Update on my husband - surprising androgel results

**PPC** · 01-29-2013, 08:17 PM

Been a while since I checked in here. My husband has been using the gel for over two years now. Before that shots. Overall he has felt better on the gel and has not needed to use an AI. He uses 8 pumps and always exfoliates before applying. In the past he tested 24 hours post application. His low was right under 600, so we felt good about guessing that his peak was close to 800. His E levels sat around 25.

Today we got some basic blood work back. This time he forgot and applied his gel the morning of the test, so the test was taken a little less than 2 hours post use. His total T came back at 944. Seems pretty impressive for a gel. His E level was 23.2.

He was in a car accident several months ago. It has taken some time to heal and after the accident he picked up a lot of cold viruses which he has not done since starting T therapy. For a while there I was wondering about dermal fatigue. I worried that he'd stopped absorbing the gel and we were thinking he'd have to go back on shots. But lately he's been doing a lot better, may have been some adrenal fatigue from the accident which he's bouncing out of lately. I guess there is no need for shots seeing these results. His libido is good, mood good and energy - pretty good. My husband does apply a little excess of the gel on his scrotal area so I think that helps absorbtion - he knows that is not recommended but has done that since using the gel.

His Doc only bothers to test E2 and total T. He doesn't care too much about DHT. He's from Poland and believes TRT should be bread and butter medicine everywhere so he's not much of an alarmist. He tests psa once a year and my husband's stays in the 1's.

So... looks like another year of androgel and he may choose now to do only 6 pumps some days. Thought these results may be of interest to some here.

**zerodarkthirty** · 01-29-2013, 08:34 PM

Thanks for the update. Great post!

**Rusty11** · 01-29-2013, 09:14 PM

That's great to hear. I've had really good results (almost a year) with a gel. I added hCG a while ago and T came way up around 1400. So, I halved my gel dose and things are hovering around 750. Has there been any "shrinkage" or pain? If not, that's great. He's lucky. Good luck and thanks for the update. Hardly ever hear "success" stories with gels around here.

**HRTstudent** · 01-30-2013, 02:07 AM

Good to hear. Thanks for sharing the feedback.

**PPC** · 01-30-2013, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by Rusty11

That's great to hear. I've had really good results (almost a year) with a gel. I added hCG a while ago and T came way up around 1400. So, I halved my gel dose and things are hovering around 750. Has there been any "shrinkage" or pain? If not, that's great. He's lucky. Good luck and thanks for the update. Hardly ever hear "success" stories with gels around here.

He hasn't had a lot of shrinkage actually. I find that quite strange. Maybe not quite as full as pre TRT but nothing like little grapes LOL. Never any pain and urination is great, he gets up less in the night to go than before TRT.

I know it is rare to hear success stories with gel over long term on hormone forums but a couple years ago I spent some time lurking on some Testicular cancer forums where it is not rare for men to have used gel for a decade and still going strong. They use very simple protocols sometimes. Reading some of the successes on those type of forums encouraged my husband to try a gel. He has not had T cancer himself but quite a lot to learn from those guys who have been on mono T therapy for a good while.

My husband did do the three legged T plus HCG plus AI early in his T therapy journey. It was hard for him to balance everything and he's the sort who loves keeping things simple.

**Rusty11** · 01-30-2013, 06:29 PM

Glad to hear all is going good for him. He's lucky to have you looking after him.

**SlimmerMe** · 01-30-2013, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by Rusty11

Glad to hear all is going good for him. He's lucky to have you looking after him.

BINGO! no kidding......

howdy PPC!

**PPC** · 01-31-2013, 06:17 PM

Howdy Back Slimmer!

**BengalWoman** · 01-31-2013, 10:43 PM

Good to see you PPC! This thread is like old days lol!

**Times Roman** · 01-31-2013, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by PPC

He hasn't had a lot of shrinkage actually. I find that quite strange. Maybe not quite as full as pre TRT but nothing like little grapes LOL. Never any pain and urination is great, he gets up less in the night to go than before TRT.

I know it is rare to hear success stories with gel over long term on hormone forums but a couple years ago I spent some time lurking on some Testicular cancer forums where it is not rare for men to have used gel for a decade and still going strong. They use very simple protocols sometimes. Reading some of the successes on those type of forums encouraged my husband to try a gel. He has not had T cancer himself but quite a lot to learn from those guys who have been on mono T therapy for a good while.

My husband did do the three legged T plus HCG plus AI early in his T therapy journey. It was hard for him to balance everything and he's the sort who loves keeping things simple.

Hey PPC!

ALWAYS great to hear what you have to say. I may not have much to add when you do chime in, but just know that your words have weight around here.

TRT shrinkage usually means back to pre pubescent size. Maybe he was born with huge stones and only grew "some" during puberty?

Keep in touch!

---Roman

**sparverius** · 01-31-2013, 11:06 PM

Mine didn't start shrinking until I'd been on gel for four years.

Gel works for a lot of guys. But they don't post to forums like this one.

**harleyrider** · 02-01-2013, 07:32 AM

Great post PPC. I have been on 4 pumps daily for 1 year and my reading is 381. PSA and blood all good. How much does he apply to his scrotal area? Does this help raise "T" level? My doc will not increase pumps as he feels 381 is good. Thanks

**PPC** · 02-01-2013, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by harleyrider

Great post PPC. I have been on 4 pumps daily for 1 year and my reading is 381. PSA and blood all good. How much does he apply to his scrotal area? Does this help raise "T" level? My doc will not increase pumps as he feels 381 is good. Thanks

Well, eight pumps is quite a bit so I see him just wipe some there and he rubs it around the area. It doesn't burn him. It says not to on the packet but if you go by anecdotal accounts, many men do it. Actually they used to have a patch that was applied to the scrotum area and there is still a certain gel that is supposed to be applied there. I do believe it helps raise T some as the skin there is very absorbent, but some would argue it could also cause too high levels of DHT. I do worry about that sometimes but my husband has absolutely no problems with prostate enlargement or trouble urinating. He seems to think wiping some on that area helps his libido.

Your Doc is very conservative. But if you feel good at that level, it may be okay for you. Remember your peak will likely be a couple hundred points higher than that. Gels sometimes can make a guy 'feel' better at lower numbers than shots do at higher numbers, especially libido wise. But that's a blanket statement of course and each person is unique in how they respond.

**PPC** · 02-01-2013, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by Times Roman

Hey PPC!

ALWAYS great to hear what you have to say. I may not have much to add when you do chime in, but just know that your words have weight around here.

TRT shrinkage usually means back to pre pubescent size. Maybe he was born with huge stones and only grew "some" during puberty?

Keep in touch!

---Roman

Hey Roman. Glad to see you still here. Really, since I am not a guy I can't tell much about the shrinkage issue but they 'feel' pretty normal to me and he says nothing much has changed. It doesn't look like the sac area has shrunk up atleast.

**PPC** · 02-01-2013, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by BengalWoman

Good to see you PPC! This thread is like old days lol!

Hey! Great to be back in contact with you guys.

**PPC** · 02-01-2013, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by sparverius

Gel works for a lot of guys. But they don't post to forums like this one.

So true!

**Vettester** · 02-01-2013, 09:48 PM

Glad to you PPC! Thanks for the information on your husband. Oddly, my body did not react well with the gels in the initial stages of HRT (for 5 months), and the shrinkage and pain only really started once I got on injections.

**harleyrider** · 02-03-2013, 09:35 AM

Thanks PPC for the reply and information. I'll be 70 this year and work out 6 days a week. (cardo/lifting) Would like to try a small amount of androgel in the scrotum area to rasie T.(Doctor won't increase). I've read many articles on DHT and still not sure if its good or bad. Mixed reviews. I agree 381 seems low. Thanks (Any thoughts on saw palmetto)

**PPC** · 02-04-2013, 08:03 AM

Sounds like you are real fit. Excellent.

I go back and forth on whether DHT is good or bad too. So much conflicting information

And again with Saw Palmetto. There are some threads on certain forums full of anecdotal reports that it acted like finasteride and completely tanked libido, strength, energy etc. After reading some of those I don't put it in my husband's supplement protocol.

But on the other side, I think many guys use it without any negative issues at all. In fact it helps them with BHP symptoms. Everyone is so unique in their response.

What is your psa?

My DAd is 73, he's been using T for a few years. It seems like gels push his psa up while pellets don't. Hmmm.

The safest bet would probably be if your doctor prescribed you more pumps rather than applying any of what you have to your scrotum. Have you ever tried shots?

**harleyrider** · 02-04-2013, 01:28 PM

Have PSA checked every year always been 1.6/2.3. The Doctor no longer does injections, just gels. I agree with conflicting information on DHT. Just looking for sonething more positive in either direction.

I have been using saw palmetto for a period of time and have not had any negative issues.(don't have BHP) Does it block "T" or just DHT? Don't want to block what I'm trying to increase. Thanks for all help.