TRT: Talk Me Down, Please

Pharma / TRT Testosterone Replacement
1

Five years ago, I had a Testosterone test as part of my annual physical. It came back with numbers at the very bottom of the ranges, and my PCP asked if I wanted a referral to a urologist to talk about TRT. At the time, I was not really symptomatic in any noticeable way, and was a bit shocked by his suggestion, so I turned him down.

Flash forward to today - I’m 52 now and my libido evaporated a year ago, my drive is way down, and 10 weeks into an intense cardio/CICO regimen, I’m struggling to lose belly fat where in years past I could always melt it off easily.

I went in for an updated blood test, and I’m awaiting the results. Logic would dictate that my numbers are likely lower and I’ll once again be eligible for TRT, but we’ll see.

But here is where I’m getting a little messed up mentally: I find myself hoping that my numbers are low so I can start TRT. Why? Virtually everything I hear is positive.

Reading up on TRT is difficult, because there are so many success stories out there, and a lot of those people are happy to preach about how great they feel and how they wish they had started earlier. I also have friends who have told me they are on TRT, and they love everything about it.

I find myself eager to start TRT, eager to see improvements in my symptoms as well as possible gains in improving my physique. I find myself tickled at the idea that recovering from a jiu jitsu class could be significantly easier, and eager to get horned up and get back on top of my wife on the regular. I really could care less if my balls shrink, and I had a vasectomy 15 years ago, so I’m not worried about fertility.

In short: I feel almost hypnotized by the upsides of TRT and as a result and just eager to begin. But I know that’s not entirely realistic.

There seems to be a lot of honest talk in this forum, which I appreciate. So I guess what I’m looking for are some folks to give me some honesty and knock me off this perch so I can approach this therapy with a balanced view. I feel like I shouldn’t be so amped up to start a lifelong therapy that requires blood monitoring and frequent injections. I mean, I’m excited to potentially fix problems I’m having, but I probably shouldn’t have such a gung-ho attitude about being hypogonadic enough to get an Rx for test.

Would anyone like to chime in with some of the downsides of TRT, or maybe some reasons why I shouldn’t be counting the hours until my tests comes back and I can get my first pin. I’m so excited, but sober enough to realize that my attitude probably needs to be checked.

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It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Some people have a hard time getting dialed in and some never really do at all. Chances are, at 52, you may benefit from optimization of your hormones over clinical need. Let’s see the labs as many symptoms of low T cross over with other issues. TRT is not a cure all, but if you feel it’s right for you it doesn’t matter what others think.

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I don’t think you should feel bad about wanting feel better, man. I’m one of the lucky ones I guess, as I had no issues getting “dialed in.” I started TRT, felt normal after a couple of weeks, and just kept on with it. It’s never made me feel amazing; just normal. Meaning I never got the superman or high feeling some guys describe on here. But I’ll take normal with no negative side effects.

Bottom line: don’t feel bad about being excited; just do it.

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I think if your numbers dictate TRT is needed, do it.

Long story short: My dad is on TRT. He had a twin brother who died at 44. Dropped dead while running from a major heart attack. Was in amazing shape.

Both my dad and I have secondary hypo. Its a wacky pituitary.

I speculate that my uncle had his heart issues possibly due to low T, as he was my dad’s twin.
Cardio is heart healthy and protective. You need Test for your heart.

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Nothing wrong about being excited and optimistic. The vast majority of men have great experiences with TRT, provided they use sane doses and do their follow-up labs. I’m hoping, though, that your doc will allow you to do SUB-Q or IM injections. In my experience, much better bang for your buck and much better overall experience.

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You will mostly find guys having problems on these TRT forums, most of the success stories have no need to visit forums in search of answers to their problems. The one thing I have noticed is older men dial-in much easier than the younger generation.

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Maybe because younger men are less likely to need TRT. Low T issues can usually be attributed to many other issues. A lot of men are trying to troubleshoot problems with their lives and stumble upon TRT. After the honeymoon period fades, protocol is the perfect scapegoat and distraction explaining why they feel like shit again. Their real problem may well remain undiagnosed.

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If your T is near bottom or below range sounds like you have every right to be excited.

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I had used AAS for about three decades (I quit at age 49) and at around 57, or so, years old I had my Total Testosterone tested as 272ng/dL.

I didn’t feel bad, but wondered if a higher testosterone would improve my performance in the gym. I started testosterone cypionate, where I settled out at taking 100mg every five days.

Since taking TRT I feel about the same and my gym performance didn’t change much, if any. I will continue. I am currently 73 years old.

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This is because low-T is a symptom, something is lowering the T, which doesn’t decline due to aging alone.

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TRT doesn’t do much for the gym. Maybe a little more energy to get there, but muscle building wise, won’t do what most think.

It’s not “juicing” like most think. It’s bringing things back into normal. Levels normal men have.

But what it DOES do is protect your heart. Something you can’t really feel or see.

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I won’t comment on the bulk of your post except to say it seems, on the surface, you would benefit from TRT.

Downsides, in general:

decreased fertility
testicular atrophy
fluid retention
oily skin/acne
nipple tenderness/swelling
moods/overly emotional

questionable downsides:

increased libido (if no equally willing partner)
added muscle size (expense for new clothes)
fat loss (expense for new clothes/alterations)
financial expense (you’ll feel good, life changing good, and will not want to stop, ever, and have to pay for it)

Full disclosure, I do this for a living, treat a lot of patients, have a large practice. The results are overwhelming positive. I see it and hear it every day.

Some good comments above. On the internet, you see a disproportionate amount of less than ideal results, difficulty “dialing in”, etc. Outliers.

Having said all of that, read whatever you can, but question everything. Even me. I could be wrong. I’m not, but you don’t know that yet. Good luck sorting this out.

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I’ve been on it for 2 years. Best thing for me as I went through all the “bad” issues noted by others.

Now I’ve put on good size in the gym (235 lbs), my bench is 315 (never been that high before) my legs are huge (squats and deadlifts are PR’s) and my wife likes the “other” benefits that I had been lacking. I look good for an old guy.

It takes a bit to dial in but it was it so much fun getting back to normal in the gym (back to beast mode) and feeling (looking) good.

Do it.

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I’m 40 years old I was on TRT for almost 2 years and never really needed it. It was mainly for vanity to look better and help me build more muscles in the gym. I am glad I tried it but because I didn’t have naturally low T I decided I like being natty better. It was a close call, but the Natty Pros outweighed the Cons and I eventually came off a few months ago. That was just my experience some might feel differently.

For people that are actually hypogonadal though, and really have low T, I think it’s a Godsend, and I think it would change their life for the infinite better. If I really had low testosterone, I wouldn’t think twice and would hop on immediately.

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Thanks for all the responses. I thought my results would post to my health app within a day, but they haven’t. That usually means something is out of range and results are being held for PCP comment before uploading.

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Agreed low T can be a symptom but if Test levels are restored through TRT and symptoms persist the root cause likely hasn’t been addressed.

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Update: Test came back with Total T at 250. How about Free T? My GP didn’t even test for it. TOok 7 days to get results. I think I’ll be going to a local men’s clinic, because I’m already starting to see the cluelessness in the mainstream system.

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It’s going to be low. Sure, it would be nice to know, with SHBG, as that can provide some direction regarding dosing. However, 250 total is low, plus you have symptoms. Sounds as though you are heading in the right direction.

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That’s not really important because damn, 250 is low. If we are talking about healthy testosterone, even 450 is low, excluding outliers.