Should I get back on TRT, advice needed and info inside.

[nwjt]

Age: 38

5 years ago I went to a trt doc and had these numbers:
Test levels:
Total: 294 (range 285-950)
Free: 68 (range 50-247)
% Free: 2.3
Sex binding globulin: 21 (10-24)
Estradiol TMS: 3.4 (range is 10-42)
Luteinizing hormone: 2.1 (range is 1.5-9.3)

5 years later due to reasons I will leave out but just they health care system is getting killed, my benefits were cut.
What went from a $35 copayment jumped to an $800 bill per visit. I decided I cannot afford that.
Luckily I am a veteran with a disability rating and sought out the VA. They told me my original numbers has to be under 250.
So they asked me to stop taking TRT for 3 months. Honestly my use was spuradic anyways up to that point, taking 100 mg every 2 to 3 weeks and I did that for nearly a year.
Well it ended up being 5 months and I had 3 sets of labs done:
So in june after 5 months of 0 test i had 224 (range 72-813)
a week later they pulled again and I was at 219.
Then early july they pulled FSH at 3.3 (1.6-9.7)
LH: 2.6 (1.2-8.6)
Prolactin 9.2 (2.6-13.1)

Their main concern as is mine is my red blood cells get high. I do donate blood but if they go high again I will be banned from TRT at the VA.

Well after all this time I finally got my androgel, never tried it before.

I am trying to decide if I should use TRT again or try something else. Did my numbers change that much in 5 years?
The VA blames my low T on my prior use of TRT but Im not seeing a huge drop anyways in my numbers.

294 to 219 doesnt seem like a big decline but are both numbers pretty low? My original test was in my early 30s.

Initially after trt a few months in I started looking less bloated and pretty darn good. However eventually I look all smooth with no definition at all.
Im starting to bloat up a bit.
However I have lost motivation to work out and for a few months there I was in bad shape and then started bouncing back.
My weight hasnt changed much, strength is lower for sure but higher before then I started TRT.

Im not sure why my blood count gets so high.
The other thing is I no longer think about sex 24-7 and sex drive is ok but not the best.

Please give me some advice.

Also, my BF % is probably up, should I do a drastic cut then get on my TRT. If I lose muscle it will come back fast, I know that.

TRT advantages:
Superman
Motivation
Perform well in bed
More strength
If I take breaks from working out it doesn't affect me
If I can keep my redblood count low its FREE

TRT problems:
High red blood count
Weight Gain
I sweat a lot, rolling off my face
I'm smarter off trt as I think more normally lol
cost
possibly banned eventually by fda

[Simon1972]

what was your protocol and what was your haemocrit on that protocol?

please include any ancilliary items prescribed during your protocol.

[nwjt]

200mg test cyp per week is what I started on. Towards the last year+ I was doing 100mg per week.
One time I did take an AI for a bit then my e2 got low so I stopped.

I now have androgel 1.62%. Doing 2 pumps per day which says it will be 20.25mg per pump.

That seems like a lot, going from 200mg per week to 40.5 per day (283.5mg) maybe its not comparable that way?

My hemocratic got over 50% at one time.

I do think if I keep my doses low I can keep red blood down, but not really sure if it would add much benefit then?

What if I ran it like a cycle, one and off? That would give me some benefit while allowed rec blood cells to reduce before testing?

[Simon1972]

200mg a week is too high, and not taking an AI at that amount is also bad.

i wouldn't get off- id go back on 100mg , injected-subQ , stay away from gels or creams and go for a low dose of Anastozole 0.5mg /2x a week.

get blood tests and see how you go from there.

your problem is that you didnt find your sweet spot and had a scatter gun approach.

normally you would start dosages low, adjust until you get yourself in the upper limit for T (-/+ 15%) and then adjust the E down with an AI to a lower range level.

remember - there was a reason you got yourself on trt in the first place.

[nwjt]

Interesting. I guess I am really wondering if my levels are low enough to justify it?

I'm curious, why no creams?

Also subQ injections, are they proven to work? Why would the companies that cell it recommend you do IM ? if the marketed it as subQ they could sell more of it instead of losing out to creams.

[Simon1972]

Interesting. I guess I am really wondering if my levels are low enough to justify it?
Well, what were they??????? you must have had bloodwork- what did your bloodwork say? Can you find out and let us know?

I'm curious, why no creams?
Creams wash off and have erratic absorbency dependant on when you apply it- shower beforehand- your skins oil level-clothing you wear etc.

Also subQ injections, are they proven to work? Why would the companies that cell it recommend you do IM ? if the marketed it as subQ they could sell more of it instead of losing out to creams.
see video- if you prefer IM go ahead- i suggested SUBq because you seemed to not want to do trt fullstop and im giving you another easier option, and yes its proven.

[nwjt]

I did put my levels up there, currently at 219
Down from 294 after 5 years of TRT.

I'm curious if I really needed trt based on my BW, and if my current level is considered really low or not. It seems highly subjective.

Thanks for your responses!

[Simon1972]

Up to you. Nobody can tell you if you want to be on trt or not. Best of luck.

[nwjt]

You really should re-read this thread and realize how worthless your posts are, seriously. You have provided 0 help and you asked me for information that I already provided, then told me you cant tell me what I want, which is not even what I asked.

[hammerheart]

Yep, those levels are low, ans substitution is usually recommended.

My personal experience with creams is poor, so I won't advice them.

IM Injections can drive RBC/hematocrit high, which low dose SubQ might help prevent.

[Simon1972]

You really should re-read this thread and realize how worthless your posts are, seriously. You have provided 0 help and you asked me for information that I already provided, then told me you cant tell me what I want, which is not even what I asked

How does get fvcked sound you unappreciative bastard. I already told you not to get off.I'm not your mum, do your own research.

[ScotchGuard02]

I'm on TRT and I try to be about 85% to 90% of Total Test and about 80% of free Test. If you're going to self medicate the TRT, you have to take blood every 6 weeks or so and "tune" your dosage. It's really not that hard. You start with 100mg/wk for 6 weeks and take blood. Make a slight adjustment to tune your dosage. That's what an endo would do.