Finally some success - but how to change regimen to keep it?? Daily injections?

[Joseph JW]

Sounds like your on the right track to get a proper protocol figured out. I have had similar circumstances with my t protocol. Trying to figure out the proper dosage and proper administration frequency. I've tried every day, every other day, Monday Wednesday and Friday and twice weekly. The only admin method I havn't tried so far is one big shot a week. Then you have to figure out what the dosage should be with that administration frequency. On top of that your supposed to do each protocol change for around 8 weeks to give your body time to adjust otherwise you'll be going around and around because the first couple weeks after changing will be different then what it would be after you body has had time to adjust. So it could be good the first couple weeks after changing it up then not so much. So it can take quite awhile to figure out what works best for you. I'm still trying to figure out the best way after roughly 2.5 years to give you an idea on how long this could take. Some people do better on one big shot a week were others do better with micro doses every day and everything in between. From what I can tell it's all about the sbgh and how much of it is produced with those particular administration methods. More sbgh the less free t which typically results in less then optimal results. Some people don't have a problem with sbgh and some do not and that will give you some direction on were to go with your protocol. So there saying you should shoot for a free t of 25 at minimum. In general your estrogen and total aren't a concern unless you have some crazy numbers but just you free t. This usually means your total needs to go up because your free usually follows. Unfortunately this sometimes takes you in the higher levels of total which may scare your doctor. I mean some people can't get there free up to 25 without having a total of 1500 and up. I won't get into how stress, sleep, exercise, diet and thyroid also come into play. That's another story all together.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

I concur with @FunkOdyssey regarding subq injections. A few years ago I did them, daily, for several months. Though my labs looked good, it felt like I was injecting water. IM, regardless of injection frequency, IMO, is better, though I know there are men who respond well to subq. Basically, some do and some don't.

 

[HSLD]

For those of you who find better results injecting IM... Where do you inject?

When I started out, I had mixed luck with quads to the point that I gave up injecting there. And I can't reach VG. Seems like injecting in the delts every other day would eventually lead to scar tissue but have never tried delts.

For these reasons, I've stuck with subq but would be willing to try IM.

 

[FunkOdyssey]

For those of you who find better results injecting IM... Where do you inject?

When I started out, I had mixed luck with quads to the point that I gave up injecting there. And I can't reach VG. Seems like injecting in the delts every other day would eventually lead to scar tissue but have never tried delts.

For these reasons, I've stuck with subq but would be willing to try IM.

Delts. If you have more patience than you have tolerance for scar tissue, use 30G needles. I cannot imagine you are going to build significant scar tissue with EOD injections, alternating sides, with such tiny 1/2" needles. I don't seem to be accumulating any, and I've been using 28G needles with that frequency.

 

[HSLD]

Delts. If you have more patience than you have tolerance for scar tissue, use 30G needles. I cannot imagine you are going to build significant scar tissue with EOD injections, alternating sides, with such tiny 1/2" needles. I don't seem to be accumulating any, and I've been using 28G needles with that frequency.

Thanks for the reply. I've been using 30g 5/16 for years now for subq and that's what I would use for IM.

Do you have soreness in your delts after injecting, or does the muscle eventually "get used to it"?

 

[FunkOdyssey]

Thanks for the reply. I've been using 30g 5/16 for years now for subq and that's what I would use for IM.

Do you have soreness in your delts after injecting, or does the muscle eventually "get used to it"?

The muscle gets used to it in most cases.

 

[50BMGdoesitforme]

Thanks, Joseph - I feel your pain on a lot of that! I know it's taking longer than usual for me to get dialed in but I'm optimistic that I'll get there eventually. At least I have a great doctor who actually understands TRT - it's mind-blowing how many do not.

About IM vs. subq, I just re-read Dr. Crisler's book this morning, and he's got a whole chapter about why he prefers subq to IM, especially for people with low SHBG (which is me.) He did say you'll use far less T to achieve the same numbers; I recall that was the case with me but I'm kicking myself for not keeping better records early because I didn't document when I swapped to subq. There was just so much to learn and there are so many different opinions to be read out there!

 

[Gman86]

For those of you who find better results injecting IM... Where do you inject?

When I started out, I had mixed luck with quads to the point that I gave up injecting there. And I can't reach VG. Seems like injecting in the delts every other day would eventually lead to scar tissue but have never tried delts.

For these reasons, I've stuck with subq but would be willing to try IM.

I’ve been injecting quads EOD for about a decade now. No real consistent issues. I draw up my injections with a 27 gauge 1/2” syringe, and backfill a 29 gauge 1/2” syringe to inject with