Your Doctor’s Opinions?

[tubby]

chest rockwell said:

Since I’m a type 2 diabetic, I likely won’t bring up my grey triz use on my own unless he directly asks what I’ve been doing. Back when I got diagnosed, I asked whether I’d be a good candidate, and he put me on Ozempic. A few months in, after I told him I honestly couldn’t feel anything from it, he still wouldn’t raise the dose. Around then, my employer changed insurance, and the new plan wouldn’t cover it unless you jumped through tons of hoops.

I offered to pay whatever it cost, I just wanted a higher dose, and he said no. He even claimed I didn’t need it and that I should try to loose weight the hard way. (this from a dr who is type 2 himself and weighs a minimum of 350lbs).

I moved to Telehealth, and that’s where I got triz. It worked wonders, but they recently cut me off once they learned I was on insulin ( they must be able to see what I have been prescribed).

When it started looking like big pharmacy and FDA were making GLP1s harder to get without draining your bank account, I had already begun stocking up on grey.

I’ve got a physical scheduled for next week, so we will see what happens.

That is a whole new level of covering their asses. I get why they might not want to write a script for that combination, but pulling it when you are already on both and still alive seems pretty extreme.

Still, it does not shock me that the tirz got cut instead of the insulin. Think about it: for a type 2, insulin leads to weight gain and worse health (i.e. more money), whereas tirz leads to weight loss and better health (i.e. less money).

 

[rkbleddyn]

At the practice where my Dr. works, there are only 2 of them, and both are quite receptive to peptides — in fact, they take them personally too. Peptides come up in my conversations with my Dr. regularly. He's aware of my use, and he's a user himself. He can't prescribe or recommend them, obviously (my Tirz is the exception), yet their attitude toward peptides is very accepting. A long time ago they left the hospital monopoly behind and set up an independent practice, run as a functional medicine concierge-style service. He's the only doctor who has ever actually helped me. It's a team dynamic, and he hears what I say. There's none of that 'doctor's orders' attitude — take this simply because it's on my sheet, because that's what the hospital system and pharma companies push and what every other 'doctor' does. Insurance isn't accepted, but visits are covered, certain blood draws happen right there in the office, and testing comes to me at a solid discount. If it's needed, they'll come to your house and bring your meds.

One warning I'd give: if your doctor is one of those big-hospital-controlled types who claims HRT or TRT causes cancer... who says you must start a statin immediately, and warns you off peptides, any vitamins, or supplements since they lack FDA approval... and who never once brings up nutrition or lifestyle... then get out of there as fast as you possibly can.

 

[Stace_wow]

Socram1578 said:

For people who see their doctor regularly and get checkups, I’m curious: do you bring up your pep use with them, or do you keep it private? If you do tell them, what kinds of reactions have you gotten? I’m just trying to decide whether to talk to my Dr. Thanks for your thoughts.

Ohhhh yes — my sister fills the role of my "doctor." She works as an NP, and since I'm a fat person, I don't exactly feel at ease with the medical system in my area. My experience is that doctors won't take my word about my own body, the one I inhabit 24/7, and that makes me furious.

 

[FartfulCodger]

When it comes to GLP-1 medications that have FDA approval, I believe the vast majority of physicians are strongly supportive. In my own case, it was my stepfather—a doctor—who first suggested I try it. However, I have no intention of ever mentioning the other peptides I began using a few months afterward. The reason is that even when a doctor privately sees nothing wrong with a peptide, they are still bound to repeat the "official" line: "never take anything unless it's FDA approved, and make sure you get it from a legit pharmacy."

 

[Collo4sho]

I see 2 primary care physicians. The one at the V.A. — I have zero faith in him. The other, my civilian PCP, is a genuinely laid-back guy; he's dropped some weight lately and added muscle. I'm thinking about requesting more in-depth blood panels from him and finding out where he stands regarding specific peptides. What I really want is a clearer picture of whether these compounds are doing anything for me (or nothing at all), plus maybe set things up for broader peptide use down the road, or TRT.

 

[AllCourtTENNIS]

For close to 2 years, I fought to get perimenopause hormone replacement from my gynecologist. Jesus f-ing Christ, there is no way in hell I'm going to a doctor to hear their opinion on peptides.

 

[Neurogroot]

A buddy of mine who I golf with regularly happens to be a physician, and he holds a fairly senior position locally. A few months back, I asked him—rather innocently—what he thought about this stuff. According to him, a physician who is licensed and board certified can only give their blessing (officially, at least) to the GLPs that have made it through every FDA trial, plus the majority of other peptides that are FDA cleared and come with documented DEA guidance (sermorelin is something he works with from time to time). Under no circumstances should a doctor recommend "Yeah, hit that Cerebrolysin. Let's get you started on FOX-DRI." Maybe it comes down to liability, maybe they simply don't have faith in peptide therapy, who knows.

OFF the record, though, if you're responsible about it, sticking to the generally safe ones and genuinely noticing improvement, all while staying on top of monitoring and preventative care... wellness matters a great deal.

That's the stance I take with doctors these days.

 

[rkbleddyn]

AllCourtTENNIS said:

For close to 2 years, I fought to get perimenopause hormone replacement from my gynecologist. Jesus f-ing Christ, there is no way in hell I'm going to a doctor to hear their opinion on peptides.

So let me take a stab at this — your Gyn claimed hormones are carcinogenic? The previous 'doctor' who said that to me got dismissed right then and there, and I left. I'm done with mainstream, overhyped pharma salespeople pretending to be 'doctors.'

 

[AllCourtTENNIS]

rkbleddyn said:

AllCourtTENNIS said:

For close to 2 years, I fought to get perimenopause hormone replacement from my gynecologist. Jesus f-ing Christ, there is no way in hell I'm going to a doctor to hear their opinion on peptides.

So let me take a stab at this — your Gyn claimed hormones are carcinogenic? The previous 'doctor' who said that to me got dismissed right then and there, and I left. I'm done with mainstream, overhyped pharma salespeople pretending to be 'doctors.'

Honestly, it seemed completely absurd — as though I were trying to talk a dentist into doing a filling.

 

[rkbleddyn]

AllCourtTENNIS said:

rkbleddyn said:

AllCourtTENNIS said:

For close to 2 years, I fought to get perimenopause hormone replacement from my gynecologist. Jesus f-ing Christ, there is no way in hell I'm going to a doctor to hear their opinion on peptides.

So let me take a stab at this — your Gyn claimed hormones are carcinogenic? The previous 'doctor' who said that to me got dismissed right then and there, and I left. I'm done with mainstream, overhyped pharma salespeople pretending to be 'doctors.'

Honestly, it seemed completely absurd — as though I were trying to talk a dentist into doing a filling.

Back in 2010, my wife and I got married. She came from another country and became a US citizen 2 years later.

Where she was born, her physician had prescribed testosterone since her levels were almost nil. After she shared this with me, she wanted to consult a Gyn.

My advice to her was 'skip that, we need a clinic that provides HRT.' She ignored me—her own history made her doubt what I said.

At a Gyn office in 1 of the big hospitals nearby, she mentioned testosterone, and the reaction was as if she'd requested heroin. 'We don't give people hormones, they cause cancer!' LOL. That left my wife stunned. After that, a clinic started her on HRT pellets without any pushback. These days, our GP handles it.

 

[LlamaWorm]

I let my surgeon know, but I haven't seen my PCP yet. When I do, I'll mention that I'm using a compounded GLP, and that's all I plan to share.

 

[fatjacked]

My first peptides came from a functional medicine physician who doesn’t accept insurance — more like an upscale med spa. Cost has convinced me not to return, and that provider’s records were never included in what my PCP has on file.

As for my PCP: he’s a chump, impossible to get in to see, and every visit means dealing with yet another exhausted MA from a rotating crew. So I’ll be finding someone new. With that new doctor, I’ll disclose Zepbound and nothing else — no other peptides, no other things I’ve done in the past. I don’t even admit to having smoked as a teenager. I’ve kept that lie going for so long that I figure confessing now could trigger some idiotic coverage or cost headaches if I ever end up buying insurance on my own.

 

[JesusTriste]

I use MT2 to deal with eye inflammation. The doctors told me to continue it, since the alternative they can offer is steroids, which are much more damaging. However, where I live, doctors simply don’t care about the people they treat.

 

[spanky2026]

In the US, like other people have pointed out, physicians operate according to what insurance companies and pharmaceutical corporations dictate and push—no matter how often they insist they're not influenced by any of it. Here, when a doctor prescribes a certain drug, the insurer has the power to—and absolutely will—refuse, claiming it isn't necessary. That's absurd; having that intermediary in the middle serves no purpose whatsoever, yet that's exactly what $$$ gets you when the people writing the rules are bought.

I'll only tell my future doctor about my Tirz use when it directly pertains to a particular issue. Meanwhile, I'm on the hunt for that uncommon physician (I had one for years before he retired) who doesn't believe every single patient must come in for a yearly or twice-yearly report just because some rulebook demands it. My usual approach is to see a doctor only when blood is leaking from somewhere it shouldn't, a bone is jutting out at a weird angle, or something that previously functioned has stopped. I don't want a doctor poking around inside me beyond that.

 

[Stace_wow]

AllCourtTENNIS said:

For close to 2 years, I fought to get perimenopause hormone replacement from my gynecologist. Jesus f-ing Christ, there is no way in hell I'm going to a doctor to hear their opinion on peptides.

No sugarcoating. During a gyno visit, I mentioned Peri to my doctor. His response was a question: are your periods still regular? Because I’m an on time Queen, he concluded that a regular period meant I couldn’t possibly be in Peri. 46 yo btw....

 

[deleted.user.27]

Socram1578 said:

For people who see their doctor regularly and get checkups, I’m curious: do you bring up your pep use with them, or do you keep it private? If you do tell them, what kinds of reactions have you gotten? I’m just trying to decide whether to talk to my Dr. Thanks for your thoughts.

Yep, I let her know I was injecting Test Enanthate along with Reta. Her response was a hard no regarding the Arimadex. From what I gather, that specific estrogen blocker has an impact on bone density. Being 60yrs old, I figure my bone density is already going downhill by itself. Suppose I'll look for a pep to address that too. She's a nurse practitioner who's pretty relaxed and open-minded. Going forward, I'll only see a regular doctor if they're a specialist.

 

[TwinSuns]

Since I don't have a doctor—New Mexico is dealing with an MD shortage—the only provider I see is a Nurse Practitioner, and I won't bring it up. The only thing she's aware of is Tripeptide. I'm not at ease enough to share anything with her, especially when just getting an appointment is a struggle (waits run around 6-9 months).

 

[Vriende]

At my most recent annual physical, I went into the patient portal and updated my prescriptions.

The medication area gave me check boxes for either the brand Zepbound or generic tirzepatide, both at standard doses.

I selected Zepbound at a standard dose.

I have never been asked anything, though the nurse last time called it tirzepatide and was just confirming I was still taking it.

It was all routine for them, nothing problematic or worrying. There has never been any need to mention grey.

 

[Twowheelr2]

I mentioned to my physician that tirzepatide was part of my regimen. He wanted to know the source. I explained that a telehealth provider had written the prescription — that’s accurate — and I continue to receive a monthly supply through it. His main worry, as I understood it, was that I might be obtaining the drug through illicit channels. Telehealth didn’t appear to bother him. My record lists it under mounjaro.

 

[endlrls]

mybodyisasewer said:

My physician accepts medicaid and medicare funds, so he’s effectively employed by the government. That’s why I deal with him the way I’d deal with a police officer.

He also gets paid by my insurance company rather than by me directly, which makes him an employee of the insurer. Anything he writes down or reports about my conduct could put my coverage at risk later on, so I handle him like I would handle a snitch.

How does that play out? At my yearly physical, I hand over the private blood labs I paid for that year so he can upload them—but only if the results contain nothing that could be used against me. (For instance, my 9.5 ng/mL GH blood test never ended up in his chart.) I’ve been seeing this same doctor for several years, and by now he doesn’t bother asking why I do it. I don’t disclose my marijuana use, and I don’t talk about my hobbies. These days they’re trained to ask whether patients keep firearms at home. (What even is that? Obviously I don’t have a firearm at home—I brought it with me )

I answer only when he asks something, and I tell the truth only when I believe it works in my favor. Otherwise I say whatever he expects to hear. On rare occasions I’ve had conditions that genuinely needed a doctor—an infection that called for antibiotics, for example, and years ago I broke my foot and went for xrays. In those situations, getting help for something that truly requires help is the smartest play.

Doctors are a tool, not a teammate. They get used for terrible things all the time (APA people at gitmo, circumcision, you get the picture). I wish things weren’t this way, but I play to win, and this is the system I was handed.

Keep in mind that under the law, only ONE person is obligated to keep your secrets, and that’s your lawyer. Never lie to your lawyer—they’re your only friend. Attorney - client privilege is so strong that it makes doctor - patient confidentiality look like toilet paper.

One final point: if you’re uncertain about your health, it may still be best to depend on your doctor, just understand the risks. The only reason I operate this way is that I’m confident in my ability to manage my own health. If that ever changes, I’ll probably be more open with them.

That hits closer to home than I'd care to acknowledge... Thanks!