab work and he agreed to order that much anyway…
But, with a PPO I wouldn’t need a PCP referral to go see a specialist (such as an endocrinologist), that might be able to work with me further on this.
I would very much appreciate if anyone has any tips for me here, Please!