New Here... Needing Some Advice

[kcwebguy]

I am new to the forum and wanted to get some input on my situation.

I've been feeling like crap for the better part of ten years and have felt the classic signs of Low T for a while. In early March 2014, my doctor diagnosed me with primary hypogonadism.

Here are my initial lab tests:

LH 13.7 mIU/mL, Range 1.7-8.6
FSH 25.7 mIU/mL, Range 1.5-12.4
Testosterone, Serum 119 ng/dL, Range 348-1197
Free Testosterone(Direct) 7.9 pg/mL, Range 6.8-21.5
Prolactin 11.4 ng/mL, Range 4.0-15.2
Estradiol 24.1 pg/mL, Range 7.6-42.6
Prostate Specific Ag, Serum 1.6 ng/mL, Range 0.0-4.0
Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum 15.3 nmol/L, Range 16.5-55.9

Doctor prescribed 100mg/week Test C to be injected IM by me. Five weeks in and I am feeling very little difference. An occasional spontaneous E once per week in the morning at the high point of my injection, but that is all. Doctor took blood again with these tests:

Testosterone, Serum 175 ng/dL, Range 348-1197
Free Testosterone(Direct) 8.4 pg/mL, Range 6.8-21.5
Estradiol 19.7 pg/mL, Range 7.6-42.6

Doctor has since prescribed 50mg Test C/10mg Test P twice per week IM injected by me. I have done that cycle for one week and am feeling no difference yet.

My Stats:

Age: 44
Height: 5'-11"
Weight: 285 lbs
BMI: 40

I am feeling exhausted all of the time and just want to sleep. I was hoping that would change with TRT and enable me to start changing my condition. No luck yet.

Any input or advice would be helpful...

[BallSak]

When was the blood work done relative to the injection?

I'm not sure why your doc prescribed 10mg of test p twice per week...doesn't really make much sense to me. Obviously, something weird is going on. Either you are not measuring your injection correctly or the medication is bunk or your body metabolizes the testosterone at supersonic speeds. 100mg should raise your levels by a lot more than 20 points.

Do realize that the effects of TRT take time. I didn't notice a whole lot until about 6-7 months in. After 15 months, things are still improving.

[kcwebguy]

The first BW was prior to any treatment. The 2nd BW was after 4 weeks of TRT and on day 7 (the trough) of the 1x per week injection of 100mg. It probably raised me to 3XX at the high point and left me at 175 the day before my next injection.

The 50mg Test C/10mg Test P is a compounded blend from a compounding pharmacy. Prior to that change I was telling him that I would feel a bump on highest day of the cycle and then feel nothing. That new script was his solution.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm in this for the long haul... so I suspect I'll see more benefit down the road.

[BallSak]

60mg of cyp twice weekly would yield more stable levels in my opinion. Test P, with a 2-3 day half life, injected twice a week is pointless.

Like you, 100mg hardly did anything for me. My body metabolizes T very quickly which requires a higher than typical dose for me to be in optimal range. Good luck!

[kcwebguy]

60mg of cyp twice weekly would yield more stable levels in my opinion. Test P, with a 2-3 day half life, injected twice a week is pointless.

Like you, 100mg hardly did anything for me. My body metabolizes T very quickly which requires a higher than typical dose for me to be in optimal range. Good luck!

I got clarification as to why I was given 50mg Test C/10mg Test P 2x per week... it is because the script was ordered from a compounding pharmacy and they are not allowed to create a form of a script that is manufactured by the big pharma. I guess they exist only to create variations of scripts. That makes sense to me now.

The reason we went to a compounding pharmacy is because my two other pharmacies would not give me a whole 10ML vial at a time. They would only issue me two little vials each month and make me refill every month... which is a pain in the ass, frankly.

[2Sox]

I got clarification as to why I was given 50mg Test C/10mg Test P 2x per week... it is because the script was ordered from a compounding pharmacy and they are not allowed to create a form of a script that is manufactured by the big pharma. I guess they exist only to create variations of scripts. That makes sense to me now.

The reason we went to a compounding pharmacy is because my two other pharmacies would not give me a whole 10ML vial at a time. They would only issue me two little vials each month and make me refill every month... which is a pain in the ass, frankly.

To clarify: You are injecting 120mg of T a week, correct? That's 50mg T Cyp and 10mg T Prop two times a week, right? How are you injecting - SQ or IM?

Whatever the reason for this mixture, I agree with Ball that your levels should have gone up much higher by now. I also agree that you may need a higher dose. If you keep getting these readings, I would advise you consider increasing.

Regarding how long the effects of TRT take: It's an individual thing. I felt greatly improved within days and within ten days felt thirty years younger. However, with your numbers it's no wonder you still feel poorly.

By the way, if you live in the U.S. and your doctor writes the script correctly - with a
"Code F" included - you should have no problem getting a 10mL vial each time. Something like what you described happened the first time I filled my script - but it was the pharmacist's error. She didn't see the Code F on the script. At the time, I didn't know enough about these details to correct her.

[kcwebguy]

To clarify: You are injecting 120mg of T a week, correct? That's 50mg T Cyp and 10mg T Prop two times a week, right? How are you injecting - SQ or IM?

Yes... 120mg per week total. It is via IM injections.

Whatever the reason for this mixture, I agree with Ball that your levels should have gone up much higher by now. I also agree that you may need a higher dose. If you keep getting these readings, I would advise you consider increasing.

Regarding how long the effects of TRT take: It's an individual thing. I felt greatly improved within days and within ten days felt thirty years younger. However, with your numbers it's no wonder you still feel poorly.

By the way, if you live in the U.S. and your doctor writes the script correctly - with a
"Code F" included - you should have no problem getting a 10mL vial each time. Something like what you described happened the first time I filled my script - but it was the pharmacist's error. She didn't see the Code F on the script. At the time, I didn't know enough about these details to correct her.

That's great info. If I encounter that situation about the whole vial again, I will inform my Doc and make sure he's doing in the right way. For now, the compounding pharmacy is happy to give me the whole vial. I appreciate your input.

[Metalject]

Talk to your doctor about adrenal fatigue. Your dose may or may not be high enough but levels should have still gone up. Adrenal fatigue can make TRT very difficult in some cases.

[kcwebguy]

Talk to your doctor about adrenal fatigue. Your dose may or may not be high enough but levels should have still gone up. Adrenal fatigue can make TRT very difficult in some cases.

I'll do that...