6 Months of TRT Fail

Pharma / TRT Testosterone Replacement
1

Hi guys, this is my first post here so please excuse my lack of T Nation ettiquette.

A little bit of history. Im 26 yo and weigh 210 lbs at 20% BF.

After the Marine Corps I was constantly panick stricken and depressed and with a host of other issues i.e. occular migraines, erectile dysfunction, generalized anxiety, memory loss, concentration issues, irritability, alcoholism, mental health disturbances and many more. In 2017 I really began to get my life together and cut out all alcohol seeing as it was really a catalyst for all of the other issues and definitely and aggravating factor. After cutting out alcohol things got better without a doubt, but the bulk of my issues still existed like the panick, depression, anxiety, concentration etc.

In 2018 I started researching hormones and found that almost all of my chief complaints could be linked to low testosterone. I also had a hard time getting the GP at the VA to take me seriously when I asked to have these levels checked he just laughed. So I knew I was out of luck there.

  • Testosterone, total
  • Testosterone, bioavailable
  • Testosterone, free
  • Estradiol (sensitive assay)
  • Steroid Hormone Binding Globulin
  • Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
  • Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
  • Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC)
  • Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)
  • Blood Chemistry Panel
  • Metabolic Panel

So I had to go to an anti aging clinic and after bloodtests they found that my levels were:

Pictures attached
*They are in order and unfortunately I no longer have a copy of the 2 latest that show my total T at 700 range or the latest one post TRT at 435. Sorry, you’ll jist have to believe me.

So they told me I was eligible for TRT so I was happy and began therapy. In the begginning I felt great. Almost exstatic everyday on a weekly dose of 120mg. Infact, my total T level was 1100 after my first month. But…the fun only lasted one month and I began to go back in month after month with no good news and only stories of feeling like my pre-trt self. They told me I would level out and feel the full benefits within a few more weeks so I kept going.

The next blood test 3 months later revealed my Total testosterone to be only 780 vs my initial response of 1100 total T. This made me question them even more and I began to somewhat question their practices, but they were open to suggestions and I suggested splitting the dose in half and administering x2/week. We continued that and I continued to tell them I didnt have much relief from my symptoms or any of the claimed wonderful benefits of testosterone like fat loss, mood enhancement, general life enjoyment or muscle gain, so they added in HCG at .25 IU a week hoping this would keep the T levels “more steady” in their opinion.

Well, this didnt help either and I became very frustrated and got off of the therapy and got my blood rechecked again and now my total T was 435 which was over 100 points lower than pre-TRT. I am so confused as to what is going on, why it didnt seem to work and how I was drug along this confusing road with “professionals” that do not know what they are doing.

Where do I go from here feeling like crap after an almost year long struggle with the anti aging clinic? How can I reduce my struggle with the medical system? What mistakes did I make?

P.s. I have been lifting weights since I was 15 years old and maintaining a decently healthy lifestyle since quitting alcohol. I am lacto-vegetarian for the past 5 months.

I hope you guys can help. If there is any information that would help please ask and if I can I will answer.

Thanks

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2

You felt good at total T of 1100.
You felt bad when it went to 700 for 3 months.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say take more T. Why that didn’t occur to anyone in your story is beyond me.

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3

Are you taking the labs at the Same time?

Like on trough ?

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4

I think the idea was that it was the same dose besides splitting it in two. They kept acting like this was the only case they had ever seen or something. They couldnt understand why it wasnt stable. Im not educated in this stuff, but neither are they apparently. What kind of medical doctor deals with TRT?

5

What state do you live in?

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6

It’s not rocket science. They give you a dose. If it’s too much they lower it. If it’s not enough they raise. If it’s just right they just charge you each month.

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7

Yes, at every lab it was 2 days after injection at 730 am in the morning aprroximately within 1 hour of waking.

8

Colorado. There are plenty of anti aging places, but I would love if insurance would pay for this

9

Thanks for your reply. The maximum they gave me was 120mg in one injection or 60mg split into 2 doses. Is there a reason why I would respond favorably then not so well to the same dose?

10

The problem with insurance is you have to deal with doctors like you have so far. The anti aging place will give you more freedom to find what works. $150/month to be better looking and feel like a younger version of yourself is not bad.

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11

The first month you are still producing natural testosterone so you basically have twice the testosterone for the first month until it shuts down. Then you have just what you inject.

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12

Thanks, I will continue that route with anti-aging because atleast they were open to suggestions. If it doesnt work Ill go to one of the many others.

Wow, I had no idea that the first month there was a double up effect. That makes so much sense. So, the T was only getting me up to 750 after the 5 months or so. They obviously didnt know that either because they were baffled when it dropped. Do you have a source for this?

13

Also, I was taking .25 mg anastrozole each week. When we split the doses to two times a week of 60mg they raised it to .25 each injection. I noticed that I started having occassional rapid heartbeat that would panick me with the .25 anastrozole/x2 week. Any advice on this or what is a typical dose? Sorry for so many questions but if they dont know Ill have to tell them.

14

That may be your issue right there. I took it when I started out and felt like total crap. Stopped taking it and just took T and felt like a grown ass man since.

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15

Do you remember what your E levels were that felt bad and what felt good? The anastrazole always seemed to irritate me. What is the danger of not taking it or what to look out for?

16

It’s the opposite. What is the danger of taking it?

At a normal TRT dose you need no ai. Let the e2 settle at your t dose. It balances out nicely in most.

After you stop the ai you will get what you think are high e2 sides… this will pass. Give it 6-8 weeks.

My estradiol is mid 30s and I feel very good

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17

That is so crazy to me that there are people that don’t know what you guys know. I had a gut feeling that the anastrozole was a no, no. How should I bring this up to them to avoid taking it?

18

I took ai for a bit at the beginning it was the worst times ever. Heart paps, blood pressure changes, sweats…etc. it basically put me in a roller coaster.
just stop taking it.

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19

Cool, I will attribute all of my negative sympyoms while on TRT to the AI and tell them no thank you. I really appreciate your help charlie

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20

I was taking .1 mg of ai and it made me feel like crap most days.

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