Starting Clomid

[Will Brink]

TL;DR...hit my head in 2013, testosterone is in the tank, starting clomid hoping for a restart.

I had my consult with Dr. Saya last week. I'm 44 y.o. and have had two tests showing very low testosterone. My symptoms began in 2013 after a cycling incident. I was traveling down a 10ft wide cycling/walking trail. As I was passing some walkers their dog walked right into my path. As I veered to avoid the dog my wheels dropped off the trail and this sent me off the bike at around 12 to 15mph head first into the pavement. I hit might right temple first and my helmet broke like it was supposed to. If not for my helmet, I'm fairly certain this would have gone from a concussion to a more severe TBI. The combination of my wheels getting trapped on the edge of the pavement and being clipped into my pedals probably caused me to land head first. Trails are dangerous, I'd rather ride on the open road.

I recovered from the concussion in a few weeks but noticed a gradual downward spiral in my overall mood and sense of well being. At first I was thinking this must be some sort of mid life crisis. However, as the months/years went by I kept noticing I didn't feel right.

In May of 2016 I visited my dr and told him I suspected my testosterone levels may be off. He ordered a total T and TSH test. The next day his nurse called and said my T level was fine so I didn't think much about it. A few months later I obtained my medical records from this doctor, for other reasons, and noticed the lab results. The testosterone was 149ng/dl with a lab reference range of 132 - 820! Obviously, my testosterone was "in range" so everything was deemed to be ok by my doctor.

I have Clomid in route as of today and will be starting it this week. I hope it can restart my natural testosterone production. I'm unsure if Clomid is a long term solution, assuming I'm still capable of producing testosterone, but I'm willing to be a forum unicorn.

I guess my main question is, will Clomid still stimulate natural testosterone even if there is some sort of disconnect between the hypothalamus/pituitary axis? At first I was under the impression that Clomid is an analog to LH, but after some reading I'm not sure if that's the case.

Lesson here for all, always always always, ask for a copy of all lab results. The number of people told their T, thyroid, is "fine" when it's not is like accepting from your car mechanic the engine diagnosis is "fine." I wouldn't accept that from a car mechanic so sure as hell will not accept regarding my blood work/health. Good luck!

- Will @ BrinkZone.com

 

[hva]

Hopefully I'm not going to be a victim of vision side effects with Clomid. I wear progressive lenses and the last couple of days I've felt like my glasses don't have any astigmatism correction (they do). I'm going to give it another day or two. Workouts have been really good and overall I feel like I'm about 90% myself. Follow up labs are next week.

 

[CoastWatcher]

Hopefully I'm not going to be a victim of vision side effects with Clomid. I wear progressive lenses and the last couple of days I've felt like my glasses don't have any astigmatism correction (they do). I'm going to give it another day or two. Workouts have been really good and overall I feel like I'm about 90% myself. Follow up labs are next week.

Should any vision issues present themselves while on Clomid, my advice would be to discontinue as soon as possible and contact Defy. Not saying that's coming your way, but only offering thoughts in light of that possibility. As my doctor said, two eyes and no spares.

 

[hva]

Right now it's like I have a smudge on my lenses that I cant get rid of. I know they are clean so it's not looking good.

 

[hva]

I think my vision issue is a scratch on my left lens lol. My wife pointed out the scratch because I can't see it well enough without my glasses on. It's right where the transition from distance to intermediate vision sits in the progressive lens.

Had my f/u blood draw this morning. I'm really curious to see where the numbers sit after a month of Clomid. I'll post results for posterity when I get them.

 

[FeelingLost]

Hi hva, subing to your thread its a good read. Hope you will keep us posted on your journey. I have no advice but I am rooting for you.
I am also a cyclist not a lifter. Been off my bike for two years, put on 20#, total muscle atrophy before my wife insisted I go to the doc.

 

[hva]

Hi hva, subing to your thread its a good read. Hope you will keep us posted on your journey. I have no advice but I am rooting for you.
I am also a cyclist not a lifter. Been off my bike for two years, put on 20#, total muscle atrophy before my wife insisted I go to the doc.

Thanks. I may never get back to riding like I did but I miss it a lot. I still can't get past my head hitting the pavement. Are you a hiker? One of my life goals is to thru hike the Colorado Trail after I retire in a few years.

 

[FeelingLost]

Thanks. I may never get back to riding like I did but I miss it a lot. I still can't get past my head hitting the pavement. Are you a hiker? One of my life goals is to thru hike the Colorado Trail after I retire in a few years.

I have no interest in competing anymore but really want to get back out and ride. I miss long climbs and breezy decents thru the Rockies the most.
I switched to mtn biking several years back, the roads were just getting too dangerous and my reflexes were slowing. Mtn biking has become very popular in Colorado and I find it just as fun.
My avatar pict was taken on the CT near Breckenridge I had just spent 4 days hiking over the continental divide. My first bucket list item after retiring at 55. That was 8 years ago.

You are so lucky if your Clomid restart works. I am not looking forward to supplimenting my T for the rest of my life.

 

[hva]

Well crap, there's no denying the eye floaters today. I keep noticing random image retention, ghost like objects, and some blurriness. This really stinks because I've had high hopes this could be a long term solution. Going to call Defy and see what to do next.

 

[FeelingLost]

Well crap, there's no denying the eye floaters today. I keep noticing random image retention, ghost like objects, and some blurriness. This really stinks because I've had high hopes this could be a long term solution. Going to call Defy and see what to do next.

Hi hva, Is this a specific side effect to clomid?

The reason I ask is I am only 6 weeks into TRT (173 to 630ng/dL) and I am seeing things out of the corner of my eye or right on the edge of my reading glasses that turn out to not be there and my brain seems to be mis identifying things that after I give my full attention I'll ask myself "what the hell!" This only happens once or twice per day I've pretty much blown it off thinking its just my body trying to balance out a ton of harmones.

Sorry didn't mean to write a book. What do you think you will try next?

 

[hva]

Yes, this is a Clomid side effect. I've been trying to ignore it for about a week but today it's beyond what I can write off as dirty glasses or eye fatigue. I keep seeing tracers and sprite like things not unlike a mild psychedelic trip...

I'm not sure what's next. I'm currently waiting on a call back from Defy.

 

[FeelingLost]

Yes, this is a Clomid side effect. I've been trying to ignore it for about a week but today it's beyond what I can write off as dirty glasses or eye fatigue. I keep seeing tracers and sprite like things not unlike a mild psychedelic trip...

I'm not sure what's next. I'm currently waiting on a call back from Defy.

If you were on a clomid restart I wonder if your time on clomid was enough to get things going?
It will be interesting to hear what the Doc recommends.

If this was me I would stop or taper off the clomid, not sure what is recommended there, just based on the side effects you are discribing.
Then i'd do a short list blood test for just the important things to see where I was at. I would feel far more informed.

 

[hva]

I had my restart blood draw last Wednesday so that's in the books but I don't have the results yet. At least I made it that far to get an idea of what I am capable of producing on my own. I have noticed a pattern of heightened aggression followed by three or for days of mellowing develop over the last month. I was at the peak of aggressiveness and raging libido on the day my blood was drawn. I don't know if that's significant but maybe I happened to get my blood drawn on a day where I was hitting the maximum.

 

[Dr Justin Saya MD]

I had my restart blood draw last Wednesday so that's in the books but I don't have the results yet. At least I made it that far to get an idea of what I am capable of producing on my own. I have noticed a pattern of heightened aggression followed by three or for days of mellowing develop over the last month. I was at the peak of aggressiveness and raging libido on the day my blood was drawn. I don't know if that's significant but maybe I happened to get my blood drawn on a day where I was hitting the maximum.

With visual side effects presumed from the Clomid, we stop the Clomid effective today. Let's see what the labs show.

 

[hva]

With visual side effects presumed from the Clomid, we stop the Clomid effective today. Let's see what the labs show.

I had them done at a Quest affiliate since they are local. I hope the lab tech put in the estradiol ultrasensitive test correctly. I asked her three times just to be sure. Even so, I'm still not 100% certain she did it right.

 

[rb44]

Subscribed.

 

[hva]

Lab results after four weeks.

Total Testosterone 798 ng/dl -- 250-1100 ng/dl

LH 4.0 -- 1.5 - 9.3.

It appears the lab tech entered the incorrect estradiol and free testosterone tests so Ill leave those out.

As I said in a previous post, the day I had my blood drawn I was at the peak of positive energy/emotion. Unfortunately the vision side effects have ended my Clomid trial. I'm not sure what Defy will recommend next but I want to be in that 800 range every day if possible.

 

[hva]

I thought I would update just to close the book on my Clomid trial.

Just had my followup consult with Jill at Defy. Since Clomid messes with my vision I'll be switching to 160mg testosterone injections split into 80mg twice a week. I'll be trying hcg as well and will need anastrozole. So, pretty much the standard Defy Medical TRT protocol. I'm happy with this. The day I had my blood drawn I was at 798 total testosterone and felt really damn good. I know estrogen was high at that time due to itchy chest and nipples along with some bloating and some mild irritability. If I can dial this in to keep estrogen in check and testosterone at 800 or a little above I think this will make a huge improvement.

I haven't taken Clomid since around March 11 and I can tell it's effects are starting to taper off as the half lives do their thing. My oily skin has all but disappeared and some of the dreaded low T symptoms are creeping back. I still feel much better overall than I did before Clomid but I can tell it's all just a mirage. According to Jill my LH did not respond much to Clomid. I'm not sure if that means I have some definite pituitary issues or not. I'm a little disappointed that I'll require exogenous testosterone to feel normal, when I know my testes are capable, but this is just a fact of my life now that I have to accept. That being said, I plan on making the most of this.

I've been hitting the weights hard for the past month. Since my testosterone was higher than it has been for a long time, possibly at any time, I've noticed some gains in muscle mass that I simply could not achieve in the past. I've lifted weights off and on my whole adult life but was always frustrated with the lack of any appreciable results. I could always gain overall strength but have never been able to add much weight or muscle mass. I've been hitting the shoulder girdle and back hardest since these are supposed to be the muscles most receptive to androgens. I'm already amazed at the results. My traps have never peaked above my shoulders until now. My shoulders are starting to round, and for the first time I can see and feel the muscle hypertrophy. These are the newb gains I've never been able to see.

The be honest, it was this lack of ability to gain muscle that led me to TRT in the first place. I knew something was lacking for a long time but could never figure out what. I began researching anabolics, not because I wanted to get jacked, but because I seriously sensed my body was lacking in normal hormones...craving them even. As I read up on anabolics I started to see a lot of references to TRT and guys who just have low testosterone for unknown reasons. Once I started researching TRT I knew I had every symptom of low testosterone and my lab work confirmed; not only was it low, but it was very low.

I guess I'll be hanging out on the regular testosterone forum now.

 

[CoastWatcher]

I thought I would update just to close the book on my Clomid trial.

Just had my followup consult with Jill at Defy. Since Clomid messes with my vision I'll be switching to 160mg testosterone injections split into 80mg twice a week. I'll be trying hcg as well and will need anastrozole. So, pretty much the standard Defy Medical TRT protocol. I'm happy with this. The day I had my blood drawn I was at 798 total testosterone and felt really damn good. I know estrogen was high at that time due to itchy chest and nipples along with some bloating and some mild irritability. If I can dial this in to keep estrogen in check and testosterone at 800 or a little above I think this will make a huge improvement.

I haven't taken Clomid since around March 11 and I can tell it's effects are starting to taper off as the half lives do their thing. My oily skin has all but disappeared and some of the dreaded low T symptoms are creeping back. I still feel much better overall than I did before Clomid but I can tell it's all just a mirage. According to Jill my LH did not respond much to Clomid. I'm not sure if that means I have some definite pituitary issues or not. I'm a little disappointed that I'll require exogenous testosterone to feel normal, when I know my testes are capable, but this is just a fact of my life now that I have to accept. That being said, I plan on making the most of this.

I've been hitting the weights hard for the past month. Since my testosterone was higher than it has been for a long time, possibly at any time, I've noticed some gains in muscle mass that I simply could not achieve in the past. I've lifted weights off and on my whole adult life but was always frustrated with the lack of any appreciable results. I could always gain overall strength but have never been able to add much weight or muscle mass. I've been hitting the shoulder girdle and back hardest since these are supposed to be the muscles most receptive to androgens. I'm already amazed at the results. My traps have never peaked above my shoulders until now. My shoulders are starting to round, and for the first time I can see and feel the muscle hypertrophy. These are the newb gains I've never been able to see.

The be honest, it was this lack of ability to gain muscle that led me to TRT in the first place. I knew something was lacking for a long time but could never figure out what. I began researching anabolics, not because I wanted to get jacked, but because I seriously sensed my body was lacking in normal hormones...craving them even. As I read up on anabolics I started to see a lot of references to TRT and guys who just have low testosterone for unknown reasons. Once I started researching TRT I knew I had every symptom of low testosterone and my lab work confirmed; not only was it low, but it was very low.

I guess I'll be hanging out on the regular testosterone forum now.

Thanks for the travel diary, it's been very interesting following your journey. You have every reason to be hopeful in regard to your testosterone protocol. Please remain an active member.

 

[Disco41]

I thought I would update just to close the book on my Clomid trial.

Just had my followup consult with Jill at Defy. Since Clomid messes with my vision I'll be switching to 160mg testosterone injections split into 80mg twice a week. I'll be trying hcg as well and will need anastrozole. So, pretty much the standard Defy Medical TRT protocol. I'm happy with this. The day I had my blood drawn I was at 798 total testosterone and felt really damn good. I know estrogen was high at that time due to itchy chest and nipples along with some bloating and some mild irritability. If I can dial this in to keep estrogen in check and testosterone at 800 or a little above I think this will make a huge improvement.

I haven't taken Clomid since around March 11 and I can tell it's effects are starting to taper off as the half lives do their thing. My oily skin has all but disappeared and some of the dreaded low T symptoms are creeping back. I still feel much better overall than I did before Clomid but I can tell it's all just a mirage. According to Jill my LH did not respond much to Clomid. I'm not sure if that means I have some definite pituitary issues or not. I'm a little disappointed that I'll require exogenous testosterone to feel normal, when I know my testes are capable, but this is just a fact of my life now that I have to accept. That being said, I plan on making the most of this.

I've been hitting the weights hard for the past month. Since my testosterone was higher than it has been for a long time, possibly at any time, I've noticed some gains in muscle mass that I simply could not achieve in the past. I've lifted weights off and on my whole adult life but was always frustrated with the lack of any appreciable results. I could always gain overall strength but have never been able to add much weight or muscle mass. I've been hitting the shoulder girdle and back hardest since these are supposed to be the muscles most receptive to androgens. I'm already amazed at the results. My traps have never peaked above my shoulders until now. My shoulders are starting to round, and for the first time I can see and feel the muscle hypertrophy. These are the newb gains I've never been able to see.

The be honest, it was this lack of ability to gain muscle that led me to TRT in the first place. I knew something was lacking for a long time but could never figure out what. I began researching anabolics, not because I wanted to get jacked, but because I seriously sensed my body was lacking in normal hormones...craving them even. As I read up on anabolics I started to see a lot of references to TRT and guys who just have low testosterone for unknown reasons. Once I started researching TRT I knew I had every symptom of low testosterone and my lab work confirmed; not only was it low, but it was very low.

I guess I'll be hanging out on the regular testosterone forum now.

Thank you for sharing your journey. At 44 why will you be trying HCG? and NEED Anastrozole? Your Estro was high with Test 798? After you said "I had them done at a Quest affiliate since they are local. I hope the lab tech put in the estradiol ultrasensitive test correctly. I asked her three times just to be sure. Even so, I'm still not 100% certain she did it right." and "It appears the lab tech entered the incorrect estradiol and free testosterone tests so Ill leave those out" I pretty much lost confidence in any of this.