My "Noobie" TRT Journey

-age: 42
-height: 6’ 6"
-waist: 42"
-weight: 315lbs (went from 381lbs before self medicated “TRT” to 311lbs)
-describe body and facial hair: a lot - No problem with beards - although all gray/white
-describe where you carry fat and how changed: waist and belly: Went from 48"± to 42" after weight loss. Still carrying some around waist and belly.
-health conditions, symptoms [history]: hypertension (high BP - on meds for it)
-Rx and OTC drugs, any hair loss drugs or prostate drugs ever-- real dangers! see this Propeciahelp.com - Discussion forum for Post-Finasteride Syndrome Losartan (high BP)
-lab results with ranges-describe diet [some create substantial damage with starvation diets]: Diet from 381lbs to 346lbs with eating less and “clean” - 346lbs to 311lbs using Keto.

Labs (03/07/2017):

CBC With Differential/Platelet

WBC 7.0 xlOE3/uL 3.4 - 10.8 01
RBC 6.41 High xlOE6/uL 4.14 - 5.80 01
Hemoglobin 19.1 High g/dL 12.6 - 17.7 01
Hematocrit 56.4 High % 37 .5 - 51 .0 01
MCV 88 f L 79 - 97 01
MCH 29.8 pg 26.6 - 33.0 01
MCHC 33 .9 g/dL 31.5 - 35.7 01
RDW 14.4 % 12 .3 - 15.4 01
Platelets 212 xlOE3/uL 150 - 379 01
Neutrophils 56 % 01
Lymphs 34 % 01
Monocytes 8 % 01
Eos 2 % 01
Basos 0 % 01
Neutrophils (Absolute) 4.0 xlOE3/uL 1.4 - 7.0 01
Lymphs (Absolute) 2.4 xlOE3/uL 0.7 - 3.1 01
Monocytes (Absolute) 0.5 xlOE3/uL 0.1 - 0.9 01
Eos (Absolute) 0.1 xlOE3/uL 0.0 - 0.4 01
Baso (Absolute) 0.0 xlOE3/uL 0 . 0 - 0 . 2 01
Immature Granulocytes 0 01
Immature Grans (Abs) 0.0 xlOE3/uL 0.0 - 0.1 01

Comp. Metabolic Panel (14)
Glucose, Serum 85 mg /dL 65 - 99 01
BUN 21 mg/dL 6 - 24 01
Creatinine, Serum eGFR If NonAfricn Am 1.OS 87 mg/dL mL/min/ 1.73 0.76 - 1.27 >59 01
eGFR If Africn Am 101 mL/min/ 1.73 >59
BUN/Creatinine Ratio 20 9 - 20
Sodium , Serum Potassium, Serum 140 4.4 mmol/L mmol/L 134 3 .5 - 144 - 5.2 01 01
Chloride, Serum 99 mrnol/L 96 - 106 01
Carbon Dioxide, Total 22 mmol/L 18 - 29 01
Calcium, Serum 9.6 mg/dL 8.7 - 10.2 01
Protein, Total, Serum 7.4 g/d.L 6 .0 - 8.5 01
Albumin, Serum 4.6 g/dL 3.5 - 5.5 01
Globulin, Total 2 .8 g/dL 1.5 - 4.5
A/G Ratio 1.6 1.1 - 2.5
Bilirubin, Total 1.1 mg/dL 0.0 - 1.2 01
Alkaline Phosphatase, S 67 IU/L 39 - 117 01
AST (SGOT) 37 IU/L 0 - 40 01
ALT (SGPT) 30 IU/L 0 - 44 01
Lipid Panel w/ Chol/HDL Ratio Cholesterol, Total Triglycerides
HOL Cholesterol
VLDL Cholesterol Cal LOL Cholesterol Cale
T. Chol/HDL Ratio
168 mg/dL 100 - 199 01
109 mg/dL 0 - 149 01
39 Low mg/dL >39 01
22 mg/dL 5 - 40
107 High rng/dL 0 - 99
4.3 ratio units 0.0 - 5.0

Testosterone, Serum 181 Low ng/dL 348 - 1197 01
Comment:
Adult male reference interval is based on a population of lean males up to 40 years old.

Estradiol 9.6 pg/mL 7.6 - 42.6 01
Prostate-Specific Ag, SerumProstate Specific Ag, Serum 0.8 ng/mL 0.0 - 4.0 01
Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy 30.9 ng/mL 30.0 - 100.0 01

-describe training [some ruin there hormones by over training]: Currently running full 13 weeks Smolov Squats. Other than that, powerlifting.
-testes ache, ever, with a fever?: They ached when I first started my own “TRT” program at 250mg cyp/enan per week. No headaches since then and no fevers.
-how have morning wood and nocturnal erections changed: None, until I started my own “TRT”, then I couldn’t stay soft.

@KSman Updated and I forgot my temps at home, I’ll post them up.

Just went to the doctor today to hopefully get on TRT soon.

I called a few other dr’s offices and I immediately asked if the dr allowed self administration at the house and not only at their offices. When they said office only, I quickly thanked them and moved on. Finally, I called the last dr on my list (I called a few of the compounding pharmacies in my are (per the stickies) and wrote down their recommended drs that help/work with TRT). Thankfully, the nurse was able to talk with me and stated that the dr does in fact allow patients to inject at home. That’s a start!

I went in a little hesitant, but I went ahead after talking to her nurse last week to get the appointment. I checked in for a 10AM appointment at 9AM. They got me started on my paper work and helped me determine what my visit would cost. She pulled up my insurance and I only had to pay a 25 dollar copay. (YES!)

I sat there for about 5 minutes and the nurse said she’d be taking me back in just a few. I said no worries as it was only 9:10AM and my appointment was at 10AM. 5 minutes later, she walked me back to a room. She took my vitals and al that fun stuff.

Vitals - 3/7/17:
Weight: 318.2 (fully dressed) (312 yesterday morning with underwear)
Height: 6’ 6"
Temperature: 97.6 (at 10:20AM or so)
Pulse (heart rate): 78 (lowest I’ve ever seen it)
Blood Pressure: 139/96
Symptoms: Fatigue

My BP was high for whatever reason (the dr later stated it could be anxiety which I do suffer from somewhat). The nurse took me to another room and I had to take my shoes and socks off and put my feet on these plates. (I forget what they called it and I’ll call in a few and find out again.) It was supposed to measure my cardiologist stuff? (or something). They also took my blood pressure three times while doing it. I had to breath in and out 3 times and each time was 5 seconds or so. (I’ll get more into and update.)

I was pulled into the first room and the dr came in. I’ve actually met her a few times at the gym. Awesome… didn’t know she was a dr. So we chatted and she went over the chart that the thing I posted up earlier about. She said I was in great health and that my blood pressure was down to 12X/8X (I’ll get those numbers too).

We started discussing what I was there for and what I was looking to do. I asked her questions, mostly about what tests she was going to run and that I wanted to add others. She looked them over and agreed to do most of them. She was reluctant to do E2, but I insisted on it. The only ones we didn’t do was LH/FSH and free/bio-t. I agreed that if my TT was high, me paying for the others as extras would be a waste since I couldn’t get on TRT. If it is low, we’ll look into getting them and checking them out. PSA was added (I believe already), and I really didn’t want to do the DRE, but my health and life is important, at least to my two boys, so I agreed to do it.

Before the DRE, she had pulled several tubes of blood from my arm. While she was doing it, she mentioned that she has quite a few people that she has on TRT and some that are body builders and that she just monitors their blood labs and watches for anything abnormal. She also asked me if I were to get on TRT with her, would I follow protocol. I told her I might dabble once or twice a year, but nothing more than a 10-12 week period. “just be careful”.

I’ll get this (see below) filled out when I get my labs tomorrow. I was expecting several days, but she stated that they will be in tomorrow no later than 10AM. Awesome!

A bit of info: I have been on a self medicated “TRT” for the last year or so. Usually between 250mg to 500mg of cyp/enan once a week. I have recently (about a month ago) finished a 300-500 Tren A and 250mg cypionate 5 week cycle. That was all the I had left and when I decided to get on TRT “legally”. Yes, it was a short, but I was testing sides with Tren A.

Your T levels are going to be high on that level of self medicated Test. Im not sure what you think you’re going to see from your tests that will get you on TRT. Even after a month you may still have some residual test inyour system. OR maybe your levels will be in the tank since removing the exogenous source of T.

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Please read the stickies found here: About the T Replacement Category - #2 by KSman

  • advice for new guys
  • things that damage your hormones
  • protocol for injections
  • finding a TRT doc

Evaluate your overall thyroid function by checking oral body temperatures as per the thyroid basics sticky. Thyroid hormone fT3 is what gets the job done and it regulates mitochondrial activity, the source of ATP which is the universal currency of cellular energy. This is part of the body’s temperature control loop. This can get messed up if you are iodine deficient. In many countries, you need to be using iodized salt. Other countries add iodine to dairy or bread.

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Everyone I spoke with stated that I should be cleared of all test for a base line after 28 days. Cyp and Tren A.

I’ll find out in about 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Thanks, I’ll get my temps from this last week or so and post once I get home tonight. The rest I’ve already done. I stated that I used the “finding a TRT doc” successfully in my other post.

I did mention that I could do SubQ to my the doctor and she quickly stated “NO!, unless you want me to cut out an abscess later on!”. Meh. I just said okay.

Just received the call, I only asked for TT and E2 numbers. I’ll drop by at lunch today and get a print out.

TT: 181 (349-1147)
E2: 9.6 (7.6-42.6)

Appointment Friday at 3:30 to discuss it. I’ll update this post once I get my full labs and post all of it.

So I picked up my labs, my hematocrit level high and a few other things are as well. I’ll scan them in and post them tomorrow while at work.

I’m sure I’ll get a script to get blood let done. Forget the technical term.

Why not just donate? Double red cell donation will take care of that

Hemoglobin is currently at 19.1 (12.6-17.7). The machine that does double reds won’t allow the person to give if over 17. I was at 17.4 the last time and they tried, prepped and everything and the machine said I couldn’t.

EDIT: Granted, I gave regular blood, a pint? But I’m not sure how much that really helps.

Put labs into the first thread.

That is so stupid, they know that the donation will reduce your hemacrit!

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Like I said, they didn’t allow me to give double reds which I heard is the best. I was able to give a normal pint.

I’m sure my dr will give me a script to get it lowered.

Noting my E2, I see my level is low and that explains my neck and back wanting to pop all the time. Knees have been aching, but I figured it was all the squatting with Smolov.

Hopefully tomorrow’s appointment will clear a lot of this up.

Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy 30.9 ng/mL 30.0 - 100.0 01

I started taking Vitamin D3 last night. 5000iu(I think) capsules.

Should I “front load” 10/15/20K or just go through with the 5K a day?

@KSman I forgot to get my temps, I’ll try to remember tonight.

Quickly, at the beach for spring break…

My doctor prescribed me 100mg once (or 50mgX2) weekly with at home injections. Run this for the next few months or so and adjust or add anything from there.

I’ll update more after I get home next week.

Yesterday (March 19, 2017) I injected with 100mg cypionate in my right quad.

Just logging it.

re you comment in another thread re TRT and cancerous cells. That is prostate and you should have had a digital recal prostate exam [DRE] and PSA labs. PSA labs should not be done soon after a DRE or orgasm. At age 42, the risk are low. Keep E2 in lower 20’s to protect prostate.

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I had a finger prostate exam and I guess I passed. The PSA was done (blood drawn) just before the exam.

I’ll definitely keep an eye on the E2.

Per your post in another, does the needle get “dull” like the 25G or so does? I figure the needle gets “dull” after pushing through the rubber of the vial. I know I can tell a difference if I pin once and need to move and it is “harder” to pierce the skin the second time.

I have been doing that for 10+ years without and needle dullness issues. Very pain-free for me on upper legs.

Diabetics do not back load syringes.