Doctor says one injection per week is safer than split into 2, for long term health

[halfape211]

So I talked my Doctor into increasing my Cyp to 230 per week, cause my current dosage is not fixing my Low T problems. He is worried about the negative effects of long term T levels in the 1300-1400 range (I assume that's the level I'll hit with this dose). He wants frequent blood tests for blood sugars, Chlorestoral in blood; hemocrit, PSA, blood pressure, etc. And that's fine by me as long as I see some relief from low T.

However...., he wants me to inject once per week as he says the negative effects of high T are less with one injection because there are peaks and troughs each week. Also because I will feel better during the higher peaks due to once per week injection.

(I already know the benefits of splitting a weekly injection into two injections and would prefer 2 per week.)

Is there anyone here that knows if this is fact or fiction???

I was also wondering if my BW would show lower T if (1) on one per week injections and (2) taken just before next injection, than in a twice a week protocol?? Perhaps he's looking to keep my T numbers lower on paper, just so my file looks more normal??

 

[Alpin]

Way too high a dose for TRT. You're in the Great white north too.
Who would have known.....

 

[halfape211]

Way too high a dose for TRT. You're in the Great white north too.
Who would have known.....

Sooner or later we have to catch up to the USA way of handling TRT. lol Why must we suffer so much just because we're in the Great White North?

As for me, I just dug my way out of a snow bank where I spent the winter. Now I need a bunch of T cause I want to be ready when we get our 30 days of summer.

 

[MBB]

What's your current dose ATM? I'm assuming you're injecting once a week. Why not speak to your doctor about not upping your current dose, but splitting it in two. That way you'll still be on the same strength just less peaks and troughs and will more than likely fix the issues you're still feeling.

 

[Brunodk]

Way too high a dose for TRT. ..

Not too high for everyone. I've said it before but everybody responds differently. My dose is 280 per week and I stay below the top of range at peak. The most important thing is how you feel.

 

[halfape211]

What's your current dose ATM? I'm assuming you're injecting once a week. Why not speak to your doctor about not upping your current dose, but splitting it in two. That way you'll still be on the same strength just less peaks and troughs and will more than likely fix the issues you're still feeling.

Currently weekly dose is split into two. Current dose is too low and I am barely feeling any results from it, therefore the increase in dose.

 

[MBB]

Currently weekly dose is split into two. Current dose is too low and I am barely feeling any results from it, therefore the increase in dose.

Do you have blood work to show that your levels are still low? There could be other issues involved. I for one have still had issues even with my T levels good due to other issues which are now being addressed and am starting to see some small improvements.

 

[halfape211]

Not too high for everyone. I've said it before but everybody responds differently. My dose is 280 per week and I stay below the top of range at peak. The most important thing is how you feel.

Exactly right.

I feel like my life is in the toilet at 860. I'm just one of those people who need a higher dose to get rid of Low t symptoms. I wish it were not so. It's a lot harder to get proper TRT when your happiness and wellbeing requires more T than most others.

 

[halfwit]

So I talked my Doctor into increasing my Cyp to 230 per week, cause my current dosage is not fixing my Low T problems. He is worried about the negative effects of long term T levels in the 1300-1400 range (I assume that's the level I'll hit with this dose). He wants frequent blood tests for blood sugars, Chlorestoral in blood; hemocrit, PSA, blood pressure, etc. And that's fine by me as long as I see some relief from low T.

However...., he wants me to inject once per week as he says the negative effects of high T are less with one injection because there are peaks and troughs each week. Also because I will feel better during the higher peaks due to once per week injection.

(I already know the benefits of splitting a weekly injection into two injections and would prefer 2 per week.)

Is there anyone here that knows if this is fact or fiction???

I was also wondering if my BW would show lower T if (1) on one per week injections and (2) taken just before next injection, than in a twice a week protocol?? Perhaps he's looking to keep my T numbers lower on paper, just so my file looks more normal??

I've never seen any increased measure of safety by weekly injections outside the lower risk of injection complications. However it is a fact that weekly injections will give you higher peaks and troughs, which in turn cause spikes in estradiol. These spikes make management of estrogen related sides more difficult and can easily outweigh the risks posed by bi-weekly injections.

The two sides of this coin would be that you will have a flatter and more even profile, but if your doc is indeed trying to keep your paperwork in range may want that lower trough on blood work. With that said, how long have you been on trt?

If you are just starting out, it will take time (it took me about a year) before you might see all the benefits. While I am very open minded when it comes to different therapies, I doubt you'll notice much of a difference between 1000ng/dL and 1300ng/dL. My next question is how are your existing estradiol levels?

Many doctors are quick to toss the testosterone at us, but become quite reluctant to address the fact that as test increases, so does estrogen. Many find that they are not quite feeling as they should with fantastic test levels, only to find they are also sporting estradiol levels rivaling that of pregnant women. I would look there first, as going supraphysiological can present its own challenges.

My 0.02c

 

[halfape211]

Do you have blood work to show that your levels are still low? There could be other issues involved. I for one have still had issues even with my T levels good due to other issues which are now being addressed and am starting to see some small improvements.

Recent TT level was 860 and I feel absolutely miserable. Life is the terrible at present dose and present TT level. Anyone with severe Low T symptoms before they started TRT should have an idea of what I'm talking about. Recently I took a double dose and I felt great for about a week, so I know sufficient T will do the job, I just need enough.

 

[halfape211]

Halfwit;
Started TRT 8 months ago. I felt absolutely nothing for 6 months. Nothing until my dose hit 150 per week and then only very limited suspension of Low T symptoms. My E2 was low a few weeks ago so I halfed my Anastrozole. I wish I had low E symptoms because its easier to fix, then to try to get more T. I understand what you're saying, but def not low E symptoms; it's low T symptoms. Believe me, My doctor is very very hard to get an increase of T out of. It's been 8 months of living in pure hell for me and finally he's going to let me try out this higher level.

Appreciate your help.

 

[halfape211]

Anybody have any answers to the two questions I asked in my first post in this thread??

 

[MBB]

In answer to your first question, I believe this is just this guys opinion. From everything I've read and heard more frequent dosing provides a more stable and safe flux of hormones. Remember the body has peaks and troughs of T every day, so by dosing exogenous T more frequently you'll be more closely replicating what the body naturally dose. That is why some people dose small amounts SubQ ED in an attempt to replicate the bodies natural rhythms. I can't see how more frequent dosing (hence trying to replicate what the body does naturally) can be worse than one big dose every 7 days. The large peak and troughs from this style of dose leads to an increase in aromatization and we all know the health detriments of elevated E.

 

[halfape211]

Anybody have any answers to the two questions I asked in my first post in this thread??

 

[Alpin]

Recent TT level was 860 and I feel absolutely miserable. Life is the terrible at present dose and present TT level. Anyone with severe Low T symptoms before they started TRT should have an idea of what I'm talking about. Recently I took a double dose and I felt great for about a week, so I know sufficient T will do the job, I just need enough.

If u feel miserable at 860 then T is not your problem.
Something else is causing it.

 

[Alpin]

Halfwit;
Started TRT 8 months ago. I felt absolutely nothing for 6 months. Nothing until my dose hit 150 per week and then only very limited suspension of Low T symptoms. My E2 was low a few weeks ago so I halfed my Anastrozole. I wish I had low E symptoms because its easier to fix, then to try to get more T. I understand what you're saying, but def not low E symptoms; it's low T symptoms. Believe me, My doctor is very very hard to get an increase of T out of. It's been 8 months of living in pure hell for me and finally he's going to let me try out this higher level.

Appreciate your help.

If u included HCG into your protocol u might feel better without increasing the T.

 

[halfwit]

Anybody have any answers to the two questions I asked in my first post in this thread??

I answered your questions and truly doubt that you'll see a benefit you're after by going to supraphysiological levels of testosterone. I am speaking from experience as well as the fact that I've spent almost 5 years researching the hell out of androgen therapy. I have studied everything from peer-reviewed papers to research observations in clinical settings to ideas posted by those respected in the TRT community. If you can find someone with a definitive answer as to why it would pose a greater risk, I am most certainly all ears.

Keep in mind, the medical community still posts warnings for androgen replacement therapy due to the aromatization of the hormone into estradiol, not the delivered hormone itself. I sincerely believe that your doctor wants to keep himself out of trouble by asking you get blood tests at the very bottom of your trough once you proceed with a dose that puts you at greater values of testosterone than many in the community would "allow".

I have had total testosterone values all the way from 128ng/dL to nearly 10,000ng/dL. I have experienced estradiol values ranging from 6pg/mL to roughly 600pg/mL - so I think I have a pretty good idea on what (granted, we are all different) feels like what. I am currently on a TRT protocol of 250mg/wk, which is split into two 125mg doses every 3.5 days as those troughs at day 6 start to feel like coming down from a euphoric "high" into a dark and painful crash. Whatever your doctor is smoking, I'd like some.

On the other hand, you have a doctor that is prescribing an AI and is willing to work with you on doses even though you are at the upper end of total testosterone values. Perhaps it isn't the testosterone, but something else (I developed diabetes, pre-hypothyroidism, and adrenal issues from 10 years of hypogonadism) that still ails you. I would certainly suggest you perhaps look in the direction of SHBG issues or possibly other links in the HPTA chain such as cortisol poisoning or even adrenal fatigue.

As Apollon stated:

If u feel miserable at 860 then T is not your problem.
Something else is causing it.

I'm inclined to agree. Then again, please feel free to embark on this journey and let us know how things develop.

My .02c

 

[halfape211]

I answered your questions and truly doubt that you'll see a benefit you're after by going to supraphysiological levels of testosterone. I am speaking from experience as well as the fact that I've spent almost 5 years researching the hell out of androgen therapy. I have studied everything from peer-reviewed papers to research observations in clinical settings to ideas posted by those respected in the TRT community. If you can find someone with a definitive answer as to why it would pose a greater risk, I am most certainly all ears.

Keep in mind, the medical community still posts warnings for androgen replacement therapy due to the aromatization of the hormone into estradiol, not the delivered hormone itself. I sincerely believe that your doctor wants to keep himself out of trouble by asking you get blood tests at the very bottom of your trough once you proceed with a dose that puts you at greater values of testosterone than many in the community would "allow".

I have had total testosterone values all the way from 128ng/dL to nearly 10,000ng/dL. I have experienced estradiol values ranging from 6pg/mL to roughly 600pg/mL - so I think I have a pretty good idea on what (granted, we are all different) feels like what. I am currently on a TRT protocol of 250mg/wk, which is split into two 125mg doses every 3.5 days as those troughs at day 6 start to feel like coming down from a euphoric "high" into a dark and painful crash. Whatever your doctor is smoking, I'd like some.

On the other hand, you have a doctor that is prescribing an AI and is willing to work with you on doses even though you are at the upper end of total testosterone values. Perhaps it isn't the testosterone, but something else (I developed diabetes, pre-hypothyroidism, and adrenal issues from 10 years of hypogonadism) that still ails you. I would certainly suggest you perhaps look in the direction of SHBG issues or possibly other links in the HPTA chain such as cortisol poisoning or even adrenal fatigue.

As Apollon stated:

I'm inclined to agree. Then again, please feel free to embark on this journey and let us know how things develop.

My .02c

Good reply. You answered my questions and gave me some possible solutions if I don't feel better in a few weeks of higher T.

I'm basing my opinion that I need more T on six things: (1) Until my dose reached 150 mg per week, I felt nothing. It might as well have been water (2) At 150 per week I'm at 860 and the low T symptoms I've had for the past few years are only slightly improved (3) A couple weeks ago I took a dose of 300mg to avoid carrying needles and such to some '3rd world ' countries, not expecting any improvement. To my surprise. I realized after a few days that I had been having improvement in cognition, memory, grumpyness etc. Within about a week of the injection, I returned being grumpy, impatient and all the crappy stuff that goes with Low T, (4) On this site it has been said that some people feel nothing at 700 (5) on this site there are many who need in excess of 200mg per week and (6) the most healthy range is from 800-1200 so 1300-1400 is not that high.

Everyone is different, Some find relief at 700 and others at 1600. If I end up at 1300-1400, it's not that far off 1200 and that's an if. I sincerely appreciate everyone's help and opinions. And I'm going to look into the things Halfwit brought up. I have to check this possibility out for awhile to see if it works.

If this does not work for me, I'll be whining for some help, lol.

 

[halfape211]

If u included HCG into your protocol u might feel better without increasing the T.

Thanks Apollon, I know nothing about HCG. But I may need to look into HCG if this increase in T does not work out.
For now, I have to give this increase in T a try.

 

[Alpin]

Thanks Apollon, I know nothing about HCG. But I may need to look into HCG if this increase in T does not work out.
For now, I have to give this increase in T a try.

When I was on TRT I was at a higher level of T as well.
But I was not on HCG. Imo if u include small amounts of HCG you might feel it does something for you.
I thinl when you are on solo TRT you would need a higher level of T cause you are not backfilling the pathways you have shut down. I know from personal experience that being in the 800 range for TT myself with small amounts of HCG made a world of difference as opposed to just being at 1200 ng TT and only on T.