I’m 37 / 5’ 8" / 165lbs and very active. Last June I was feeling very sluggish and my BF percentage started going up even though I had recently adopted a better diet and amped up my cardio routines.
I saw my MD and he conducted some tests. My T levels were 306 and he put me on Androgel (two pumps per day). He sent me to a Urologist to check me out and get his blessing on the Androgel plan. The Urologist agreed on the TD method but suggested that IM was more reliable.
After six weeks he re-tested my levels and I was at 326. We added one extra pump per side for a total of two per shoulder per day. I felt better but it seemed to taper off lately. I had my latest blood test last week and my T-level was 203. My doc wants to see me next week and he mentioned IM for TRT.
I don’t know if he just tested my T levels or if he tested for other things. I won’t know until I go next week. My guess is he just tested my T levels. My doc is very open minded and wants to help. He’s a general MD and probably not well versed in TRT, but he is willing to help and get my T levels where they should be.
I want to not only educate myself but bring some ammo with me to his office so I can make suggestions if need be. He mentioned IM treatments but I’ve read that you need more than that. I’ve also read that IM can give you highs and lows and you need other drugs combined as well.
I’d appreciate it if i can get the basic info on what I should be doing from here on out. I know my doc is going to treat this via IM, but I want to know what else he should be doing in conjunction with the steroids.
I’m not looking forward to the IM method because I don’t like needles all that much, but I feel like crap and I need to get this issue resolved.
It appears you are not absorbing the T gel well at all. As I am sure you know your T numbers should have gone up, not down, and IM (shots)is really the way to go. I used to be needle phobic and have a local nurse do my shots until I was no longer able to have her do them w/o a hassle. Anyway, I have no been doing my own shots for almost three years, and it’s really no big deal.
I am curious though; did you have any thyroid testing done? How is your diet, height, weight, BF%, and any other blood work you may have had done.
It is common for men that have trouble absorbing T gels to have a compromised thyroid, as that would “help” you to feel like crap.
You don’t mention what your E2 level is, will your doctor request that test for you? One of the by products of increased estrogen levels is increased body fat. As estrogen levels rise, T levels fall, and unless something is done about the estrogen taking over, your T levels will never really get “high enough”.
I have no clue what my E2 levels are or if he tested them. I will request it when I go in this week. When the doc called me to tell me the lab results he told me that the Androgel isn’t being absorbed and it is time to move on to another method. My initial blood work was for a bunch of stuff but I can’t think of the acronyms.
I know it was for T, PSA, blood sugar. FSH and LSH (not sure if that is correct. The signals from your head to your nuts and back). My head was sending the signal but my testicals weren’t responding. The Urologist said it was premature testicular failure.
I’m not sure about my thyroid. I can have the doc run some tests for that as well.
I’m 5’ 8" and 165 lbs. All my body fat is between my waist and my neck. Flab is how I’d best describe it…not firm. I normally run 2 miles every day at minimum but I bumped it up to 5 last summer. I didn’t lose one pound and I modified my diet, although I practice a good diet all year round.
I’m glad the injections aren’t a big deal. My initial thoughts were that this is going to be a pain in the ass…literally. I’m 37 and I don’t feel like taking injections the rest of my life but I’ll do what I have to. My energy levels are next to nothing and I struggle with workouts. I’ve made zero gains in the past year.
I’m praying that once my t levels get right that my BF percentage will go down.