Endocrinologists - Boston, MA

"This review is way overdue. Some recent run ins with other really incompetent doctors lately here in the Nation's Capitol have brought back how horrible my experience was with Dr. Irwig. I didn't write anything for a long time just because I didn't really want to tarnish any reputation he has. But lately, I am changing my stance with Doctors and if they are bad..... no one cares anymore, no one listens anymore and they should be called out because who else can we trust when doctors have sworn Hippocratic Oath. And when you're charged $500 for the visit? I went to him because of a recommendation by my primary care doctor. He is "supposed" to be LGBTQ+ friendly and supposedly a great endocrinologist with good bedside manners. It still infuriates me as I sit here and write this. My primary care doctor realized via blood tests and symptoms I was having at that time, that I had very low testosterone. He advised that it would be in my best interest to see a specialist. I started out with one, but he unfortunately closed his practice and left DC. So I was now referred to Michael Irwig. Now before drawing my blood (because he didn't believe any lab results from the other endocrinologist were accurate??!!??), there were some VERY specific instructions to follow. According to him, I had stop all previous treatments for 2 to 3 weeks (medication fast) and I had to make sure that the blood was drawn very early in the morning as that would produce the most accurate testosterone result. I had also prepared a spreadsheet with the chronology of what I had been through from day 1, with my primary care doctor then the other endocrinologist that left. I listed out all meds tried and tests done, Androgel, had Vitamin D checked, had the testopel implant, had HCG and finally testosterone injections. So this is pretty much just continuation of care. What happened next was the most embarrassing and insulting experience I've ever had. Medical Faculty Associates is a teaching hospital for George Washington University. I was in there, with Michael Irwig and 3 students, 2 males and 1 female. I already told the front desk I'd rather not have students be in the room, but whatever, i'm contributing to "better doctors for the future". He asked me to drop my pants and then had a debate with these students what the actual size of my testicles were for like 10 minutes, like how would they classify them, big, small etc? Being touched by 4 people. I did not mind that, sure they are learning and there wasn't any bad behaviour. Then I proceeded with my history which he didn't read. He saw the test and the numbers were again back down very low a few digits below the normal range. I talked about my symptoms. The worse and final thing that he said to me was, "Well, don't have sex then if you think you cannot get an erection because of Low T". Then come back and see me in 2 weeks for a recheck. I believe some of the students were kind of mortified with that response. Come back in 2 weeks for WHAT? You didn't do a thing!!! I was like in shock with his bedside manners and I just left, but telling the receptionist I don't want to come back and please cancel the followup. Not only was I completely embarrassed with the testicle sizing, without him telling me why, but just the flippant remark to NOT have sex in front of 3 other people. And guess what, 2 weeks later I received his $500 bill, and another bill of $25 for a no show. He maybe a great endocrinologist or teacher or whatever, but that experience I had has scarred me and just made me not to trust any doctors, especially these super professor specialists etc for a long time. I hope someone in Boston reads this and I hope you don't have to go through this nonsense like I did."