New to This Forum & New to TRT...Need Advice

[insertnamehere]

Hello.

I’ll be starting TRT in about two weeks. My Doctor has experience with TRT, and as far as I can tell at this point, he will prescribe an AI and HCG if necessary. I haven’t had a complete discussion with him yet on the full protocol he would like to use but I know he would like to start me at 100mgs per week.

I would like to get advice regarding the best starting protocol assuming that both an AI and HCG are available. This is what I was thinking...

Test-C, 100mgs per week, injected once per week (Sunday morning)
HCG, 500iu per week, injected once per week (Thursday morning)
Anastrozole, only if needed and dosing amount based on blood test

What do you guys think?

 

[Daniel_IMT_Staff]

Hello,

Injecting the Testosterone Cypionate and hCG twice a week rather than once a week will be much better. The dosages you mentioned are considered conservative and to each his own, it may take a while until you get dialed in. As long as your doc is listening to you in case the dosage needs to be adjusted. You didn't provide previous labs/symptoms/history so it is hard to give a detailed response.

 

[insertnamehere]

Hello,

Injecting the Testosterone Cypionate and hCG twice a week rather than once a week will be much better. The dosages you mentioned are considered conservative and to each his own, it may take a while until you get dialed in. As long as your doc is listening to you in case the dosage needs to be adjusted. You didn't provide previous labs/symptoms/history so it is hard to give a detailed response.

Thanks for the reply Daniel.

I have read that some members here suggest a twice per week injection protocol. I have no problem with this if it is necessary, however, I'm kinda just hoping that once a week will work for me. Unfortunately, there's only one way to find out...

A little background on me...

Stats:

Age-34
H-6'
W-225
BF%-12

I've been active and working out for over 10 years, with no history of AAS.

I started feeling low t symptoms about 3 years ago...fatigue, brain fog, lack of focus/concentration, no libido, etc...but I wasn't aware that these symptoms could be due to low t until about a year ago...I just thought I was getting old.

Results of my first blood test:

Date 3/21/13

TT-482ng/dl 250-1100
FT-93.7pg/ml 35-155

At the time, I just assumed when a hormone panel was ordered, I would also have results for estrogen and others.

I recently had blood drawn and I have an appointment set to review the results. My Doctor suggested I consider TRT due to the symptoms I have been experiencing over the last 3 years and based on the blood test from last year. The recently ordered blood work includes:

TT
FT
Estradiol
SHBG
DHEA
Pregalone
Prolactin
FSH
LH
CBC

In addition, thyroid and the standard full male physical. These values should serve as a good baseline.

I apologize if my reply isn't as well organized as it could be.

 

[Daniel_IMT_Staff]

Hello,

Some can get away with once a week injections but it isn't recommended as your levels won't be as stable. Testosterone cypionate has a half life of about 4-6 days, so it takes your body that long to "use" half of the dose injected. There is a lot of information on here read up on a half life so you can understand why it doesn't make sense to do once a week injections! Ask questions and read the stickies.

Good to see that you are getting labs to diagnose and rule out other underlying issues. A sleep test may be ordered. The labs will serve as a baseline and get follow up labs done 4-6 weeks if you feel good then and have been on a consistent dose.

Your Total T isn't that low however it can depend on a variety of reasons and doesn't reflect constant levels nor that that is what your serum reads at each morning. The most important is that you are alleviated of your symptoms and get the proper care.

Welcome to the forum and hope you stay. It is always good to be able to share your thoughts with people in the same situation.

Best of luck!

Edit: Didn't really offer much advise and can't rather than to listen to your physician and share your concerns here if anything seems odd. If your physician is unwilling to help you or make adjustments look for another doc. Try not to focus on numbers too much rather than how you feel. The forum is full of horror stories of incompetent doctors don't be afraid to transfer care.

Sincerely,

Daniel

 

[insertnamehere]

Hello,

Some can get away with once a week injections but it isn't recommended as your levels won't be as stable. Testosterone cypionate has a half life of about 4-6 days, so it takes your body that long to "use" half of the dose injected. There is a lot of information on here read up on a half life so you can understand why it doesn't make sense to do once a week injections! Ask questions and read the stickies.

Good to see that you are getting labs to diagnose and rule out other underlying issues. A sleep test may be ordered. The labs will serve as a baseline and get follow up labs done 4-6 weeks if you feel good then and have been on a consistent dose.

Your Total T isn't that low however it can depend on a variety of reasons and doesn't reflect constant levels nor that that is what your serum reads at each morning. The most important is that you are alleviated of your symptoms and get the proper care.

Welcome to the forum and hope you stay. It is always good to be able to share your thoughts with people in the same situation.

Best of luck!

Edit: Didn't really offer much advise and can't rather than to listen to your physician and share your concerns here if anything seems odd. If your physician is unwilling to help you or make adjustments look for another doc. Try not to focus on numbers too much rather than how you feel. The forum is full of horror stories of incompetent doctors don't be afraid to transfer care.

Sincerely,

Daniel

Thank you Daniel, I appreciate the time you took to read my post and give the best advice you could based on the information given.

I will stick around to read and learn. I may even update this thread or perhaps start a new one as my journey unfolds, in the hope that it may assist others with theirs.

Thanks again.

 

[Daniel_IMT_Staff]

Great and you are welcome! Update us when you have spoken more in depth with your doctor about a program and when your labs come back.

 

[insertnamehere]

Just want to update my thread, as I have new blood test results to share.

Here's a few of the results:

Total T 438 250-1100 ng/dl

Free T 85.8 35.0-155.0 pg/ml

Total Estrogen - <50 130 or less pg/ml

Estradiol 19 0-39 pg/ml

SHBG 28 10-50 nmol/L

FSH 7.5 1.6-8.0 mIU/ml

LH 5.7 1.5-9.3 mIU/ml

Hemocrit 45.0 38.5-50.0%


My Doctor prescribed 100mg test-c per week and 500iu hCG per week. As stated in the opening of this thread, the current planned protocol is to inject the 100mg of test on Sundays and the 500iu of hCG on Thursdays. I hoping this protocol will work out for me as it seems to be the most convenient for the long term. I will start this Sunday (3/9/14).

Any advice and/or feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

[insertnamehere]

Not exactly sure why that happened when I posted, but if anyone needs me to clarify those blood test results, let me know.

 

[insertnamehere]

nvm, fixed it

 

[Daniel_IMT_Staff]

Hello,

Your labs do show very high levels of LH compared to your tT. Total T isn't in the gutter but definitely abnormal at your age to have those tT levels coupled with the LH; it may be diagnosed as being primary. If you are to self-inject you would get more stable levels splitting the injections into two. Sunday(50 mg T-cyp, 250iU hCG) and Thursday (50 mg T-cyp, 250iU hCG) works you may want to speak to your doctor about making the change. But as I have said before many people are fine with once a week injections, you will just have to see how it works for you but nobody ever complains on twice a week injections!

Good luck on Sunday, I am sure you are excited to rid yourself of the low t symptoms you have had for 3 years.

 

[insertnamehere]

Hello,

Your labs do show very high levels of LH compared to your tT. Total T isn't in the gutter but definitely abnormal at your age to have those tT levels coupled with the LH; it may be diagnosed as being primary. If you are to self-inject you would get more stable levels splitting the injections into two. Sunday(50 mg T-cyp, 250iU hCG) and Thursday (50 mg T-cyp, 250iU hCG) works you may want to speak to your doctor about making the change. But as I have said before many people are fine with once a week injections, you will just have to see how it works for you but nobody ever complains on twice a week injections!

Good luck on Sunday, I am sure you are excited to rid yourself of the low t symptoms you have had for 3 years.

Hi Daniel.

I'm going to try out the once a week protocol and see how that goes. I've already discussed twice weekly injections with my Doctor and he is fine with that. Also, not sure if i mentioned it but I'll be doing self injections.

Yes, the high LH compared to my TT stood out to my Doctor too. He said there's a chance that I wont respond to the hCG. Do you know anything about this?

I think theres a good chance I will have to use an AI at some point in my journey. My Doctor will prescribe Anastrozole but I was wondering if there is any OTC products that are effective or even worth trying?

Thanks for all the help Daniel. I hope I'm not asking too much of you. And yes, I am very excited to get started! Thanks again!