Minimum TRT Dosage Questions

[Sixgunner]

I am new to the forum and new to TRT. I have been tested with subpar results three times over the past five years or so, but I finally took the step. My most recent test came back with a TT of 214 ng/dl. My doctor is a small town doctor and I typically see one of his nurse practitioners. It’s a great place to go when you have a cold, but I don’t trust that they are incredible knowledgeable on this subject. I was prescribed a dose of 50 mg of injectable test cypionate every two weeks and I just took my first 50mg shot. From what I have read here and other places this is a very low dose and may actually be worse with a rollercoaster effect. So, here are my questions:

1) What would be a minimum acceptable dose? I would prefer to do a weekly (or shorter) dose.
2) What is the earliest I should be retested to see what impact the treatment is having? I want to get a test as soon as I can to see how the treatment is going, but I’m guessing it takes a few weeks.

 

[tbonexl]

Unfortunately going thru some doctors for trt can take awhile to get everything dialed in. It looks like they are starting you off low to see how you physically respond and will most likely pull bloodwork. I can't guess exactly when they will but you will be getting dialed in for awhile. Could be as soon as 6 months or as long as 24 months. All depends on the doctor's protocol.
Be fortunate that they are willing to do trt. It's still fairly new as far as being used by doctors. Most won't mess with it in small towns and you are stuck either doing it yourself or travelling to a bigger city.
I couldn't tell you what a minimum dose would be. That is person specific. We are all different shapes and sizes with various ages. Too many variables to put it into generic terms. I would let the doc do their thing and give them any type of feedback you can to help the process.

 

[Virginian]

A minimum acceptable dose is about 100 mg/week. A few people are satisfied with a little less than that (maybe 80 mg/week), but most are not.

At your dose of 50 mg every 2 weeks, you will probably not raise your TT levels at all. Your hormone system seems to have set your TT level at about 200 ng/dl. When it detects the injected test, it will just lower your natural production to keep your TT level at 200.

Injecting once every 2 weeks is not enough. I cannot remember anyone saying that once every 2 weeks worked for them. Some people are satisfied with weekly injections. Most people prefer 2 times/week.

Will you be self-injecting? Going to a doctor's office twice a week would get tiresome pretty quickly. Really, self-injecting is the only reasonable way to go.

I don't like injections, so I use a thin short needle - 29 gauge, 1/2 inch - and do a shallow IM injection in my thigh.

I inject about 80 mg every 4 days (equivalent to 140 mg/week). That puts my TT at about 1000 mg/dl just before an injection. That is higher TT than most people would get from that dose, but I weigh only 145 lbs. I like the higher TT levels. I get good benefits without adverse side effects.

I think the earliest you should should get a blood test is 2 weeks after your second injection. You will not have reached final equilibrium, but you will probably find your TT is no higher than when you started TRT. That's all you need to know.

 

[scorob777]

With test cyp you won't reach stable blood levels until after 8 weeks, so blood testing before then won't tell you much.

50 every 2 weeks is grounds to fire your doctor, read up on this forum to see how it should be done.

 

[Mycelium]

A rough number I've seen mentioned a couple times puts natural test at least 70mg a week.

70mg of injected test is not actually 70 mg of testoserone because the different esters: enanthate, cypionate ect, add to the weight ever so slightly. 70 mg injected = say 65mg or something.

Our bodies release test daily. Daily ups and down. When injecting it our body quits pricing as much and none at all if enough testoserone is injected. 100mg per week is pretty low. I'm on 200mg test cyp per week. I feel pretty normal. I'm definitely not "on a cycle".

I like 2 injections a week but a weekly injection is ok also. 2 weeks between is a pretty longtime. Finding the right dose andbthey right spacing so your peak is not to high and your low isn't low T levels is where we try to get.

 

[Sixgunner]

With test cyp you won't reach stable blood levels until after 8 weeks, so blood testing before then won't tell you much.

50 every 2 weeks is grounds to fire your doctor, read up on this forum to see how it should be done.

Thanks! You guys have confirmed what I have learned on this site. I'm pretty comfortable with the idea that going to 50MG every 4 days is not going to kill me, in spite of the dr.'s orders. Then I will get into the dr. office for a blood test at 8 weeks and, once the results are back, I let them know what I have been doing. If they don't agree to a satisfactory plan, I'll go to a specialist that will.

 

[Slhardee]

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

Read the sticky. 100 mg per week is generally a lower dose. Most will take their dose every 3.5 days, if taking testosterone Cypionate.

 

[LateStart]

My doctor likes to start everyone at 100mg per week. He will test 3 to 4 days after the shot on week #8 and see if your level is high normal. He wants to see 1000 or so for a high normal on day 3.5
That's just what my doc does. Not saying it's right or wrong but I like it

If you have trouble getting help with your doc then maybe try someone on here or get help in a bigger town near you.

 

[scorob777]

Just a point of reference for you, 200 mg/wk shot E3.5D puts me at 1,261 TT the morning of the next shot. If you do 50 mg E4D that's 87.5 mg/wk which would put me at 551 ng/dl.

550 TT is a target a lot of conservative docs shoot for because it puts you right in the middle of the range, and isn't high enough to result in bad sides for most, and doesn't require any AI for estrogen control.

Sounds like you are going the self medicated route on top of what your doc recommends. If that's the case think about going 50 mg E3.5D, that would put you just a bit higher and make your shot days fall on the same day every week which is simple. For example I do Saturday morning and Tuesday evening.

Another thing you could think about is triple your first shot to 150 mg, double second to 100 mg, then continue on at 50 mg for all the rest. Front loading like this will shorten the time to hit max blood levels by a couple of weeks, so you'll be stable for a few weeks prior to getting blood testing at week #8. Do your blood testing morning of your next shot, Tuesday morning in my case.

 

[Mycelium]

I like the 3.5 day spacing BECAUSE it's the same days of the week and same time every week. Monday morning and Thursday evening. Roughly 8-10 am/pm depending on what's going on.