What where your (worst) symptoms before starting TRT?

Apathy - apathy so bad that I knew I did not care and frankly did not care that I knew it and did not care.

That and brain fog. The brain fog was at its worst as I started my injections - or rather, it was the last thing to clear up so it became more pronounced.
 
I lost 10 years of my life. Funny how you gain such an appreciation for what those little hormone molecules can do. :)
 
My wife would be parading naked in front of me and I was too tired to want to have sex. I actually wanted sleep more.
 
Finally getting to grips with the school sweetheart after 20 years trying - and the little bastard downstairs let me down.

It's the stuff of nightmares!
 
No libido. Depression/anxiety wasn't too hot but I had been dealing with that for so long it was more of a way of life at that point!
 
It wasn't any one thing for me, it was all of it combined. I was tired all the time, my body hurt, the next day after a workout I felt horrible, like I didn't want to get out of bed. Nothing excited me, I didn't want to do anything I was just going through the motions most of the time.

I honestly didn't realize how bad I felt, cause it came on slowly, I just figured this is what getting older is like. I feel so much better now I wish I got my T checked sooner. Last night I had a hard double session in Jiu Jitsu, really pushed the pace sparring. Guys who used to seem way stronger than me even though we were the same size, don't feel stronger than me anymore. Today I'm a little bit sore, but fine, lots of energy, can't wait to train again on Thursday.
 
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Remarkable how common the constellation of symptoms is. Seems like we have all been there, done that.
In addition to the cognitive and emotional ones, a day in the gym became literally an exercise in futility, where it was (an again is) my salvation.
It is such a shame that our society regards men on steroid therapy as a juice monkies in training. Imagine all those poor guys out there who mope through life (like we did), day after day in a fog wondering what the hell hit them. Damn shame, I say. Not sure what was the tipping point for you guys, but for me the bottom was coming into close focus before I asked my doc to do a T level. Was not even on her radar screen. Low and behold....I am a very different guy now. Never want to be that T-less guy again. Perhaps, in time, docs will do T screenings as a regular part of blood work, instead of treating our symptoms of depression and anxiety with big pharm products without bothering to explore the underlying cause of the misery.
 
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Remarkable how common the constellation of symptoms is. Seems like we have all been there, done that.
In addition to the cognitive and emotional ones, a day in the gym became literally an exercise in futility, where it was (an again is) my salvation.
It is such a shame that our society regards men on steroid therapy as a juice monkies in training. Imagine all those poor guys out there who mope through life (like we did), day after day in a fog wondering what the hell hit them. Damn shame, I say. Not sure what was the tipping point for you guys, but for me the bottom was coming into close focus before I asked my doc to do a T level. Was not even on her radar screen. Low and behold....I am a very different guy now. Never want to be that T-less guy again. Perhaps, in time, docs will do T screenings as a regular part of blood work, instead of treating our symptoms of depression and anxiety with big pharm products without bothering to explore the underlying cause of the misery.

The way that GP's are treated by insurance companies now, they have to see so many patients per day, its a lot to expect them to be able to see the big picture when they can just write a quick script and get you out of the office. The good ones are the ones that listen and recognize the difference between someone who is being a good advocate for themselves and someone who is a hypochondriac or a drug seeker. I doubt HMO's will allow it to become a regular thing to screen for low T.

Luckily the drug companies are doing a lot of marketing for Testosterone, and its grown into a big business, so more and more awareness has been raised. The two things that got me to get mine checked were those commercials, and all the older UFC fighters being on TRT. I think its up to individuals to be a good advocate for themselves. The more common T replacement gets, the less of a stigma it will have.
 
The good ones are the ones that listen and recognize the difference between someone who is being a good advocate for themselves and someone who is a hypochondriac or a drug seeker.
Luckily the drug companies are doing a lot of marketing for Testosterone, and its grown into a big business, so more and more awareness has been raised. The two things that got me to get mine checked were those commercials, and all the older UFC fighters being on TRT. I think its up to individuals to be a good advocate for themselves. The more common T replacement gets, the less of a stigma it will have.

Agreed. You have to have a doc who is an ally, one that trusts you and is willing to stretch his or her imagination. Mine did and sent me to a urologist who has been a great partner in my therapy. When he saw my numbers and heard my symptoms, he immediately prescribed the therapy which my insurance covers. Unfortunately, not all docs are like that, and even fewer patients are able or prepared to advocate for themselves. The squeaky wheel, like most things in life....
 
I agree, I omitted that I was feeling pretty much all of those symptoms that you listed here too...

But staying floppy while my schoolgirl sweetheart was waiting for an escort to heaven and back overshadowed the whole damn lot!
 
Fatigue, memory loss, no motivation, no muscles, im good looking but good looking women did not want to have sex with me.
 
I agree, I omitted that I was feeling pretty much all of those symptoms that you listed here too...

But staying floppy while my schoolgirl sweetheart was waiting for an escort to heaven and back overshadowed the whole damn lot!

We need a pic of your dream girl Ben. Let us all see how much agony you were in. :-)
 
Agreed. You have to have a doc who is an ally, one that trusts you and is willing to stretch his or her imagination. Mine did and sent me to a urologist who has been a great partner in my therapy. When he saw my numbers and heard my symptoms, he immediately prescribed the therapy which my insurance covers. Unfortunately, not all docs are like that, and even fewer patients are able or prepared to advocate for themselves. The squeaky wheel, like most things in life....

What did your labs look like?
 
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