I did, but my PA felt adding Armour T3/T4 could increase my RT3, which is already high. I feel good with the T3-only approach after chatting with @enackers, whom I consider the resident thyroid expert, lol. The goods should arrive soon – we’ll see!
I didn’t realize you were so light pre-TRT. The lightest I’ve weighed since high school is last summer at 168 (but I was completely peeled). Currently at 180. How much are you weighing now?
I’m in the 168-170lb range the last few weeks. I shot up to 175lbs in the beginning of TRT but have been slowly going down. I assume that was a lot of water weight.
Pre TRT / Pre T issues I was usually around 155-160, then 2017/2018 I got skinnier and skinnier, down to 140’s. Man what I would do for some actual real blood testing before and during that period of time. It sucks. I actually went to the doc December 2017 which was when I was feeling pretty awesome sexually and told him to run whatever bloodwork he wanted as my insurance would cover it and he basically just ran lipids, nothing for thyroid or sex hormones. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Oddly enough I was taking dutasteride (stronger version of Propecia) back then… I got to about February 2018 before I stopped taking it and went downhill from there.
I am naturally pretty thin but eat terribly. Like lunch and dinner are oftentimes McDonald’s + milkshake + popcorn + Reece’s, so I’m just thankful I’m not a whale at this point. I’d like to lean out a bit, I just need to eat a little better and it should happen pretty quick, I just haven’t had the willpower to actually do it yet. Maybe early next year I can in time for pool season.
edit: oops, I though we were posting in your log thread. Sorry Vokno.
Going to stop jacking Vonko’s thread now, but I’ll quickly say this:
Meats and veggies will make your dreams come true.Struggling to control diet.
Normally I do not breakfast, but today after hard morning workout the whey protein was not enough and I ate a little bretzel after that.
The workout was awesome, only upper body because tomorrow Im snowboarding.
I had a weird dream at night about getting gyno 
Im far from optimized and I cannot start incorporating HCG in a week or even two. But the doctor wanted me to start it that time. Im thinking about a compromise - will a single HCG shot 250 UI now do anything?
I’ve read here guys use this approach to use some HCG once or twice per month to keep the testicles working.
Is it also possible Im shutting down 2 and a half weeks after starting?
The shut down usually occurs in 1-3 weeks, this is when men start to return to the forums asking WTF is happening and I tell them this is the end of the TRT honeymoon phase. Some guys never feel their natural testosterone cease because hormone levels are elevated before your natural testosterone ceases.
This is a bit redundant, you want more testosterone, increase the T dosage.
@systemlord @dextermorgan I would want to fire some HCG if meaningful in order to keeep my testicles working.
On the other hand I also think Im shut down because the last 2-3 days including today I feel much more crappy and low energy and like before I started.
Not that I had any honey moon, but I was definitely more energetic.
Do you think its meaningful in Monday to test total testosterone, estrogen and CBP and consider changing the dose or to wait more? I know enough time has not passed on this protocol
Hi Vonko/all,
If shutdown occurs after 1-3 weeks I understand we are producing testosterone ourselves until then, right?. In more or less quantity but producing. Does it make sense to say then that after1-3 weeks we would need to increase the dosage to compensate that missing quantity?
Regards
This is what Im wondering now
After shutdown, the real trial and error start. As system mentioned above, some people’s starting doses are high enough they don’t revert feeling terrible and just roll with it. Others have to increase dose, frequency or both to dial in.
My Dr started me at 100mg a week. It wasn’t enough. I’ve had to adjust up about 140mg a week to really feel better.
Just relax. You are hyper focused updating this diary. There’s going to be some ups and downs. Some of it is the adrenaline from injecting yourself with T for the first time wearing off. The placebo effect is wearing off. You were ‘killing it in the gym’ when your body might have not been ready. Your natural T is shutdown. And your Preg is low and a host of other things your body is trying to stabilize. Just give it the full 6-8 weeks before you start with new bloods and tweaking everything.
If my t has shut down recently is there a reason to believe if I wait week or more two I will get to feel better this dosage? I mean Im trying to understand this thing.
Maybe Im extra frustrated and stressed now because I ve just started to feel a bit better better and now Im at where I started or worse cannot determine. Sorry If Im a bit tedious…
@vonko1988 - You started on this protocol 16 days ago! 16 days! You’ve been active on the forum long enough to know you need at minimum 8 weeks on the same protocol. Yes, you’re going to feel bad after natural T stops producing, but you’ll rebound after a period of time. Get out of your head and trust the process. Go outside, live life and take a break from the forum.
I’m sure you’ve read a lot of people here say this is a marathon, not a spirit. That’s because it takes about 6-8 weeks to reach a steady state of testosterone in your body. As difficult as it will be for you, you just have to be patient and stay consistent.
The time is going to pass by anyway, just keep injecting on your schedule and dose and carry on with your life. Don’t hyper focus on every little thing and think it’s the testosterone.
In this same dose, you are likely to feel way different in 5 weeks than you do now. Stick with it and don’t waiver.
I think you should because you already know I’m going to tell you not to for at least the first couple months yet you still asked. You already know why I would tell you not to.
Is there anything else you want ask but already know the answer to that I can help you with? Don’t hesitate to ask.
Yea I know I shoudnt but wondered if one shot once in a while would keep them working without messing the fragile attempt to optimize things on t alone.
I read here some guys use hcg 1-2 times per month but cannot find that threads now
How much does that translate into blood T levels for you?
@thebigzerg27 - most recently bloods while on 42mg EOD. I’m also taking armour thyroid, so that’s why those are there too.
Top is FT, bottom is TT. Also, my sensitive E2 is 49.
You have sperm stored already and almost no one has problems increasing fertility with HCG/FSH later on if needed, so I wouldn’t worry about it right now. Keep doing what you’re doing for the 8 weeks and see how you feel. You keep saying you want things super stable, daily dosing, etc. and now you’re wanting to add something that is going against that.
I know you’re worried about fertility but you’re obsessing over it. Stay the course, give it time, your balls will be fine
I’ve read about school bodybuilders that used to take giant doses of HCG every once in a while. Not sure if it helps anything but regardless since you just started it isn’t worth messing with.
