Androgel for now injections next?

[Tbol]

Well I went in to the Doc today ( the very conservative one) and I
talked to him about my Test only being at 400 and having almost ZERO sex drive. I did tren and test eth about 7 months ago and I have not been the same.

We discussed Androgel vs Test Injections. He was VERY against Test Injections and I explained I respected his opinion and would try his approach First. He said he was going to put me on Androgel at half a dose for 2 month on a half a 2.5 dose at once
a day and he said it would not be enough to suppress my own test from producing on their own and returning to the way it was pre-trenbolone / test eth cycle .

He also said at that small amount it would likely get my own testicles reproducing test on their own without having to stay on HRT for life.

He thought Human Growth Hormone was ok even though he does not mess with it.
I am going to give his method a try and see if he is right or full of crap.

If I feel a return of my libido in a week or
so I wil stay on it for the next 8 weeks and see after that if I still need it.

If I feel normal then I will not stay on HRTfrom now on because I hate having to screw with this when I am only 40, However if I do not see any results in the next few weeks then I will blow this off and use the script I will get from my other doctor for Test Cyponate injections of 100mg a week.

That is my backup plan though I will have to get another Doc if I do that because Doctors have egos and when
you go against their protocols like that they almost always have a chip on their shoulder from that point on
and are not as objective in treating you because you " DID NOT DO WHAT THEY TOLD YOU"


I talked to my conservative doc today and he said he was against the injections because he said it would raise my liver enzymes and stress my liver and that after each shot my test levels would drop fast ( my liver enzymes are slightly elevated now but he said not much which is strange because I have not drank or taken meds in 8 weeks )

He also talked about how I would only need arimadex if I was getting to much test to begin with.
WHen I mentioned HCG he goes " OF COURSE YOU NEED IT WHEN YOU GET INJECTIONS BECAUSE YOU ARE SHUTTING DOWN YOUR OWN PRODUCTION AND OF COURSE YOUR TESTICLES WILL SHRINK"

He was saying it verbally like "don't you get it"?

He also said that my body eventually would reject the test and that my receptors would shut down and nothing would work anymore and I would just be screwed with no sex drive or way to get it.

He said injections were never made to be a LONG TERM SOLUTION to lack of testosterone .

He told me Androgel was not that expensive HE WAS WRONG THERE!
$254 for one month supply (well two month since I am only going to use half a package a day)

He said if I used the whole package of 2.5 a day it would suppress my natural test from returning which is opposite of the the goal at the moment.

I care about Bodybuilding and looking good, but I am much more concerned with how many times I can get wood and bang my young hot Girlfriend.

I guess everyone has different priorities. Anyway I will give his method a chance. If I do not feel results that are acceptable to how I felt before I ever took anything. Then I will just start taking shots and go see another doc.

The problem I have with the doc who will write me shots for Test is that he
is just after the money and He does not care what you put in your body.
He would write me a script for large doses of oxycontin and test at the same time without asking why.
I also have to question how competent he is when he is so willing to give anyone anything without
being concerned about the consequences overall of so many meds. He seems only concerned with
can he do it without getting in trouble.

I am basing my treatment on a combination of trying this first and moving on to other options if needed, what I am experiencing myself in the next few weeks, and what I have read
and learned from on this board. In the end it is better to live a shorter life and feel great then to live a longer life feeling like nothing!!! I am not saying I want to die at 50 but If I lived great till 70 it would be better than living like crap to 80!!

Any thoughts from those who have gone down this road.

Who here has been on HRT for 2 years,5 years or even better 10 years with just injections and can give me feedback on this story?

[Ufa]

Most start out with creams. Then the shots. Then the extra's.

[WallyWorld637]

I started with Androgel and it was a huge waste of time.

[porscheguy]

Personally I would'nt say that androgel is a complete waste. I have been on the 5mg dose for about 8 weeks and found it to help quite a bit. I have a better libido, am definitally leaner and stronger. I didn't change my workout at all since being on it and I am making noticable gains. I do believe that 10mg per day would be alot better and think that 2.5 mg per day is much too little to help at all. the problem for me is getting the doc to agree to step up the dose.

[Tapout]

I just had my levels tested and I was at 239 after 6 months being off and I am 39.
my doc is going to start me on testim gel which is 50mg test per tube-1 per day. He said it works better than shots and keeps level in blood and not ups and downs--I also am wondering about the testim as test cyp is great.
whats funny is at 239 I still get wood it just takes wife a little longer to get me in mood and at times when get wood really dont care to do anything with it
oh getting older sucks

[zaggahamma]

Tbol,
Love your attitude and approach to starting your TRT....always a good idea to start off slow and go from there and also DEFINATELY second guess your doctors in a good way (second, third opinions if you will) and the fact that you know that YOU are the one that makes the final decision in your healthcare
we wish you the best with it bro

[fbcoach]

Tbol,
Did your Doc say 2.5mgs would not shut you down???? It's my understanding that any external test will shut you down, and if you are shut down..YOU ARE SHUTDOWN. I have read where some guys have been on a low low dose of test and their test levels, when re-tested, were lower than at the start. I willbe very interested in how you feel in the next week or 2. I do wish you luck!! Let us know how you are feeling and looking!!

[dhriscerr]

Did you run PCT after your Test Tren cycle? And if so what? And did you think of running another PCT to see if you could get it back up? Obviously maybe you need HRT or TRT if your getting older, but MyogenX could be a possibility to see if it could get your back naturally, It would be alot better than going on TRT or HRT if you don't have too. But it sounds like your definately smart about it and on the right track. So good luck man

[Tbol]

Tbol,
Did your Doc say 2.5mgs would not shut you down???? It's my understanding that any external test will shut you down, and if you are shut down..YOU ARE SHUTDOWN. I have read where some guys have been on a low low dose of test and their test levels, when re-tested, were lower than at the start. I willbe very interested in how you feel in the next week or 2. I do wish you luck!! Let us know how you are feeling and looking!!

Well he said 2.5 would shut me down so he is saying that half that amount a day ( a half a packet) 1.25 would not? We will see. I am so sick of feeling this way that it will take all the patience I have not to start on the shots ASAP. I will try to give his way a chance but not for to long without real results in my favor

[zaggahamma]

Well he said 2.5 would shut me down so he is saying that half that amount a day ( a half a packet) 1.25 would not? We will see. I am so sick of feeling this way that it will take all the patience I have not to start on the shots ASAP. I will try to give his way a chance but not for to long without real results in my favor

i was wondering the same thing but like tbol said...it won't hurt to try it first cuz more will shut ya down anyway....i never hear of trying the very small dose to try to restore one's own production....this will be a nice thread to follow
good luck tbol

[Tbol]

Has anyone here heard of trying a clomid PCT for a 2nd time and it working before going to HRT?

Oh the androgel has only made my testosterone drop more from what I can tell. I will give it a week then it is time to move on!

[fbcoach]

I know some use clomid, HCG , and novaldex to re-start, but I am not familiar with that protocol.
I was afraid the androgel may do that. Here is what your Doc may be trying to accomplish: Your hormones work on a feedback loop. Meaning, when your body produces more test, either naturally or from an external source, it tries to balance the affected hormones, by either lowering your natural test or converting the test to estrogen to balance the test/estrogen ratio. By taking you off the test (androgel) and adding in the clomid and possibly HCG and novaldex, he is counting on the rebound effect, hoping your natural test will kick it up a notch. This is just MY theory based on my limited knowledge of biochemistry. I hope this helps.

[Old man]

Andro Gel is a good way to get started. Then you go back and tell your doc it makes your skin break out, which it can do. That you "sweat it off" do to work or whatever. Tell him "It works great", but too messy and irritates your skin. "But it REALLY helps my libido."
Guess where I'm going... "Dr. could I just inject a low dose and be done with it? No mess. No skin rash?" If he agree's, your in. If not try another Urologist . Do some Intel. If all else fails you can self prescribe like 75% of AAS users do. That's a topic for a later date. Good hunting.