TRT

[Gutshotem]

Hopefully this thread still gets some activity. I'm going in to see my Dr for my first physical in about 5 years. The last time I went in the only recommendation was a Vit D sup, which I've been taking daily. My normal work schedule gets me home at 1am asleep by 2 and up with the kids no later than 7 but often 6. So my sleep sucks. I'm tired often. I'm 5'11 170 and just started back up with a regular exercise routine about a month ago. Usually it's just running or rocking my neighborhood for 2-3 months prior to hunting season.

So my question is, what specific tests do I need to ask for when I have blood drawn next week? I'm sure my T is low, so I'll ask for that and free T. Anything else I should request that may be relevant?

 

[ThorM465]

Hopefully this thread still gets some activity. I'm going in to see my Dr for my first physical in about 5 years. The last time I went in the only recommendation was a Vit D sup, which I've been taking daily. My normal work schedule gets me home at 1am asleep by 2 and up with the kids no later than 7 but often 6. So my sleep sucks. I'm tired often. I'm 5'11 170 and just started back up with a regular exercise routine about a month ago. Usually it's just running or rocking my neighborhood for 2-3 months prior to hunting season.

So my question is, what specific tests do I need to ask for when I have blood drawn next week? I'm sure my T is low, so I'll ask for that and free T. Anything else I should request that may be relevant?

My Dr runs a "full panel". I'm still working on understanding it, so I won't comment yet on what should be there and why. I'll just list what I get tested and others can chime in what they do and why, hopefully only if they understand the why.

	Test Name
Comp, Metabolic Panel (14)
	Glucose
	BUN
	Creatine
	eGFR
	BUN/Creatine Ratio
	Sodium
	Potassium
	Chloride
	Carbond Dioxide, Total
	Calcium
	Protein, Total
	Albumin
	Globulin, Total
	A/G Ratio
	Bilirubin, Total
	Alkaline Phosphatase
	AST (SGOT)
	ALT (SGPT)
Lipid Panel
	Cholesterol, Total
	Triglycerides
	HDL Cholesterol
	VLDL Cholesterol Cal
	LDL Chol Calc (NIH)
CBC, Platelet, No Differential
	WBC
	RBC
	Hemoglobin
	Hematocrit
	MCV
	MCH
	MCHC
	RDW
	Platelets
Vitamin B12 and Folate
	Vitamin B12
	Folate (Folic Acid), Serum
	Prostate Specific Ag, Serum
	Triiodothyronine (T3), Free
	Thyroxine (T4)
	TSH
	Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) Ab
	FSH
Luteinizing Hormone(LH), S
	LH
	Estradiol
	DHEA-Sulfate
Testosterone Free, Profile I
	Testosterone, Serum
	Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum
	Testost., Free, Calc
	Hemoglobin A1c

IGF-1
	Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
	Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy

 

[Kilboars]

They put me back on it and I don’t notice a big difference.
As far as my sex drive, it’s not crazy like it was in my 20s 30s 40s but it’s nice not having to chase the wife around the house all the time.
We do it when we feel like it and then get back to living.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Update: just got bloodwork back and meet with my Dr on Thu. Test was at 614. I am still taking 200 mg IM every other week. When this first started, I definitely noticed a drop when I started approaching day 10. The last month or so I haven’t noticed that. Anxiety and depression is gone. I have felt a ton of motivation to get to the gym - I have been doing a PPL split 6 days a week - which is what I had been doing prior to TRT, but all my lifts have gone up by at least 50lbs. I am still a little soft around the mid section and I have actually gained 5lbs, but my pants are all looser around the waste. My back and shoulders and arms are all getting bigger and more defined. Overall I feel great.

 

[ManyBullets]

Update: just got bloodwork back and meet with my Dr on Thu. Test was at 614. I am still taking 200 mg IM every other week. When this first started, I definitely noticed a drop when I started approaching day 10. The last month or so I haven’t noticed that. Anxiety and depression is gone. I have felt a ton of motivation to get to the gym - I have been doing a PPL split 6 days a week - which is what I had been doing prior to TRT, but all my lifts have gone up by at least 50lbs. I am still a little soft around the mid section and I have actually gained 5lbs, but my pants are all looser around the waste. My back and shoulders and arms are all getting bigger and more defined. Overall I feel great.

How old are you?

 

[BuckWild41]

So is it better to go to a Urologist or to a men's clinic?

 

[BadDogPSD]

So is it better to go to a Urologist or to a men's clinic?

I've been pretty happy with the urology group I go to. They seem to know there stuff & no issues with insurance covering the treatments.

 

[Mike Islander]

No experience, but Men's clinics seem the very definition of hucksterism.

 

[SloppyJ]

So is it better to go to a Urologist or to a men's clinic?

Depends on how "with it" your urologist is. IMO

 

[PredatorSlayer]

So is it better to go to a Urologist or to a men's clinic?

My primary care physician is the one monitoring my TRT. Clinics seem to push pellets because they make more money.

 

[WBT]

My doctor is always suggesting I get started on TRT (age 45) and I see some of the benefits. My biggest concern is that I don't want to start a program I cannot get off.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

My doctor is always suggesting I get started on TRT (age 45) and I see some of the benefits. My biggest concern is that I don't want to start a program I cannot get off.

I was concerned about that as well. I feel so much better, I don’t care if I am on it the rest of my life.

 

[TrackerG]

I was concerned about that as well. I feel so much better, I don’t care if I am on it the rest of my life.

Ya, I mean the thing is you can get off of it. You just need to take a shit ton of chlomid for about 3 months. But the health benefits of being on TRT at the proper dosages are SUBSTANTIAL

 

[omicron1792]

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

This. Every 2 weeks is waaaaay too long an interval.

 

[TrackerG]

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

You’re 100% correct in my opinion! I inject every 2 days. I know a lot of people doing every 2 weeks and they are going crazy half at through the second week, and essentially hypergonadal before their injection.

 

[omicron1792]

If you get a peak day after injection you will be around 900. If you get checked one day before you are due the next shot, you will be all the way at the bottom, most likely lower than your initial low serum T. You’re living half your time below normal levels doing 2 week shots.

Primary care docs are going on 30 year old data they read in a book. Go see someone that sees 100s of people a week on therapy, not 2 a month.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

If you get a peak day after injection you will be around 900. If you get checked one day before you are due the next shot, you will be all the way at the bottom, most likely lower than your initial low serum T. You’re living half your time below normal levels doing 2 week shots.

Primary care docs are going on 30 year old data they read in a book. Go see someone that sees 100s of people a week on therapy, not 2 a month.

The clinics are interesting. I have buddies that went through clinics and it is a nightmare. They only make money with certain stuff, so they push it. I am on shots every 10 days and I don’t notice the big drop off people talk about. I feel great for all 10 days.

 

[omicron1792]

I use a urologist not a men’s clinic. They know what they are doing but don’t push it like a product. I do sub q injections weekly. I still go from about 1000 to about 400 in one week. You might not feel the difference, but the levels are wildly swinging none the less.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I use a urologist not a men’s clinic. They know what they are doing but don’t push it like a product. I do sub q injections weekly. I still go from about 1000 to about 400 in one week. You might not feel the difference, but the levels are wildly swinging none the less.

That because you are doing Subq instead of IM. If you are doing sub q you should be pinning 2x a week min. My PCP told me that . IM is absorbed slower so you don’t get the peaks and valleys.

 

[omicron1792]

Well. Sorry your pcp told you wrong. Ha.

The sub q data comes from a study of women transitioning to men. Fat acts as a reservoir for steroid hormones and is actually the perfect slow release system for depo hormone shots. Why all doctors haven’t switched over to sub q beats me, but most of the docs on the cutting edge do teach sub q.