I have a few questions about TRT, drug testing, competitions etc.

[rinkerx]

I joined to maybe get some insight on TRT a little more than what my Dr. is saying anyways.

I feel like she doesn't understand a whole lot about it?

Anyways
I was feeling pretty bad and I knew something has been wrong with me since my teen years (25 now) so I went and had some blood tests done. The dr told me that I had two things wrong with me my thyroid and my test levels. She started me off by putting me on a Synthroid for my thyroid she said this was most likely what was causing my test levels to be low? (My research begged to differ but I'm not a doctor so I trusted her)

After months of taking Synthroid and still feeling like shit she put me on TRT 200mg injection once bi weekly and that's it nothing for estrogen or anything like that. My test levels went from 215 to 375 and still climbing, She wants to keep them between 400-500. When they reach that point she wants to continue giving me the injections on a monthly basis of the same dose.

So a few things I don't understand:

Is 400-500 good levels for my test at age 25?

Shouldn't I be getting other lab tests done with my testosterone level checks?

Bi-Weekly seems to be alright? but once a month seems to long? I read testosterone's half-life is 7-10 days?

I've also been into powerlifting for quite a while and finally am considering going to a meet but I'm worried I will get disqualified for taking testosterone? it is a drug free meet.

I'm really new to this and I would appreciate any advice anyone would have for me.

 

[Alpin]

Did you take any Steroids in the past ?
why Test shots and not a restart, or any HCG or clomid ?
Are you secondary or primary hypogonadal ?
ever had a sleep study done?
what are your LH/FSH levels ?
She wants a "trough" or "peak" level of 400-500 ?

 

[rinkerx]

Did you take any Steroids in the past ?
why Test shots and not a restart, or any HCG or clomid ?
Are you secondary or primary hypogonadal ?
ever had a sleep study done?
what are your LH/FSH levels ?
She wants a "trough" or "peak" level of 400-500 ?

Never took any steroids in the past
I don't know why shots? she wanted to try androgel but my insurance wouldnt cover it. No idea why nothing for E?
Not really sure
Never had a sleep study done
I have no idea
trough I always get tested before I get injected

I literally try and get information but I don't know what to even ask? She did a bunch of blood tests on me to determine why I was feeling weird before I started TRT and ever since I started I just get one blood test every 6 weeks, I call or they call and tell me what my free test levels are.

 

[Mprtz]

I joined to maybe get some insight on TRT a little more than what my Dr. is saying anyways.

I feel like she doesn't understand a whole lot about it?

Anyways
I was feeling pretty bad and I knew something has been wrong with me since my teen years (25 now) so I went and had some blood tests done. The dr told me that I had two things wrong with me my thyroid and my test levels. She started me off by putting me on a Synthroid for my thyroid she said this was most likely what was causing my test levels to be low? (My research begged to differ but I'm not a doctor so I trusted her)

After months of taking Synthroid and still feeling like shit she put me on TRT 200mg injection once bi weekly and that's it nothing for estrogen or anything like that. My test levels went from 215 to 375 and still climbing, She wants to keep them between 400-500. When they reach that point she wants to continue giving me the injections on a monthly basis of the same dose.

So a few things I don't understand:

Is 400-500 good levels for my test at age 25?

Shouldn't I be getting other lab tests done with my testosterone level checks?

Bi-Weekly seems to be alright? but once a month seems to long? I read testosterone's half-life is 7-10 days?

I've also been into powerlifting for quite a while and finally am considering going to a meet but I'm worried I will get disqualified for taking testosterone? it is a drug free meet.

I'm really new to this and I would appreciate any advice anyone would have for me.

Bi-weekly has become ambiguous. If you mean "every two weeks" (which I think you do) then, no, that is still too far apart for injections.
If you mean "twice a week" then, yes, that is ok.

You won't have anything resembling stable levels with shots every 14 days.

Your doctor doesn't seem all that well informed, and you are very young to be needing TRT. I think you should seek out a specialist.

 

[Megatron28]

Yes, having a messed up thyroid can affect your testosterone levels. Makes sense that you addressed that first.

Were you diagnosed as primary or secondary hypogonadal? If secondary, did you ever discuss doing a "restart" with her? I would certainly want to try it at age 25.

If 400-500 is the targeted trough level, you have to keep in mind that you most likely would be well of 1000 at your peak on 200mg once every 14 days. You would probably be at supra physiological levels actually. It is better to keep your TT levels more even. Being on that roller coaster ride is bad for you. Injecting 50mg every 3.5 days would be better.

Here is some more reading that you can do.

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

 

[rinkerx]

Yes, having a messed up thyroid can affect your testosterone levels. Makes sense that you addressed that first.

Were you diagnosed as primary or secondary hypogonadal? If secondary, did you ever discuss doing a "restart" with her? I would certainly want to try it at age 25.

If 400-500 is the targeted trough level, you have to keep in mind that you most likely would be well of 1000 at your peak on 200mg once every 14 days. You would probably be at supra physiological levels actually. It is better to keep your TT levels more even. Being on that roller coaster ride is bad for you. Injecting 50mg every 3.5 days would be better.

Here is some more reading that you can do.

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

I just feel like I don't know enough about it to question her, so I feel kinda lost at this point.

I will get my original blood work results that tested a bunch of stuff to see if I am secondary or primary I need to call monday

and yes Bi-weekly I meant once every 2 weeks, and when my levels are "within range" she wants to go once every month

 

[Mprtz]

...she wants to go once every month

I hate to make absolute statements, but test cyp once a month is a recipe for failure.
That's roughly 5 half-lives, meaning you will be down to about 3% of peak levels by the end of the month.
Possibly you are her first TRT patient.

 

[rinkerx]

I think I'm her second in all honesty, I don't want to go in and throw a bunch of stuff in her face that i learned on the internet?

I do want to ask about doing self injections but I get them right above my glutes and she said "I wouldn't be able to give them to myself"

 

[Mprtz]

I think I'm her second in all honesty, I don't want to go in and throw a bunch of stuff in her face that i learned on the internet?

I do want to ask about doing self injections but I get them right above my glutes and she said "I wouldn't be able to give them to myself"

I understand that's a difficult situation. Lots of guys here do inject glutes. I find it too awkward, but there are other IM injection sites like quads.

A bunch of guys' opinions on a steroid forum are not going to impress her much, but maybe you can use the info to find bona fide medical articles that back some of these things up. It's going to be an uphill battle with her for sure. Is this doctor really your only option?

 

[Billegitimate]

Hey, just a quick post on terms: bi-(timespan) means once every 2 times that span. Semi-(timespan) means twice during that span.

Bi-weekly is once every two weeks, semi-weekly is twice a week.
Bi-annual is once every two years, semi-annual is twice a year.


Etc.

Easiest way to remember is the time is always the distance between events. So bi-weekly puts two weeks between. Semi-weekly puts a semi-week (let's call it a half week) between. The bi or semi is never how many events, it's always modifier on the time unit.

 

[rinkerx]

I could try and go to another doctor but I'm in-between jobs right now and have no insurance, the dr I go to now put me on a sliding fee scale until I start work. I'm sure I could find another dr with this scale but they are just family doctors no one who really specializes in hormones.

How would I even go about finding a different doctor who knows more about it? just asking them? or is it just trial and error?

 

[Megatron28]

Read the third one from the bottom on hypogonadism. Bring it with you on you next visit with relevant parts highlighted.

https://www.aace.com/publications/guidelines


Read the Basic TRT Overview I gave you. This will help you understand hypogonadism better.


More reading for a better understanding.

Chapter 253 ? THE TESTIS AND MALE SEXUAL FUNCTION


And here is another one.

A Harvard expert shares his thoughts on testosterone-replacement therapy - Harvard Prostate Knowledge - Harvard Health Publications


This should have you better informed when you go in for your next visit. One last tip. I personally find that some doctors don't like being told what to do until you have developed a good relationship with them. I find that the Socratic Method works best. For example, ask about how half lives in drugs work. And then question whether injecting once a month would work well for a drug with a 5-7 day half life.

 

[rinkerx]

I read all of the basic TRT overview I'll check the other ones out, even if I talk her into letting me inject at home she would still expect me to do it every 2 weeks? how would I get enough supplies to inject every week? wouldn't she be weird if I ask for extra syringes.

I appreciate all the advice I feel like maybe I should of read into this a bit more before agreeing to start the injections now after gaining some knowledge on it I would of chose a different route at the start, but I'm in to deep already.

 

[Megatron28]

Not being allowed to inject at home myself would be a deal breaker for me. You need to demand that.

You just need a prescription for needles/syringes and you can get them at your pharmacy. Tell the pharmacy you would prefer to buy a box of 100 because it is cheaper and you prefer not going to the pharmacy all the time. There are places to order them online too.

 

[Mprtz]

Hey, just a quick post on terms: bi-(timespan) means once every 2 times that span. Semi-(timespan) means twice during that span.

Bi-weekly is once every two weeks, semi-weekly is twice a week.
Bi-annual is once every two years, semi-annual is twice a year.


Etc.

Easiest way to remember is the time is always the distance between events. So bi-weekly puts two weeks between. Semi-weekly puts a semi-week (let's call it a half week) between. The bi or semi is never how many events, it's always modifier on the time unit.

I know that's how it's supposed to work, but the terms bi-weekly and bi-monthly have been corrupted by misuse and are now considered ambiguous by many sources.

 

[rinkerx]

Alright I have 3 more bi-weekly injections before I see the Dr. again, If I do weekly at home its going to show my T levels higher and she's gonna want to lower my dosage heh

 

[Mprtz]

Alright I have 3 more bi-weekly injections before I see the Dr. again, If I do weekly at home its going to show my T levels higher and she's gonna want to lower my dosage heh

Right now she has you on 200mg every two weeks, right?
Individuals vary, but that might put you at 1500 peak and drop to 400 trough.

Then what, say she's happy with 400 and then wants to do 400mg every 4 weeks? or 200mg every 4 weeks?

Targeting 400-500 is more than a little conservative for someone your age and suggests to me that she is fundamentally hostile to the treatment. Do you look like a powerlifter? That might be hurting you with her. She's so guarded about being used by someone to supply them steroids that she's going to make sure to err on the side of too little. Of course this is just speculation on my part.

If you really need to stick with her and want your treatment to work you might have to end up playing games with your dosing interval leading up to blood testing. Not an ideal situation by any means.

 

[Billegitimate]

I know that's how it's supposed to work, but the terms bi-weekly and bi-monthly have been corrupted by misuse and are now considered ambiguous by many sources.

Gotcha! Like the people who only ate plants getting pissed and making up "vegan" because vegetarians who ate fish and other animals kinda ruined the word.

 

[rinkerx]

Right now she has you on 200mg every two weeks, right?
Individuals vary, but that might put you at 1500 peak and drop to 400 trough.

Then what, say she's happy with 400 and then wants to do 400mg every 4 weeks? or 200mg every 4 weeks?

Targeting 400-500 is more than a little conservative for someone your age and suggests to me that she is fundamentally hostile to the treatment. Do you look like a powerlifter? That might be hurting you with her. She's so guarded about being used by someone to supply them steroids that she's going to make sure to err on the side of too little. Of course this is just speculation on my part.

If you really need to stick with her and want your treatment to work you might have to end up playing games with your dosing interval leading up to blood testing. Not an ideal situation by any means.

I mean I somewhat do you can tell I have muscle mass but I'm not enormous I am though about 225 at 5'10 but I don't think she thinks that I'm using her to get PED's

I didn't talk with her about the dosage but I assume 200mg every 4 weeks if i was picking up what she was saying

 

[Mprtz]

I mean I somewhat do you can tell I have muscle mass but I'm not enormous I am though about 225 at 5'10 but I don't think she thinks that I'm using her to get PED's

I didn't talk with her about the dosage but I assume 200mg every 4 weeks if i was picking up what she was saying

The reason I ask is that it doesn't make any sense. If 200mg every 2 weeks gives you acceptable trough levels, then switching to the same dose every 4 weeks is pretty much guaranteed not to.
Alternatively, doubling the dose and the interval 400mg/4wks doesn't make much sense either - that would be an unusual amount to inject for TRT and result in a big spike followed by weeks of decline - really the opposite of what you want.