Former AAS-User (last cycle ended 3 years ago). testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may be needed. Advice appreciated

[lionhead]

Former AAS-User (last cycle ended 3 years ago). TRT may be needed. Advice appreciated

Hi guys,

I havent been on ology in ages, hope everyone is alive and well. My last cycle ended 3 years ago and since ive been natural and really struggling with being tired all the time and not having any sex drive the last 2.5 years. So last year (about 1 year ago) I decided to get bloodwork done and these were my results:

June 2012:
S-Testosterone: 8.9 nmol/L
S-Testosterone bioactive: (free) 5.0 nmol/L
S-SHBG: 16 nmol/L
S-FSH: 0.8 E/L
S-LH: 1.2 E/L

So it took a while (about 4months) before my GP sent me to an andrologist (here in sweden there are very few).
He did another set of bloodwork with the same result (no change in fsh or lh or testosterone).
So he decided to put me on 3 months of Nolvadex @ 20 mg/d to help with the recovery. This was in October 2012.

During the nolvadex treatment he did no tests and also I have not yet been called back to see him since our "great" free healthcare here is slow as HELL. So I took it upon myself to get bloodwork done last week, which is exactly 3 months after my nolvadex treatment. The results were as follows:

S-Testosterone: 12 nmol/L (rise of 3 since before nolvadex)
S-Testosterone bioactive: (free) 5.0 nmol/L (same)
S-FSH: 0.9 (rise of 0.1) E/L
S-LH: 2.4 (rise of 1.2) E/L

Given these results, and me being off any juice the last 3 years, what are your thoughts and experiences? What would an american doctor prescribe me? Is my pituitary gland fried? Should I just wait or am I eligible for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)? I am 27 years old.

My Cycle history:
was on testosterone year round the last 2 years before I quit. The doses were about 1000 mg to 1250 mg a week with periods of going down to 500 mg/w. The only brand I used were ICN galenika.


Thanks in advance and sorry I do not know how to translate these results to your measurement units.

 

[SolomonGrundy]

i think there are restart programs that can get you back Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and clomid would be a better route

 

[lionhead]

i think there are restart programs that can get you back Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and clomid would be a better route

Ok, Might I ask what you base that on?(im trying gather as much info as I can)

 

[halfwit]

I don't know why your doc isn't trying something to kickstart that LH signal, which is where I'm guessing bhrees is heading. Have you had your pituitary gland looked at?

 

[SolomonGrundy]

Ok, Might I ask what you base that on?(im trying gather as much info as I can)

yup, LH and FSH are needed ( hcg) and clomid is also a great test booster , thats why its always used in pct

 

[lionhead]

I don't know why your doc isn't trying something to kickstart that LH signal, which is where I'm guessing bhrees is heading. Have you had your pituitary gland looked at?

Hi, my doc did some progesterone, estradiol and some other tests to see if there is something wrong with my pituitary gland, he said since those tests were normal there was no indication of a tumour or anything else wrong with my pituitary gland.

 

[lionhead]

yup, LH and FSH are needed ( hcg) and clomid is also a great test booster , thats why its always used in pct

When I first met him he gave me a shot of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and did some tests to fully bomb my system, he gave me some medication and 15 minutes later drew blood, he repeated this 6 times over the course of 2 hours. Then he said my balls responded adequate. I read a bit on Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and later told him why not try to Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) for a couple of months? He said that Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) would shut down my pituitary gland even more and that would hinder any recovery, thats why he put me on nolva for 3 months. I emailed him all the tests I ran a couple of days ago and im waiting to see his response. But since my FSH has not changed the last 3 years (especially the last 6 months, during my doc treated me with nolva, I would say my pituitary is fried?

 

[lionhead]

When I first met him he gave me a shot of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and did some tests to fully bomb my system, he gave me some medication and 15 minutes later drew blood, he repeated this 6 times over the course of 2 hours. Then he said my balls responded adequate. I read a bit on Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and later told him why not try to Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) for a couple of months? He said that Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) would shut down my pituitary gland even more and that would hinder any recovery, thats why he put me on nolva for 3 months. I emailed him all the tests I ran a couple of days ago and im waiting to see his response. But since my FSH has not changed the last 3 years (especially the last 6 months, during my doc treated me with nolva, I would say my pituitary is fried?

Bumping this thread hoping someone can shed light on what my doc is thinking?

 

[Megatron28]

Bumping this thread hoping someone can shed light on what my doc is thinking?

Like bhrees said, you need to run a good PCT and give it more than six hours to work. If that doesn't work then testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is probably the answer. Give a restart a try before you jump straight into testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) though.

 

[lionhead]

I did about 8 weeks of PCT 3 years ago and another 3 months of nolvadex pct just 3 months ago prescribed by the doc. Would the next course of action be another PCT or testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)? I got some advice from Lindsay here on the board and started looking into HPTA restart programs, have to run it by my doc aswell and see what he says. Whats bothering me is that some people say that those hpta restart programs only temporarily give good numbers on your bloodwork, and that is a couple of weeks to months after youve run it, and then you are back where you started. I just hope it will work for me, I dont like the fact to be on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) but if that is my only option to feel normal again then so be it.

 

[Megatron28]

I would listen to Lindsay. She seems to know her stuff and has extensive resources behind her. Pun intended.

If the restart works you won't need TRT. If it doesn't, you will be back where you currently are at. At which time testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) would be the proper course of action. What's the harm trying one last time to get your natty T restored?

Have you tried clomid?

 

[lionhead]

I would listen to Lindsay. She seems to know her stuff and has extensive resources behind her. Pun intended.

If the restart works you won't need TRT. If it doesn't, you will be back where you currently are at. At which time testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) would be the proper course of action. What's the harm trying one last time to get your natty T restored?

Have you tried clomid?

Thanks for your input man, yeah im grateful for Lindsays input and I will run it by my doc. About Nolva, I used to run always through my cycles at about 10 mg ED to EOD since i was prone to Gyno (at +1 gram it was a necessity). Back then I didnt have any issues with nolva at all but this last time 3 months ago it was a hell of a ride. Got anxiety and sleeping issues through the roof. Clomid I ran once before but I got some eye issues (temporary thank god) and I have never ran it since, and never will.
But Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) I would like to try out more since I responded so good to it, only problem is that doc thinks Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) treatment will shut down my pituitary even more. Is that true?

 

[Megatron28]

Thanks for your input man, yeah im grateful for Lindsays input and I will run it by my doc. About Nolva, I used to run always through my cycles at about 10 mg ED to EOD since i was prone to Gyno (at +1 gram it was a necessity). Back then I didnt have any issues with nolva at all but this last time 3 months ago it was a hell of a ride. Got anxiety and sleeping issues through the roof. Clomid I ran once before but I got some eye issues (temporary thank god) and I have never ran it since, and never will.
But Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) I would like to try out more since I responded so good to it, only problem is that doc thinks Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) treatment will shut down my pituitary even more. Is that true?

He has an MD whereas I do not.