TRT Question

[Jerseystepup]

I apologize if this post is choppy or lacking some info, im posting it from my phone on my wy to work.. I just have a question for those that have TRT experience.

I don't have insurance, and my general Dr is a close family friend so I went through him to not have to pay the exyta $ for an Endo, however he went over all my results with an endo he knows and was advised on how to treat me.

Off hand i know my test was at 203, and FSH 1.7... He orig prescribed me testim gel 1%, 1 tube a day, which i of course bitched about... The gel is just a MAJOR inconvenience... So he just switched me to cyp injections. But he has me coming into the office and taking 200mg every 2 weeks (1 shot every 14 days) I questioned the long period of time in between the shots, and the dosing, and he assured me that he confired with an ENDO yesterday evening and thats what he was told to give me....

Im just curious as to if this sound right or not? Seems to me like the shots should be a little less spaced out but he said no... Thanks guys

[G4R]

This question may be better off over in this section:
http://forums.steroid.com/hormone-replacement-therapy-low-t-anti-aging/

[ReBilly]

Typical protocol for optimal results is a weekly shot of Test Cyp or Test Enthanthe (some even break it up into semi-weekly) and from what it seems people's dosage per weekly shot more often than not floats near or below the 200 / week range - 180 a week seems very popular, with a 250 IU shot of HCG on each of the two days prior to your testosterone shot, and very often Arimidex twice weekly, usually at .5 per dose.

Bear in mind, people's doses vary greatly, but this seems to be the most common routine.

If your doc is waiting 2 weeks per shot, you're probably gonna crash every single time on week 2. Almost making TRT even worse because of the roller coaster.

[Epic Ed]

Ask him if he knows what the 1/2 life of testosterone cypionate is. It used to be believed it was 12 days, but more than one study in the last decade has shown it's actually 6-8 days. One shot bi-weekly will put you on an unnecessary hormonal roller coaster. There is NO reason any doc should object to dosing once a week instead of bi-weekly. Most people on TRT find once a week is the longest they'd want to go, while others like me, have found drop offs in energy after day 5 or 6 and are dosing 2x weekly. I'm taking the same dose -- 200mg each week -- but pinning more frequently with smaller amounts.

All the anecdotal evidence you'll read here and elsewhere confirms the same conclusion. Docs generally think anecdotal evidence -- real life stories from people who are taking this stuff -- are to be disregarded in favor of the actual medical research. I'm not suggesting personal stories should hold more weight than empirical data, but in this case the data they are relying on is over 30 years old. The cumulative volume of stories from people like me should not be disregarded. WE are on the cutting edge of HRT treatment and we are the ones who are often turning ourselves into human guinea pigs because we're trying to find some answers to our problems that the medical community, by and large, hasn't figured out yet. It's not usual to find the patients on TRT often know more about what's effective and what's not than their doctors do after a few short months on the program.

[ReBilly]

Ask him if he knows what the 1/2 life of testosterone cypionate is. It used to be believed it was 12 days, but more than one study in the last decade has shown it's actually 6-8 days. One shot bi-weekly will put you on an unnecessary hormonal roller coaster. There is NO reason any doc should object to dosing once a week instead of bi-weekly. Most people on TRT find once a week is the longest they'd want to go, while others like me, have found drop offs in energy after day 5 or 6 and are dosing 2x weekly. I'm taking the same dose -- 200mg each week -- but pinning more frequently with smaller amounts.

All the anecdotal evidence you'll read here and elsewhere confirms the same conclusion. Docs generally think anecdotal evidence -- real life stories from people who are taking this stuff -- are to be disregarded in favor of the actual medical research. I'm not suggesting personal stories should hold more weight than empirical data, but in this case the data they are relying on is over 30 years old. The cumulative volume of stories from people like me should not be disregarded. WE are on the cutting edge of HRT treatment and we are the ones who are often turning ourselves into human guinea pigs because we're trying to find some answers to our problems that the medical community, by and large, hasn't figured out yet. It's not usual to find the patients on TRT often know more about what's effective and what's not than their doctors do after a few short months on the program.

^^ X2 well said

[Jerseystepup]

Thanks for the replies guys, i talked to him yesterday evening and after a little bit of convincing, he agreed to go with 100mg/week instead of 200mg every 2... The dosage he wouldnt budge on.. He said due to me being so young (28), he wants to see how my body responds... i guess we'll see what happens.

[Epic Ed]

The dosage is fine. It was the interval that was improper. 100mg EW is very standard starting point for TRT. Get some blood work done in 3 months and go from there.