Quick backstory. 33yo, 5'11" 180lbs. First experienced low T symptoms at age 27, confirmed by labs (one lab reading was as low as 196 total T with normal range 264-916 and free T of 3.9 with normal range of 8.3-30.1). Endocrinologist initially thought it was stress-induced/adrenal fatigue as I had witnessed my dad pass away in a drowning accident, lost a sibling to cancer, hated my career all within a one year period. She prescribed Clomiphene Citrate as a way to see if my body was able to produce test, which it was. Tried to wean off of this to see if my natural production would restart, but levels dropped again quickly. Since my wife and I wanted to have kids, she prescribed very low dose Clomiphene for several years which worked great from a bloodwork standpoint (however, I didn't feel much better overall). Wife and I quickly conceived with each pregnancy, and we are now done with two healthy sons, the younger one being born September 2021.
Endo agreed that since we're done having kids and with more long-term studies available with various forms of testosterone versus clomiphene, she would prescribe test. She first put me on Androgel to keep more even daily levels, which I used for a few months, but realized it was messy and expensive. I began Test Cyp injections on 12/17/21 (was injecting 50mg/wk for the first month, but then increased to 100mg/wk split into two doses every 3.5 days beginning 1/17/22 - I personally wanted to ease into it at the lower dose, but realized after reading on here and other places that a starting dose of 80-100mg/wk is much more common). Noticed water weight gain in the early weeks which subsided. Noticed more mental clarity, increased libido and more motivation/endurance with exercise after roughly 3 or 4 weeks. Had labs drawn on 1/28/22, so 6 weeks after starting test cyp, and had them drawn in the morning before my dose, so would think this reading would be a "trough", but I'm still learning.
Lab results:
Total T: 671 ng/dL (range 264-916)
Bioavailable T, S: 270 ng/dL (range 128-430)
Bioavailable T: 40.2%
Estradiol: 28.2 pg/mL (range 7.6-42.6)
Hematocrit: 48.8% (range 37.5-51.0)
PSA: 0.7 ng/mL (range 0.0-4.0)
My blood pressure was a bit higher than normal today at my follow-up appt (146/88), but I also had to drive an hour in traffic to get to my appt. I'll check this at home regularly.
She was happy with the numbers and had intended to include Free T on the labs, so added that to my next set for mid-April. I've had SHBG measured in the past, and it was always right in the middle of the range, but may have her add that next time. The only thing she mentioned was that, as far as she knows, she only has a couple of patients who inject more than once weekly, and said that if twice weekly seemed to be too cumbersome or if I was worried about scar tissue since this is a long term treatment and I'm young, to try once weekly and see how it goes. I'm using 25ga insulin needle, IM to each thigh, rotating between left/right each time.
Any thoughts, advice, etc.?
Endo agreed that since we're done having kids and with more long-term studies available with various forms of testosterone versus clomiphene, she would prescribe test. She first put me on Androgel to keep more even daily levels, which I used for a few months, but realized it was messy and expensive. I began Test Cyp injections on 12/17/21 (was injecting 50mg/wk for the first month, but then increased to 100mg/wk split into two doses every 3.5 days beginning 1/17/22 - I personally wanted to ease into it at the lower dose, but realized after reading on here and other places that a starting dose of 80-100mg/wk is much more common). Noticed water weight gain in the early weeks which subsided. Noticed more mental clarity, increased libido and more motivation/endurance with exercise after roughly 3 or 4 weeks. Had labs drawn on 1/28/22, so 6 weeks after starting test cyp, and had them drawn in the morning before my dose, so would think this reading would be a "trough", but I'm still learning.
Lab results:
Total T: 671 ng/dL (range 264-916)
Bioavailable T, S: 270 ng/dL (range 128-430)
Bioavailable T: 40.2%
Estradiol: 28.2 pg/mL (range 7.6-42.6)
Hematocrit: 48.8% (range 37.5-51.0)
PSA: 0.7 ng/mL (range 0.0-4.0)
My blood pressure was a bit higher than normal today at my follow-up appt (146/88), but I also had to drive an hour in traffic to get to my appt. I'll check this at home regularly.
She was happy with the numbers and had intended to include Free T on the labs, so added that to my next set for mid-April. I've had SHBG measured in the past, and it was always right in the middle of the range, but may have her add that next time. The only thing she mentioned was that, as far as she knows, she only has a couple of patients who inject more than once weekly, and said that if twice weekly seemed to be too cumbersome or if I was worried about scar tissue since this is a long term treatment and I'm young, to try once weekly and see how it goes. I'm using 25ga insulin needle, IM to each thigh, rotating between left/right each time.
Any thoughts, advice, etc.?
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