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The Hollow Men of Hims

(www.alexkesin.com)
199 points quadrin | 10 comments | 25 Jun 25 22:59 UTC | HN request time: 1.258s | source | bottom
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wonderwonder ◴[26 Jun 25 00:55 UTC] No.44383239[source]▶
Hims is actually very expensive. I get the same Semaglutide for far cheaper either via my hormone dr. (provides a small, reliable dose of testosterone (trt) every month and legit access to hard to get compounds via a compounding pharmacy. No hoop jumping, they have a menu, I order from it. In real life I take 2 - 3x the testosterone dose when I am on but when I am coasting its easy no stress way to get what I want delivered monthly. When I am not using what they provide I just set it aside for the apocalypse :) )

GLP-1s are a miracle drug, people want it so will do what they must to get it. Unfortunately for many of them they cannot afford the $1,000 a month price tag that comes with legitimacy. On top of that, regular doctors make you jump through hoops to get it, having to see the exercise and diet department of whatever hospital group they belong too. this adds hundreds / thousands to the cost.

Let people have what they want. Hims parasitized the process but I don't blame them for it. They gave the people what they wanted and made a profit at the same time.

Adults should be empowered to make their own health care decisions but unfortunately so many of those decisions are made either by insurance companies or the attractive sales reps that frequent the doctor offices. GLP-1's, testosterone, peptides, whatever, remove the gate keepers and allow the free market to compete. The fact that you can go to jail for ordering a 10ml bottle of test cyp over the internet is madness. I rarely go to the doctor now, except for things that are clearly beyond my limits, xrays, colonoscopy etc. For everything else there is the internet and chatGPT. GLP-1s, peptides, steroids, even anti biotics, almost everything you want can be found if you look. The way it should be. I even order my own labs and have chatGPT interpret them for me.

I'm in the best shape of my life at 46 and haven't been to a non hormone doctor except for specialists in several years. Last time I went to the doctor I told them I wanted GLP-1s and they said no, I would have to go and see their diet department. I told them if they did not prescribe them I would just get them online but I would prefer to use them under the supervision of a dr. They just shrugged.

I'm on cycle currently but when I am done and coasting again I am going to hop on metformin to take a crack at stabilizing my liver levels caused by fatty liver before I took control of my own health. Because... why not? Think a doctor would prescribe this?

Let people be the decision makers of their own health. I'm not knocking doctors, they are often highly intelligent people doing good work but their power as gatekeepers does not come with neutrality and they are often beholden to their own bottom line as opposed to the patients well being.

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1. classichasclass ◴[26 Jun 25 01:17 UTC] No.44383362[source]▶
Counterexample: what about antibiotics? There are negative externalities to their inappropriate use (yes, there are plenty of stories about the infections that were missed, but that has a lot of selection bias). There are countries that allow their use over the counter. Is that a good thing?
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2. wonderwonder ◴[26 Jun 25 01:23 UTC] No.44383391[source]▶
Yes. You can order a significant variety of antibiotics over the counter / web in the US. I have 2 Z-Paks, a bottle of Amoxicillin and a bottle of Doxycycline sitting in my medical drawer. You can order them legally via US based online pharmacies. If you are an adult you should have the freedom to treat yourself. Freedom does not absolve you of responsibility though. If I mess myself up I have no one to blame but myself.
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3. classichasclass ◴[26 Jun 25 01:32 UTC] No.44383451[source]▶
I can't agree with you there, because if you're treating with the wrong dose or for the wrong length of time, you run the risk of making that infection resistant. For communicable illnesses, that can be a risk for others. But I appreciate your honesty.

I should also add that those pharmacies, if they are based on the United States, invariably have a licensed provider in there signing off (they would be illegal otherwise).

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4. wonderwonder ◴[26 Jun 25 01:40 UTC] No.44383476{3}[source]▶
I don't think either of us is wrong and I appreciate your viewpoint. Often ones opinion on these sorts of things depends on where on the sliding scale you stand with regard to the individuals duty to society and vice versa. What I always find interesting in these conversations is that often the position on the the scale differs by topic but such is human nature, we all have our personal pet areas of importance. I am sure there are topics where you and I would switch sides as to individual vs personal responsibility. Its what keeps life interesting :)

Regarding the licensed provider, you are absolutely correct, I always get an email signed by whatever doctor works with the site. Its a rubber stamp but its does provide legality.

5. nijave ◴[26 Jun 25 01:43 UTC] No.44383495{3}[source]▶
I don't know about op but I've heard the veterinarian versions of antibiotics are widely available. Who knows on the quality control

I believe many obtained ivermectin through similar channels despite it being a prescription drug

replies(2): >>44383521 #>>44383570 #
6. wonderwonder ◴[26 Jun 25 01:49 UTC] No.44383521{4}[source]▶
OP here, i only order from human sites :)

Ivermectin is available there as well. Never tried it though. Actually thinking of taking a mild course though. Why not?

7. classichasclass ◴[26 Jun 25 01:58 UTC] No.44383570{4}[source]▶
In the United States, at least, veterinary preparations are broadly manufactured to the same standard (some veterinary drugs are relabeled stock originally manufactured for human use, even). Dosing and concentrations may differ, however.
8. smileysteve ◴[26 Jun 25 02:43 UTC] No.44383787[source]▶
But antibiotics in the US are still over prescribed by doctors. There really are few cases for them for the mostly healthy adult; and they wreak havoc on your microbiome for what we're finding out is years. I know many people who will get antibiotics prescribed when they have a common cold (mostly a virus).

They're also under prescribed for things like appendicitis.

9. Spivak ◴[26 Jun 25 03:44 UTC] No.44384004[source]▶
Could you share some of those sites? I have chronic sinus infections and I'm so tired of having to go to the doctor to get the same antibiotic rx I've gotten 20 times before.
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10. wonderwonder ◴[26 Jun 25 03:56 UTC] No.44384059{3}[source]▶
I see no way to DM on this site, so public it is.

No association with it but have used it multiple times.

https://allfamilypharmacy.com/

Mods if this is not ok, my apologies