About to start TRT...I'm nervous.

[Medic32]

Hello everyone,

Let's start from the very beginning. I'm 27 I used to weight just shy of 300 pounds about 6 months ago, I felt horrible all the time. With the help of lifestyle changes (diet and exercise) I weighed in at 220 Friday at the Doctor's office I guess it's also important to note that I'm 5'11". I do feel better, but not like I think I should, low-to-nonexistent sex drive, bouts of depression, insomnia, moodiness even on my good days, and holding fat around stomach and breasts.

Lucky for me my doctor is very much patient centered, and truly listens to me and my concerns. He suggested that low T could be the culprit. For insurance reasons to have replacement therapy covered two low results on two separate days had to happen so here are my results:

10/27
Magnesium- 2.0 (1.3-2.3)
T3 Uptake- 26.3% (20.0%-38.5%)
TSH Reflex- 0.7 (.5-4.7)
Test- 299ng/dl (292-1052)
SHBG- 29 (16-66)
Free test- 6.3ng/dl (4.8-25)
Vitamin D- 29 (<29 suboptimal)

11/6 (same reference ranges as above)
TSH- .6
Vitamin D- 27
Test- 261
Free T3- 3.6 (2.3-4.2)
Free T4- 1.09 (.73-1.95)
PSA- .6 (<4.0)


The plan(Doctor ordered & insurance approved):
Test Cypionate 200mg/week for two weeks, if no adverse reaction/effects will bump to 300mg/week for duration of treatment (blood test redrawn day before 5th injection and adjust accordingly.) Arimidex I think he said 1mg on Monday/Wednesday/Friday but even I know that is WAY too high. I haven't picked up the script yet if it actually says that I will recommend .25mg twice a week and adjust based on need and labwork. I will say in regards to the arimidex, I still even with dropping all that weight still carry a good amount of body fat, I assume this is one of the reasons for the AI plus he told me that recent studies have shown that AIs protect the gonads and fertility in younger populations on TRT. The doctor is one that I use not only as a primary care doctor, but I worked with him for two years, and I know he has use testosterone himself, I assume he knows what he is doing, I also know that he will let labwork dictate most of the adjustments.

Sorry for the long winded post but like I said I am new to everything testosterone, I have zero idea what to expect and I am really anxious and nervous. Any feedback or really anything you guys could offer would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Megatron28]

Here is a good place to start.

http://www.steroidology.com/forum/testosterone-replacement-therapy/662394-basic-trt-overview.html

And just to clarify, their is not "duration of treatment". TRT is for the rest of your life because your body isn't producing enough testosterone on its own and you have not been able to correct the cause.

 

[Megatron28]

What were your LH and FSH at?

 

[Chiefy]

To add onto Mega's posts (which are very important, the TRT overview sticky will answer the vast majority of your questions):

-300mg/week is kinda out of the TRT range and more in the steroid cycle range. That's too much testosterone to be taking for the rest of your life. There are rare cases where doses that high may be needed, but that's extremely rare.

-I've never heard anything about an AI allowing you to remain fertile. HCG is the preferred medication to preserve fertility and testicular size. Without hCG, your testes will likely atrophy quite a bit.

 

[Therealkozmo]

Why not treat your sleep apnea. The underlying issue. You'll thank me later

 

[Alpin]

What type of insomnia. ..
plz describe.
You would benefit from a sleep study.
Your thyroid looks great. Optimal!!!
Maybe too optimal at .6 TSH....

That Magnesium test you did is useless.
It's not accurate to diagnose a magnesium deficiency.
It only can measure 1% of the total magnesium in your body.

 

[Alpin]

To add onto Mega's posts (which are very important, the TRT overview sticky will answer the vast majority of your questions):

-300mg/week is kinda out of the TRT range and more in the steroid cycle range. That's too much testosterone to be taking for the rest of your life. There are rare cases where doses that high may be needed, but that's extremely rare.

-I've never heard anything about an AI allowing you to remain fertile. HCG is the preferred medication to preserve fertility and testicular size. Without hCG, your testes will likely atrophy quite a bit.

Well there's some info floating around that an a.i. while on still keeps the pituitary secreting some very small amounts of LH/FSH by driving down E2.
I haven't read a study though just some post on it on the net.
if the OP has a study plz post it.
but dont start using the adex blind and driving estro down too low. Thats probably worse for you.

 

[Therealkozmo]

And he didn't test e2. Another brilliant doctor

 

[Megatron28]

And he didn't test e2. Another brilliant doctor

I don't think testing E2 in hypogonadal men is as important. When TT is low, E2 is usually low as well. There just isn't that much there to aromatize.

 

[Therealkozmo]

Sounds sound. Now is there still the possibility that someone can have high e2 that suppresses T production or is that "so yesterday"

 

[Megatron28]

Sounds sound. Now is there still the possibility that someone can have high e2 that suppresses T production or is that "so yesterday"

Probably, but your body is going to seek homeostasis.

 

[Mdrive]

Welcome Medic, you have come to the right place, there are some very knowledgeable guys here with lots of experience, The only thing I can really offer is I would recommend using the search function, I know it has helped me find similar discussions or the answers I was looking for.