HRT: my jacked up story and request for advice

[twostrokeracer]

First I want to say how much I like this site and it related forums. The community and the available information is a welcome resource when dealing with an area that modern medicine still seems to be quite confused about. Also, I apologize for the length of this post. It is my first.

I am a 43 year old semi-professional motorcycle roadracer. I have always maintained myself in decent shape with occasional short periods of being overweight (off-season), and underweight (from middle to end of race season). Over the last two years I noticed that my drive seemed off, my levels of aggression on the racetrack were dropping, and my general desire seemed to be reducing as well. Having been at the top of my game in all those areas for many years this naturally caused a bit of panic in me and I got stupid.

After lamenting my situation to a friend at my gym he gave me the name of his doctor and said go see this guy because he cured similar issues for this friend. I jumped on the chance and made an appointment. Unlike everything else in my life, I did no research. I think my desire for a fix blinded me to following the smart path and I just reacted.

So I go visit this doctor who asked me about 10 questions before telling me he wanted me on test cyp 200mg per week. He pulled no blood work. He just prescribed, gave me my first injection on the spot, and sent me on my way. I then motor through 8 weeks of injections and I feel great. I am a tiger in the gym and on the racetrack. Things are going great and THEN I decide to do research. I find this site and as I learn, I begin to get a bit freaked out that I am doing the wrong thing here….so I book an appointment with my GP.

After telling my GP the story she literally comes unglued. She tells me that I could have a heart attack, will become sterile, and that I will be lucky to not have prostate cancer. She is clearly not well educated when it comes to this subject and she refers me to a urologist. She also pulls the entire battery of tests that I requested (results below) and sends me on my way. Note: my blood pressure was sky high the entire visit, further freaking this doc out.

Next I visit the Urologist who is much less afraid of HRT and who has many patients on therapy, most on gel. I got through the whole thing with him, finger in the tail, etc. He then informs me that I should not be taking AI and to stop taking it immediately. He also says that he wants me to stop the cyp right away, come back in 6 weeks and get a baseline reading, and go from there. Naturally, with the results I am seeing and the fear of returning to a bottom I don’t want to do that so I leave and have been sitting here stewing for a week. Also, he will approve NOTHING for PCT. He says just stop and everything will return to normal on its own.

So now I don’t know what to do. I clearly have to get the blood pressure issue under control and my liver function is a bit wonky. I have been booked into a sleep study because the Urologist thinks I may have apnea which he says would contribute to poor liver function.

As of now I am continuing with 200mg test cyp every Friday, no AI, a very clean diet, and exercise five days per week. I am not giving blood or doing anything else related to this therapy. I have reached a point of not knowing where to go next. Do I now go try to find doc #4 or what? I am lost and just don’t trust any of these docs to send me down the right path.

[twostrokeracer]

Some stats:
43 years old
211 lbs
18% bodyfat

Test Results from the GP visit:
Comprehensive Metabolic
Glucose 82
BUN 15
Creatinine 0.9
Glom Filt Rate, Est >59
Sodium 137
Potassium 4.3
Chloride 105
Carbon Dioxide 24
Calcium 10.0
Total Protein 7.2
Albumin 4.6
Total Bilirubin 0.7
Alkaline Phosphates, S 89
AST/SGOT 26
ALT/SGPT 47 (high)

E2 <20
Folate, Serum 18.98

Free T3
Triiodothyronine, Free, Serum 3.7
Free T4 1.29
LH <0.07

Lipid Panel
Cholesterol 205 (high)
Triglyceride 96
HDL 36 (low)
LDL 150 (high)
CHOL/HDL 5.7 (high)
PSA .47
Testosterone
Serum 540 (after 12 weeks therapy)
T3 1.23
TSH 1.33
Vitamin B-12 328
VitaminD 25-OH Vit D 21.7 (low and prescribe supplement)

CBC w/diff
White BC 6.8
Red BC 5.48
Hemoglobin 16.4
Hematocrit 48.2
MCV 88
MCH 29.9
MCHC 34.0
RDW 13.8
Platelets 271
Neutrophils 57
Lymphs 34
Monocytes 8
Eosinophils 1
BASOS 0

DHEA 84
Homocyst, Plasma 10.4
Free Testosterone 22.1 (high)

She marked my cholesterol, Vitamin-D, and free test as abnormal.

I don’t know where to go from here and any advice is appreciated.

[xcraider37]

Some stats:
43 years old
211 lbs
18% bodyfat

Test Results from the GP visit:
Comprehensive Metabolic
Glucose 82
BUN 15
Creatinine 0.9
Glom Filt Rate, Est >59
Sodium 137
Potassium 4.3
Chloride 105
Carbon Dioxide 24
Calcium 10.0
Total Protein 7.2
Albumin 4.6
Total Bilirubin 0.7
Alkaline Phosphates, S 89
AST/SGOT 26
ALT/SGPT 47 (high)

E2 <20
Folate, Serum 18.98

Free T3
Triiodothyronine, Free, Serum 3.7
Free T4 1.29
LH <0.07

Lipid Panel
Cholesterol 205 (high)
Triglyceride 96
HDL 36 (low)
LDL 150 (high)
CHOL/HDL 5.7 (high)
PSA .47
Testosterone
Serum 540 (after 12 weeks therapy)
T3 1.23
TSH 1.33
Vitamin B-12 328
VitaminD 25-OH Vit D 21.7 (low and prescribe supplement)

CBC w/diff
White BC 6.8
Red BC 5.48
Hemoglobin 16.4
Hematocrit 48.2
MCV 88
MCH 29.9
MCHC 34.0
RDW 13.8
Platelets 271
Neutrophils 57
Lymphs 34
Monocytes 8
Eosinophils 1
BASOS 0

DHEA 84
Homocyst, Plasma 10.4
Free Testosterone 22.1 (high)

She marked my cholesterol, Vitamin-D, and free test as abnormal.

I don't know where to go from here and any advice is appreciated.

Unfortunately your doctor is right you need a baseline, would be great to have PCT, but doctors generally do not do it.maybe try an anti aging doc. You could have had other issues that caused you to feel low. Why be on TRT if you don't have too, it is not that glamourous believe me. That idiot should have never put you on test let alone 200 mg per week is too high to start off with. One more thing the quicker you stop therapy the better chance of getting at least back to your normal level quicker. This is a life long commitment be patient. Do the right thing for your self.

[kelkel]

Very well said above^^^^. You could always use the site sponsor for proper pct chems.

[twostrokeracer]

Thank you both so much. I do want off ASAP but I want to do it right. Will hit the sites mentioned.
I had no idea I was walking into a hormone factory but the fault still lies on me. I know better than to do what I did but I did it anyway.

[steroid.com 1]

The blood work doesn't tell us a lot as many of the critical hormonal panels are absent.

Can you edit your post and add the lab ranges?

Was you E2 panel a "sensitive" panel?

200mg of cyp per week is a lot to be honest.

Any hCG to keep your testicles functioning and HPTA intact?

If I were you, I'd search for a Physician who totally understands TRT protocols in men. Read the sticky on how to find a TRT Doc. The likelihood of you finding a "traditional" Physician who understands how to conduct proper evaluations and prescribe properly is like hitting the lottery in many cases.

Find the right Doc and take it from there...anything else and you're just going to be frustrated and not be treated correctly.

Word to the wise...

[twostrokeracer]

ok, thanks again. Just found a proper doc through the sources you listed but he cannot see me until the 20th. I will stay on until then and add the AI back in now.

I also failed to mention that my testicles have shrunk by about half. As far as detailed testing, I will scan my report (after removing identifying data) and post it up. The new doc does a full detailed report.

I am much less panicked now thanks to this site.

[fit2bOld]

Feeling your pain TwoStroke. Like the guys said very important you go through the process of getting proper blood work and then a solid protocol that includes an AI and HCG . Then verify with future blood work and adjust until its dialed in. Keep us posted. Looking to see your scanned blood work.
Fit

[twostrokeracer]

Having a bit of trouble with the scanner but the test is not the sensitive assay that I should have gotten. I need to step away from the research here for a bit because now I am freaking myself out even more. After 3.5 months of this high dose that may not have been needed at all I am now very fearful of no chance for a restart. I have an appointment on Monday to discuss where I go from here. I just want off now with minimal damage and minimal loss to my desire and ability to compete.
I probably should not have spent all morning reading every thread I could find here. Too much info to process.

[kelkel]

Once you talk to your doc run it by us for a whole bunch of second opinions.....