I'm on TRT

[hardheart]

This is one of the reasons (also I don't like needles) that I don't feel injections are the best option right now, for me.

When you get older creams, patches and pills become much less effective.
At some point, only injections will get me where I want to be.
I just hope that point doesn't come for a few decades.

To be fair, cream will shut you down also, just slower. The introduction of any foreign anabolic/androgen for long enough that's strong enough will suppress your body's natural production of T.

 

[1standarduser**]

To be fair, cream will shut you down also, just slower. The introduction of any foreign anabolic/androgen for long enough that's strong enough will suppress your body's natural production of T.

It's true that some people get shut down taking creams and patches as well.
According to my doctor, he said it's rare though. It's generally for people that abuse the drugs.

On a side note, I have a male friend, late 30's who has tried both patches and Clomid.
He claims that Clomid worked far better for him.

From what I've read, I'm assuming Clomid will not work for him for too long though.
Within the next decade I can imagine he'll need to be on testosterone instead.
Hopefully I'm wrong as Clomid is way cheaper and easier to use.

 

[Wariowokecancel]

Injections are the best, fuck what you read. There are 4 kinds of T to inject, and depending on which one and how much of which one is being used you could be doing injections every 1, 5, 10, or more days.

Cream does provide a stability that injections can't, and if you're going for that, sure. But injections are by far the most bioavailable and fastest acting.

If you're injecting once or every couple of days, I'm sure your levels are fine.

That said, I think you would have to be castrated or want a 2000 level to need injections instead of cream.

 

[Wariowokecancel]

Logically, if your T-levels are normal, and you add in more T you will have a higher level. It's simple math.

Yes, if you inject Testosterone into a normal male his levels will in fact be higher than normal. Pretty common sense.

Don't use simple math when talking about biological functions.

Your body reacts to what you put into it. 1+1 doesn't always equal 2.

Example: you overdose on testosterone, your balls shut down. So its not artificial + natural but just artificial. Of course you would need a truly stupid dose.

Rule of thumb is that the more you put into your system, the less effect it has per unit.

 

[Aberinkula]

How much testing did you have to go through prior to being diagnosed and prescribed and where do you live (country, state, whatever you're comfortable with)?
I'm in Canada, and before they gave me a prescription and actually determined it was hypogonadism, I had to do four blood tests between two physicians and an endocrinologist, then get an MRI.

 

[Bubblun]

this trt thing is available also in europe or only in the states?

because i never heard of a men on trt here.

 

[hardheart]

If you're injecting once or every couple of days, I'm sure your levels are fine.

That said, I think you would have to be castrated or want a 2000 level to need injections instead of cream.

Different chains of T have a different half life in the body. I can't remember which is which, but one is very short, one is so-so, and one is long. The fourth type is a combo of the previous 3 and thus works differently.

When I was considering TRT for myself I did a lot of reading on the subject and don't remember all of the exact details and I'm a bit short on time. If you're sincerely interested I can show you some places to look to find better info on T and the likes.

 

[Pathogenic]

If you're injecting once or every couple of days, I'm sure your levels are fine.

That said, I think you would have to be castrated or want a 2000 level to need injections instead of cream.

If you inject even the minimum TRT dose (50mg) every day, then your T level will be in the upper 1500s every day. Most TRT injections are done weekly, or every other week if your doctor sucks. The standard dose is 100mg, which puts most people around 520ng/dl at the end of the weekly cycle, with very little variability from person-to-person.

Cream has a very poor absorption rate compared to the injections. If you respond to it then it's fine and it will work, but injections are incredibly consistent. Most people who go on TRT actually prefer the shots because there is NO variability. Sometimes you won't absorb the cream as well, so you might go from a T level of 800 one day to 500 in another. A T level of 500 can make some people feel like absolute shit (people who are under 25 especially). With the injections, you will always have X amount of T on a given day, and it descends almost linearly on a daily basis from the initial shot.

If I were to go on TRT, I would take the injections.

 

[Pathogenic]

It's true that some people get shut down taking creams and patches as well.
According to my doctor, he said it's rare though. It's generally for people that abuse the drugs.

On a side note, I have a male friend, late 30's who has tried both patches and Clomid.
He claims that Clomid worked far better for him.

From what I've read, I'm assuming Clomid will not work for him for too long though.
Within the next decade I can imagine he'll need to be on testosterone instead.
Hopefully I'm wrong as Clomid is way cheaper and easier to use.

They all shut you down, it's just a matter of time. 100mg injections of testosterone cypionate will shut you down in 5-6 weeks, and 200+ will shut you down in 2 weeks. Creams that give equivalent doses of testosterone will shut you down in a similar time frame.

 

[Pathogenic]

How much testing did you have to go through prior to being diagnosed and prescribed and where do you live (country, state, whatever you're comfortable with)?
I'm in Canada, and before they gave me a prescription and actually determined it was hypogonadism, I had to do four blood tests between two physicians and an endocrinologist, then get an MRI.

.

My brother only had to get one test; a testosterone test. He lives in Massachusetts.

 

[mtruitt76]

If you inject even the minimum TRT dose (50mg) every day, then your T level will be in the upper 1500s every day. Most TRT injections are done weekly, or every other week if your doctor sucks. The standard dose is 100mg, which puts most people around 520ng/dl at the end of the weekly cycle, with very little variability from person-to-person.

Do you have a source for the test levels vs. the amount injected? I believe what you are saying, I was just interested in looking into it more.

 

[Hotora86]

Are you Dan Henderson or Quinton Jackson?

 

[Pathogenic]

Do you have a source for the test levels vs. the amount injected? I believe what you are saying, I was just interested in looking into it more.

Sure thing man!

Intramuscular testosterone enanthate (TE; 100 mg weekly) and placebo injections were given for 3 months each. Before treatment and at the end of both 3-month treatment regimens, lean body mass, body fat, biochemical parameters of bone turnover, hematological parameters, lipoprotein profiles, and prostate parameters [such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA)] were evaluated. Serum T levels rose in all subjects with TE treatment, such that the lowest level of T during a week's period was 19.7 +/- 0.7 nmol/L (mean +/- SE).

19.7 nmol/L translates to 560ng/dl. I don't have any information regarding higher doses, though. That's on day 7, too.

Effects of testosterone supplementat... [J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1992] - PubMed - NCBI

 

[mmadragon]

im glad TS made this thread

there's so much stuff out there to increase a man's qualtiy of life the medical community find silly at time

thing's like propecia,viagra and now testosterone therapy never seem fully embraced by the medical community

 

[1standarduser**]

How much testing did you have to go through prior to I had to do four blood tests between two physicians and an endocrinologist, then get an MRI.

I'm in Washington state ATM, maybe 2 hours from Vancouver Canada.

It all depends on your doctor.
I didn't have to go anywhere else, and it only takes 2 blood tests, although mine were done a couple years apart, so you could even say it was based mostly off of just 1.

What was the MRI for?

 

[Sweekaters]

Admit I didn't read the whole thread to see if this was answered, but do you ever have problems with hematocrit count? If so, do you get a phlebotomy or donate blood to resolve it, or do you take medication? I've been an a self-prescribed TRT regime for awhile now, 250mg/week, and wondering if and when this will become a problem.

Edit: Nvm, this question isn't really applicable..

 

[1standarduser**]

this trt thing is available also in europe or only in the states?

because i never heard of a men on trt here.

I have never lived in Europe, but somebody here commented that it was cheaper in Europe than in the states... so whatever country he was from offered it.

I first heard of TRT less than 10 years ago, and Americans generally embrace prescription drug use a lot faster than the rest of the world. I can only guess that it's less popular in Europe than here.

 

[1standarduser**]

I've been an a self-prescribed TRT regime for awhile now, 250mg/week

I don't want to be rude, but it sounds more like you are taking drugs for performance enhancement, and less like you are on proper TRT. Shit, I could be on 250mg a month.

If you are genuinely interested in TRT, then I'd recommend stopping, cold turkey all of the drugs you are currently taking for a 6 month period.
At that point, go to the doctor and get your blood work done. He'll probably ask you to do blood work again a month later or so just to make sure the results are good.

If you are in fact low in T and/or have other issues the doctor will be a much less risky and better for your long term health than your street dealer.

 

[Sweekaters]

I don't want to be rude, but it sounds more like you are taking drugs for performance enhancement, and less like you are on proper TRT. Shit, I could be on 250mg a month.

I am, cycle between 250mg and 500-700mg. I compete in the untested division of my sport, and steroids are legal for personal use here. Was just wondering if hematocrit would eventually get high as it's the only thing I'm really concerned about, but clomid therapy =/= TRT.

 

[Pathogenic]

Admit I didn't read the whole thread to see if this was answered, but do you ever have problems with hematocrit count? If so, do you get a phlebotomy or donate blood to resolve it, or do you take medication? I've been an a self-prescribed TRT regime for awhile now, 250mg/week, and wondering if and when this will become a problem.

Edit: Nvm, this question isn't really applicable..

At 250mg/week, probably not. You mentioned going as high as 500-700, though. That could cause problems, but I'm not an expert. Keep monitoring it.