Epileptic on TRT personal journal

[Mycelium]

In 2010 I had sexual dysfunction and gyno. VA tested TT. 560 and said "Normal range. Good bye." It dropped to low 400s by 2013 and has stayed there. Day 1 doing 500iu hCG and 200mg test a 1 mg Ana split twice a week. Monday morning and Thursday Evening. Whole vile of hCG preloaded and froze to be thawed as needed. I'll get my labs all typed up and loaded.

Shout out to IncresemyT. I exchanged like 27 emails before and during the hurricane. Even with the hurricane it was 10 days and I was holding my meds. If I would have acted faster I woukd have beat the storm.

 

[Vickers23]

Will be following this one with interest - thanks for sharing

 

[Mycelium]

I have another thread about epileptics and hormones. Bullet notes.

Epilepsy itself can cause hormone issues. 40% of men with epilepsy have low testosterone levels. From the epilepsy itself, specifically temporal lobe epilepsy, the drugs used to treat epilepsy and a seizure cab alter the HPTA. "MEN with Epilepsy", Epilepsy Foundation of E. Pennsylvania.

55% of epileptic men have at least 1 form of sexual dysfuntion. "Hormonal Aspects of Epilepsy" ncbi.nlm.gov

Epileptics can reasonably expect increased SHBG levels. Increased E2 levels, sexual dysfuntion associated with low androgen levels. Testosterone tobdecrease faster with age. "Sex Hormones and Epilepsy: No longer just for women." ncbi.nig.gov

Anti-epileptic drugs can Inhibit the leydig cells testosterone production. "Enzyme induction" of the p-450 enzymes deal with and clear BOTH the medications AND testosterone. Lead tobfaster clearing of testosterone. Induce liver production of SHBG. Anti-epileptic drugs can induce aromatase enzyme production leading to increased E2, which can raise SHBG level. "Male Sexuality/Reproduction and AEDs" epilepsy.com article written by doctors and referenced.

I've dug out my detailed labs and Will get them all posted up. Most detailed and current is June 2016.


Labs. If I didn't list something give me an abbreviation or code to look for. They took like 4 vials of blood.

Urine Creatinine Random: 39.2 mg/dL - 0-20 range
Glucose 117 mg/dl
WBC: 7.5 K/uL - 4-11 range
RBC: 4.88 M/uL - 4-6 range
HGB: 14.6 g/dL - 12.5-17 range
HCT: 43% - 37-50 range
Total cholesterol: 161mg/dL - 150-200 range
Triglycerides: 177 mg/dL (high) - 0-150 range
HDL: 55 mg/dL - 40-110 range
LDL: 89 mg/dL - 0-100 range
CHOL/HDL Ratio: 2.9 - 0-5 range
LDL/HDL Ratio: 1.6 - 0-4 range
TSH*IC: 0.85 uIU/mL - 0.30-4.20 range
Total Protein: 6.6 g/dL - 6-8 range

Looking at old labs. When I was on a med and had the lowest TT (395) and highest LH (5.8) I have high LDL readings. My hypothesis is lowered testicle testoserone production. I had the second highest E2 reading of 30 pg/mL.

 

[Mycelium]

Some things that can be placebo/real. . . .

so far feeling calmer. Trying to observe myself it's actually self confidence. A general sense of inferiority has plagued me. I had a mind frame of "survive" not "thrive". Im not the baddest or the best but Ive always succeeded at anything I applied myself to. The calm/well being can be placebo, real, or possibly just the results of being on TRT and knowing I'm going to get better. My stance is probably both/and. 5 days and 500iu/200mg later some processes have happened but the timelines I have found are only measured in weeks or blood levels at hours.

Testicles seem fuller. I'm no testicle expert but mine are not a sphere. The thickness hasn't changes as much as the circumference. Many meds, both psychiatric and epileptic, have shrunk my nuts so I check them constantly.

Nipple soreness is already down. Another thing I check constantly. Not gone but down.

Erection problems show improvement. No morning wood, spontaneous erections, night wood ect but he at least opens his eyes. I'll get a couple throbs. Ive been able to get erections with my wife the vast majority of times but have failed to orgasm and then he went to sleep in my hands once. I am that horny husband who tries to have sex with his wife like we are in high school. It would tale her being like "i know you have low T but Im feeling pretty unsexy" for me to realize she had been hitting on me and pushing her butt out. With my wife there is definitely increased arousal and a better orgasm. Only way to explain them is mechanical. Masturbation was a no go. I'd get distracted watching porn. Again placebo effect possible but also not likely to be the actual cause. Only partial at best. I'm pretty disconnected. Docs say epilepsy and PTSD. I'm an observer. This all might as well be an acid trip or a movie. My body is a vehicle. Anyway I don't think the placebo effect is strong with me. I'm a very "ok . . . I'll see".

Injection soreness is basically nonexistent. The first hCG left a sore spot but I just shoved it in. Butt cheeks. I'm skinny and gangly enough it's pretty easy. Preparing the hCG to freeze isn't hard but I lost some. Any recommendations on the air bubbles getting trapped during loading? Last thing Ibwamted to do was set my loading syringe down to flick an ooen slin-pin. I have grown mushrooms from spores so "sterile procedures" has meaning to me. Im not going to build a flow hood to load my hCG but I wasn't laying it down either. A couple are in the low .4cc range. Couple dead on .5cc.

Appetite is up. I'm intentionally eating more also. Why TRT if I'm not going to do other things right? In the morning eating can make me feel sick. Till about 2pm I have a full feeling. Probably the coffee I slam to fight off the sedative effects of clobazam. I also lowered my coffee. I'm tired but better than pre-TRT.

The longest part was loading the hCG. I don't want to have to explain TRT to the kids just yet so standing around with a vial and a needle isn't something I want to do for very long. Using the sticky in this forum my hCG thawed in the cupboard by my vitamins and pill container in the time it took my coffee to brew. Alcohol swipe-pinch ass cheek-inject-alcohol swipe done.

Test is easy. Takes as long to grab the syringe, vial, needle and alcohol pads as it does to pull it or inject it. Takes me a while but I only use firm pressure. Let it go as it goes. I'm pretty sure I'm in the fat. The longer needle I'm sure I keep deeper because I don't want to pull it out but it's definitely not IM.

I have noticed after the test I have more spit. Not drooling or anything just like when you smell something good. That could be placebo. It's barely noticeable.

I've also noticed I'm warmer. No. . . Not hot flashes! I would shiver walking through the refrigerated section. Jeans and a hoodie when it's 75. It's 90 and I have my windows cracked because the A.C. was to cold. Something I didn't expect.

 

[Mycelium]

Weights taken in the morning before food and after morning porcelain throne time. I've worked back and think I was eating between 1200-1800 calories day. The vast majority at dinner. I've been on 2,800 per day. I don't track anything else right now. I take a multivitamin. My diet is basically oatmeal, peanut butter or lunchmeat sandwiches, milk and dinner. Ranges from chicken nuggets to slow cooker roast. I ate a lot more salad before the calorie increase. I wasn't really hungry at dinner last night and the two servings of goulash and garlic bread actually came back up a little with a burp. 800 calorie dinner. What's simply eating more and what's the effects of hormonal changes I don't know.


Weight: +1.8lbs 145.6 - 147.4lbs
Bodyfat: -0.1% 13.7-13.6%
Water: +0.1% 62.9-63%
BMI: +0.3. 20.8-21.1

Using weight and body fat percentage I come to gains of 1.7 lbs in lean mass and 1/10 lb in body fat. I take gaining some fat as a sign I'm eating a surplus. Im not at all concerned with body fat. What a 0.1% increase in water means to pounds gained is above my knowledge. Water retention is very likely but I dont know about that either beyond different AAS and their effects on water retention.

As measured by a Health Meter scale over 1 week.


Any hints or hacks for pre-loading hCG for freezing and trapped bubbles while loading? I tried to push very slow and leaned the slin-pin but all it to was a single drop to trap air in the bottom. I thought about gently taping the slin-pin needle cover on the counter.

 

[scorob777]

Are you sure you are 13.7% body fat? Looks more like 10% in your AVI.

Do you have a target for test and E2 levels you are trying to hit?

 

[Mycelium]

Above my first levels of TT560 and E2 lower than any measurement. All my labs have been taken when I have had low t symptoms. If my levels get into 1,000 I'll probably turn down the doses. I'm going to find a level above 560 but low enough I don't have to be real concerned with side effect. If I go in and I'm 1,100 and all labs are fine I'd stay. Not only that my "seizure threshold", which is basically when my brain has a seizure, can be lowered by hormones. Estrogen is know to "lower seizure threshold" and cause seizures. I've read mix studies on testoserone but many never mention estrogen or AI. Pumping up an epileptic males test and also increasing their estrogen would make seizures more likely. Physical exertion will give me seizures.

I'm not sure on true body fat. It's accuracy is questionable. I've read the ones you stand on only read your legs and my legs are not nearly as defined as my upper body.

You can see my gyno if you look. I was 162 pounds last year with very little abs showing and my gyno wasnt as clear As a side note if I pull my shirt up to just expose them and flex my stomach I look like I have huge pecs!

 

[Mycelium]

Weight said 148.8lbs. Total weight gain in 7 days of 1.5lbs. Body fat reading was 14.2%. Breaks down to just under 1/2 a pound of mass and 1 pound of fat. My wife did say my face is filling out and my cheek bones are going away. Only changed in lifestyle are TRT, less coffee and more food.

When my nipple soreness is gone I'm starting lifting. Based off the last 2 weeks I'd forecast Tuesday or Wednesday this week. 3 days push/pull/legs. A sort of HIT / Dorian Yates/ superset with spotted or negatives on the final. Ive been in martiak arts all my life and mass isnt my bodies games. High volume just exhuast my muscles. There is no keeping 8 reps on the final sets of 4 different exercises. I start dropping reps quickly. If the same weight is used it could be 16/14/10/3. I also can't push to hard because stress hormones and waste ******** can mess with seizures. Ending with a 6 rep, 1 spotted with another negative for intensity has done me the best. Bench press finished with DB flies till form suffers then a couple DB presses for good measure.

Diet is still focused solely on calories. I'm still eating when I'm not hungry. I can eat more before feeling sick and reachi mgf 2500-2800 calories is getting easier physically.

 

[scorob777]

Sounds good amigo. I prescribe more coffee, more salt, more working out, more sex, no alcohol.....

 

[Mycelium]

I'm trying to lower caffine to hopefully have a higher appetite. 2 pots of coffee before 10am. 3 pots before noon sometimes. Haha

Sodium is like 3,000-4000 mg a day. Should I push that higher? That's according to Under Armour app counting my logs.

Working out for sho!!!

Working on more sex. Lust fantasies and penile inflation are all coming back. I was overwhelmed by my wife's ass the other day. She was reaching into a lower cabinet and it was just . . . WOW! It was like a visual punch to the face. Testoserone levels are definitely climbing. That deep feeling an amazing ass has. I just wanted to pounce.

Alcohol is a no go. I realized it doesn't go well with my seizure meds.

 

[scorob777]

Cool... sounds like you already had the coffee and salt covered. Now go give that wife a roll in the hay.

 

[Mycelium]

Day 16 from 1st hCG injection. Something has changed inside because I am hungry!!! I started off struggling to eat my 2500-2800 calories. I'm at 1500 already and feel hunger coming back. I was forcing myself to eat when alarms went off and now I'm eating because my stomach says so and I am running ahead of my scheduled meals.

I woke up and immediately got morning wood. Nothing spectacular or long lasting but he was pumped up enough to stand up and look at me!!

I don't know how TRT treats guys who are over weight and not as skinny as me but yesterday or the day before I had a chaotic morning and at about 1pm I suddenly got cold, felt like I had the flu and there was sweat running down my chest and literally running down my arms from my arm pits. My wife pointed out I hadn't ate. Before TRT I have went an entire day only eating dinner and never had that happen. Lesson learned!!! My only guess is low blood sugars.

Muscle soreness could last a week Before TRT. I did some alligator push ups with the youngest boy and my lat and shoulder muscles got sore. It took only 1 day for the soreness to go away.

Nipple soreness is gone.

Pumping Iron starts today!!!!

Macros are about 90% carbs and fat and 10% protein. I'm getting about 80 grams a days protein to average them out. Lowest was 60 and top was 120 grams. Most are 70-80gs. With weights starting I'm going to push up protein intake.

It feels good to be coming up out of the trough I've been living in.

 

[Mycelium]

One month on. Improved mood. Patience specifically. Less irritation. From the youngest boy not brushing teeth after being told the 5th time over to the idiot who just passed me causing me and on coming to brake just to turn. I'm not sweating the little crap anymore. I just tell the kid a 6th time and hit resume in the c***se control. I've actually laughed. Last time I did that was on gabapebtin when I raised my dose. Short term side effect. Leads to better concentration. I don't feel overwhelmed and I'm not stewing on stupid shit.

Also confidence. In public I don't have the anxious feeling. I'm no infantry dude but I deployed with 1/4 Cav, 1st ID and I moved with them. A bastardized unit. I put more miles on my truck getting my own parts than some drivers I met. I went with a troop of Cav to some pretty rowdy places. Mortars, IEDS/RPG, truck bombs at the gate. MREs. No KBR and actually burning our shit. Anyway. . There are two types of anxiety I experience and seen in Iraq. One is fear of the unknown. The other is a sort of competition anxiety. You've trained what you trained and it's game time. I have hyper-vigilance. One reason I dont like leaving home. Now Im not to worried. Im not scared Ill see some idiot screaming at someone or specifically men yeling at some random woman. I feel like I did a couple years ago when I was off meds and had got back to work. Kinda wish someone would. Im not worried Ill have to do it. I can focus on finding my food and not looking around constantly.

I am definitely hungry. 2,500 calories a day. Fat and carbs make up the majority of my calories (90%) but somedays are mostly carbs and others mostly fat. Protein isn't 1g/lb but I'm usually over 90g and paying more attention to it since eating is easier. I can't go without eating anymore. Stomach says that's a no go and that 1 time I was sweating was enough. I think I'm going to jump up to 3,000 A day adding salad, f***t and vegetables. I eat oatmeal, Peanut butter sandwiches, lunchmeat sandwiches and dinner ranging from homemade chicken stew to frozen Salisbury steak or chicken nuggets. Hardly healthy but I started chasing calories. I'll get healthier now that it's not trying it come back up.


Lifted a couple times in the last 2 weeks. Got pretty sore and recovery was definitely faster than it has been. I've worked my whole body with weights.

Weight: 145.6 -154.2lbs. Up 8.6 pounds.

Bodyfat: 13.7- (13.6-16%) same possibly up. Cheap scale. I woke up and stepped on the scale. 156.4lbs / 13.6% bf. Took a crap and stepped back on. 154.2lbs/ 16% body fat. I did the math and gained 2 pounds of fat while losing 2 pounds of crap. It's consistent with however it's off but I think it's off Haha

Nipple soreness comes and goes. It went away for about a week. The day before and probably 20-30 hours after test/Ana. I'm guessing increased aromiatization. It's still an improvement so I'm not to worried. Home estrogen test kit. I'm not going to ask *IncreasemyT* to raise my dose. I already talked to the doc before starting and agreed some continued nipple soreness was a more acceptable risk than crashing estrogen with more ana. See how my body settles over the next couple months.

 

[Mycelium]

Avatar is day one. This is just now.

 

[scorob777]

I'd say you are looking better. More focused (sorry bad joke). But really, more muscle and just looking a bit healthier.

Good work.

 

[CindBB]

Avatar is day one. This is just now.

how are the sides doing? do you have a bit of gyno?

 

[Mycelium]

I have had night sweats for years but it was my legs. Now its my upper body. I always run warm but the wife said I've been extra warm recently. Kinda weird changing from my legs with shivering to upper body and hot . That's about it.

Yeah I have gyno. It's been developing for years.

 

[Mycelium]

I'd say you are looking better. More focused (sorry bad joke). But really, more muscle and just looking a bit healthier.

Good work.

I have argued TRT is what I need to return to work for the past 3 years at every doctors appointment I've been to. I have it so now I really want to show the doctors I was right. Mentally some is probably related to knowing I'm on TRT. I felt a relief simply holding the box when I got it.

I'm sure a good amount of the weight I've gained is due to eating more and simply refilling my muscles. I've done that in the past a couple times but with far more fat gained and my muscles didn't necessarily get bigger. It also took longer. My original levels ain't to bad so I'm sure I'm into a decent testoserone level even in the trough.

Lifting is awesome. I'm adding reps and weights each time. Nothing spectacular. I did pull today.

DB Pull over 20lbs/40lbs/70lbs
Last workout Reps: 12/12/5
This workout Reps: 15/15/12
DB row 50lbs
Last workout 10 reps
This workout 15 reps
BB curl 60 lbs. Last exercise in a back routine basically
Last workout 7 reps
This workout 8 reps

My heavy bench went from 120lbs 8 reps to 150lbs for 8 reps. I added 2 reps to DB flies on top of the bench increase.

Last time I was lifting I was at about 162lbs. I could bench 210 lbs once, 150lbs 10 times. deadlift 220lbs about 10 times. I mainly focused on keeping sets heavy enough to keep me below 14 reps but above 4 reps. Squats only 100 lbs 10 times. I dont have a squat rack so Im am a little conservative with how hard I push. When my knees start knocking I out thevweigh down and hit extension and leg curls. Deadlifts were last. Changed meds and the weight bench became a storage rack.

I'm pushing hard on weights but not hardcore. Ive gotten sore every workout and thats my goal right now. Get a month lifting and a little more time on TRT and then push it. Add spotted reps, negatives and drop sets.

Push Workout
-------------------------
Slightly inclined bench for 3 warm up sets.
Flat bench all out.
DB Fly w/ DB Press all out
Overhead DB extention all out

Pull Workout
----------------------
DB Pullover couple warm ups and one heavier.
Bent Rows all out
DB row all out
Slightly bent DB shrug all out
Rear Fly till form sucks
BB curl all out

Legs
--------
Squat couple warm ups and a decent set
Xtn/curl all out
Deadlift all out w/calve raises at the end

Very simple and I picked exercises that leave the targeted muscles tired. I have a cheap walmart bench with a 1" bar. It gets it done tho.

When I can fill the bar, clean it to my shoulders, rep out 12 squats and put it down I'll buy new stuff. That would only be about 230lbs. Ivevhad it about 4 years and only maxed the bar deadliftong once or twice.

I have a vague physical goal. My main goal is to man handle 225 lbs like benching and squating it for reps. And deadlift 300 for reps. Figure I should be strong enough for 90% of dudes. I'm guessing a weight of about 170lbs. A very reasonable goal I think

Thanks for tagging along!

 

[Mycelium]

Day 40 so week 6? Test/Ana last night.

Ive noticed the nipple soreness comes at a weird time so its onset is delayed from the time when aromatase is doing it's thing. Sunday is the start of the week & hCG (always mornings). I would start with sore nipples. Before I take my Monday morning shot/ana (8-9am) the soreness will be gone/I have to check for it to feel it. Its fading before I take the AI. It fades and disappears before the day is over. I will be soreness free Tuesday and Wednesday for morning hCG. Wednesday evening/Thursday morning they will be sore but it fades before Test/Ana (8-9pm). I wake up Friday soreness free. This last till Saturday but later in the day. It's almost like nipple soreness is a sign I need hCG. Not literally. I don't mean that literally to anyone resesrching. I'm just saying nipple soreness is around hCG time. Sunday wake up, soreness, hCG repeat. I can't work out when it's happening. My guess is the estrogen comes after the hCG but before the onset of ana with it taking a couple days to register in my tits.

My weight has remained the same despite increased lifts since the last weight posted. Maybe a pound higher if averaged. 154.5-155 lbs. I upped my calories. 3k a day. I had figured out my calorie curve and number of days at what range and even dated them. My overall trend is increased calories and doing it consistently more recently. I'm not gaining fat visually so I don't see any problem adding calories. This month meals and stuff have changed to add more f***ts and salads for health and to get better results. I mostly eat oatmeal, PB sandwiches, lunch meat sandwiches and leftovers. It's the easiest things to eat. Ive been having a bowl of cereal at night a lot. Not sure of that's good or not and what it's a sign of but I cereal. Not really sugary (they are all sugary) Cookie marshmallow types. My craving is captain crunch with berries type. I love it. I'll think about it if I eat say . .a PB sandwich and milk. 5 out of 7 nights about 1-2 hours before bedtime.

Sexual function/fantasy are still getting better. Night woods. Morning woods. Not full blown but enough to need adjusted. I did have a full blown teenage all night once when I got horned up snuggling the wife. I had fell asleep and woke up to turn over and was snuggled up to her amazing ass. BOOM! I rubbed her butt and snuggled her close. If she pushes back I got a green light. She turned over :-( Haha I was sleeping so I fell asleep but I woke up twice because he got himself hung up in my underwear. Ive forgotten how inconvientent boners can be. I dont compare myself to my teen years. I compare myself to when we first got together. I was 30 and it was on all the time. Only on meds have I not masturbated daily. Still don't but I do which is better. In the low days I'd get distracted watching a porn. Didn't want to and he didn't wake up even if I did.

In the last two days my thoughts have changed. I'm usually day dreaming and trying to remember which chore I'm doing or where my coffee is. The last two days I've been obsessed with all my 1/2 finished tasks. Wife doesn't buy clothes. She buys paint . . Flooring. . . New sinks. Figures since I've done it and I'm home she will have me redo our house. It's all been background. Now it's almost irritating me I haven't done it and I feel a need to finish it. Ive been working faster, got ahead on mister mom shit and today I'm Homes on Homes! Working on the house not house work.

Nothing to do with me But my oldest son is impressing me. He/we have talked bout lifting but after school is busy. He gets up at 5:45am 3 times a week and lifts with me. 14 yrs old. I'm trying to teach him why good form leads to better straight and why his friend who deadlifted 280lbs with straight legs is gonna hurt himself. He listens. He said he wanted to lift and I told him that was the best time since there was nothing else going on and I could lift during the day. He does it and hasn't missed a day in 2 weeks. Just proud of him.

Avi as of today. Cold so no pump.

 

[scorob777]

Sounds like things are going well. With test cyp at 6 weeks you probably have a couple more of slightly rising levels before you hit steady state. When are you scheduled for another round of blood testing?