Have Dr appt w Romeo Mariano but...

[Burkmere]

I have a Dr appt with Romeo Mariano from Monterey on Feb 15. I just live two hours away. He was recommended by a couple on this board. In the meantime let me post my first post below. I'mtrying to decide what to do in the meantime since my Endo appt (with the Endo that has me only on androgel ) isn't until April 8! And I'm pretty sure it's aromatizing thinf thats going on with this this the big belly and now since I increased from 3 pumps to four the past week, I swear my breasts are getting flabby, too, and I run every day and lift three times a week in addition and weight 159 at 5 ft 9...never had fat on me!!

Here's my first post..

"I have been on any TRT before until my Endo started me on Androgel about a year ago or a little more. After about seven or eight months I noticed the bloated stomach which I'm assuming is probably water retention. My Endo has told me he doesn't think it is and I'm going to a GI specialist in a couple of days. So my question is this: To me it appears to be water retention but couldn't also be some that build up because of the estrogen? I should note also that he didn't put me on hCG or and aromatase inhibitor."

I'm wondering what to do. If you were me, what would you do between now and then (assuming my Endo says stay on 4 pumps and we'll retest for the April appt?

1. Go back to three pumps??
2. Buy something over the counter.
3. Two pumps?
4. Quit until Feb 15?

I'd like to utilize the current Endo for androgel purchases if Mariano keeps me on gel or anything to save cost since my current Endo's androgel is covered by my insurance but Mariano is out of pocket...

Thoughts??
Thanks so much for any responses.

[HRTstudent]

Personally, if I felt significantly worse on 4 pumps than 3, I would ask the doctor to go back to 3 for now. If that didn't help I would switch to 2 pumps. By that time you will probably be with Dr Mariano, at which point I would rejoice and listen to him and follow his advice.

Please do post your experience with him on the 15th. I am very interested to hear what you have to say.

[Torqued]

When were your labs last checked? What labs did they draw and what were the results?

Have you considered pulling your own labs now to find out where you are instead of waiting on the docs?

[HRTstudent]

When were your labs last checked? What labs did they draw and what were the results?

Have you considered pulling your own labs now to find out where you are instead of waiting on the docs?

Firstly, I doubt he got the right labs if it was left entirely up to his endo.

Beyond that, I wouldn't recommend he gets his own labs done seeing as how he will see Dr Mariano in like 3 weeks. He will, I imagine, make a variety of changes at that point... so really, whatever blood numbers he has right now, while he is feeling poor, will be of little value but still cost $.

[Torqued]

Good point.. I forgot it was as late in the month as it is! Where does the time go?

[HRTstudent]

Not sure...

probably the democrats...

[Burkmere]

Thanks guys. I guess it probably doesn't matter much if I go back to three pumps for 21 days until I see Mariano or stay with the four. I think I will just wait on the lab work, too. As a side note, I did see my GI guy today and he wants to do an endoscope, said it could also be SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth ...but more likely thinks the "fat on my gut is a result of some nerve damage...not aromatizing...so we shall see..

[HRTstudent]

"Funny" thing, when I went from 3 pumps to four pumps I started to get gyno...

If I could go back in time, I think splitting my dose into AM/PM might have staved off the side effects a little longer.