need some help please

[tex66]

I've been searching everywhere for info and have posted inquiries at a couple of similar sites, but haven't really received the answers I'm seeking, so I hope some of you guys might be able to help me. I thought about posting this in the HRT section, but it doesn't look like there is much action there, so I decided that those of you posting here are probably more knowledgeable.

A quick description of what is happening with me:

I'm 40 years old and, although I do lift, I'm not using androgens in order to gain mass. My doctor put me on testosterone replacement simply to try to up my libido a bit because I had complained to him about some ED issues. I know it probably sounds odd, but the truth is that my doctor never did any blood tests prior to placing me on testosterone and did not inform me of any side effects such as shutting down the HPTA or infertility. He simply told me that a teststerone boost might help me out a little bit and started me on the therapy just to see if it would help. Now that I have learned that it suppresses HPTA and causes infertility, I am not willing to continue it. The benefits have been insignificant and I don't want to be infertile or be a slave to HRT. I did have my testosterone levels checked about 5 years ago, but only total test was checked at that time. It was in the normal range, yet toward the lower end of normal. Still, I've always had good sex drive and have not suffered any other problems associated with low test, so I would like to return to normal, natural test production.

I have already been to two doctors to discuss coming off of the HRT. One of them was a urologist and the other an endocrinologist. Both of them have basically told me that I should simply stop the injections and wait for an undetermined period of time for my HPTA to kick back in. They have told me that the timeframe for this to happen is unpredictable. I am pretty worried about what I am up against now.

The HRT has been ongoing for the past 8 months. For the first 5 months, he had me on Androgel 1%. Then, for the past 3 months, he switched me to 200mg injections once every month. My last injection was 18 days ago.

I've had all sorts of suggestions about using a PCT, but I know nothing about this other than what I've read on boards like this. I'm simply not comfortable with experimenting with it when I don't know what I'm doing. My doctors have told me that I don't need it and should just wait it out.

Does anybody have any experience with waiting for HPTA recovery without using any form of PCT? It looks as if this is what I'm going to be doing and I'm scared to death that I'll be completely shut down for months! Can anyone give me any sort of guesses on how long it is going to take for me to start producing endogenous test again? My endocrinologist is going to monitor my blood once a month for a year, but I am going nuts right now, wondering if it is actually going to take that long to remedy this situation. I have done a lot of reading about PCT and the various drugs used and why they are used. I have become pretty familiar with all of that. Still, I cannot find any information, anywhere, about people who go without PCT. What can I expect.

I have never experienced a lack of testosterone, so I don't know what to expect to happen to me. It has been 18 days since my last injection and I'm noticing that I feel pretty lousy. In fact, for the three months that he was giving me the injections, I noticed that I felt pretty crappy during the last week or so before the next one. Is this jsut going to intensify over the coming months? Am I going to feel like crap and have no libido whatsoever for a long time to come? This is scaring the crap out of me and I would greatly appreciate any knowledgeable responses from those of you who know about this stuff. At the doses I've had and the length of time I've been on it, is it likely that I'll return to normal soon or not?

[C_Bino]

Wow, this is really not my area of expertise. However not wanting to leave you out in the cold I am going to say you should just get an herbal test booster like tibulus, redkat etc. 200mg once a month is very very minimal and believe that your body prolly wont shut down all that much from infrequent injections like that. I mean if it has only been going on for three months you have only done 3 shots of 200mg right? So IMO and i must make it clear that this is only my personal opinion that you should go with something like tirbulus. I would personally wait for someone more knowledgable on the subject to post. If my info is off then at least I bumped the thread for you.

[G-1000]

What what the dose per injection?

What ester was the test that he put you on?

[G-1000]

I am sorry i did not see that dose of 200mg.

I will say the same as Bino. I think you shoudl try and run some trib for a 4 to 6 weeks. i would run a dose at 2g a day for the first 2 weeks then back it down to 1g day.

If you feel shitty and the end of the month and now that you have not took a shoot. You are shut down for sure. Low test levels will cause decrease in libido,lack of energy decrease in strength and/or endurance

[tex66]

The injections were only for three months, but I did Androgel everyday for 5 months prior to that. I don't know what ester it was. He only referred to it as testosterone. It was 200mg once per month. He told me that it would last for about 3 weeks and then be out of my system. The endo I talked to said that it would last a couple of weeks and then I would have risidual amounts of it for a few more weeks. Sorry I can't tell you exactly what is was, but I really don't know. I have another appointment with that doc next Friday and I'm going to find out. I don't seem to have much testicular atrophy, but they are definitely a little smaller than what I remember they used to be. I've had people tell me that 200mg per month is not even a reasonable HRT dose, but the fact that I did 5 month of Androgel and then started these once a month shots makes me worry that I may have really screwed up my HPTA. I've been in contact with Swale as recommended on another board and am considering getting him to consult with my doctor. Until then, I am freaking out over the possibility that I've screwed myself up with this stuff.

[G-1000]

From what i know about Androgel it did not mess with your hpta that much. It is not that strong unless you take a bath in it.

I think trib or some kind of test booster will be all you need.

[tex66]

Thanks for all the responses. There is still one thing that is really worrying me and none of my doctors has seemed willing to suggest an answer. How long is it going to take before I begin endogenous test production if I am not using a PCT? The doctors have made it quite clear that there is no set timescale for this and that each individual is different, but I am hoping that someone could at least give me an educated guess at how long I'll be shut down. The best my doctors could do is to tell me that it could be 3 months, 4 months, 6 months, a year, or perhaps even forever. Too much uncertainty for me! Is there ANY chance at all that I could begin test production in a few weeks or is that just wishful thinking?

[tex66]

It looks like there are a lot more people active on the board right now so I'm bumping this up to see if anyone else might be willing to share their thoughts on this. Thanks!