TRT

[_S_R_]

Update - went and met with my PCP. She seemed awesome and on top of it. Insurance is covering injections. We are going to start with a shot every other week for 3 months, then we will do some blood work and re-evaluate. First shot was today, so we’ll see how it goes. My cost for 3 months worth of test was $11. They administer the shots for free. They gave me the option to stick myself, but the Dr office is close to my gym, so I am just going to swing by every other monday morning and let them jab me.

Keep us updated

 

[Coopsdaddy]

A shot every other week is a disaster,you should take a shot at a minimum once and up to three times a week in my opinion.

PCP and men’s clinics all screw it up,the pcp want to justify everything of labs only and get everything ok by Innsurance.
Men’s clinics want to prescribe a bunch of other crap not needed and charge you out the ass.
Try and find one that will listen to how you feel,not just your labs.Do your own research and even pay out of pocket for your labs if you have to.Start with only t and nothing else.Start low and dont change anything.8 weeks later do labs and compair to your notes and modify slowly again.Even if you start a small dose use a insulin needle and split the dose.Inject every 3.5 days(twice a week)
Do your own research and be careful who you listen to.
It’s not a cure all but can help some people.
You are your best doctor.
Good luck

 

[PredatorSlayer]

A shot every other week is a disaster,you should take a shot at a minimum once and up to three times a week in my opinion.

PCP and men’s clinics all screw it up,the pcp want to justify everything of labs only and get everything ok by Innsurance.
Men’s clinics want to prescribe a bunch of other crap not needed and charge you out the ass.
Try and find one that will listen to how you feel,not just your labs.Do your own research and even pay out of pocket for your labs if you have to.Start with only t and nothing else.Start low and dont change anything.8 weeks later do labs and compair to your notes and modify slowly again.Even if you start a small dose use a insulin needle and split the dose.Inject every 3.5 days(twice a week)
Do your own research and be careful who you listen to.
It’s not a cure all but can help some people.
You are your best doctor.
Good luck

They are open to shots weekly or twice a week. She just said this is where they usually start and we’ll make adjustments depending on how I feel. I have researched this quite a bit. Based on my conversations with her, I think we’ll be able to adjust to whatever schedule I am comfortable with.

Also, my desire to stick myself 3x a week is zero. I’ll go to pellets before I do that.

 

[CougarBlue]

A shot every other week is a disaster,you should take a shot at a minimum once and up to three times a week in my opinion.

PCP and men’s clinics all screw it up,the pcp want to justify everything of labs only and get everything ok by Innsurance.
Men’s clinics want to prescribe a bunch of other crap not needed and charge you out the ass.
Try and find one that will listen to how you feel,not just your labs.Do your own research and even pay out of pocket for your labs if you have to.Start with only t and nothing else.Start low and dont change anything.8 weeks later do labs and compair to your notes and modify slowly again.Even if you start a small dose use a insulin needle and split the dose.Inject every 3.5 days(twice a week)
Do your own research and be careful who you listen to.
It’s not a cure all but can help some people.
You are your best doctor.
Good luck

There's some good advice in here OP. With a 7-8 day half life on TRT, you're going to feel the trough hard on that off week. It's why most reputable clinics and professionals recommend smaller doses around 2x per week. This regiment provides more stable levels. There's a lot of data out there that speaks to this.

My experience is that PCPs know very little about hormone therapy. Clinics can be great but as Coopsdaddy said, you have to do your homework. Not all clinics are the same and they are almost always going to cost more for TRT. But the benefits can be significant and if you find one that manages your primary care needs, the costs can average out. I save quite a bit working all my healthcare through my clinic over cash pay rather than going through my insurance. It's not for everyone. But it works for me.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

Its nothing,I actually haven’t heard many that like pellets.Theres a reason.
They will probably want you to inject with a needle that’s way too big in your thigh and it does hurt.
Use 29ga 1/2 long insulin needles in the crest on your hip or better yet in your side deltoids.
If you have any muscle on your deltoids you don’t even hardly feel it.
I look forward to my shots every 3.5 days because I know it’s something beneficial for me.

 

[big44a4]

Its nothing,I actually haven’t heard many that like pellets.Theres a reason.
They will probably want you to inject with a needle that’s way too big in your thigh and it does hurt.
Use 29ga 1/2 long insulin needles in the crest on your hip or better yet in your side deltoids.
If you have any muscle on your deltoids you don’t even hardly feel it.
I look forward to my shots every 3.5 days because I know it’s something beneficial for me.

3 days a week here in the delts no pain 25g to 30g needles. 3.5 years on so far. Quality of life and energy is improved.

 

[Tx_300wsm]

I’ve been on TRT for 10 weeks now and I feel like a different person. Last check before I started was 272. At my follow up after being on it 6 weeks it was in the 900’s. My biggest issues before starting was being exhausted all the time, no matter how much I slept, lack of patience, and depression.

Now, one cup of coffee in the morning and I’m good all day, little stuff doesn’t bother me nearly as much and the issues with depression seem resolved. Anyone who is considering it, I highly recommend getting tested.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I’ve been on TRT for 10 weeks now and I feel like a different person. Last check before I started was 272. At my follow up after being on it 6 weeks it was in the 900’s. My biggest issues before starting was being exhausted all the time, no matter how much I slept, lack of patience, and depression.

Now, one cup of coffee in the morning and I’m good all day, little stuff doesn’t bother me nearly as much and the issues with depression seem resolved. Anyone who is considering it, I highly recommend getting tested.

Pellets or shots? If shots, what was the frequency?

 

[Tx_300wsm]

Pellets or shots? If shots, what was the frequency?

Shots, once a week

 

[Formidilosus]

We are going to start with a shot every other week for 3 months, then we will do some blood work and re-evaluate.

Every other week is horrific. Huge spike and huge crash in hormones is about the worst thing you can do. It is legitimately akin to bleeding yourself to help with the common cold.

28ga or smaller 1/2” needle, subcutaneous- not intramuscular. Minimum of twice a week.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Every other week is horrific. Huge spike and huge crash in hormones is about the worst thing you can do. It is legitimately akin to bleeding yourself to help with the common cold.

28ga or smaller 1/2” needle, subcutaneous- not intramuscular. Minimum of twice a week.

I freaking hate needles, but they told me I can do it myself if I want. They did tell me it needed to be intramuscular though, so I was even less excited about it.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Shots, once a week

You doing it yourself?

 

[Tx_300wsm]

You doing it yourself?

I’ll start doing it home after the first of the year. They wanted two lab draws 6 weeks apart first to make sure my levels were good.

 

[Andrewlonghi]

I am considering TRT and have a couple doctor appointments about the treatment. Has anyone had any bad side effects or health problems after starting it?. Once you start it are you on it for the rest of your life or until levels are back to normal

 

[Coopsdaddy]

You can get off it if your start,just go slow.
No need to get off it though.

No way I would be on it if I had to go to them for a shot,talk about a pain in the ass.
I order my needles from a diabetic supply,usually get a few hundred and don’t worry about it for 2 years.
Always stock pile a few months worth as well.
I dont dread it at all,I dread taking cough medicine though!Thats how easy it is.

 

[Formidilosus]

I freaking hate needles, but they told me I can do it myself if I want. They did tell me it needed to be intramuscular though, so I was even less excited about it.

The efficacy of Intramuscular is less than subcutaneous. Sub Q is also much less painful, and is quite easy. It does not sound like your primary is knowledgeable about hormones, which is normal. You need to educate yourself and be involved in your care and driving the decisions.

The short answer is-

Sub Q
27+ gauge 1/2” needles.
Twice a week

 

[scrubolio]

I don't know where to start since this is such a deep topic. I'm nobody but someone who's actively tried to fix my health over the past 10+ years through varying diets and lifestyle changes. I'm far from a vibrant healthy individual, but I enjoy discussing health issues/solutions (probably to the annoyance of others). Read if you're interested, otherwise carry on.

Like many things we've been told, its mostly not rooted in basic biology and fails to mention what "health" actually is. As in, what is true health? what's the goal besides simple lab numbers on a report? As in what are we trying to achieve by eating "better", by exercising, by sleeping more, etc.

IMO, there is a good argument to be made that a high metabolism equates to "good" health. And many factors (stress, poisons, toxins, endocrine disrupters, diet, environment, etc) lower the metabolism.

Glucose (sugar) is one of the most basic energy unit for almost all cells. When you deprive your body of glucose/carbs, your body can/will breakdown your muscle tissue protein and turn it into sugar for your body to use. I'm not saying that you should down white sugar, but that you need a sort of "balance" of carbs/protein/fat, where simple carbs are much more beneficial for people with poor gut health.

T is formed by its most basic precursors: cholesterol, thyroid, and vitamin A. It's with these 3, the body can produce pregnenolone which then can be converted into further downstream hormones (progesterone, testosterone, estrogen, to name a few). Most adults are deficient in both thyroid and vitamin A.

This is a silly simplification of our biological processes. I can offer resources for further reading/listening if interested.

 

[BadDogPSD]

I don't know where to start since this is such a deep topic. I'm nobody but someone who's actively tried to fix my health over the past 10+ years through varying diets and lifestyle changes. I'm far from a vibrant healthy individual, but I enjoy discussing health issues/solutions (probably to the annoyance of others). Read if you're interested, otherwise carry on.

Like many things we've been told, its mostly not rooted in basic biology and fails to mention what "health" actually is. As in, what is true health? what's the goal besides simple lab numbers on a report? As in what are we trying to achieve by eating "better", by exercising, by sleeping more, etc.

IMO, there is a good argument to be made that a high metabolism equates to "good" health. And many factors (stress, poisons, toxins, endocrine disrupters, diet, environment, etc) lower the metabolism.

Glucose (sugar) is one of the most basic energy unit for almost all cells. When you deprive your body of glucose/carbs, your body can/will breakdown your muscle tissue protein and turn it into sugar for your body to use. I'm not saying that you should down white sugar, but that you need a sort of "balance" of carbs/protein/fat, where simple carbs are much more beneficial for people with poor gut health.

T is formed by its most basic precursors: cholesterol, thyroid, and vitamin A. It's with these 3, the body can produce pregnenolone which then can be converted into further downstream hormones (progesterone, testosterone, estrogen, to name a few). Most adults are deficient in both thyroid and vitamin A.

This is a silly simplification of our biological processes. I can offer resources for further reading/listening if interested.

Biologically we do not need to eat carbs. Many of us are thriving on very low (<50) carbs. Once adapted, our bodies burn fat/ketones for energy instead of glucose/sugar.
Carbs/sugar is the primary cause of metabolic disease, heart disease, and obesity.

 

[scrubolio]

Biologically we do not need to eat carbs. Many of us are thriving on very low (<50) carbs. Once adapted, our bodies burn fat/ketones for energy instead of glucose/sugar.
Carbs/sugar is the primary cause of metabolic disease, heart disease, and obesity.

Yes you're right, biologically you do not need to eat carbs (if you have enough fat). Biologically you also do not need to eat fat (if you have enough carbs). That's the beauty of the robustness of our bodies. However, what you can do doesn't equate to what is optimal. By my definition, optimal meaning keeping a high rate of metabolism.

If you're thriving on <50g of carbs a day, by all means continue to do so.

Carb/sugar being the primary cause of metabolic disease is simply not founded on any solid basis.

However, increasing fat oxidation (burning fat), especially polyunsaturated fats, leads to numerous downstream effects causing suboptimal metabolism. And a big majority of the fats we eat are polyunsaturated, which leads to a list too long to recite here. Link to a great post with citations done on another forum.

As for ketones, well yes they work and its a great adaptation/mechanism that our body can rely on to get "sugar" when our body is in a state of "stress". But IMO, it's simply better to not put your body in that state of "stress" in the first place. Ketones are produced when your cortisol levels are high, which activates converting protein into glucose and fat into ketones. Cortisol is ok in the short term (a great anti-inflammatory), but in the long term is very detrimental.

 

[Team4LongGun]

Appreciate the info. It’s nice to see an adult conversation on here.

I am about to have my second test done. I’ve read that not all brands of T are equal…any truth to this?

Also, many of you have spoke of taking charge, if going outside your PCP, are there any of the online/direct care clinics you would recommend? More importantly, which ones to avoid?