4 months on Testim - seeing endo tomorrow

Pharma / TRT Testosterone Replacement
1

My first post here - I just found out I have low test

-age 44

-height 5’9"

-waist 32

-weight 195

-describe body and facial hair - I’m not an ape - minimal body hair, starting to get a big bald spot!

-describe where you carry fat and how changed - Carry fat on my sides and stomach.

-health conditions, symptoms [history] - No real problems other than low T

-Rx and OTC drugs, any hair loss drugs or prostate drugs ever - Nothing out of the ordinary Tried rogain for 2 months and quit due to heart palpitations.

-lab results with ranges - Free Test 4.4 standard range - 5.0-40.0 pg/ml
Total Test 213, standard range 291-739 ng/dl

-describe diet - I don’t follow a specific diet. I eat good healthy home cooked food - and the occasional burger, pizza, etc.

-describe training - I train with intensity, 4x a week and do all the big lifts (squat, deads, cleans, bench etc) - I’ve been training a long time and follow a base 5x5 type of program, but also train instinctually. Monday - legs, Tuesday chest, Wed - off, Thurs - back, Fri - shoulders and clean up. I squat, dead, and bench all in the mid 300s -

-testes ache, ever, with a fever? No fever, but I’ve had a vacetomy so I get an ache sometimes.

-how have morning wood and nocturnal erections changed No issues here!

Getting my test results was kind of a shock. I asked for the T test out of curiosity more than anything else. I’m not sure what to do next.

I do wonder if any of my supplements have anything to do with my results. I’ve been taking regular Animal Pak multi vits, and stacking an occasional Animal STAK or Animal Test. The Animal Test has stuff to help you increase your natural production, but no prohormones etc… It has been at least a month since I’ve taken any Animal Test or Animal Stak. I have not taken any other supplements.

I’m open to all advice and criticism - I’m off to read all I can read here.

2

So you have no symptoms?

3

I think it’s difficult to ID symptoms of low T versus just aging… I’ve never been 44 before so I don’t know what its supposed to feel like. I know I don’t feel anything like I felt at 30.

I’ve lifted for a long time - sometimes taking years off - but I’ve always been able to put on muscle. In the last few years, I’ve had to work very hard to get strong - but I’m strong - strong as ever in most things except squats.

I do notice a lack of fitness endurance, no staying power in the bedroom, and general difficulty motivating beyond getting to the gym. It’s kind of like I’ve lost passion/interest in some of my activities.

I got the T tested because I suspected that I could be low, but had no idea I was this low.

4

check TSH, D25-OH, estradiol, etc. before jumping into HRT.

5

Went to the Doc again today.

He looked at all the sups I’ve taken and ruled out any issues relating to them. He asked tons of questions and knows my fitness history etc…

He ultimately wrote a script for Gel, but will do shots if we don’t see results by Feb.

Doc said he won’t simply manage T levels by the numbers, he’ll manage by the way I feel - and I will determine if I need more, or if I need to change to injections.

6

getting a baseline on your TSH, estradiol, etc. are critical IF you happen to be one of the hard to fix cases… please consider asking for those tests, then start on the gel the next day… but get the tests first. It could save you years of suffering, guessing, wishing, frustration, etc.

7

Just got back my first test results after the the first 2 months of TRT with Testim.

Free Test 11.0
Total Test 456.0

Doc simply says - “you’re in the normal range”.

I’m going to talk to the doc this week and bring with me the lists of tests we need to perform and the “recipe for success” document by John Crisler. I don’t like my Free number - and suspect I need an AI.

In hind sight, I can now recognize and assign several symptoms I didn’t realize I was experiencing to Low T.

I didn’t realize how tired I was after lifting…
I thought that some of the fatigue I felt was just me not getting enough O2 due to sinus or bronchial issues.

Basically - I didn’t know what I was experiencing wasn’t normal for my age.

8

Update - Doc finally agreed to run all the tests cited by John Crisler. He was impressed with the document.

He’s also wanting to up my dose a bit and has me looking at the differences between the gels… More testim, andro gel 1.62% or Fortesta 2%

Testim seems to be working, but adding more gel seems like it would be a PINTA.

Any comparisons available between andro gel and Fortesta?

9

Quick results back for Estradiol 23.7 looks ok.

12/15 Free Test 4.4 total 213
2/28 11.0 456
3/7 7.4 382

Seems like quite a change in a week - given daily application and no other changes.

10

you might want to test for TSH. For several people (including myself) gels work for the first 2-4 months, then they slowly stop absorbing (theory being extra T requires extra cortisol leaving not enough for your thyroid, causing hypothyroid issues, or causing cortisol/aldosterone issues which then interfere with transdermal absorption.)

how are you feeling?
have symptoms gone away?

11

I have felt like crap for the last week - I’m FINALLY going to see and ENDO tomorrow.

I’m going armed with all kinds of data and reports from this site and others.

I’m going to basically get his opinion on things, then demand weekly injections. I’m tired of the testim gel - It does improve my symptoms somewhat, but I think it’s no longer working like it did. AND it’s a royal pain in the ass to apply daily and then worry about when I workout, shower, swim, boat, let my wife touch me etc. And it isn’t even summer here yet.

12

Any updates?

13

I thought I started a new thread - but here’s the quick update.

I got a full battery of tests at the Endo’s office. All good with the exception of Free Test and Total test still being on the low side (pumped up by Testim)

Doc had me initially try a double dose of Testim - That lasted 2 weeks until I couldn’t stand using 2 tubes of gel every morning. Also it was Uber expensive.

I went to injections - 1/2ml of 200mg each week. Why 200mg 1/2 ml? Cause the little 1ml vials are all that is available in my area. I tried the Doc standard 1.5 inch 23 g needles - can you say pain in the leg for 3 days… No I’m at a 1" 25 gauge and all is good.

After 6 weeks Testing came back with 541 total (range 291-739) and 12.7 free (range 5-40) The best numbers I’ve seen and the best I’ve felt in a LONG time.

Earlier in this thread I didn’t even realize how bad I felt and how little energy I had… The slow down was so gradual I didn’t even notice! I tested for TEST on a whim to see where I was “AT” after training so hard for so long. I got a big surprise.

For those using Testim and other gels… give it a go and see how things work for you… For ME, injections have made a HUGE difference vs. Gel.

I feel much better - consistently and the numbers prove it!