Any recommendations for private testosterone blood tests please?

[anythingbutlillies]

I've been on testosterone for 18 months now. Prescribed via private clinic for 6 months (?) but then a blood test was needed to ensure levels were ok before a new prescription could be issued.

My GP was happy to do the test and send results to the clinic to allow the new prescription.

However I'm now in need of another blood test (every 12 months) which the GP is refusing and saying I need to arrange my own private test.

Any recommendations please?

And yes, I know I can Google but I'd prefer recommendations (and was also a bit confused by the search results 🤔)

Thank you in advance.

Can your GP prescribe the testosterone and then they are obliged to give you the follow up blood tests?

Superdrug do them

Unfortunately not! They are insisting I access it privately and are hiding behind NICE guidelines. It's incredibly frustrating at best. It's so costly, but I do feel the benefit so have to suck the costs up 😫

Oh wow. My local one is tiny but I will try and find the nearest big one to me that does them.
Thank you!

I did it with an online order, it was £50 and they sent a little finger prick testing kit. Sent it back and got the result in a few days.

GP practice can still do the blood tests for you, as you will need regular tests once on testosterone anyway.

Are you on HRT too?

I use Randox for mine. Cheapest I could find

Unfortunately, they've refused to fund the blood test. Pretty much said ' if you're prepared to access the medication privately then you need to fund the associated tests yourself'.

There's so many women on it now that surely NICE should be prepared to include for use by women ....

Yes. I've been on progesterone and oestrogen (and testosterone)for about 18 months.

I'll look in to that too thank you.

Can you share how much you paid please?

@anythingbutlillies I think it was £48 last time.

My GP did the subsequent two tests but I'm going back private now, so will need to sort my own.

GP gave me little sachets of testosterone which were a pain. Much prefer the big bottle I got from the private place.

But NICE do authorise it for women. If you have low libido, your GP can prescribe it.

Can you see another GP at the surgery?

I used Superdrug too, was the cheapest when I googled it. Postal kit, easy enough to do.

Apparently it is policy at my surgery to not prescribe testosterone on the NHS so it won't matter who I see.
Incredibly frustrating.

Great. Thank you.

Tell your GP that in this case you will require a referral to the NHS menopause specialist, and see if they decide it would be preferable to just assist your access to menopause care by submitting a few blood tests for you.

My GP is happy for me to have oestrogen and testosterone blood tests, she is annoyed at no longer being able to prescribe more than 100mcg patches when required but that is out of her hands.

This is a really good idea thank you. I'm a bit embarrassed that I didn't think of of doing that tbh.
Obviously I need to sort the test so I can access the script for now, but will definitely ask for an NHS referral.
Thank you!

Medichecks are very good for private blood tests.