12 week TRT update (long post sorry)

[saladfork]

I am 33 years old. I started TRT in December of 2014. I suffered from low T symptoms for several years which greatly contributed to a painful divorce a year ago. I wish I was diagnosed sooner... I had been tested by my primary care doctor for test levels when I was still married. My total levels came in at low 200s, he told me that was fine. He also didn't bother to check my calculated free test either. Anyway, I'm starting to feel a bit better now and wanted to share my labs and experience. I have read a lot here which helped me figure out what was wrong and get treatment.

I sought treatment at a low T clinic near my home because with my insurance there are no out of pocket costs. The bad is the clinic only does once a week injections and you have to go to the office.

I just received my week 11 lab results. FYI I get an injection every 7 days, and my labs are taken seven days after my injection and right before my next injection.


My first week was 200mg of test cyp. Then I was at 120 for 5 weeks. Then 140 until this last week.

My current protocol is 160 mg test 1x per week. This is not reflected in the tests. I was on 140 mg per week leading up to the most recent lab and was just switched to 160 at week 11.

Total Testosterone began at 232. 5 weeks in it was 350. 11 weeks in it was 415 ng/dl. The doctor said it was not progressing as fast as he would like, which is why he just bumped me to 160 mg. Keep in mind my level is much higher than this right after I get my shot (although I'm not sure how much higher).

Calculated Free testosterone (normal range 12 to 20) began at 4.5. Week 5 it was 10.5. Week 11 it was 12.09. The doctor also said it was lagging behind and that most people feel the best between 15 and 18.

Estradiol (range of 7.6 to 42.6) started at 29 but spiked at week 5 to 49. I was put on half a pill of arimidex once a week. It is now down to 30.3.

Hemocrit is steady at 45.4 (range 37.5 to 51) I did give blood prior to be on the safe side.

I have felt better each week that I have been on TRT. This last week where I was on 160mg I felt the best so far. My sex drive is up, energy is up, mental focus is great, and my fatigue has drastically been reduced. When I started in December of 2014 I was 225 lbs. I am currently 215 lbs. I lift weights four to five times a week. No cardio, I'm just monitoring my calories. I started at 3,000 and am now at 2200. I would like to get under 200 and maybe down to 185-190. I feel more energy in the gym and all my lifts have gone up.

I am not due for another blood test for 3 months, but because my levels have remained low he may do one before then, and possibly as early as six weeks from now depending on my symptoms.

Overall I am happy, but I cant help but be worried that my levels are not high enough yet. I don't yet know what dosage will be the best for me being on 1x per week, but I just hope they do not lower it. My doctor was saying he doesnt like having people as high as 160mg if he can help it, so he may drop me down to 150 depending on how things go. I was confused when he said that though, because at the beginning of the visit he said my levels were raising very slowly. I should have asked, but I didn't want to appear paranoid when he mentioned lowering the dosage.

Please feel free to ask any questions or critique anything I have said. Also, if anyone can help me feel better about my low total and CFT numbers I would greatly appreciate it ( or tell me why I'm right to be a little worried).

Thank you for reading and thank you all for the valuable information you have already provided me while I lurked.

[FakeLove]

Thank you for posting. Seems that the approach of your doc in many ways is quite good.

Is there a reason why you need to go to the office every week to get your injection? I mean isn't there any chance to get a script and self inject? If the doc isn't happy with the trough, why he simply don't pull the labs while at peak? That would confirm the levels while they're in the highest, showing how fast you metabolise the T.

Where I'm aiming with this is that it could be that in your case, while using Cyp, the trough value injected once a week would never be high enough on a reasonable trt dose. And injecting 80mg twice a week could solve this for good.

[saladfork]

Thank you for posting. Seems that the approach of your doc in many ways is quite good.

Is there a reason why you need to go to the office every week to get your injection? I mean isn't there any chance to get a script and self inject? If the doc isn't happy with the trough, why he simply don't pull the labs while at peak? That would confirm the levels while they're in the highest, showing how fast you metabolise the T.

Where I'm aiming with this is that it could be that in your case, while using Cyp, the trough value injected once a week would never be high enough on a reasonable trt dose. And injecting 80mg twice a week could solve this for good.

Unfortunately the clinic is pretty regimented for whatever reason. Once a week and in office visits only. I know its not ideal but it is essentially free but after I am dialed in for a bit I may seek somewhere else so I can do it myself twice a week. I'm just scared to switch now because I just started this journey and just started to feel some relief. Also if I did switch would I have to crash first or do places generally take your medical records and continue treatment without a break? For instance I was going to use the sponsor of this site until my insurance worked out so good with the clinic. So let's say I switched to the online place, would they review my tests and continue my treatment without making me go off first? I would hate to crash and feel terrible again.

[Low Testosterone]

The biggest take away from your story is how you feel. Numbers/labs are a guide, how you feel is the most important factor. Could you feel better? Maybe so, but don't get too caught up in thinking you have to reach a certain number. Secondly, let's keep in mind where your numbers are at day 7 - I guarantee you they're significantly higher most of the week, which is evident by the way you're feeling. Third, not everyone needs two injections per week, you might but many do just fine with one injection per week. In your case, all you might need is an added prescription for HCG . You didn't mention anything about that so I'm assuming it's not part of your current routine.

As for switching programs, if that's something you decided to do, you would not have to discontinue treatment. You would simply need to provide proof of current treatment. This isn't hard to do.

[saladfork]

The biggest take away from your story is how you feel. Numbers/labs are a guide, how you feel is the most important factor. Could you feel better? Maybe so, but don't get too caught up in thinking you have to reach a certain number. Secondly, let's keep in mind where your numbers are at day 7 - I guarantee you they're significantly higher most of the week, which is evident by the way you're feeling. Third, not everyone needs two injections per week, you might but many do just fine with one injection per week. In your case, all you might need is an added prescription for HCG . You didn't mention anything about that so I'm assuming it's not part of your current routine.

As for switching programs, if that's something you decided to do, you would not have to discontinue treatment. You would simply need to provide proof of current treatment. This isn't hard to do.

Thank you so much for the information! I will definitely keep this in mind as I go forward.

[FakeLove]

I understand that injecting twice a week may not improve things with everyone, but keep that in mind if it would come to that. Good points in the LowT reply. I guess in this case it all comes down to how is it that you feel just before the next injection. If it's ok no need to adjust, if it's not bearable then adjust.

By the way, what do you do if you for example would need to travel and wouldn't be physically available for the scheduled injection at the office?

[saladfork]

I understand that injecting twice a week may not improve things with everyone, but keep that in mind if it would come to that. Good points in the LowT reply. I guess in this case it all comes down to how is it that you feel just before the next injection. If it's ok no need to adjust, if it's not bearable then adjust.

By the way, what do you do if you for example would need to travel and wouldn't be physically available for the scheduled injection at the office?

Thankfully that has not happened. But what they seem to do is up your dose to cover the time you will be gone.

[saladfork]

The biggest take away from your story is how you feel. Numbers/labs are a guide, how you feel is the most important factor. Could you feel better? Maybe so, but don't get too caught up in thinking you have to reach a certain number. Secondly, let's keep in mind where your numbers are at day 7 - I guarantee you they're significantly higher most of the week, which is evident by the way you're feeling. Third, not everyone needs two injections per week, you might but many do just fine with one injection per week. In your case, all you might need is an added prescription for HCG . You didn't mention anything about that so I'm assuming it's not part of your current routine.

As for switching programs, if that's something you decided to do, you would not have to discontinue treatment. You would simply need to provide proof of current treatment. This isn't hard to do.

Also I forgot to mention that no I'm not on HCG. They have never mentioned it so I don't know if they provide it.

[OingoBoingo]

Also I forgot to mention that no I'm not on HCG. They have never mentioned it so I don't know if they provide it.

Might be good to ask.

[Beethoven]

Might be good to ask.

Exactly . It is very beneficial to the trt regimen.

[saladfork]

Exactly . It is very beneficial to the trt regimen.

I was under the impression that HCG was only for preserving testicular function. I did not know it raised T levels and contributed to symptom relief.

[kelkel]

I was under the impression that HCG was only for preserving testicular function. I did not know it raised T levels and contributed to symptom relief.

http://forums.steroid.com/hormone-re...ould-know.html

[OingoBoingo]

Check out the hCG and Pregnenolone sticky.

[OingoBoingo]

kelkel, you're too fast!

[kelkel]

kelkel, you're too fast!

That was an easy one.....

[saladfork]

Thank you for the information.