Am I a Candidate for TRT?

[MeanGreen]

I just started TRT in June so all this is fresh in my mind.

1. Pinning 2x a week will help to stabilize your T levels. use an insulin syringe - they are almost painless and the needle is very small. I pin my thigh in 3 different areas on each leg. This gives me 6 pinning spots - the more the better.

2. Once you start TRT, you will want to wait AT LEAST a month - 6 weeks is better before you get blood work. It will take around 30 days for the serum to saturate your system. I say "around" because this is different for everyone. For me It was closer to 5 weeks. Your real Total Test and estrogen (and need of an AI) can't be determined until your system is FULLY saturated. At first you will want to get a blood test every few months to get dialed in. For example, If you end if needing an AI, you will want to ensure you are taking the right amount. Crashing your estrogen will bring about a number of bad things.

3. Start of with just Testosterone injections and nothing else (like HCG). It's very important to add one thing at a time so you can determine how it affects you (physically AND mentally). Iv'e read that HCG can made some guys moody / anxious. You will want to understand "is this the test making me feel this way or the HCG or the AI dose, etc"

Like I said I started TRT in June and am still getting dialed in. I'm 5'9" 160lbs and fit / low body fat but still needed a small AI dose. (.25mg 2X a week).

good luck!

Thanks for the great advice!

 

[Chiefy]

Central Connecticut. Going through a Boston TRT clinic. Looks like I should get my
labs somewhere cheaper.

Wow so this place doesn't even include any lab work, or at least discounted labs, even after they load you up with all those expensive medications? I'm seeing some red flags with this place.

Have you looked around at how some other clinics operate? You're not supposed to go broke in the process of trying to feeling good.

It all depends what you want to have tested, but a place like privatemdlabs.com can get you a very comprehensive hormone panel for about half the price that your clinic is charging.

 

[MeanGreen]

It all depends what you want to have tested, but a place like privatemdlabs.com can get you a very comprehensive hormone panel for about half the price that your clinic is charging.

Great. How do they work? Do I have to get my blood drawn locally and then ship it to them?

I should shop around for the injections too...

 

[Chiefy]

Great. How do they work? Do I have to get my blood drawn locally and then ship it to them?

I should shop around for the injections too...

You purchase whatever blood tests/hormone panels you'd like and they email you a requisition that you print and take to any Labcorp or Quest Diagnostics location. They'll draw your blood and send it off for testing, then email you your results.

I agree about shopping around. There are some really good clinics out there, but unfortunately they can sometimes be overshadowed by the shitty ones...of which there are many.

Be weary of places that try to up sell you on all types of extras that you really don't need. Testosterone and hCG are really all you need, and access to an AI if absolutely necessary. Everything else, for the most part, is a money grab.

There are several well respected clinics that will provide all of the necessities, bloodwork, and doctor visits for ~$200/month...much more reasonable than the situation your current clinic has planned out for you.

 

[MeanGreen]

You purchase whatever blood tests/hormone panels you'd like and they email you a requisition that you print and take to any Labcorp or Quest Diagnostics location. They'll draw your blood and send it off for testing, then email you your results.

I agree about shopping around. There are some really good clinics out there, but unfortunately they can sometimes be overshadowed by the shitty ones...of which there are many.

Be weary of places that try to up sell you on all types of extras that you really don't need. Testosterone and hCG are really all you need, and access to an AI if absolutely necessary. Everything else, for the most part, is a money grab.

There are several well respected clinics that will provide all of the necessities, bloodwork, and doctor visits for ~$200/month...much more reasonable than the situation your current clinic has planned out for you.

Labcorp is where they sent me for my original bloodwork, so no change there!
Yeah, $228 is steep. But they prob did way more than the hormone panel I need from now on.
Definitely going to use privatemdlabs.com from now on.

So after a couple emails back and forth, I find out that they now put the ai into the vial with the test cyp,
rather than being a separate tablet. Hmm.

So $350 gets me a 10-week supply of:
1. Testosterone Cypionate. 10 ml total. 200mg/week, split into two 100mg injections 3 days apart
2. HCG 7,000ius total. 700iu/week, split into two 350iu injections 3 days apart
3. Anastrozole now integrated into test cyp, but equivalent of 1mg tablet/injection

$350 for 2-1/2 months seems reasonable? There are no doctors visits as they are in Boston.

 

[MeanGreen]

Since I will be taking 2 injections of test cyp and 2 injections of hcg per week, I asked them if the hcg shot should be taken at the same as the test cyp. The reply was that they should be taken at different times, but no other explanation.

Any thoughts on why it would make a difference?

 

[Chiefy]

Labcorp is where they sent me for my original bloodwork, so no change there!
Yeah, $228 is steep. But they prob did way more than the hormone panel I need from now on.
Definitely going to use privatemdlabs.com from now on.

So after a couple emails back and forth, I find out that they now put the ai into the vial with the test cyp,
rather than being a separate tablet. Hmm.

So $350 gets me a 10-week supply of:
1. Testosterone Cypionate. 10 ml total. 200mg/week, split into two 100mg injections 3 days apart
2. HCG 7,000ius total. 700iu/week, split into two 350iu injections 3 days apart
3. Anastrozole now integrated into test cyp, but equivalent of 1mg tablet/injection

$350 for 2-1/2 months seems reasonable? There are no doctors visits as they are in Boston.

That's a fair price. I was referring to the Sermorelin, B12, and MIC...whatever the hell that is.

I would definitely ask for your testosterone to NOT contain the Anastrazole. That will make getting dialed in more difficult because you can't adjust your dosages independently. Too much Anastrazole = bad news.

Since I will be taking 2 injections of test cyp and 2 injections of hcg per week, I asked them if the hcg shot should be taken at the same as the test cyp. The reply was that they should be taken at different times, but no other explanation.

Any thoughts on why it would make a difference?

Many guys inject their hCG the day before their testosterone in an effort to minimize the spike in estradiol. Others have no problems injecting both meds on the same day. It's one of those things that requires some trial and error, and of course you'll probably want to make your protocol as convenient as possible. Some would rather not have to inject something 4 days each week when they can do it twice instead.

My advice would be to start on a lower dose of testosterone so you're less likely to need Anastrazole in any form. 200mg/week isn't unheard of, but most of us don't need a dose that high. More is often not better when it comes to all of these medications.

 

[Slhardee]

I have never heard of Anastrazole being integrated into test-cypionate. I agree this is a bad idea. I would question the potency of the testosterone. (It might be legit, but I'm a suspicious person). Has anyone heard of this??

 

[Chiefy]

I have never heard of Anastrazole being integrated into test-cypionate. I agree this is a bad idea. I would question the potency of the testosterone. (It might be legit, but I'm a suspicious person). Has anyone heard of this??

A lot of compounding pharmacies offer it as an option.

 

[MeanGreen]

That's a fair price. I was referring to the Sermorelin, B12, and MIC...whatever the hell that is.

I would definitely ask for your testosterone to NOT contain the Anastrazole. That will make getting dialed in more difficult because you can't adjust your dosages independently. Too much Anastrazole = bad news.

Many guys inject their hCG the day before their testosterone in an effort to minimize the spike in estradiol. Others have no problems injecting both meds on the same day. It's one of those things that requires some trial and error, and of course you'll probably want to make your protocol as convenient as possible. Some would rather not have to inject something 4 days each week when they can do it twice instead.

My advice would be to start on a lower dose of testosterone so you're less likely to need Anastrazole in any form. 200mg/week isn't unheard of, but most of us don't need a dose that high. More is often not better when it comes to all of these medications.

More great advice. Thanks, Chief.

 

[MeanGreen]

Dont forget to take a second blood test to confirm the numbers..

So, being a proactive TRT patient what should I look out for when looking at my labs during the process of getting "dialed in"?

I believe I primarily need to watch:
-Total Test/Free Test
-Estradiol E2 (I read 20-25pg/mL is the sweet spot, some say 20-40) adjust AI or take OTC zinc, b-6 and DIM
-SHBG (want to keep on low end of ref range) if high, treat with Danazol
-Hemocrit (donate blood every quarter)

Do I need to watch LH and FSH to stay in ref range?

Anything I'm missing to watch out for?

 

[Lenex]

I didnt mean in the process of dialin in, you need to get a second blood test before starting anything, because the hormones fluctuate and you may just have had a bad day.