FAQs

What are the symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome?

The characteristic symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome (also known as Low Testosterone) include, among others, decreased sex drive, erection problems, loss of energy, depression, weight gain, brain fogs, memory loss, irritability and night sweats.

How many men live with the condition in the UK?

A recent International web survey of 10,000 men indicated that 20% of the 10 million men across the UK over the age of 50 are likely to be suffering from Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome.

How much will my appointment cost?

New patient – Full Assessment (one hour)

London £525, Manchester £375, Blood test £245

An in-depth review of your health and any men’s health treatments needs, with special emphasis on your hormonal health status, in particular in relation to testosterone. The full hour appointment allows plenty of time for you to discuss and get advice on testosterone deficiency, ED/impotence or prostate health issues. The session, with one of our specialist doctors in either our London or Manchester clinic, includes advice on any further tests needed and, where treatment is required, agreement of a treatment plan. Where your plan includes a trial of testosterone treatment, this can begin the same day. For ED, in many cases it will be possible to provide initial treatment on the basis of this first appointment. A blood test is required before the appointment, the results of which form a key part of the screening. For London appointments, this test can take place the same day.

Please note that full precautions are being taken to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our patients, doctors and staff in the current circumstances. Find out more here.

New patient – Initial Assessment (30 minutes)

London £295, Manchester £225. Blood test £245

During the initial consultation with the doctor in either our London or Manchester clinic, the specialist will take the patient’s medical history, review his current symptoms and discuss the results of the blood test in detail. A decision will then be reached about the suitability of TRT or other treatments (for example for erectile dysfunction).

New patient – Treatment Planning (30 minutes)

London £295, Manchester £225

If the doctor recommends treatment at the initial assessment consultation, a further appointment is required for the treatment planning process. Treatment options will be discussed and a treatment plan will be agreed, including any other lifestyle or wellbeing recommendations. This appointment in either our London or Manchester clinic involves a physical examination by the doctor. This is essential in order for him to be able to prescribe testosterone or other treatments. Under the current circumstances, this is carried out with full protective equipment and other measures. To find out more, please click here.

Blood Test, Laboratory Profile and Androscreen©

£245

Ahead of a New Patient Full Assessment consultation, patients complete an Androscreen© questionnaire detailing their medical history and provide a fasting blood sample for a full laboratory profile. This includes detailed hormone analyses, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, biochemistry, and haematology.

Follow up appointment

London £325, Manchester £195

A review and discussion of your symptoms and treatment plan. Can also include treatment in the form of a repeat testosterone injection where this is part of your treatment plan. These consultations, together with a blood test & laboratory profile are required every 2-6 months to monitor and optimise the results of your treatment and are part of a general, on-going men’s health maintenance programme.

 

What is your appointment payment and cancellation policy?

New patients – Deposit arrangements

When you book with us as new patient, we will take a pre-payment/deposit of £245 to secure your booking. We will also take debit/credit card details for payment. No further payments will be taken from this until the day of your appointment.

The remainder of your consultation fee plus any additional tests, medications or service(s) is required to be paid in full at the end of your consultation.

New and Returning Patients – Changing or cancelling your appointment

If you need to cancel your appointment for treatment you must notify the Centre by telephoning 020 7486 2277 at least 48 hours (2 working days) before your appointment. Please note: If you miss your appointment and have failed to notify us 2 working days before your appointment you will be charged a late cancellation fee of £150. This will be taken from the debit/credit card details you supplied upon booking your appointment.

New patients who have pre-paid £245 and who re-book for a date within four weeks of their original appointment will have this credited in full against the costs of their new booking. Otherwise, they will be refunded £95 of their deposit.

There may be occasions when appointments are cancelled by the Centre for Men’s Health. In this event no fee will be charged and we will always provide as much notice as possible of cancellation.

Previous patients who have failed to attend an appointment will be subject to 50% payment in advance to secure an appointment.

Failure to attend

If you fail to attend your appointment, you are more than 10 minutes late to your booked appointment or you decide cancel your appointment within less than 48 hours of the scheduled start date you will be deemed to have missed your appointment.

Our team will contact you to help you reschedule your appointment but you will be required to pay the £150 late cancellation fee.

Refunds

Refunds for eligible pre-payments or deposits will only be made to the card originally used to make the original booking. Refunds should appear within your account or on your card statement within 5-7 working days.

We cannot refund any medications, vaccinations, tests or treatments once they have been administered or dispensed.

Refunds are not eligible for services that were carried out.

Why we use deposits and cancellation fees

When you book an appointment, you are holding a space in the clinic calendar that is then no longer available to other patients. Late cancellation gives us too little time to arrange to offer that appointment to another patient to help with their care. We also incur unrecoverable staff and premises expenses, increasing the overall cost of offering the services we provide. Use of deposits and late cancellation fees helps us avoid these issues and provide the best, most efficient service. This helps us to minimise wasted appointment slots and allow patients to be seen as soon as possible.

Do I need to be screened at the Centre for Men's Health before I can start treatment?

Yes, it is certainly preferable. Previous blood tests you may have had taken elsewhere may not identify the detailed hormonal, biochemical, haematological and urinary profiles that we require for a correct diagnosis. The specialist laboratory we use is unique in being able to integrate its results into our purpose-built software system.

Locations of Centre For Men's Health Blood Testing Clinics across the UK

There are currently 11 clinics around the UK situated in Glasgow, Newcastle, Doncaster, Manchester, London, Stoke On Trent, Derby, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton and Ashford where fasting blood samples can be taken for a full laboratory profile. Contact details will be provided by our practice management team after the payment for the blood test/laboratory profile has been received. Alternatively, if you find it more convenient, we can send you a remote blood sampling kit and you can get any local GP, hospital, or private medical facility to take the sample for you, but at your own expense.

How long is the course of treatment?

Testosterone Replacement Therapy is a treatment not an instant cure for Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome. Treatment is generally a long term process. Following a minimum 3 month trial period, 6 monthly check ups are usually required to monitor both the safety and effectiveness of treatment.

Do I need a referral from my doctor?

No. A referral from your doctor is preferable but not essential. The Centre for Men’s Health provide an entirely confidential screening and treatment service. We are always happy to write to your doctor at any stage in your treatment if you wish us to do so.

Do I have to come to London or Manchester for treatment and follow-up?

The services of the Centre for Men’s Health are usually provided by visiting our Harley Street or Manchester centres. A ‘same-day’ results service is offered in London only, if laboratory tests can be carried out before 11am. For appointments in Manchester blood samples have to be taken at least a week before the consultation with the Specialist.

However, patients can be offered phone or video consultations if this is appropriate to their circumstances and treatment programme.

Will my results be confidential?

Yes. At each visit you will be given full details of the screening and laboratory tests for your own records. All clinical data kept by the Centre for Men’s Health is entirely confidential as required by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Can I get re-imbursement from my private medical insurance?

Testosterone treatment of this condition is not recognised by private health insurance providers, and so cannot be re-imbursed via these schemes.

I have my own test results. Can I use them instead of the Centre's?

This depends on what is covered in the tests and how recent they are. If you send us your results at least a week before your appointment, one of our consultants can check if they are sufficient for a full assessment. We usually accept outside results or find some way to incorporate them.

Generally, we prefer the comprehensive health panel that we include in our own testing, but there are some essential tests that we need if you are interested in using your own.

Testosterone

SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin)

FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone)

LH (Luteinizing Hormone)

PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen)

What causes erectile dysfunction?

There are many potential causes of erectile dysfunction, but an erection is created and three main sources. We focus on these root causes:

Psychological – Your nervous system is split into two general categories: sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic nervous system signals your body to tense up and ready itself for fighting, running, or some sort of strenuous activity. The parasympathetic nervous system sends the opposite signals to relax, digest, and prepare for sex. Anything that makes the sympathetic nervous system overwork (eg. stress, anxiety) can also make it harder for the parasympathetic system to do its work (eg. signal for an erection).

Cardiovascular – The male penis is a very vascular structure. Erections are created by increasing blood flow to the penis and restricting flow out of it. This mechanism requires both a healthy heart to pump the blood and healthy blood vessels that can respond to signals from the brain. Certain conditions like atherosclerosis can make these mechanisms respond more slowly and restrict necessary blood flow.

Hormonal – Erectile function is largely supported by the male sex hormone, Testosterone. Testosterone supports male libido in the brain and the vascular structures in the penis to respond and maintain their response when a signal does come from the brain. A deficiency in available testosterone to any of those structures can result in a lower libido and decreased erections.

What is the treatment for erectile dysfunction?

In our clinic, we have many ways of treating erectile dysfunction depending on the cause.

We offer psychosexual support to help patients live a lifestyle more conducive to having erections.

We prescribe PDE-5 inhibitor medications. – At a cellular level, erections are caused by penis vasculature responding to a molecule called GMP. The GMP is released as a result of nervous system signalling and causes the arteries in the penis to expand. The end result of the vascular expansion is an erection. GMP is naturally degraded by another molecule called PDE over time. GMP degradation normally results in lower concentrations of GMP and the penis returning to a flaccid state. PDE-5 inhibitors, as the name suggests, block the actions of PDE. They result in higher and longer lasting concentrations of GMP in penis vascular cells. This means harder and longer lasting erections. Some commonly-known PDE-5 inhibitors include Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra.

We offer testosterone replacement for those who are deficient. Testosterone is an important factor in maintaining libido in men. It also supports the neurological and biochemical mechanisms behind having an erection. By replacing testosterone in men who are deficient in the hormone we support these functions and help promote better general wellbeing. (Traish 2007)

What are my options for medication and their price?

There are a wide array of treatment options available. However, most people choose either a long acting injectable testosterone or a topical gel.

Nebido – Testosterone undecanoate. Given as an intramuscular injection in the buttocks, this form generally lasts from two to three months and costs £175 per dose.

Testogel – 16.2 mg/g Testosterone in gel. This form is applied daily directly to the skin. A pump of Testogel generally lasts a month and costs £70.

Both of these options are testosterone based and may suppress fertility. Other options like clomiphene citrate or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin can also be pursued for those interested in preserving fertility.

Many other options are available. Please speak with your doctor if you have problems with your current treatment plan or are interested in other options.