Just started TRT, My Story, your thoughts please!

[Deleted member 17030]

Starting my 4th week on 100mg Test C injections. I go Friday 12/8/2017 for new labs. Should have results emailed to me a couple of days after that.

So far NOTHING, nada, zero, zilch. I can't tell that the 4 injections have done anything for me, pro or con. Still early yet though.

I have to wonder what other medical conditions could possibly mimic all the same Low T symptons, as I may need to start looking for the next course of action.

 

[FeelingLost]

Hello Lee, Sorry to read your TRT is not solving any of your issues. I am no expert here but I have read other look into the 4 times a day cortisol test.
Some find answers here in the tire thyroid website http://www.tiredthyroid.com/
I hope you will report the results from your blood test.
hth

 

[Deleted member 17030]

Hello Lee, Sorry to read your TRT is not solving any of your issues. I am no expert here but I have read other look into the 4 times a day cortisol test.
Some find answers here in the tire thyroid website http://www.tiredthyroid.com/
I hope you will report the results from your blood test.
hth

Yes Sir, here it is.

I had my Testosterone tested Friday and was emailed the results directly Sunday. That's a cool system to get it emailed that fast. I have not heard from the doctor yet obviously. They only tested total testosterone. The dr told me in advance that full labs wouldn't be done until after 3 months. This was just a check to see where I am at. This test was done 4 days after my 4th injection of 100mg every 7 days. Total T came way up. I have been injecting in the deltoids IM with a 1" pin. That seems to be working very well. Is this a little to high for TRT though? May need to adjust down some possibly? See what the doc says before making any changes though.

[TABLE="class: components, width: 0"]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"]
[TD="class: nameCol srchbl"]Testosterone,Total[/TD]
[TD="class: valueCol"]892 ng/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: rangeCol"]264 - 916 ng/dL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: tableRowMessage comments odd, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"]
[TD="class: srchbl, colspan: 3"]Adult male reference interval is based on a population of
healthy nonobese males (BMI <30) between 19 and 39 years old.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[FeelingLost]

Hello Lee I would not change anything. How are you feeling? Is your over all mood any better? It is still really early in this game we call TRT.

These are not my words I found them here on the forum and they really helped me understand how all this stuff works I hope they will help you.

Testosterone Cyp (Half life 8 days) - Steady state in 40 days
Arimidex (Half life 2 days) - Steady state in 10 days
HCG (Half life 2 days) - Steady state in 10 days.

Remember, 5 x half life of a medication = Steady state of that medication.

Also remember, when you reach a steady state of a medication, you will have double the amount of milligrams in your system of the dose you are taking in-between each half life. This is kind of complicated, but it doesn't matter how you space out the dosages or how often you take it.

For example, 1mg taken EOD, or 0.5mg taken everyday. It's still 1mg taken within one half life or Arimidex which is 2 days. So another example is test cypionate. Doesn't matter if you take 100mg once per week or split that into 50mg twice per week or 14mg everyday. As long as it's 100mg within one half life, which is 8 days for test cyp.

So by 5 half lives of the medication, which would be 40 days for test cyp, you will have double the amount of medication in your system. Which would be 200mg. This part is pretty complicated, but just remember, whatever the dosage you are taking of a medication, after 5 half lives you will have double the amount of medication in your system compared to starting.

 

[ratbag]

Yes Sir, here it is.

I had my Testosterone tested Friday and was emailed the results directly Sunday. That's a cool system to get it emailed that fast. I have not heard from the doctor yet obviously. They only tested total testosterone. The dr told me in advance that full labs wouldn't be done until after 3 months. This was just a check to see where I am at. This test was done 4 days after my 4th injection of 100mg every 7 days. Total T came way up. I have been injecting in the deltoids IM with a 1" pin. That seems to be working very well. Is this a little to high for TRT though? May need to adjust down some possibly? See what the doc says before making any changes though.

[TABLE="class: components, width: 0"]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"]
[TD="class: nameCol srchbl"]Testosterone,Total[/TD]
[TD="class: valueCol"]892 ng/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: rangeCol"]264 - 916 ng/dL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: tableRowMessage comments odd, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"]
[TD="class: srchbl, colspan: 3"]Adult male reference interval is based on a population of
healthy nonobese males (BMI <30) between 19 and 39 years old.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

I don't think your MD has a grasp on how TRT works... one injection weekly and then he orders labs after 4 weeks and it's TT only? This isn't making a lot of sense. Labs are too early at 4 weeks. It should be at 6 weeks minimum and doing labs 4 days after your shot make no sense either. Unless I'm missing something I don't think your going to get great results with protocols like this. I think the only time you would Rx a weekly shot is if you have very low E2.

 

[Deleted member 17030]

Feeling Lost, Yes Sir, I would agree, not changing anything at this time. I have a follow up appointment on Wednesday the 24th of January, will go from there.

Thanks, BTW, I enjoy reading all your posts. You seem like a really good person and I appreciate all your insight.

 

[Systemlord]

The problem with injecting once weekly is your levels are swinging from day to day and labs values are the result of timing, think of a rollercoaster where go up, then you come down, that's what your hormones are doing. Labs become much more consistent when you're injecting more frequently, but for guys to manipulate high SHBG they must inject larger doses less frequently. I don't think your SHBG was high enough to begin injecting once weekly, you should be doing it twice weekly. However if you start injecting twice weekly you will have to lower your dose otherwise your levels will climb a few hundred points above range.

 

[Deleted member 17030]

My doctor just called, said to stay on the same dosage schedule, go back in for full labs on 17th January, which is 1 week prior to my next appointment on the 24th of January.

So that's where I am at for now. I don't want to inject twice a week. You guys that do that and or even more so inject daily have my respect for being willing to do that.

Will follow up on the 24th of January. In the meantime I will continue to enjoy reading the forum.

 

[lowe2sucks]

if you use 27 gauge its very easy to do twice a week.. you can preload it and it makes it the process even more convenient if you are busy

 

[FeelingLost]

Feeling Lost, Yes Sir, I would agree, not changing anything at this time. I have a follow up appointment on Wednesday the 24th of January, will go from there.

Thanks, BTW, I enjoy reading all your posts. You seem like a really good person and I appreciate all your insight.

Thanks Lee I appreciate the kind words. We are all on this journey together if we can help one another out all will learn and hopefully get their faster.

January 24th isn't that far away. Seeing all your numbers will be interesting I hope you will post them.
I would let how you are feeling guide your way. If once a week is working for you its working. IF your E2 or prolactin starts getting high you should notice
tender nipples, some water weigh gain, feeling extra sensitive when watching TV shows.

25g 1" syringe !?! oh man I can see why once a week is enough. Needles have always bugged me.
I'm using a 27g 1/2" and sticking it my fat around my navel. So far no pain I am happy.

 

[Deleted member 17030]

In the hospital, almost died lol.

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/showthread.php?13112-Im-in-the-Hospital-almsot-died-lol-!

 

[Deleted member 17030]

OK, I was suppsoe to go to the Hospital lab Thursday, which I did to get my Dr ordered labs. I was emailed the results today to my online portal. All this Urologist did was test me for Total T and Hemotacrit. This confirms what many of the members here state about the main stream practitoners being a joke. I will be Monday ponying up for the full T Panel with discounted labs so I will know what it all is.

My Total T was 1069 and this was 5 full days after my last 100mg injection. My Hemotacrit was 47.9% and this was about 1 month after giving blood. Thats all they tested me for. I have my Urologist doc appt next Wed the 24th. Probably need to reduce the T level. What do you guys think?

[TABLE="class: components, width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: transparent"]
[TH="align: left"]Component[/TH]
[TH="align: left"]Your Value[/TH]
[TH="align: left"]Standard Range[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"]
[TD="class: nameCol srchbl"]Testosterone,Total[/TD]
[TD="class: valueCol"]1,069 ng/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: rangeCol"]264 - 916 ng/dL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: tableRowMessage comments odd, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"]
[TD="class: srchbl, colspan: 3"]Adult male reference interval is based on a population of
healthy nonobese males (BMI <30) between 19 and 39 years old.
Travison, et.al. JCEM 2017,102;1161-1173. PMID: 2832410[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="class: components, width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: transparent"]
[TH="align: left"]Component[/TH]
[TH="align: left"]Your Value[/TH]
[TH="align: left"]Standard Range[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"]
[TD="class: nameCol srchbl"]Hematocrit[/TD]
[TD="class: valueCol"]47.9 %[/TD]
[TD="class: rangeCol"]37.5 - 51.0 %[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[CoastWatcher]

OK, I was suppsoe to go to the Hospital lab Thursday, which I did to get my Dr ordered labs. I was emailed the results today to my online portal. All this Urologist did was test me for Total T and Hemotacrit. This confirms what many of the members here state about the main stream practitoners being a joke. I will be Monday ponying up for the full T Panel with discounted labs so I will know what it all is.

My Total T was 1069 and this was 5 full days after my last 100mg injection. My Hemotacrit was 47.9% and this was about 1 month after giving blood. Thats all they tested me for. I have my Urologist doc appt next Wed the 24th. Probably need to reduce the T level. What do you guys think?

[TABLE="class: components, width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: transparent"]
[TH="align: left"]Component[/TH]
[TH="align: left"]Your Value[/TH]
[TH="align: left"]Standard Range[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"]
[TD="class: nameCol srchbl"]Testosterone,Total[/TD]
[TD="class: valueCol"]1,069 ng/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: rangeCol"]264 - 916 ng/dL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: tableRowMessage comments odd, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"]
[TD="class: srchbl, colspan: 3"]Adult male reference interval is based on a population of
healthy nonobese males (BMI <30) between 19 and 39 years old.
Travison, et.al. JCEM 2017,102;1161-1173. PMID: 2832410[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="class: components, width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: transparent"]
[TH="align: left"]Component[/TH]
[TH="align: left"]Your Value[/TH]
[TH="align: left"]Standard Range[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"]
[TD="class: nameCol srchbl"]Hematocrit[/TD]
[TD="class: valueCol"]47.9 %[/TD]
[TD="class: rangeCol"]37.5 - 51.0 %[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

You wrote that you tested "5 full days" after your last injection. If you weren't due for another injection right after your blood draw, your results are meaningless. You always want to test I your trough, just before an injection. Trough values give you and your doctor a picture of how well you are sustaining therapeutic levels over the course of a week. That has significant application for estradiol, which wasn't measured, as when testosterone is at trough, e2 is at/near peak (e always follows t). Do not reduce your dose, test all values at the appropriate time.

 

[Deleted member 17030]

I went and tested when the doctor said to lol. They called me and told me to go in on this date.

 

[CoastWatcher]

I went and tested when the doctor said to lol. They called me and told me to go in on this date.

Never underestimate the ignorance of most physicians managing patients on TRT.

 

[Deleted member 17030]

Well it's been 10 weeks and outside of my low blood potassium scare 3 weeks ago, I am feeling pretty good. So far no sign of testicular atrophy, but it's always in the back of my mind, but no other side effects at this time that I can tell.

Only too much “wood” lol, almost to the point of being annoying, so that's working great.

I am injecting 1/2Ml or 100Mg of Test C once every 7 days, in the deltoids, deep IM using a 25 gauge 1 inch needle. No issues with that, painless during and after. That's it. NO HCG, NO Ai. That's where I am 10 weeks after starting TRT.

I have my 3 months follow up apt this afternoon at 4PM with Urologist.

 

[CSI007]

Sounds like your doing OK. But as Coastwatcher said, you want to test as close to your next injection as possible. I just tested early this morning and when I arrived back home right after they drew blood, I injected. Not everyone has shrinkage but this is easily dealt with if you can inject HCG. I have been on over a year now and no issues with just a small dosage of HCG.

Your doing the dose that I do, well I am injecting around 106mg/week but I split it up EOD and inject 200iu of HCG on Monday and Thursdays. My trough my level has consistently been in the mid 700's. I can only guess what it would be the day after a shot. Also, you might not see an increase in your hematicrit right away. It took me about 6 months before mine got above high normal.

Good luck!

 

[FeelingLost]

Hello Lee, really glad to read you are feeling better.

 

[Deleted member 17030]

I just got my TT results back. This is the only test my doctor ordered this time around. This test was done on the 8th morning after last injection and before I injected that day. I have been injecting since the beginning 100MG every 7 days, but the past 3 weeks I switched to every 8 days due to the hassle of filling prescriptions on time. This is a 8 day trough. Thoughts?

[TABLE="class: components, width: 0"]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"]
[TD="class: nameCol srchbl"]Testosterone,Total[/TD]
[TD="class: valueCol"]738 ng/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: rangeCol"]264 - 916 ng/dL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: tableRowMessage comments odd, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"]
[TD="class: srchbl, colspan: 3"]Adult male reference interval is based on a population of
healthy nonobese males (BMI <30) between 19 and 39 years old.
Travison, et.al. JCEM 2017,102;1161-1173. PMID: 28324103.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[Deleted member 17030]

Im Stopping TRT. I went to an Endocrinologist today, shesaid to stop TRT. Getting a new panel of blood tests done tomorrow morning to confirm her suspicions of Adrenal Insufficiency as the cause of my symptoms. I now become a statistic of those who quit in less than 1 year. What is a person to do? Everything she said to me makes sense. I need to follow the doctor’s advice or I am wasting her time and my time. I made it 4 ½ months lol.