Undecided on TRT, thoughts?

[austino]

Hey Everyone,

Currently looking into TRT therapy.

Stats:
Age: 32
Sex: M
Height: 5'7" (I was 5'9" many years ago)
Weight: 187lbs (I was 155lbs 10 years ago, so it took a long time to get here)
B/F: Unknown, I have six'ish pack but with a bit of belly fat.
Never used steroids

I eat healthy. Eggs, bacon, protein shakes, good meats with good carbs and veggies.
I workout 5 days a week 1-2 hours per session (squats, clean & jerk, snatch, pulls, deadlifts, rinse repeat).
I drink one day a week. No existing major conditions that I am aware of.
I was a late bloomer.
I dont have any major symptoms but have noticed......
Sleep could be better, gaining weight faster, recovery is taking longer, growth is a lot slower


1st round of BW
The Results:
TESTOSTERONE 239 L 292-1052 NG/DL MAIN
SEX HORM BIND GLOBULIN 28 17-66 NMOL/L
CALC FREE TESTOSTERONE 5.1 4.8-25.0 NG/DL

Seemed low to what I have read on this board. So went to an Endocrin and they agreed very quickly.
Tomorrow morning I am getting more comprehensive blood work done (Test, LH, Ferritin, Hemogram, Prolactin, T4, TPO, TSH, and PSA)

Update: 2nd round of BW

2nd Round of BW (2 weeks later)
PSA .9
TSH 3.6 .5-4.7
Test 201 292-1052
Free Test 7.0 4.8-25
Free T4 1.15
Sex Horm 24 17-66
Prolactin 10.5
Luteinizing Horm 3.5
WBC 4.4
RBC 5.04

Basically at this point, I am looking for advice.

Should I jump into the TRT pool?
Do the benefits really out weigh the potential negatives?
Assuming that this is a life long "thing," 60 years of dosing Test (assuming I live to 92), seems like a lot.
I thought about other ways (though not the way I want to go) to increase my growth but now that I see my test is so low, I am curious how much would I benefit from just TRT getting my test up to reasonable levels.
I am excited for possibility of life improvement and it fits the comfort zone of something that is prescribed, that is a big win.

[BallSak]

Make sure to also get insulin, vit D, Dhea, cortisol, free T3, free T4 and reverse T3. C reactive protein is also a good one to get annually. These will give u a better picture of what is going on w you.

[OingoBoingo]

Should I jump into the TRT pool? See where the blood work takes you. One of the stickies has a list of things you should test.

Do the benefits really out weigh the potential negatives? IMO, yes. But read the forum and learn all you can.

Assuming that this is a life long "thing," 60 years of dosing Test (assuming I live to 92), seems like a lot. Yes it does. And it's hard to say how things will end (whorehouse heart attack, or slowly fading away) . But right now, IMO, the positives outweigh the negatives.

I thought about other ways (though not the way I want to go) to increase my growth but now that I see my test is so low, I am curious how much would I benefit from just TRT getting my test up to reasonable levels. Discuss treatment goals with your doctor. Different doctors are different. I believe Dr. Crisler likes the upper quartile, whereas my doctor is shooting for 80% of age adjusted maximum. But it's more than just numbers, it's also the way you feel. My experience is that performance in the gym has improved with TRT. There are a lot of different variables involved to predict how much you would benefit. Just because you are on TRT doesn't mean diet and exercise don't count anymore.

I am excited for possibility of life improvement and it fits the comfort zone of something that is prescribed, that is a big win.

Thoughts?

In bold.

Good luck, and let us know how things progress.

[Beethoven]

You're still at a younger age so you're going to have to give it a lot of thought. I can tell you from my experience that it can change your life, both in and out of the gym. The long term effects are like any other med. they all have some side effect or possible future effects down the road. That vs quality of life is very important.

[austino]

Hey everybody. Really sorry for the delay in response. I checked in days later and couldnt see my own posts and thought they were removed because I was a newbie.

Updated BW:
1st Round of BW
Test 239
Free Test 5.1

2nd Round of BW (2 weeks later)
PSA .9
TSH 3.6 .5-4.7
Test 201 292-1052
Free Test 7.0 4.8-25
Free T4 1.15
Sex Horm 24 17-66
Prolactin 10.5
Luteinizing Horm 3.5
WBC 4.4
RBC 5.04

[austino]

You are are 100% correct in that this is a life long commitment. Just following signals to seek improvement and yes, I am weighing out options. I just posted this in the newbie forum. In all honesty, life isn't bad but the desire to continue progression is strong.
------
32m, 187lbs, 15-20% bf, with diagnosed low Test (everything else though is 100%) but functionally fine and progressing in strength as a weightlifter. Training 5 days a week straight the past 3years with a lifetime of being a gym rat, power lifter, out door enthusiast.

Thought I have low test I do not feel like I do nor did I think I would have tested for low T. Also did multiple BW's and each came back with similar numbers.

I want to take my training to the next level and improve my strength progression. There is just so much to choose from and so much to learn and in the end, I want to progress faster/better but this is all for the hobby and personal achievement. Nothing professional.

Where should I begin? Is there anything between supplementation and steroids ? Is there something that is moderately effective with solid results but low side effect and easy/legally able to obtain?

I have solid diet and supplementation and always ready to commit fully.
-----------

Thoughts?

[OingoBoingo]

I don't put much faith in Testosterone boosters and the like. Maybe they'll raise your levels a few points, but probably not enough to get you where most enlightened doctors would have you be.

One either needs TRT, or they don't.

IMO the first step is to find a good doctor. One need not read many posts on the forum to see that many doctors are not up to speed.

It's also a good idea to know what kind of protocol you would like. Is hCG important to you? If so, then you will want to find a doctor who is willing to prescribe that for you. Not all doctors are aware of the benefits of hCG and are willing to write script.

Are you thinking about injecting subcutaneously? If so, then it's a good idea to ask about that when you are interviewing doctors.

And don't just stick to your thread. Go back and read the older posts. Most questions have been asked quite a few times. But if you have a question and can't find the answer, don't be shy. Lots of guys are happy to help.