TRT strategy for making sure I get at least 100mg ea week?

[Captain America]

O.k. guys, I just started trt. My dr has me on 100mg of cypionate per week. After 4 weeks she wants me to get blood work done to check levels. She is shooting to get me in the 500-700 range.

With that said here are my questions and concerns. Number 1 concern being I don't want her to lower the 100mg per week dose in the event that I went over the 700 mark. Or 2 I come in right at the 500 and she leaves it alone. My plan was to get blood work done on my own 1 week prior to them drawing blood, so that if there was anything I could do to make adjustments before going back for the dr's bloods I would have a week to do it.

I don't even know if that is possible. What methods could be used to lower my test level in either event prior to the test if I was at one end or the other? I was hoping to get closer to the 700 mark and then adding HCG later and bumping it up a bit more.

Hopefully you guys understand my question. Maybe I'm over thinking this? Let me know your thoughts and opinions please.

 

[Megatron28]

Just get private blood work prior to your doctor visit and make adjustments to your protocol as needed.

 

[Captain America]

Just get private blood work prior to your doctor visit and make adjustments to your protocol as needed.

So if I get blood work done 1 week prior and I'm close to either end of that spectrum (500-700) you're saying adjust protocol. Does that mean to take a lower dose than the 100mg the week of my official blood test if I'm over the 700 or barely over the 500?

 

[Megatron28]

So if I get blood work done 1 week prior and I'm close to either end of that spectrum (500-700) you're saying adjust protocol. Does that mean to take a lower dose than the 100mg the week of my official blood test if I'm over the 700 or barely over the 500?

Why not just let it play out?. Do you think that 25 extra milligrams you "con" your doc into is going to be enough to run a cycle?

Or if you really have you heart set on getting a higher dose, just pin 50mg/week instead of the 100 that has been prescribed.

 

[Mprtz]

This is where the TRT clinics help - stated goal is to get you "in the upper quartile". My last test was 1100 and they thought that was peachy.

You might want to continue to complain of mild low-T symptoms, maybe she will relax her target.

 

[Captain America]

Why not just let it play out?. Do you think that 25 extra milligrams you "con" your doc into is going to be enough to run a cycle?

Or if you really have you heart set on getting a higher dose, just pin 50mg/week instead of the 100 that has been prescribed.

I just don't want to get stuck at a dose that will get me just above 500. Yes i'm sure I will feel better than I feel right now, but wouldn't it be logical to want to be closer to the 700? I don't give a shit about running a cycle. That has nothing to do with my question. Not saying I'm never going to, but that is no where near a priority right now.

This is where the TRT clinics help - stated goal is to get you "in the upper quartile". My last test was 1100 and they thought that was peachy.

You might want to continue to complain of mild low-T symptoms, maybe she will relax her target

Thanks.

 

[Megatron28]

I just don't want to get stuck at a dose that will get me just above 500. Yes i'm sure I will feel better than I feel right now, but wouldn't it be logical to want to be closer to the 700? I don't give a shit about running a cycle. That has nothing to do with my question. Not saying I'm never going to, but that is no where near a priority right now.

j

Thanks.

So pin 50/mg per week. Easy.

 

[Captain America]

Ah f-it, I'll just let it play out and add my own later if I need to. Thanks. After she cuts me loose I won't have another required blood test for 6 months after that it will be yearly.

 

[Buzzbait]

This is where the TRT clinics help - stated goal is to get you "in the upper quartile". My last test was 1100 and they thought that was peachy.

You might want to continue to complain of mild low-T symptoms, maybe she will relax her target.

Agree. I have 225 prescribed ew and had blood test come in at 1200ish, told them I pin 110ISH every 3 1/2 days and had just pinned 48 hours ago, so I was at my peak. Doc said cool, and is leaving me at that dosage

 

[Captain America]

Agree. I have 225 prescribed ew and had blood test come in at 1200ish, told them I pin 110ISH every 3 1/2 days and had just pinned 48 hours ago, so I was at my peak. Doc said cool, and is leaving me at that dosage

Well this isn't a trt clinic, so they don't care about peak or if I have big muscles haha. They want you healthy with the least amount of sides. I'm just stressing and want to feel better. I'll just see what happens.

 

[Jimstigator]

Have you actually picked up your prescription yet? My Dr, like many, follows the rule that you should discard those sealed top vials, whatever they are called, monthly. So in theory, I throw out like 9/10ths of my vial every month and get a new one. If they are following protocol, then whats the big deal? You can control your own dose with no issues.

I follow my prescribed guidelines, but I am sure many guys stockpile vials for a year or two and have enough T to kill a man. At my measly dose, a single vial could last me like a year if I didn't discard it.

Not all Drs do this?

-Jim

 

[Jimstigator]

Well this isn't a trt clinic, so they don't care about peak or if I have big muscles haha. They want you healthy with the least amount of sides. I'm just stressing and want to feel better. I'll just see what happens.

Also... no offense, but you have no damn clue what you will feel like. You are talking like you have been on TRT for years. I, like you, just 4 months ago, had this number in my head of 900. I refused to settle for anything under 900 TT. I now realize that number is complete bullshit and I feel better with less. Don't start making shit up in your head when you know nothing about the journey you are about to start on. It will only add to the stress.

FURTHER, don't just start adjusting. You have zero baseline and no clue what your TT will be like at 100mg. My body averages 900TT with 100 a week via EOD injections. Other guys only get like 500-600 on that dose. You just read everything in here and apply those same things to yourself. You don't want your DR to drop you under 100mg a week? Give one actual reason why, supported by your own real life experience on TRT.

-Jim

 

[Captain America]

Also... no offense, but you have no damn clue what you will feel like. You are talking like you have been on TRT for years. I, like you, just 4 months ago, had this number in my head of 900. I refused to settle for anything under 900 TT. I now realize that number is complete bullshit and I feel better with less. Don't start making shit up in your head when you know nothing about the journey you are about to start on. It will only add to the stress.

FURTHER, don't just start adjusting. You have zero baseline and no clue what your TT will be like at 100mg. My body averages 900TT with 100 a week via EOD injections. Other guys only get like 500-600 on that dose. You just read everything in here and apply those same things to yourself. You don't want your DR to drop you under 100mg a week? Give one actual reason why, supported by your own real life experience on TRT.

-Jim

You know what you are exactly right. I have no clue how I will feel. That's why the last thing I wrote in this thread reads "ah f-it I'll just see what happens". You said I sound like someone who has been on trt for years? Really? Would someone who has been on trt for years be asking questions like this?

Look I'm not some lititle punk kid. Maybe I'm not as educated as the rest of you on these subjects, but I'm not a stupid person. I have made mistakes in the past and I'm trying not to make anymore.

You say to read, but that is honestly part of the problem and the solution at the same time. The reason why I'm stressing to begin with is because in many threads you hear "I feel good on 100mg, but I feel great on 200mg". Well having read that many times it starts getting embedded in your head that you need that higher dose to feel great.

After starting this thread yesterday and getting a couple responses, I said to myself "self you need to calm the fuck down and just let it take its course." I pinned my first 100mg last njght, so the clock is ticking.

I have not been disrespectful to anyone here. That's not my style over the internet. I have no problem with you guys telling it like it is, but sometimes things sound very belittling and I don't think it's needed. Thanks for the help. I do appreciate it.

 

[Jimstigator]

You know what you are exactly right. I have no clue how I will feel. That's why the last thing I wrote in this thread reads "ah f-it I'll just see what happens". You said I sound like someone who has been on trt for years? Really? Would someone who has been on trt for years be asking questions like this?

Look I'm not some lititle punk kid. Maybe I'm not as educated as the rest of you on these subjects, but I'm not a stupid person. I have made mistakes in the past and I'm trying not to make anymore.

You say to read, but that is honestly part of the problem and the solution at the same time. The reason why I'm stressing to begin with is because in many threads you hear "I feel good on 100mg, but I feel great on 200mg". Well having read that many times it starts getting embedded in your head that you need that higher dose to feel great.

After starting this thread yesterday and getting a couple responses, I said to myself "self you need to calm the fuck down and just let it take its course." I pinned my first 100mg last njght, so the clock is ticking.

I have not been disrespectful to anyone here. That's not my style over the internet. I have no problem with you guys telling it like it is, but sometimes things sound very belittling and I don't think it's needed. Thanks for the help. I do appreciate it.

Haha hey there, I am not trying to hate on you. You sound just like me, 4 months ago. When I say sounding like you are on TRT for years, I mean being so set in your dose. I meant it as you really don't have the expierence yet (nor do I) to really know your optimal dose.

The entire rest of my message is exactly what you just said... calm the fuck down.

I literally FREAKED out when I started. I adjusted my protocol like 5 times in 2 weeks. Obviously, I had no reason to, I just flipped out and read the forums constantly. The forums can be good and bad depending on the state of mind you are in when you visit. When panicked or worked up.. they are rough and have you questioning everything.

Just curious since I don't fully remember your back story. Why start with 100mg in a single shot? You are doing weekly injections?

No offense should be taken man, just trying to help someone who sounds like they are in my same situation.

-Jim

 

[lucius11]

This is where the TRT clinics help - stated goal is to get you "in the upper quartile".

Agreed, that's the deal. You get what you pay for. TRT clinics are kinda geared towards treating your symptoms, getting the T levels up a bit higher and getting the symptoms under control (not worrying so much about the numbers). They also prescribe AIs, HCG and even peptides and GH. They watch all the key blood levels since they know pretty much everything about TRT including all of the anabolic compounds that are in existence. Your local doc or endo will tend to be much more conservative and lack the breadth of TRT knowledge that a TRT clinic has. They are typically very concerned about getting total T in the the ~500 range and then seeing how the symptoms are. They tend to prescribe gels and keep the protocols simple without even checking E2. This is just what I see, there are always exceptions. Sometimes you can get a local doc that is less conservative and perhaps get a nice protocol going. I was not able to do this.

This is why I went with the TRT clinic. But the clinic is kinda expensive, so it's not an option for everyone. So this problem of adjusting the protocol to get or preserve a decent dose is going to come up over and over again. It's not ideal, but this is the reality that many people face.

The doc want's you at 500-700 (just like my local doc). If you show up with blood work and your level is 900+, the doc will see it and make an adjustment. So of course the answer is, present the doctor with blood work in the 500-700 range. If you control the timing of injections and the timing of the blood work, you simply wait an extra couple of days from your last pin, your T levels drop a bit, you do your blood work and your test results comes back with a lower total T. This is simple in theory only.

This is of course exactly what I do. My TRT clinic knows my dose and my levels. I'm certainly not running a cycle or anything, I just keep the levels in that upper quartile like mprtz said. I just adjust the blood tests for my local doc so he does not freak out if the T levels are at 900.

In practice, the most accurate way to do this is to do your own blood work so you know your levels X days after your pin. I donate blood about 10 days before my blood test for my local doc. I pin 80mg, wait 7-8 days and get my blood work done. But this is based on my own testing and knowing what my body does with 80mg of test cyp. I do this, my levels come in at 600 and my local doc says see you in a year.

The problem here is the OP's doc is on the ball and wants blood work in 1 month. That does not give him time to do his own testing since his levels have not even stabilized yet. So it will be difficult to predict his levels X days after he pins.

Best guess pining 100mg every 7 days, you are probably just fine and your levels probably are in the 500-700 range 7 days after your last pin. Of course, this is just a guess. If you are concerned, wait an extra day or two and then get your blood test. If your doc is also doing a CBC (includes hemaglobin and hematocrit) you may want to donate blood 10 days before your test. This will keep those iron levels down. Blood donation may not even be needed at 100mg per week (especially since this is the first month on TRT).

Good luck

 

[Jimstigator]

You say to read, but that is honestly part of the problem and the solution at the same time. The reason why I'm stressing to begin with is because in many threads you hear "I feel good on 100mg, but I feel great on 200mg". Well having read that many times it starts getting embedded in your head that you need that higher dose to feel great.

I am new to this forum but have been fighting hormones for years. Read around this place and other forums for long enough and you start to see those same guys come in later with E2 problems, thick blood, ED, gyno, etc, etc. While I don't care what anyone else does, it also can't be forgotten or ignored that more than half the guys in here, and else where, use their TRT prescriptions as legal performance enhancement and push well past where their bodies ever produced naturally. Again, I couldn't care less that they do it, but keep it in mind when you see them injecting large doses every week and feeling better.

Its very easy to think... well... I am already on test cyp, why not make the best of it and go for near top of the range values. The reality is that it is not needed in most cases. I read an article once about Dr Mark Gordon, Mr TRT to the celebs in California (generally considered one of the best in the world), and how he starts his guys at like 60mg and rarely goes much higher. Anyway... sometimes less is more.

Hell, just this weekend in a chat with my Dr, he was talking about new ADEX findings and how he doesn't like its impact on brain function... and subsequently trying to push his TRT clients (which is alot) to lower T doses that don't require an AI.

-Jim

 

[Captain America]

Thanks for the advice and thoughts. I'm not offended, I just got worked up worrying about levels because of my brain being pumped with all of the info I've been reading.

Trt clinics are not really an option for me due to cost. Therefore the best thing I can do is be pro active with my health care. I'm going to let this take its course and assess how I feel and work with my Endo unless I feel like she is steering me wrong. Right now it is waaay to early to tell.

Jim, my Endo started me on 100mg once a week to start and blood work in 4 weeks and she will reassess dosage. I got caught up in reading too much here and started freaking out just like you mentioned. After all this is for life. I will be getting plenty of my own blood work done to stay on top of things on my end.

I guess I could start a log to keep track of the progress. I know there are a ton of logs, but it would also help me reference times and dates as well.

Thanks to all of you for your input.

 

[3J]

i highly doubt at 100mg a week you would come over the range she wants.. want to play it safe?? wait 4-5 days after your injection.. or go the day right before your next injection to do bloodwork..

 

[Spunkey71]

I know that everyone says it but it is so true...."everyone's body is different and everyone's body reacts different". When I first started TRT I was put on 120mg of Test C a week, that dose barley got my levels above 300. My doctor increased my weekly dose to 160mg which got my levels up to 560 and my doctor was good with that level and would not allow me to go any higher. I felt good at 560, it was a night and day difference on how I felt prier to starting TRT. I decided to find a new doctor for several different reasons and my new doctor felt that I needed to be a little higher than 560 to feel my best. He increased my dosage up to 200mg a week and allowed me to self pinn every 3.5 days. Now my trough is at 1000 and I feel amazing. I have a friend from work that is on TRT as well and he takes 100mg a week and is close to 800 and feels amazing and has no desire to go any higher, so it really all depends on each individual.

 

[Megatron28]

To add to this, a good doc will give you a little room to play around with dosages as long as you stay within the normal range. Then you can try things out and see what feels best.

Also, remember that being at the higher end of the normal range often means you have to take an Aromatase Inhibitor. AI's do affect your kidneys and liver. And they are an adex cost and someing else to remember to take. There are advantages to running your T a little lower and not needed additional medications. Many guys can't tell the difference between TT of 600 and 900.