Hello, 57 year old about to start TRT and have questions

[Cali965]

Awesome. Since you are running the show you decide when to pull the blood work (peak or trough). I would pull trough so you don't run risk of freaking your Doc out. See my plots on the pharmacokinetics for more info.

Since I'll be injecting on Monday at 10am and Thursday at 10pm....... I'll do the blood work before the Monday 10am shot

 

[Cali965]

Also, since I am going to be injecting 50mg Cypionate twice a week into quads for the moment and my body type is Endomorph (a little on the heavier side), should I use a 25g 1" or 27g 1/2" to make sure the T Cypionate get absorbed correctly for twice weekly shots?

 

[tareload]

Also, since I am injecting twice a week into quads for the moment and my body type is Endomorph (a little on the heavier side), should I use a 25g 1" or 27g 1/2" to make sure the T Cypionate get absorbed correctly for twice weekly shots?

It will get absorbed the same either way (~100%). IM vs SQ administration may change the rate of absorption which is in the noise for you at the moment. Fire away.

 

[Systemlord]

Also, since I am going to be injecting 50mg Cypionate twice a week into quads

The quads have a lot of potential nerves to hit, you can also inject in the shoulders using an insulin syringe (shallow IM).

 

[tareload]

Also here:



Twist and poke. Alternate sides . See above vids.

 

[Guided_by_Voices]

I too started my TRT journey with daily dosing (in my case with test-prop) but found over time with experimentation that twice per week (t-cyp) seems to work best for me. It's important to remember that what the body does naturally is not necessarily optimal, especially in the context of aging. It's "natural" to go into a state of health decline, but that's clearly not optimal.

 

[t_spacemonkey]

apart from all the good advice here you got, like find new doc, you also mentioned 'started on meds'. if you do speak about psych-pills, i can highly advice against that stuff. i've been that route in the past (free 100% now) and it never helps long term only causes issues and is usually a nightmare to get off

 

[Dan_The_Man]

I too started my TRT journey with daily dosing (in my case with test-prop) but found over time with experimentation that twice per week (t-cyp) seems to work best for me. It's important to remember that what the body does naturally is not necessarily optimal, especially in the context of aging. It's "natural" to go into a state of health decline, but that's clearly not optimal.

How much did you start daily dosing at and where did you leave and switch to twice weekly? Just asking for personal mental database repository of relevant info.

I would argue that aging (prematurely at that) is not a natural process at all. What was natural in 1900s is different natural today, furthermore.

On another note, @readalot why is it > beneficial to test troughs rather then peaks? Id argue its more important to know my highs (where problems occur) and along w clinical s/s one can titrate dosing accordingly.

Ex: i am reporting 100% happiness and +ve change in my life and my trough is 950.
Ex2: i am reporting 100% happiness and +ve change in my life and my peak is 950.

Why is ex > ex2 on scale of importance? It is totally counter intuitive to me, a medical professional too in practice.

 

[tareload]

How much did you start daily dosing at and where did you leave and switch to twice weekly? Just asking for personal mental database repository of relevant info.

I would argue that aging (prematurely at that) is not a natural process at all. What was natural in 1900s is different natural today, furthermore.

On another note, @readalot why is it > beneficial to test troughs rather then peaks? Id argue its more important to know my highs (where problems occur) and along w clinical s/s one can titrate dosing.

Ex: i am reporting 100% happiness and +ve change in my life and my trough is 950.
Ex2: i am reporting 100% happiness and +ve change in my life and my peak is 950.

Why is ex > ex2 on scale of importance? It is totally counter intuitive to me, a medical professional too in practice.

Absolutely agree to get both. We can estimate one from the other with the tables provided. Just trying to offer practical advice to not scare his Doc and continue care. Practical issues of continuing care with uncomfortable Doc vs safety/health aspects you bring up. But excellent point...don't fool yourself as per the links I shared. Great job @Dan_The_Man.

Other practical issue is where is Tmax (time point for Cmax)? I have some posts on this. Easier to measure true trough. In the weeds.

 

[Guided_by_Voices]

How much did you start daily dosing at and where did you leave and switch to twice weekly? Just asking for personal mental database repository of relevant info.

I would argue that aging (prematurely at that) is not a natural process at all. What was natural in 1900s is different natural today, furthermore.

On another note, @readalot why is it > beneficial to test troughs rather then peaks? Id argue its more important to know my highs (where problems occur) and along w clinical s/s one can titrate dosing accordingly.

Ex: i am reporting 100% happiness and +ve change in my life and my trough is 950.
Ex2: i am reporting 100% happiness and +ve change in my life and my peak is 950.

Why is ex > ex2 on scale of importance? It is totally counter intuitive to me, a medical professional too in practice.

I used 10-12 mg per day, so around 70-90 per week. I am someone who does better on lower doses in general and for whatever reason I seem to do slightly better on sexual function with t-cyp twice per week totaling about the same amount. I also use HCG and DHEA, and the mini-trough may make the HCG a bit more effective although that is just speculation.

Regarding aging, that is a much bigger and different topic, however a quick summary is that there is a theory of aging that says it is a “programmed” function of the body whereby the body “tries” to kill itself, as opposed to the more widely-known theory which is that aging is due to accumulated damage at various levels. As one of the proponents (Josh Mittledorf, whose blog “Aging Matters” is a good place to start on this topic) of the programmed view says “there is no such thing as natural anti-aging.” The relevant point for us is that while the body’s “natural” approach is a fine thing to use a starting point to develop a hypothesis about what might work best, there is no certainty that it will lead to the best approach for an individual. This is doubly true for an aging person who may have needs that the body has not prioritized such as lack of frailty and continued youthful sexual function. For example, nature (in general, not necessarily for healthy individuals) does not “want” old guys having lots of children since their accumulated injuries and decline in function would make their offspring much less likely to survive to a point of species-benefit “break even.”

 

[Cali965]

Thank you Everyone for the responses, they have been very helpful. I am going to do 50mg Cypionate 2x weekly and just need the syringe/needle now.
Can anyone recommend a 29g 1/2" or 5/8" Insulin syringe & needle brand, I assume either size needle is long enough for shoulders, or should I use 27g 1"?
Also, I read the needle dulls a little when pushing through the rubber on the vial and it can sometime hurt when injecting so switching needles is best, but that is not an option for Insulin syringes/needles..........I don't think it'll be a problem but checking anyway.

 

[Systemlord]

I assume either size needle is long enough for shoulders, or should I use 27g 1"

Easy Touch 27 or 29 gauge 1 ml insulin syringes will do just fine. I don't even think 27 guage syringes come in 1".

 

[Dan_The_Man]

27x1.25” only that i can find

I have trouble drawing test cyp thru 27g, cant be just me. Of course i can draw w different needle, but im doing daily injections so thats alot of vial accessing. Its another matter pushing test cyp when injecting.

I dont even feel 30g-31g which i use dor peptides/hcg. I recommend considering 0.3ml v 0.5ml v 1ml depending on how many units/ml you inject.

Is commercial test cyp different viscosity than the pharmacy compounded one, say in mct? For those that tried both.

 

[Guided_by_Voices]

Temperature matters a lot with oil. Drawing a daily amount takes me less than 15 seconds with a 29g if the vial is over 60 degrees or so. Compounded.

 

[Cali965]

Temperature matters a lot with oil. Drawing a daily amount takes me less than 15 seconds with a 29g if the vial is over 60 degrees or so. Compounded.

How many ml do you fill in 15 seconds with a 29g needle?

 

[rustylwb]

Hello all, a little background.......I have been in a bad marriage for 37 years and have been through at least 5 traumatic family events & losses, so I assume I have been depressed for a while now but never dealt with it. I am now seperated and on depression, anxiety & insomnia meds started 2.5 weeks ago.
Even before I started the meds I felt less irritable, frustrated etc after my wife left and surprisingly do not miss her, even though I still care about her. My head is still foggy and I have fatigued, lack of motivation and concentration etc.
I also found out my total testosterone is low at 197 ng/dL and free is at 34.5 pg/mL and my Dr is starting me off with 100mg Cypionate intramuscularly in the inner thigh every 2 weeks starting this coming Monday and will do a T level check a week after the 2nd shot. Starting off with this and then adjusting has worked for her in the past.
I asked her about daily subcutaneos shots and to her knowledge that method is only used for transgender T therapy, so no go for now.

1. Is her starting dosing and method a good start and if not why?
2. Is injecting the Cypionate in the inner thigh a good idea?

Let me know if I should be asking any other questions or just fire away.
Thank you in advance for any responses, I appreciate it.

Cali

I agree with systemlord This Dr doesn't know what she is doing I also have one. But mine does listen to what I want and mostly does what I suggest. If your ins will pay for LowT go there they will give you what you really need. But if not go to a urologist. I do and he is in a Big practice I think he treats the TRT people because he drew the short straw not because he was the most experienced Dr in the practice. Because cypionate causes my red count to get too high I use Test Gel. It really easy and I use two pumps per day. I went to LowT for a couple of years but medicare doesn't pay for LowT it is $250.00 per month but the urologist is only $20 buck per 6 months. I only go every 6 months and get a script for 6 refills. I started with 3 per visit. Dude I hope you have better luck in Life for the next 35 years. LOL Get a new subscriber !!!

 

[rustylwb]

Hello all, a little background.......I have been in a bad marriage for 37 years and have been through at least 5 traumatic family events & losses, so I assume I have been depressed for a while now but never dealt with it. I am now seperated and on depression, anxiety & insomnia meds started 2.5 weeks ago.
Even before I started the meds I felt less irritable, frustrated etc after my wife left and surprisingly do not miss her, even though I still care about her. My head is still foggy and I have fatigued, lack of motivation and concentration etc.
I also found out my total testosterone is low at 197 ng/dL and free is at 34.5 pg/mL and my Dr is starting me off with 100mg Cypionate intramuscularly in the inner thigh every 2 weeks starting this coming Monday and will do a T level check a week after the 2nd shot. Starting off with this and then adjusting has worked for her in the past.
I asked her about daily subcutaneos shots and to her knowledge that method is only used for transgender T therapy, so no go for now.

1. Is her starting dosing and method a good start and if not why?
2. Is injecting the Cypionate in the inner thigh a good idea?

Let me know if I should be asking any other questions or just fire away.
Thank you in advance for any responses, I appreciate it.

Cali

 

[Dan_The_Man]

How many ml do you fill in 15 seconds with a 29g needle?

10-12mg/day he said so between 5-12units (depends on formulation) which is 0.05-0.12 mL, so fraction of an mL.

I will try his method tomorrow. I kept my test cyp out of fridge this time.

 

[Cali965]

10-12mg/day he said so between 5-12units (depends on formulation) which is 0.05-0.12 mL, so fraction of an mL.

I will try his method tomorrow. I kept my test cyp out of fridge this time.

I'm have to fill 50mg/0.5ml, not sure if I should use 27g or 29g

 

[Cali965]

I agree with systemlord This Dr doesn't know what she is doing I also have one. But mine does listen to what I want and mostly does what I suggest. If your ins will pay for LowT go there they will give you what you really need. But if not go to a urologist. I do and he is in a Big practice I think he treats the TRT people because he drew the short straw not because he was the most experienced Dr in the practice. Because cypionate causes my red count to get too high I use Test Gel. It really easy and I use two pumps per day. I went to LowT for a couple of years but medicare doesn't pay for LowT it is $250.00 per month but the urologist is only $20 buck per 6 months. I only go every 6 months and get a script for 6 refills. I started with 3 per visit. Dude I hope you have better luck in Life for the next 35 years. LOL Get a new subscriber !!!

All is good, my Dr will listen to me as long as it's FDA guidelines otherwise she said I should go to a private clinic. I also saw my Urologist and he said exactly the same thing as my Dr and agreed with her course of action for TRT.