New to TRT. Started a month or so ago. 1/2” needle, 90 deg injections, 3 days a week, alternate left and right thigh each injection day.
Almost immediately after starting TRT, I developed a Charlie Horse or what feels like a Charlie Horse in my left Calf. Regardless of work outs, stretching, or trying to massage it out, I cannot get it to go away.
Thoughts? What could be causing this?
Thank you,
The internet will throw you down some deep holes sometimes, and after reading about increased risk of blood clots on TRT, I can’t help but wonder if I should be checked out. Considering I am new to this and I am only 1 month in, I can’t imagine that could possibly be the problem.
I have also doubled my magnesium supplement intake as I’ve also read that could also be the problem. Thus far, has not helped.
I experienced the same thing, charlie horse in legs, caused by iron deficiency. If I miss my iron supplements while on TRT, within days the charlie horse cramps return.
TRT can suppress ferritin in some individuals.
Check iron saturation and ferritin levels.
TRT doesn’t cause clotting, clotting disorders/injuries do. You need an increase in platelets to clot. TRT only increases red blood cells and causes erythrocytosis, the same as if at high altitude.
As far as clotting on TRT, this is uncommon, less than 1% of the population.
The internet can be a scary place, a lot of misinformation out there!
I appreciate your response!
A week after starting TRT, I had blood work done with my normal doctor, unrelated to TRT clinic.
These were my Ferritin results 1 week post TRT, coincidentally, the calf “Charlie Horses” started roughly 1 week or so after starting TRT as well.
There’s your problem, low ferritin. My symptoms also started after the first week. I have found TRT doesn’t feel like it’s working with low ferritin, I had to get my ferritin 80> to really start feeling the benefits of TRT.
You need iron supplements, chelate iron. You will probably have to take iron supplements three times per day until you get it 100>. I have to take a high maintenance dosage of 154 mg daily, or 5.25 capsules.
I really respond very well to the Vitamin Shoppe brand iron, 28 mg ferrous fumarate, amino acid chelate. I recommend it!
What’s your hemoglobin and HCT?
No, your iron levels aren’t okay, iron test is unreliable and can change after eating. Ferritin testing is the gold standard for iron status. It’s a mistake to think all the serum iron is free floating and interacting with tissues in the bloodstream.
Your body is holding onto to it because of low ferritin. Myoglobin, in the muscles, which has six times more affinity for oxygen, than hemoglobin, is often low when ferritin is low normal.
You’re at stage 1 iron deficiency, which is depletion of ferritin/iron stores. Stage 1 is characterized by decreased bone marrow iron stores; hemoglobin (Hb) and serum iron remain normal, but the serum ferritin level falls to < 30 ng/mL.
Normal healthy people have ferritin 100>.
Here’s a thought, maybe you didn’t need TRT at all, maybe all you needed was healthy ferritin levels.
Thank you for your advice. This morning I purchased two types of iron supplements recommend at the place I was at. A liquid form, 10mg iron taken twice daily for a total of 20 mg per day. Supposedly absorbed much better than typical pill form. I also purchased a pill form which contains 85 mg of chelated iron per serving, and recommends taking one pill per day.
Supplement manufactures know nothing about treating medical problems, their recommendations are for the average healthy person, and not necessarily someone on a therapy known to suppress ferritin in some people or with a medical need for more iron supplement than the average person.
Tailor the dosage to your needs.
I don’t like multivitamins, they are a one size fits all. You can get some stuff you need, while too much of others you don’t.
You should start feeling better in a couple of weeks, with full symptom relief or what you expected out of TRT in 2-3 months.
