I've Been "Pelletized"

**sirupate** · 04-05-2012, 02:51 PM

Just got back from the urologist's office where I had the Testopel implants done. He inserted 12 pellets. The procedure was fairly quick and easy. I think it took about 20 minutes total. First up is disinfect the area. Then he numbs the area. After that he inserts the pellets with a special trochar supplied by the pellet manufacturer. The pellets are inserted about where the top of your hip pocket would be located. The pellets are larger than a grain of rice each...I'd guess 75% larger than a grain of rice.

I only felt the sting of the numbing needle and once did I feel a sensation from a pellet insertion. There may be site pain for several days. Doctor wants me back in a month for bloodwork. I think 4 months is about what he expects me to get from the pellets before repeating the procedure (assuming I want to).

He thinks I should feel pretty good in about a week, but since I am already on the 1.62% gel, I doubt I will feel that much of a difference.

I view this as an "experiment" in my TRT journey, having done the injections and gel both. The price for me was a $20 co-pay. Obviously you would not want to do this unless you have pretty good insurance. I think the price of the pellets is about $60 each, plus the procedure cost.

I'll sort of update the thread as I go so you can get a better idea of how I feel and what the bloodwork indicates in a month.

I know most of you have negative opinions about the implants...that's OK. Not trying to convince you they are good...just relaying another method of getting this done.

Jeff

**zaggahamma** · 04-05-2012, 04:09 PM

hope it works well amigo

**manonfire** · 04-05-2012, 06:43 PM

What is the advantage of the pills over injection?

**Times Roman** · 04-05-2012, 06:47 PM

Sorry to hear your doc thought that pellets were the way to go. Lot of bad press about pellets, one being unstable blood plasma levels. I think it shows a lack of knowledge/experience on the part of your doc. But then again, my doc freaked when i suggested we transition from 200mg test c eow to 100mg test c ew.

There is a reason that the standard delivery protocol is injection.

Good luck

**Squirrel88** · 04-05-2012, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by manonfire

What is the advantage of the pills over injection?

Probably a constant flow of testosterone , instead of the roller coaster effect you get when you get shots.

**kelkel** · 04-05-2012, 09:36 PM

Keep us posted please. Put your BW up when you get it too! Good luck.

**Vettester** · 04-05-2012, 10:47 PM

Subscribed ... I don't like the sounds of those pellets. If that was the only way to optimize one's hormones, then so be it, but when a guy can take an easy sub q shot, or IM, I don't know why anyone would want to go through that procedure. Still interested though, so let us know how it works out. -Thanks

**HRTstudent** · 04-06-2012, 01:07 AM

please do keep us updated... this is pretty new cutting edge stuff for the masses. not much first hand feedback from what I've seen.

**lovbyts** · 04-06-2012, 02:36 AM

Good luck, hoping for the best for you. Let us know if you start Mewing or eating grass. LOL JK

**sirupate** · 04-06-2012, 05:52 AM

So far no real discomfort in my arse. I can feel that something was done there, but it isn't pain really.

There was an earlier version of the pellet that didn;t turn out so well and I think that may be partly responsible for the negative opinions running aorund out there. We'll see on this newer version.

I am supposed to have fairly constant levels until somewhere around month 3 when things begin to drop off. Nurse said call in and schedule a new procedure (or not).

Advantages...I don't have to inject or apply gel for 3-4 months. Disadvantages...no flexibility on dosing until the next procedure. I also see a window of about a month where you can be feeling the decline in testosterone levels , but haven't gotten bloodwork and scheduled a new procedure yet.

And sure...the doctor is probably benefiting from doing the implants. Not sure how I feel about that. I guess it all depends on how well I feel with the Testopel.

**bullshark99** · 04-06-2012, 06:06 AM

Well good luck to ya, purely my speculation but will be curious as to when the decline starts and how long you will have to grunt it out until you re-load. Would be a terrible shame if in 2 months you are on the decline then need to wait 2 more months to re-up, hope thats not the case.

**manonfire** · 04-06-2012, 06:24 AM

I will be curious to see what the results will be, keep us posted on how your doing.. I just got my docs approval to inject every week instead of Bi weekly

**PPC** · 04-06-2012, 07:05 AM

I'll be curious also. I've mentioned here a couple of times that I have two brothers using pellets with great results. My Dad also got some pellets put in recently but he doesn't feel quite as good as he did with a gel despite higher T levels on pellets. Thanks for starting a thread on this. In my city "pelletizing" seems to be the new rage. The clinics are popping up everywhere.

**zaggahamma** · 04-06-2012, 07:14 AM

is it anybody elses belief that the more cutting edge/rage/different methods of delivery the more chance of happy smiling lil 10ml vials disappearing FOREVER

**sirupate** · 04-06-2012, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by jpkman

is it anybody elses belief that the more cutting edge/rage/different methods of delivery the more chance of happy smiling lil 10ml vials disappearing FOREVER

I dunno...would be a shame. Still, with the increasing emphasis on driving down the cost of medicine and the inability of government to continue to pay (in the future) the medical costs it is currently on the hook for, you'd think that a less expensive alternative to gels and pellets would be favored. Further, there is a world-wide market for this stuff and I doubt the manufacture of it will cease anytime soon.

**kelkel** · 04-06-2012, 07:45 AM

A friend of mine (yes, I have one) goes to the same doc I do and he chose pellets. Seems to keep him in the 800 range or so he says and he's happy with things. Would love to see some monthly BW throughout your process. It would be informative for all of us, especially near the end of the active life of the pellets.

**sirupate** · 04-13-2012, 06:38 AM

One week in...the slight pain in my arse is finally about gone. The pellets are inserted about where your hip pocket lies. My wallet bumped into the wound area all week. Some nights I'd flip in bed and sort of notice the area. There was also a "lump" at the site which also is going away. No evidence of any infection, which is about the greatest risk of this procedure. Good wood all week, but I doubt that means all that much as I'd been on the 1.62% gel and tapered off of that after the pellets were inserted.

Bloodwork in 3 weeks. That will tell the tale. At that time I should still be at about peak levels for the Testopel pellets and this will tell the urologist if I need more pellets next time, or fewer. I report the bloods here after I get the results.

Have a great weekend all!

Jeff

**zaggahamma** · 04-13-2012, 06:45 AM

thanks jeff

still be at peak? how often do they get inserted and what are supposedly the peaks and valleys

**sirupate** · 04-13-2012, 09:34 AM

The doctor said that you maintain peak levels for several months, then your levels drop off rather quickly. I am unable to confirm that by researching this on the internets, but this is what he was told by the pharma rep. Testopel is supposed to last 4-6 months...4 for many people and 6 for a few...something like that. I think I'll see decent levels for about 3 months, then a drop off that will be noticable.

So...most patients would do the insertion about 3 times per year and a few only twice. Nurse said call in when I begin to feel the drop off ( she said feeling grumpy) and they will do bloodwork, then a new procedure if that is appropriate.

**zaggahamma** · 04-13-2012, 10:41 AM

seems as if there would be a month or two of possible low levels?

**sirupate** · 04-13-2012, 11:13 AM

Yes...I think that is a potential problem. Not sure how to remedy that, except to be on top of it and advocate for another procedure (or transition back to injections or gel). Really no sense in feeling crappy for a month or two in my mind. I am sure the doc. wants to be able to justify to insurance another procedure. I am also sure he wants to do another for the bucks he makes.

**sirupate** · 05-08-2012, 01:50 PM

Had the Testopel procedure a little over 4 weeks ago and bloodwork was done at exactly 4 weeks. The results are in as follows:

Total test. 843 (range 280-800)
Free test. 24.6 (range 8-55)
Estradiol 47 (range 0-56)

I had 12 of the pellets implanted. I'm thinking a low dose of liquidex once a week for a while in an attempt to drive up free test. and lower E2 a bit...but not a lot. Any thoughts on that tact? I am doing hCG about 250iu. twice per week. I feel pretty darn good, considering the wear and tear of middle-age. Darn good morning wood too, so I would hate to mess up by driving E2 too low.

My instructions from the doctor's office are to come in for new bloodwork when I get to feeling like the pellets are not working any more. Nothing more specific than that.

**zaggahamma** · 05-08-2012, 02:02 PM

good thing u fixed your grammar before times roman came around...geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez

yeh number look great....and i see the feel that the free could be higher and the e2 is generally desired a little lower

with symtoms or lack therof/saying your feeling wood i mean good, i 2 would be cautious with the liquidex

dont wanna ruin a good thing

well, happy for u bro

bump for more o's on the thought of adding in the ai and dosage

to confirm...the hcg dose you speak about is included in the bloodwork above, si?

**sirupate** · 05-08-2012, 02:15 PM

Sort of included. I didn't have any hCG the week before the bloodwork...but I doubt the effect of the hCG went away in just a week. Also no AI in the bloodwork....hadn't used any in quite a while really. Wanted to see what the E2 score would be without any AI.

**zaggahamma** · 05-08-2012, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by sirupate

Sort of included. I didn't have any hCG the week before the bloodwork...but I doubt the effect of the hCG went away in just a week. Also no AI in the bloodwork....hadn't used any in quite a while really. Wanted to see what the E2 score would be without any AI.

ok...thanks for the confirmation

good to know so hcg had no or verry little to do with your test level....i've heard that adding it in or back in In your case...your e2 could spike a lil more following an also increase in test as well

**Blergs** · 05-08-2012, 03:26 PM

WHO wants to do a pellet cycle?!?!?
45 pellets for a 4 monther! :-)

sounds interesting but id go with test undec before the pellets. I mean after a few months you would only be having MAYBE 1 shot a month . USA dont use test Undec right now, as far as i know. but Euro uses it.
I'm in canada but still got some tucked away in case I know I will be on a mission for a while and can laod up and be ok for a 2-4 months.

but for now my hrt is test e, cyp or sust. just more usful in cycles and hrt. where test undec if not very good for cycles in my op.

**Brohim** · 05-08-2012, 04:21 PM

Pellet's seem better if they can provide stable 850 range test level's for 3 months. Hell of a lot better than carrying needles around and shooting up twice per week. Keep us updated on blood work. Perhaps do some more in another 4 weeks. Even if it's just a basic total test free test and e2.

**sirupate** · 05-09-2012, 05:24 AM

Yeah...will do. I'm curious what the levels will be at the 3 and 4 month mark. I doubt they will be very good by that time. If that is the case, I'll elect to do something else...unless of course, the doctor has no probs. implanting me every 3 months. I know that Testopel claims up to 6 month in some people...but I'm probably not one of those people. I like high normal levels, as do most of us I suppose.

Can still feel a "lump" in my arse at one month. Kinda funny I guess.

Blergs...yeah, yet another med. that is not cycle friendly. Wish we could get one of the really long esthers here in the US. That would be fun to try.

**APIs** · 05-09-2012, 06:46 AM

Congrats, those are pretty good numbers I'd say. E2 doesnt seem that bad. Did OP ever do IM Injections of Test Cyp etc. for TRT? If so, I'm curious how you feel on the Pellets compared to IM?

**sirupate** · 05-09-2012, 08:07 AM

Yes, I did IM of test. cyp. for about 6 months during my TRT. The endo. wasn't amenable to fine tuning my protocol, didn't believe in treating or even testing for E2...yada, yada. In short, I felt like crap during this period of time and my libido went to hell. I'm not sure that IM was given a fair shake, and I may elect to give it another try if the pellets don't work out well.

At least my urologist is willing to test for E2.

I felt OK on IM at first and feel pretty good now on Testopel. I'd say that how I feel in 2 more months will be critical. My last 2 or 3 months on IM wern't so great.

**oldguy47** · 05-14-2012, 10:59 AM

So far do you prefer the pellets to the gel? I am on Gel now. At first it worked great then it seemed to drop off. Before I even said anything , my dr called and said to increase my doseage. This seems to have helped somewhat. He doesn't offer shots but has offered the pellets a few times and just wondering if they work better than the gel?

Thanks....

**sirupate** · 05-14-2012, 01:42 PM

For now, the pellets (Testopel) are great. What I don't know, and won't know for several more months is how I will feel then after a significant amount of the pellet material has already been absorbed by my body. If my testosterone levels fall too far...well, I won't be very happy. The medical literature I have been able to find on Testopel didn't give information on T-levels over time...but maybe I am not looking in the right places.

**Shol'va** · 05-14-2012, 01:54 PM

Boy this pellet delivery system sounds like a winner to me. So you go to your doc say every three months and he cuts an opening in your hip side and shoves in some pellets, then every three months he makes another cut on your side shoving in some more pellets, exposing your opening to the possibility of infections and MRSA. Lets see now at 4 cuts a year on your skin and 30 plus years of doing this you now have 120 scars all over your hip side. Yep sounds like a winner to me............

**lboston** · 05-14-2012, 02:54 PM

I just joined this forum today. I had pellets inserted today actually and I am glad to have found this thread. I was on 100mg test C a week for about a month or so with clomid only for HRT prior to that. Clomid only had my levels at approximately 720ng/dl and the test c injections only had me around 520.

Doc mentioned the pellets last visit and mentioned again this visit that he felt it would "hold" higher levels longer. We'll see how this goes! OP-how many days did you have to lay off the gym? I'm afraid to go thinking I may pop a pellet!

**BigBadWolf** · 05-14-2012, 05:48 PM

They still prescribe pellets? It seems 20th century to me.

**Shol'va** · 05-14-2012, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by Honkeykong

They still prescribe pellets? It seems 20th century to me.

I put pellets in my water softener...

**Vettester** · 05-14-2012, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by Shol'va

Boy this pellet delivery system sounds like a winner to me. So you go to your doc say every three months and he cuts an opening in your hip side and shoves in some pellets, then every three months he makes another cut on your side shoving in some more pellets, exposing your opening to the possibility of infections and MRSA. Lets see now at 4 cuts a year on your skin and 30 plus years of doing this you now have 120 scars all over your hip side. Yep sounds like a winner to me............

Yeah, that's pretty much it! Doesn't sound too bad does it? You forgot that they cauterize the wound with a branding stick that has the doctor's initials on it, and they make you spray the wound with Raid to keep roaches from trying to steal the pellets.

However, it increases your chance to get a spot on the cast of The Walking Dead!

**Brohim** · 05-15-2012, 09:37 AM

They make a tiny incision on your HIP and use a trocar to push the pellet's in. Takes about 4 minutes. Any scarring would not even be noticeable.

**sirupate** · 05-15-2012, 10:04 AM

I sort of layed-off heavy exercise for 4 or 5 days after the pellets were inserted. I walked mostly, but I'm not bustin my nuts lifting weights anymore. More multiple sets and core stuff. I think you could go upper body pretty hard without causing a problem. I'd leave squats out for a week or so.

And for Sholva...how is this worse exactly than sticking a pin in your quads twice a week? Theoretically, the chance of infection or of injecting into a blood vessel exist there, causing problems. Guys complain all of the time about quad soreness for a few days after the injection.

All of the current methods of augmenting our testoterone levels have upsides and downsides. You just have to make a choice. Oh...and just to reiterate...the jury is out for me until about the June/July timeframe, when my pellets have been in for 3-4 months.

**Shol'va** · 05-16-2012, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by sirupate

I sort of layed-off heavy exercise for 4 or 5 days after the pellets were inserted. I walked mostly, but I'm not bustin my nuts lifting weights anymore. More multiple sets and core stuff. I think you could go upper body pretty hard without causing a problem. I'd leave squats out for a week or so.

And for Sholva...how is this worse exactly than sticking a pin in your quads twice a week? Theoretically, the chance of infection or of injecting into a blood vessel exist there, causing problems. Guys complain all of the time about quad soreness for a few days after the injection.

All of the current methods of augmenting our testoterone levels have upsides and downsides. You just have to make a choice. Oh...and just to reiterate...the jury is out for me until about the June/July timeframe, when my pellets have been in for 3-4 months.

This is why I usually stick to the lounge I was just being a smartazz. Don't take it to heart my friend. I honestly know very little of this pelletizing procedure and was just visualizing what it would be like and my imagination took over thinking along the worst case scenario of all these cuts all up and down the hip of where they keep shoving in a half bag of rice sized pellets making lumps all over your side as it sticks out and then puss coming out from infection dripping all down your hips. Well you get the picture..lol