Switching from cream to injections.

2016aldoraine · Mar 2, 2016

For the past few years I've been in the lower end of the normal range for total testosterone and teetering back and forth from below-normal to low-normal of the free testosterone range. Tried everything I could do to increase it naturally through lifestyle and diet changes. Tried (almost) every testosterone booster known to man. Had symptoms of brain fog, fatigue and the worst of all, erectile dysfunction.

November 2015 went on 200mg/ml of compounded cream. Weeks 2 - 4 I felt like i did in my twenties, but that quickly withered away by week 6. At 6 weeks I had levels tested which came back lower than when before I started.

January 2016 bumped up the dosage to 250mg/ml. - No change in how I feel. Feeling pretty close to how I felt pre TRT.

Today I got my results from the 250mg/ml cream.

Total Testosterone = 14.6 nmol/L
Free Testaosterone = 317 pmol/L

RBC = 5.73 (normal = 4.20 - 5.70 x 10E12/L)
HEMATOCRIT = 0.52 (normal = 0.38 - 0.49 1/1)
PLATELETS = 137 (normal = 145 - 400 x 10E9L)

There is some concern of how my red blood cell count has risen slightly over the normal range. As a result of the red blood cells and how I feel, my doctor suggested we try injections and see if it helps my situation.

New protocol will be 25mg Test Cypionate 2 x week.

Any thoughts on why my red blood cells are off?

Any thoughts on my new protocol?

MisterB · Mar 3, 2016

very normal for them to raise , its what if they don't stabilize after 3 months.

so not anything abnormal, the shots are different for sure

i was on gels and creams for years and the DHT conversion was crazy compared to shots, shots make me feel normal, in control, clear head. the gels make me obsessed with sex

2016aldoraine · Mar 3, 2016

MisterB said:
very normal for them to raise , its what if they don't stabilize after 3 months.

so not anything abnormal, the shots are different for sure

i was on gels and creams for years and the DHT conversion was crazy compared to shots, shots make me feel normal, in control, clear head. the gels make me obsessed with sex

I wasn't fortunate enough to get decent results from the cream. Testosterone levels were same as pre trt. Free testosterone was up a bit. But I want to get my levels above 600 or even 700 to see if I feel better. I'm sure the shots will get me there.

MisterB · Mar 3, 2016

shots will for sure, i did all the gels and alternatives ones that where available at the time even pellets which were nice after the pain went away

billyjoe333 · Mar 3, 2016

I donate blood religiously every 56 days and it keeps my red blood cell count in check. First time I donated was 2 months after my first and only blast at 500mg per week. Hemoglobin was 18.6. They check it when you donate. 56 days later was 16.4. My doc has me on 150 per week cyp and over the past year my level has remained at about 650. Perfect.

2016aldoraine · Mar 3, 2016

Thanks guys. I'll see if the shots bring it up more which I won't be surprised if it does at least initially. But I've also recently severely cut down on red meat. Hopefully this helps as well.

01dragonslayer · Mar 4, 2016

I had the same issues as well and went to injections. My hematocrit levels were high so doc put me on 81mg/day ASA. No probs since. I'm currenty prescribed 80mg/wk test cyp.

1.fortheroad · Mar 5, 2016

Do you go to a urologist or an endocrinologist? I had the same issues while going to a urologist. Endocrinologists are significantly more knowledgeable about trt then any other specialist. Just my opinion and experience though.

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2016aldoraine · Mar 25, 2016

1.fortheroad said:
Do you go to a urologist or an endocrinologist? I had the same issues while going to a urologist. Endocrinologists are significantly more knowledgeable about trt then any other specialist. Just my opinion and experience though.

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Neither, I go to an anti-aging clinic. I saw an endo but he wouldn't treat me based on my blood levels. Symptoms weren't enough for him. I was in the normal range but it was somewhere in the high 300's which is low for my age.

ericraven2003 · Mar 25, 2016

When i did cream. I had to do it 2 to 3 times a day to have stable levels where I felt anywhere close to injections. Needless to say it didnt take long before I went back to inject.

ace24 · Mar 25, 2016

I never used creams but always did the injections, I think it is the only way to go from what I have read and from what my endo has said.

1.fortheroad · Mar 25, 2016

Anti aging clinics don't exist around here

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2016aldoraine · Mar 25, 2016

1.fortheroad said:
Anti aging clinics don't exist around here

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Where are you from?

In Canada it is definitely the easiest way to get what you want unless you are severely low. Anti-aging clinic will treat symptoms rather than just numbers. Even then finding an Endo who has good knowledge on the topic is near impossible.

1.fortheroad · Mar 25, 2016

Jersey. Strict around here and I need scripts for everything

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2016aldoraine · Mar 26, 2016

1.fortheroad said:
Jersey. Strict around here and I need scripts for everything

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In Canada, anti aging doctors are mostly certified general practitioners that decide to treat people in the public sector. So they are actual doctors and can write all the scripts. For anything! If you got the $, they can get you what you want.

jm425 · Mar 26, 2016

The creams seem to raise hemo more so than injections. My endo wanted to put me on the cream first but I convinced him otherwise telling him of all the research which showed men more likely to suffer from blood clots and stroke from elevated rbc from cream based test. He agreed and put me on 200mgs of test depot a week. My numbers come back at 1000 and and I feel perfect. My rbc is abnormally low however because I'm a dialysis patient.

2016aldoraine · Mar 26, 2016

jm425 said:
The creams seem to raise hemo more so than injections. My endo wanted to put me on the cream first but I convinced him otherwise telling him of all the research which showed men more likely to suffer from blood clots and stroke from elevated rbc from cream based test. He agreed and put me on 200mgs of test depot a week. My numbers come back at 1000 and and I feel perfect. My rbc is abnormally low however because I'm a dialysis patient.

My starting dosage is pretty low. 50mg/week.

I'm assuming it will get raised after my first blood work.

Talldarkhandsome · Apr 14, 2016

are creams better for guys who are really estro sensitive?

2016aldoraine · Apr 14, 2016

So at 50mg per week I tested at 330 total testosterone(3 days after injection). Doctor bumped me up to 80mg per week. Good news is my Rbc counts are all back in the normal range since switching from cream to injections.