Time to share my trt experience

[mlandog]

I have been reading this board for about 2 years and feel it’s about time for me to share back.
About two years ago (39 yr old 6’2” 235 and about 20%bf (calipers from trainer)) I was really starting to not only feel run down, but beat down. I would come home from work and not feel like getting off the couch the rest of the night. I slept horrible, often waking in the middle of the night and stressing about work for hours.
Since I have a few kids, all boys, they would always want to go out and play, throw the ball around. While I always wanted to, I just didn’t “want to” (I know, hard to explain) same went with my sex life. I have been blessed with a great wife who has an awesome libido, but I just didn’t have any drive left. Don’t get me wrong, always thought about it but just never had the energy to do it. Of course she got a complex and thought I wasn’t attracted to her any more...ug, add that to the stress from work, being tired all the time and just plain feeling like shit and you get it.
At the time was just in ok shape. Having always been active and having served in the Marine Corps, I would blame my bad mood and feeling like crap on being out of shape. I had already been hitting the gym for about a year, but I had minimal gains and wasn’t dropping the unwanted pounds like I could do in the past. One day my wife and I had it out about my lack of libido and general bad attitude she suggested that my test might be low. This is when I found this sight and did hours of reading. With my new knowledge and my wife’s support, I went to my doc. I told him how I felt and he did the blood test, but said it might be depression and even offered to give me a prescription for it that day. I said no; let’s see what the test comes up with. When I received my results with a test level of approx 275 on a scale of 200-1000 (I think) he said I was ok! WTF?!?! Glad I had been here and read about this. I asked him about TRT, and he said I was still in the normal range!! After a brief discussion about symptoms and being at the bottom of the scale, I left the office, never to return. I finally got hooked up with a wellness clinic, took another blood test (similar results) and was prescribed test and gh.
I started with the test (180mg test week, 500Hcg 2x week, and Anastrozel .5 1x week) as the gh was too expensive. I felt the changes in a few weeks as described, started sleeping better, improved libido and general attitude. I started the gh about 2 months later. Things were good with the test and I know they say it takes some time for the test to really get going and about 6 months for the gh, but at about the 3rd month I was on the gh I really started to feel good. My energy was great, kids loved me because I always wanted to do something, and my wife actually told me I was like a different person. Our sex life was like when we got married 12 years earlier. My body composition was starting to really change. Good diet, not great and I was now at about 238, but about 15%bf. I can’t remember feeling so good. First time I had seen my abs since getting out of the Marines. I stayed on the gh for about 6 months (1.5 i.u5x weeks) then it was just too expensive.
After about 6 months of being off the gh, I could tell a difference. My body composition did not change much and I continued to feel good (was still on the test) 6 months later I could not afford the test prescription. Bad move! Did not have a “pct” and crashed after about 3 weeks. I was moody, tired, couldn’t sleep, etc.
I stayed off for about 6 months due to lack of funds! Go figure, lost interest in going to the gym and McDonalds’ started sounding good. I kept a bit of the muscle that I gained for a while but added some unwanted bf. I decided that I needed to beg borrow or steal to get back on, not only my health but my marriage depended on it. I have now been back on for about 6 months (no gh) while I feel better, nothing like when I was taking both test and gh. I am now about 240, down from 248 and 19%bf, back in the gym and getting my life back. I am currently working toward getting my bf down and my diet up to snuff so I can run a “blast” with the goal to add some strength and lean muscle.
You folks here on the forum have been a huge help to me and my family. Thanks

[lovbyts]

If you have insurance try the doctor or endocrinologist again. As long as you stop the test 4+ weeks before you blood work your levels should come in lower than before. Lack of sleep and drinking the night before can also lower your levels. Getting your insurance to pay for the test is the best especially when it's NEEDED.

I sort of did the same as you, started with a wellness center before I found a 1/2 decent endo. I did almost a year of the GH and I think it helped a lot although like you I had to quit due to $$$$ I'm also considering trying to figure out how to get started on it again sometime soon.

Do yourself a favor and read some of the sticky notes in regards to HCG and how it can be beneficial to HRT especially if you want to have more kids or keep the boys working properly.

congratulations on getting back on track.

[Viking13]

Good read bro. Glad you got your life back. Reading your story reminds me of my own, minus the kids, in terms of symptoms. I blamed my job and how hard I was working for my mood, lack of libido and poor sleeping. I've yet to start Trt but am taking nolvadex to raise my own test in order to to try and have a child, but I have seen an increase in libido, better mood and sleep. I can only imagine what it will be like when my hormones are good!

Hope you're able to stay on for good this time man. What's your current protocol look like?

[mlandog]

I’ve tried the insurance route, guess I just need to find an endo, but don’t want to go through search process for a good one who knows what they are doing.
I have been on the Hcg and have also gone without and I can tell the difference! I’m not worried about having kids (have 3 already) and have been sniped, but I don’t like the shriveled ball thing. I know there are other advantages as well.

[mlandog]

Protocol is same as the first
Test cyp 200 1x week (may break it into 2 shots per week)
Hcg 500mg 2x week
Anastrozel .5 1x week

[Vettester]

Thanks for joining and sharing your story. We look forward to being a part of your rebuilding experience.

[jamotech]

I love how they have to run tests and must see you drastically out of range to prescribe test, but willing to give out a script for anti-depressants the same day with no testing at all.

Anti-depressants combined with low-T, whats next... we're all wearing tin foil suits, contraception by instruments, pill diet, and communication by moving out ears?

[mlandog]

thanks vetteman! I remember reading a ton of your posts when learning and trying to decide what was best for me.

[MickeyKnox]

wow! here is a textbook example of a mature man increasing his test to more realistic levels, and voila! his quality of life skyrockets! amazing isn't it? get your blood work done and understand what your levels mean! and don't take no from your "old school" physician. you are entitled to receive treatment that will increase your test level where it ought to be! sadly, you may have to lie a bit or perhaps exaggerate your symptoms, but do whatever you must.

it's very important to maintain proper levels, and even more important as you get older. if you physician tells you 200 is ok...it's not. imo, anything below 250 is not "proper", unless you're a dying 90 year old man.

mlandog, thank you for sharing your experience. i hope you continue to live a healthy happy life, for your sake and your family.

cheers

[HRTstudent]

Glad to hear it's going better for you!

If money is a concern I would totally forgo the GH. I don't hear that much great stuff about it. And like you said it's very expensive. Perhaps it is like icing on the cake, but to me I would say it's far more important to stay on testosterone rather than run out of money and have to come off and crash.

[bass]

now why can't all wives be this supportive?! i am happy you're back on the treatment, at this stage its the only way you can function!

[bullshark99]

Welcome Mdog, your not the lone ranger, your story sounds oh too familiar! I too went off TRT, reasons other than monetary but none the less was off for 10 weeks or so and what a "bag of shit" I turned into! Wouldnt think it possible to go down hill in such a short amount of time but its for real. Your McDonalds statement is so true, think I would literly vomit if I ate that right now, but being off, it actually sounded good. Anyhow, pls continue to contribute, bunch of great people in this community!