Should I consider T replacement?

[Systemlord]

Symptoms:
Do not wake up with erection.

Erections work but are maybe 75% of what they used to be when younger

Get aroused and get errction. But lose it fairly quickly and takes fair amount of stimulation to get erection back.

You have a testosterone problem, maybe not a deficiency, but as your levels drop more your problems will only get worse.

You're 56 years old, you should focus on quality of life. Can you imagine waiting 10 more years and now you have erections that are barely even achievable, then you decide to go on TRT and now your elections are 100%.

Why wait?

 

[Systemlord]

If my doctor lowered my dosage and put my free T levels were yours are, I feel like dog sh**!

 

[Belekas]

I think the starting post for this thread I posted my testosterone levels. They are not really low enough to justify T replacement.

My dr I will be starting on BP med’s and a statin. I do need to lose about 9 lbs. and will be adjusting diet. My wife needs to as well. We need to commit and change over the house pantry.

I absolutely hate weight lifting. So that will be the absolute last thing I will try.

I wanted to do this without meds but my genetics prevent that I guess.

Too bad flyingfool, without lifting or any other heavy resistance training you will miss out on a lot better health and longevity. Why take chemical drugs that have side effects without first exhausting all other options and actually start doing the stuff you hate, start doing those hard yards that nobody wanna do. To be honest its a no brainer to me but I guess we all are different and some just don't care

 

[flyingfool]

I really don’t see how I could even fit in weight lifting. Nor afford any of the gyms/clubs around here. And I don’t have room in my house to buy weight equipment.

I will exercise and do what I can. I guess everyone has a limit and weight lifting is a bridge too far for me.

As you said we are all different.

 

[flyingfool]

You have a testosterone problem, maybe not a deficiency, but as your levels drop more your problems will only get worse.

You're 56 years old, you should focus on quality of life. Can you imagine waiting 10 more years and now you have erections that are barely even achievable, then you decide to go on TRT and now your elections are 100%.

Why wait?

Because I function fine. And I still have 10 times the sex drive of my wife. If I increase my T level I will have no place to go With any additional sex drive. It will only drive me crazy.

When I was younger and had more drive it almost drove me insane. My wife was sexually traumatized and abused as a young girl. Something she had no memory of until fairly recently in the last couple years. Her hormones are a total mess. She is on thyroid as well as all three sex hormone (testosterone, estradiol and progesterone) replacement. As her pituitary is a mess and chasing her hormones for the past 20 years has been a nightmare in itself.

So I do not want to take on T replacement for myself until it is really needed or worth the effort.

 

[Systemlord]

If I increase my T level I will have no place to go With any additional sex drive.

You need to get creative!

 

[JmarkH]

I really don’t see how I could even fit in weight lifting. Nor afford any of the gyms/clubs around here. And I don’t have room in my house to buy weight equipment.

Have you ever heard of bands? You don't need a lot of space or $ to get started with resistance bands. Weighted exercise isn't only the big barbell stuff. Band Training Workouts - the link will get you started.
byw: I felt like crap and had many of the same issues you stated. My TT was a bit over 500 with a FT of 14. So don't only go by the labs. I found a hormone doctor and without TRT I'm now in the 900s feeling great, losing fat, gaining muscle. I'm 63 5' 9" 183lbs. I started around 205lbs in February 2022.

 

[flyingfool]

Have you ever heard of bands? You don't need a lot of space or $ to get started with resistance bands. Weighted exercise isn't only the big barbell stuff. Band Training Workouts - the link will get you started.
byw: I felt like crap and had many of the same issues you stated. My TT was a bit over 500 with a FT of 14. So don't only go by the labs. I found a hormone doctor and without TRT I'm now in the 900s feeling great, losing fat, gaining muscle. I'm 63 5' 9" 183lbs. I started around 205lbs in February 2022.

Interesting. I have never read of testosterone increases naturally by more than about 50 points total. You are saying by weight and training you increases withOUT T replacement by 400 points!

 

[flyingfool]

Band training t least takes away from the space and equipment needs. But it does not change the absolute complete mind numbing repetition while looking at the same four walls.

I cannot explain why swimming back and forth in a pool is no problem. But standing in a room even with other people lifting is so mind numbing that I hate it.

Unlike the guy in the video. I do not have an empty room I can mount a grab bar to attach the bands to. A door knob maybe but that would not be at the correct height. And there is still the mind numbing aspect that any weight resistance training has. Maybe when my kids finally move their crap out of the house I will have some chance. One recently got married and another will get married in February. The final child is soon to graduate from high school. But then we may move into a smaller house. And I would be pressed again for space.

Yep. I guess I am Making excuses because I really do hate lifting.

 

[Nujace]

Band training t least takes away from the space and equipment needs. But it does not change the absolute complete mind numbing repetition while looking at the same four walls.

I cannot explain why swimming back and forth in a pool is no problem. But standing in a room even with other people lifting is so mind numbing that I hate it.

Unlike the guy in the video. I do not have an empty room I can mount a grab bar to attach the bands to. A door knob maybe but that would not be at the correct height. And there is still the mind numbing aspect that any weight resistance training has. Maybe when my kids finally move their crap out of the house I will have some chance. One recently got married and another will get married in February. The final child is soon to graduate from high school. But then we may move into a smaller house. And I would be pressed again for space.

Yep. I guess I am Making excuses because I really do hate lifting.

I’m not judging. Only leaving you with something to consider before it’s too late…If nothing else think of all those that would kill to be able to go through a vigorous training session just once more but cannot because of some handicap.

"No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable. - Socrates

 

[JmarkH]

Interesting. I have never read of testosterone increases naturally by more than about 50 points total. You are saying by weight and training you increases withOUT T replacement by 400 points!

My signature has my protocol. I am taking medications, just not testosterone or anabolics. I'm secondary hypogonadal, and as such, my body can still produce what I need; it just doesn't get the right signals. Therefore the medications tell my body to produce. I go through Matrix Hormones. My first consult was $100. I had to get labs before the consult, so the doc had the right information.

 

[Cataceous]

... I guess I am Making excuses because I really do hate lifting.

Relax, I think there's some overstating going on here. Sure, in a perfect world we would add in some modest resistance training a couple times a week. However, you might be reassured by this article, which finds that power is more important than strength. "'We now show that power is strongly related to all-cause mortality. But the good news is that you only need to be above the median for your sex to have the best survival, with no further benefit in becoming even more powerful,' said Professor Araújo." Your intense interval training seems likely to put you above the median for power, which in the study was only 2.5 watts/kg.

 

[flyingfool]

Thanks Cat.