Switch from SubQ?

Pharma / TRT Testosterone Replacement
1

I’m currently 6 weeks into TRT with Defy. Get my first labs in 2 weeks. Been on 40mg 2 x week and been Sub q from day 1. Outside of my first injection, I never really felt anything. I have noticed a difference in the gym, but it’s been subtle. I understood subq and IM to be equal options but now I’m reading that some others feel this way on Subq. Thoughts? Terrible idea to jump to IM for the next two weeks or should I just stay with Subq until my labs are drawn?

Has anyone actually seen lab differences between route of adminstration, or just “feel”?

Thanks!

2

It could just be your body doesn’t like SQ, please list all labs as it can just be a matter of dosing andor shot frequency change.

My response to TRT injecting 50mg twice weekly was mediocre even with high trough numbers, it’s more than just keeping levels stable. The hormone profiles when injecting more frequently look completely different from those protocols with the less frequent injections.

You need to find the dose and injection frequency that best suits your specific biology. When I started injecting smaller doses every 2 days, progress accelerated like breaking through a barrier.

Then again it’s only been 6 weeks, hope you went expecting massive body comp changes this earlier in treatment.

3

My first labs since starting TRT will be drawn next week. If my body doesn’t love subq will that actually show up as less ideal lab numbers (objective) or just by how I feel (subjective)? And agreed on dose frequency. I’m on 2x week due to high SHBG but I do feel a low a couple of days after my shot.

4

That explains it, sub Q has a slower release mechanism and you have high SHBG, you need androgens to hit your system faster to effect SHBG.

5

Your T shots are adsorbed slower with subQ because there are fewer blood vessels. This might give you a little lower peak and trough but it would be very small. SubQ or IM your T cyp reaches steady state in ~40 day.

I don’t see why you could not give IM a try. I did once hit a nerve had pain thru my leg for 3 days.
YMMV

6

I kept my expectations in check. Actually body combo is the one thing that surprised me. Went back to the look of my body 10 years ago pretty quickly.

However, there were a few weeks of daily morning wood, great sleep, better mood, and then just blah. That all went away.

7

After further thought, same goes for comp. my muscular fullness changed quickly. Just get more “solid”. I now feel flat.

8

Subq never worked for me, i feel like its cause more e2 sides, i feel tired and emotional while doing subq. IM much better, much much better. Clear mind and nice pumps in the gym.

Subq also causes painful lumps that wont go for weeks, i dont think its fully absorbed at all.

9

Thanks so much, everyone. Just one last question. If subq isn’t working well for me, will that be reflected in my lab values, or just in the way that I feel?

10

NO it won’t change your blood tests.
What you felt at the beginning is called the honeymoon phase of TRT. Many spend thousands trying to get that feeling back. No one ever has.

11

Wasn’t that great. Just felt back to normal. Now I feel pre TRT. Pretty sure I can do better than that or else why waste my time?

12

You won’t get the honeymoon back but you can get close. It takes experimenting over a year or two. Finding the TT lvl and E2 lvl that is best for you can only be done by you.

For me TT 500-600 is perfect E2 24-26 is perfect. I have just enough libido that I am not thinking about sex 24/7 and I don’t have to beatoff every day. TRT has not fixed my ED but lowdose cialis has.

13

Thanks so much. I’m getting my first labs done in a week and my first follow up with deft shortly thereafter. Maybe try IM for my next few shots before my follow up to see if I notice anything different that’s worthwhile to discuss with them.

14

Hang in there this takes time to figure out what works best. Yes try IM it’s more potent of an effect. I didn’t like subq.

I would suggest IM twice weekly and only subq if I was having issues after trying those options

15

I did SubQ for the first 2 years on TRT, but I have been IM since November and im not going back.

When I was stable on IM, I tried a couple SUB Q shots, and it literally felt as if I skipped my shot.

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16

It was the same for me.

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17

It was the same for me as well. I didn’t feel the same on sub q, my doc wanted me to stay on sub q but I went back to IM and feel much better.

18

I don’t think this will help you on your journey to dial in. Changing methods of delivery may mean you are resetting the clock and wait 6-8 more weeks. Stay the course is my suggestion or else you will never know what your labs look like on this protocol.

Your on trt you are not expected to feel that rush. I also don’t know how you define feeling it. Restoring things while you were low t can take months.

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19

Sounds like your bodies like the high peak (quicker into the blood stream) IM give us vs the slow steady release subQ offers.

Kind of the whole opposite of the whole daily injection theory.

20

Higher SHBG is probably the reason.