Pros and Cons of doing TRT as prescribed versus just doing a 500mg/week test cycle

[texas.redneck]

I'm a newbie to TRT but a veteran to 12 week Test only cycles at 500mg/week. Can someone please talk to me about pros and cons of doing TRT as prescribed versus just doing a 500mg/week test cycle? Here is the background and context:

I'm 38 years old, 5'11", 185lbs, 10-15% bodyfat range. I got an itch back when I was 36 years old (two years ago) to try steroids. So I checked out the mens T clinic and found out those clinics are joke. However, my Chiropractor told me about a family physician that would just prescribe 10ml vials of cyp and you just had to check in every 3 months or so for labs and bloodwork. So I did that for about a year, filled my scripts but never took the Test Cyp (I have a 3 vial collection in my medicine cabinet)

The reason I never took the Test Cyp as prescribed was because I just bought some gear online and did two 12 week 500mg cycles (one in spring and another in winter). I got blood work in middle of one of the cycles and all labs were in acceptable range (estradiol dihydro, etc. etc.), except obviously my testosterone levels were through the roof. The actual doctors note on the labs said "Test too high. other labs ok"...lololol. About a month and half after cycle I got labs again and I was right back where I started before even messing with testosterone.

So now I have this medicine cabinet full of Test Cyp and I'm debating actually taking as prescribed for TRT (I think 0.25cc twice a week) versus running another 500mg/week cycle with it. My only goals are for athletic performance and my only athletic performance goals are to cheat back to my natural athletic abilities and not feel like my body is falling apart. I don't have problem in bedroom or anything. Honestly my testosterone is not even "low" its just that my "free test" is not in the "optimal" range (to use the joke of a Men's T clinic terminology).

I guess my biggest concern is why would I supress my natural testosterone for some crappy 0.25cc bump rather than just knock out a 10-12 week cycle and let my body reset to normal?? For example, can I just do 6 months of TRT and then quit and will my body reset to normal again?

 

[casanovaaa]

Great question man! Basically the longer you stay at a high dose of testosterone like you say, 500mgs per week the harder it will be to recover. Its one reason first cycles should only last 12 to 14 weeks.

 

[3J]

trt is a lifetime choice.. and a lifestyle choice... recovery becomes harder and harder as you stay on

 

[texas.redneck]

trt is a lifetime choice.. and a lifestyle choice... recovery becomes harder and harder as you stay on

So i guess that is my point exactly. Why would i want to do this rather than just giving myself a once a year 12 week 500mg/week kickstart. It seems to me this is preferable to simply stay on good physical condition long term. I simply just catch myself up once a year. In other words, i’m getting older so naturally i’m going to deteriorate but I can delay it by just cycling once a year as i’ve been to cheat back.

 

[Dreaded Pirate Roberts]

Well the first reason is maintain higher consistent healthy Testosterone levels. second it legality. You are 38 probibly have kids a wife house and a nice life. it would suck to loose that because the post office randomly scanned your mail. You dont want the legal bills. 38 cycling when you are off your levels aren't anywhere near what they can be year round on TRT. You know all the health benefits of higher Testosterone levels strength recovery anti aging ?

 

[texas.redneck]

Well the first reason is maintain higher consistent healthy Testosterone levels. second it legality. You are 38 probibly have kids a wife house and a nice life. it would suck to loose that because the post office randomly scanned your mail. You dont want the legal bills. 38 cycling when you are off your levels aren't anywhere near what they can be year round on TRT. You know all the health benefits of higher Testosterone levels strength recovery anti aging ?

Sorry i’m being cynical about TRT but I am considering trying it as prescribed. Totally agree with the legality point. Hence why I am having this discussion. It is quite the hassle collecting all the right gear including ancillaries to run a proper cycle. I just want to know what my risks are long term of actually trying it as prescribed for say 3-6 months. Like why would I risk effing up my natural testosterone production (forever) when i’m not technically Low T (its just my “free test” is below “optimal” accoding to some Low T center).

So i can’t exactly remmeber the exact numbers when I listened to the dumb low T clinic sales pitch (all i remember is the part about hey come see us twice a week to administer your shots ans pay us each time). But from what I recall my testosterone levels were really normal for my age. But they get you on the “free test” sales pitch. It was something like your “free test” is below optimal at 8 or 9 (not technically low but not optimal) and we can get you at optimal right at 15. I dont know if i recall numbers correctly. So yeah sign up with us to come do test the rest of your life. So at the time I was like screw rhat and I just called a buddy And got some test vials and ran a regular cycle. Had my fun then went back to normal life. Lol.

Take the legal aspect out of it, and to me it sounds like running mild testosterone only cycles twice a year is better. so why do I want to basically risk putting myself on a drug permanently the rest of my life? Like the other guy said, its literally a whole lifestyle choice.

 

[tbonexl]

Guys who go on trt do it out of necessity. They have low t. You wanting to try trt for up to 6 months doesn't make any sense. It would be like taking an opioid just to see if you can get addicted to it.

If you don't need trt, then don't bother with it. Most likely you will eventually if you keep cycling.

 

[texas.redneck]

Guys who go on trt do it out of necessity. They have low t. You wanting to try trt for up to 6 months doesn't make any sense. It would be like taking an opioid just to see if you can get addicted to it.

If you don't need trt, then don't bother with it. Most likely you will eventually if you keep cycling.

Wrong. Most 30-40 year old guys go on TRT because they here all the radio spots for the low T clinics on their sports talk radio when they drive ro work in the morning about how low T centers solve all your problems; depression, low energy, low sex drive, muscle recovery, etc. then they go to the Low T center (I live in dallas metroplex so their are franchises everywhere. One a block from me actually). Then they listen to the aales pitch just like I said above and get on trt.

I’m starting to formulate my own conclusion after gathering this info. My conclusion is doing a once a year 12 week test cycle with proper labs and PCT is way more safer than making yourself a T addict (just like your comparison to opiods).

 

[Milton]

I know a guy from New York city, fund manager for a big wig wall street firm, worked for 15 years 80 hour high stress work weeks and withered himself away with low t symptoms, high blood preassure, antidepressants, bad liver from heavy drinking, hypoglicemia, overweight, you name it.

One day he goes on vacation for some scuba diving in the Carribean and never comes back to work.
One year later he comes back for a visit looking 50 lbs lighter, sun tanned, happy as Donald Trump at a Miss Teen USA Pageant, healthy as a mule, and no low T symtoms.
Everyone was curious as to how he got to look so good and healthy and he said that when he went to the islands to scuba dive, he discovered a healthy lifestyle that only the islands can offer.

Long story short he falls in love with the scuba diving lifestyle (and a hot dark skinned island gal) he decided to become a scuba diving instructor and now lives a life of leasure teaching scuba to tourist, eating healthy seafoods, f.r.u.i.t.s and veggies year round, and being surrounded by girls in bikinis all day long. The latter being responsible for his high T levels now, all goes to show that its better to fix the root cause.

 

[LateStart]

Curious what your test level was on the 500mg cycle. You said it was high and everything else was normal. Maybe you are blessed but that's not typical. 500mg a week will usually make all your numbers tell on you. Most all docs would know you were on a high dose. Just curious how hi the test was.
Trt , or cycle , or blast and C r u I s e......that is the question we all have to answer
Well....if you do 2 cycles a year, starting now, then soon enough you will have to go on trt to keep your sanity. Good luck making your choice bro.
Best wishes my friend

 

[Slhardee]

What are your current numbers at? Do you have recent labs to know your numbers. Did you do PCT following your cycles?

As stated above, if you are not doing proper PCT and continuing to cycle, you will eventually need TRT because you will surpress your levels to a point where you will not be able to recover and you will have Low T.

I would run your labs, and make a logical decision based on where you are at Now.

 

[theiceman]

Yeah the most important piece of information here is missing, what does your bloodwork show in terms of your natural levels?

 

[Dreaded Pirate Roberts]

I know a guy from New York city, fund manager for a big wig wall street firm, worked for 15 years 80 hour high stress work weeks and withered himself away with low t symptoms, high blood preassure, antidepressants, bad liver from heavy drinking, hypoglicemia, overweight, you name it.

One day he goes on vacation for some scuba diving in the Carribean and never comes back to work.
One year later he comes back for a visit looking 50 lbs lighter, sun tanned, happy as Donald Trump at a Miss Teen USA Pageant, healthy as a mule, and no low T symtoms.
Everyone was curious as to how he got to look so good and healthy and he said that when he went to the islands to scuba dive, he discovered a healthy lifestyle that only the islands can offer.

Long story short he falls in love with the scuba diving lifestyle (and a hot dark skinned island gal) he decided to become a scuba diving instructor and now lives a life of leasure teaching scuba to tourist, eating healthy seafoods, f.r.u.i.t.s and veggies year round, and being surrounded by girls in bikinis all day long. The latter being responsible for his high T levels now, all goes to show that its better to fix the root cause.

What the hell does this have to do with TRT... Just saying I've been scuba diving with you in the Islands. We need to do it again soon. This is not fixing low Testosterone. So heres one thing that is for sure most people fee great with the proper TRt protocol. I tend to go on and off my Trt. it just gets to be a hassle some times. I dont go into depression. I tend to put on a lot of muscle and I would rather look like an underware model they the hulk. I look like the hulk as is. our

there are whats to get your test back up with out doing Trt. It depends on what the cause of your low T is. The truth is having your testosterone levels at what they were when your were 18 feel great is your have everything in balance. You burn fat more efficiently and have the energy that goes with youth and a body recovers faster all the time is something to be desired.

what it comes down to is a better quality of life all the time insead of just 12 weeks a year.

 

[scorob777]

Sorry i***8217;m being cynical about TRT but .....

This is similar to chiropractic, getting a massage a week, gym membership, etc. If you have the money for an ongoing stream of payments it improves your quality of life.