Starting Therapy Tomorrow - Not sure what to expect

[trikydik]

Test level got 10 198 (350 - 800 scale) - found a doctor to treat me..
He did a bunch of tests including an ultrasound... (was very weird)..

I am starting HRT tomorrow at 1:00 pm... not sure what to expect.
For the first 6 weeks, I am receiving 200 mg Test C once per week... depending on how it goes, it will be adjusted to 10 days or split into 100 mg doses per week.
Doctor wants me to keep a log of how I feel each day...

Any ideas on how I will feel throughout the week? Wife is terrified I will turn into a raving lunatic... doctor reassured her I wouldn't......
Doc says I won't notice anything until about day 3... and then it will ramp down until day 7....But I am not sure what I will notice...


Thanks

[Vettester]

TRT should help you in many areas. Please post your entire labs if you can, as it's hard to really make any comments relative to your health.

200mg/wk is kind of on the high side starting out, but not unheard of. Although half life is 7 to 8 days, test cyp will usually peak within a 2 to 3 day range. You will find the best managed protocols are usually divided 2x per week, which will keep the serum levels sustained with minimal variances (peaks and troughs).

Depending on your diagnosis, HCG might be beneficial as well. Is your physician reviewing your estrogen? Do you know your free test or SHBG? Please tell us more about your journey leading up to treatment ...

[trikydik]

45 year old male... a little overweight at 230 lbs... blood sugar good, chloresteral good (though LDL could be lower)... BP 114 over 78 - pulse was something like 68 (I swim a lot - always had low blood pressure and slow pulse rate)... have a random issue where my heart speeds up for several seconds on its own... but slows down within a minute or two.. other than being slightly overweight I am in relatively good health for a middle aged bald guy.... just low test levels....

Tri 133
HDL 38
LDL 157
Test 198 (350-800 NG/DL) - had blood work done at 3 pm.. doc says test level should be 20% higher in the am...so figure 230 ish
TSH 2.02 (.35-4.94)
Sex Hormone Binding 27

I don't have page 2 of the blood work handy..in fact I cannot seem to freaking find it... All other factors seemed normal...I asked about female hormone levels... he said everything there was fine.

I don't want anyone to feel like I am asking for advice or anything...I know no one here is a doctor (although a few may play one on TV)....

Is 6 weeks normal for leveling out a treatment plan???? I think I read that is normal but don't remember.....

[MyteeJ]

I wouldn't stress about how you'll feel during the first week. The veterans on the board will tell you your full results will be apparent after about 1 year. That was definitely my case.

The Doc I work with now had me come back for BW after 6 weeks to see how I responded.

Many guys on here know more about TRT than the general practitioners out there. Sounds like you have a doc that knows their stuff though so nice work since it seems many guys struggled with that part.

[trikydik]

took my 5 different doctors to find him.

Just wondering if I will feel any energy boost or less depressed during these 6 weeks...

[Beethoven]

took my 5 different doctors to find him.

Just wondering if I will feel any energy boost or less depressed during these 6 weeks...

The first 3 - 6 months or maybe even more is going to take you to get dialed in. You will start to feel different in a couple of weeks but it didn't really kick in for me until about week 4.

[dreadnok89]

No clue why 350 is ok

[dreadnok89]

Ultrasound is not weird. This guy knows his stuff

[GSXRvi6]

My friends that start it get the placebo effect pretty quick, days.

First thing I noticed was morning wood was back, then it just continues to ramp up from there. It takes time for your body to change in the presence of elevated testosterone so be patient.

[trikydik]

first shot was 150 mg... while talked about starting out at 200, we both agreed it would be easier to ramp up than down.
the thing that amazed me was how small (fine) the needle is... shooting an oil based fluid, I thought the needle would be a bigger gauge.

Also asked about HCG ... he wants to hold off until he sees evidence of smaller testicles... he said over 1/2 of patients do not experience this.
If I did there were other meds to try like chlomid...

Couple of questions about HCG... is it true that its primary effect on men is weight loss??? Also, is it a controlled substance like testosterone ???
If I go on it, will I have to mix it? I know chlomid is in a pill... just wondering

Thanks

[Beethoven]

My friends that start it get the placebo effect pretty quick, days.

First thing I noticed was morning wood was back, then it just continues to ramp up from there. It takes time for your body to change in the presence of elevated testosterone so be patient.

I am one of those placebos. Started getting morning woods that made it hard to sleep. (No pun intended)

[MyteeJ]

took my 5 different doctors to find him.

Just wondering if I will feel any energy boost or less depressed during these 6 weeks...

I had some projection similar to what Gsxr was saying. For me, I got stronger, my outlook on life improved, and I felt better overall. I was prescribed antidepressants 10 years ago, took them for a while and stopped. IMO a healthy lifestyle and having a healthy hormonal function is better than any pharmaceutical to alter mood.

Don't forget to take a look at your diet too. The foods and vitamins we take also have a big impact on us.

HCG can come premixed or not. I have used both and actually prefer laughalized (unmixed) since I could keep a supply in on hand and activate when needed. HCG for us keeps the "berries" from shrinking and is a standard for a TRT protocol.

Sounds like you have a doc that knows their stuff so congrats!

[Brett N]

Diet and exercise go along with TRT. If you care enough to get your hormones in order, you should do the same with the rest of your body.

As far as turning into a raving lunatic...my wife had same thoughts. All the hype about roid rage and stuff like that. If anything, I am more even keel now. I blew up more when I was depressed that I ever do now. For me, TRT has made me a better version of the man I was before it. My wife is definitely happier now with my moods and my erections.

Don't expect too much in the beginning, this is a process that can take a little time. 6 weeks and you will definitely notice mood improvements, you will feel stronger and it will aid in shedding some excess fat. There is a lot of info in these forums on it and reading others journeys helps too. Welcome to the site.

[no0ne23]

I've only been on my protocol for a little under 4 months... but I can echo most of what has been said. My wife had the same concerns (roid rage ) and was worried about me starting TRT since I tend to be short-fused anyhow. I explained to her what I had read about how anyone outside the normal range (low or high T) can experience the mood swings. This was definitely the case for me.... I am in MUCH better moods overall now. I have more energy, less mental "fog", better focus & drive... and although I never thought of myself having a low sex drive, I now remember what it was like to be 18.

I'm still trying to dial in my regimen, but very happy with the progress so far! Good luck to you and congrats on finding a doc willing to work with you!

[no0ne23]

One other thing I forgot to mention... Although I'm sure it was 100% mental, I noticed a difference in week 1. I was so glad to finally have some closure on knowing what my "problem" was -- and especially that it wasn't clinical depression. I think physically it took a good 4 weeks or so before I felt a difference, but the mental gains are pretty quick.

Good luck again!