I'd settle for a small prick...

[almagill]

... rather than the promised large bore needle that I'm facing.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Return appointment to see my andrology nurse today and get the results of my last load of blood tests.  Rather disappointingly my serum testosterone levels are 8, which is, on the one hand, an improvement on last months 6 but is, frankly, pretty crap

Comments

[pappi]

oww oww oww, needles :(

[almagill]

Having experienced the truly devastating mood swings associated with hormone levels crashing, I can totally sympathise with women who suffer from PMS.

I had noticed, when I was originally looking for information on pituitary problems, just how ready US physicians seem to be to reach for the knife, for just about everything. There really does seem to be a "if it's not working properly, hack it out" approach compared to over here where they seem to try medication first. I'm wondering which costs the health care providers the most and therefore which the accountants and spreadsheet jockeys that seem to run everything these days will have decided is most efficient therefore 'best' ;)

[elf_fu]

I went to sign, and I realized I am not British.

As much as my husband attempts to tell me how British the Canadian are, I'm really not. :p

[almagill]

Aye, sorry, this is a "Brits only" one though if it were me I'd take everyones signature. BUT please, ask in Canada what the situation is.

[digitalranger]

I was just thinking, if you don't get any satisfaction from your MSP, how about getting your specialist to write to him. Or at least write a letter that your specialist would be willing to sign?
Failing all that, might be the right time to start letter writing to newspapers.
The needle sounds extreme. Best not to think about it too much until you're there. Look at it this way, it's a hell of a bragging right when you get home ;-) (Believe me when I say that I'm saying this from experience of having some pretty strange things done to me in hospitals, including some things that even Billy Connelly wouldn't have allowed to be done to him!)

[almagill]

My MSP has written back *already* to say that she's going to take this up. Fingers crossed.

As far as the needle goes, I just keep reminding myself that they told me the last depot injection would hurt and I ended up sitting there thinking "So, you're going to start when?" and they were done! Hurt like hell the next day though.