Low Testosterone, Got a few questions

[eyesin]

So, after my first cycle last year I thought I did everything right even PCT but apparently I didnt. The last year Ive been struggling with getting motivation to do anything so I finally went to the Dr and got blood work done.

He advised me my testosterone is really low and prescribed me Androgel to apply once a day long term.

Now, I pose this question to all you experts and just straight up bad asses that have helped me over the last year and answered my many, sometimes annoying, questions. My Doc just prescribed androgel and didnt really say anything else and I think he expects me to stay on this shit for the rest of my life. I know this happens in the bodybuilding world all the time, and wanted to know if you guys could help me get my T levels back to normal or am i screwed rubbing this dumb gel on my shoulders for the rest of my life?

My cycle was 16 weeks and wasnt very "heavy":

1-16 500 mg Test E
1-6 60 mg anavar
10-16 60mg anavar

I was taking Aromasin throughout and my pct consisted of Nolvadex / Clomid for 4 weeks after my cycle, I cant remember the exact protocol I used but I got the info from this board.

My life has been shit for the last year and I would really like to get back to normal so I can get back to enjoying my life. :banghead:

I respect all of you guys on this board alot and would really appreciate it if you could help me out.

Thanks again
J

 

[eyesin]

bump

 

[danc1007]

A few things to consider is ur pct meds were probably underdosed or bunk.How long after ur pct did u go to get blood work done?Clomid 100mg day 1 and 50 mg ed after for 24 days should def help u rebound.If not i would make an appointment with a endo doctor which take's a while to get in so call 2morrow.Androgel will keep ur natural test shutdown so it's just gonna make it even harder to recover naturally if thats what u wanna do.U need to post more info about ur pct...i def would consider talking to a doctor thats not so quick to prescribe something that needs to be taken for the rest of ur life without first trying to see if ur body will recover with the proper medication.

 

[emeric delczeg]

So, after my first cycle last year I thought I did everything right even PCT but apparently I didnt. The last year Ive been struggling with getting motivation to do anything so I finally went to the Dr and got blood work done.

He advised me my testosterone is really low and prescribed me Androgel to apply once a day long term.

Now, I pose this question to all you experts and just straight up bad asses that have helped me over the last year and answered my many, sometimes annoying, questions. My Doc just prescribed androgel and didnt really say anything else and I think he expects me to stay on this shit for the rest of my life. I know this happens in the bodybuilding world all the time, and wanted to know if you guys could help me get my T levels back to normal or am i screwed rubbing this dumb gel on my shoulders for the rest of my life?

My cycle was 16 weeks and wasnt very "heavy":

1-16 500 mg Test E
1-6 60 mg anavar
10-16 60mg anavar

I was taking Aromasin throughout and my pct consisted of Nolvadex / Clomid for 4 weeks after my cycle, I cant remember the exact protocol I used but I got the info from this board.

My life has been shit for the last year and I would really like to get back to normal so I can get back to enjoying my life. :banghead:

I respect all of you guys on this board alot and would really appreciate it if you could help me out.

Thanks again
J

How old are you?

 

[MoCo]

What else did your blood work show? What are your estrogen/estradiol levels? What are LH and FSH levels? What are your Vitamin D levels? What's your diet like? How much sleep are you getting? Have you had any major life events/major stress?

Also, I know the standard 4 week clomid/nolva PCT is always recommended... but I have no idea why. Nowhere near enough time to recover IMO. I need at least 6-8 weeks before I even start to get back into normal ranges. And I also think something like HCG can be a useful kickstart to the PCT.

 

[eyesin]

How old are you?

30

 

[eyesin]

What else did your blood work show? What are your estrogen/estradiol levels? What are LH and FSH levels? What are your Vitamin D levels? What's your diet like? How much sleep are you getting? Have you had any major life events/major stress?

Also, I know the standard 4 week clomid/nolva PCT is always recommended... but I have no idea why. Nowhere near enough time to recover IMO. I need at least 6-8 weeks before I even start to get back into normal ranges. And I also think something like HCG can be a useful kickstart to the PCT.

I asked my Dr for the info you asked about.

My diet isnt great because i havent had an appetite in over a year, but it usually goes like this:

10:00 : Shake & oatmeal
12:00 : Shake
2:00 : Subway (6in double meat turkey on wheat)
4:00 : another shake
6:00 - 10:00 : I try to eat something but usually end up just having a big shake.

Its impossible for me to eat, im trying b-12 but dont tell me I have to eat more because I know I do but I cant, if i could I would.

No major life events, I work a high stress job as an accountant but ive been doing this for 6+ years.

I agree my PCT meds were probably bunk or underdosed, much like anything else you get around here, but I have no idea what my PCT protocol was, it was over a year ago, It consisted of Clomid and Nolva I def started at 100 on first day of clomid, and taperd off for 4 weeks.

 

[eyesin]

Just heard back from my Dr, he didnt check fsh, lh, estro or vit d.

He did tell me my testosterone was 97, which is crazy low.

 

[ROCKEDUP]

Just heard back from my Dr, he didnt check fsh, lh, estro or vit d.

He did tell me my testosterone was 97, which is crazy low.

I'm not a doctor, but it would illogical to only check the test of someone in your position. If the doctor really wants to see whats going on, he needs to check more values IMO. fsh low lh low total test low, could mean something way different than fsh high lh high total test low, you know what I'm saying? This is just an example but you might evaluate your docs usefulness to this situation. Again I'm not a doctor just MHO

 

[eyesin]

Now Im really irritated, My doc just told me to stop taking the androgel and to wait for 2 months and to come back and check my T again to see if its gone up. WTF is going on with this thinking? Why would I improve if ive just gotten worse over the course of a year?


Once you get Low T is the only option Overpriced Androgel for the rest of my life? Im getting more and more pissed.

 

[infinity1]

I think its time to get a new dr.

 

[danc1007]

Now Im really irritated, My doc just told me to stop taking the androgel and to wait for 2 months and to come back and check my T again to see if its gone up. WTF is going on with this thinking? Why would I improve if ive just gotten worse over the course of a year?


Once you get Low T is the only option Overpriced Androgel for the rest of my life? Im getting more and more pissed.

Ur doctor is a quack there r a ton of them out there.There so quick to prescribe something without doing enough tests (thats how i got addicted to pain meds cause my doc said it would help but in reality it made things much worse) do urself a favor an go to a endo who specializes in hypogonadism.I suffer from low T as well (cycles def hurt it as well) its genetic in my family and i'm 28 but have been able to get my levels in a much safer range.My last cycle put me at 58 for my T levels after a 6 week pct.So call ur doctor to give u a referal to an endo.Good Luck bro i know where ur at and it sucks balls but hang in there

 

[eyesin]

Ur doctor is a quack there r a ton of them out there.There so quick to prescribe something without doing enough tests (thats how i got addicted to pain meds cause my doc said it would help but in reality it made things much worse) do urself a favor an go to a endo who specializes in hypogonadism.I suffer from low T as well (cycles def hurt it as well) its genetic in my family and i'm 28 but have been able to get my levels in a much safer range.My last cycle put me at 58 for my T levels after a 6 week pct.So call ur doctor to give u a referal to an endo.Good Luck bro i know where ur at and it sucks balls but hang in there

whats the cost of going to an endo? Gonna break the bank?

 

[spartan]

My opinion for what its worth. Why not get another PCT cycle (6 wks) for a reputable source and start the process over again to see if it helps. Maybe do like 500mcg HCG ED for 1st week with clomid 100 day 1 and then 50 for the next 4 wks. then maybe even add Nolv for 2 additional wks after that at 20mg the 1st wk and then 10mg the last wk. Again this is just me opinion and I would have to have more information before I could make a recommendation.

 

[maldorf]

Now Im really irritated, My doc just told me to stop taking the androgel and to wait for 2 months and to come back and check my T again to see if its gone up. WTF is going on with this thinking? Why would I improve if ive just gotten worse over the course of a year?


Once you get Low T is the only option Overpriced Androgel for the rest of my life? Im getting more and more pissed.

I dont think most doc would have problems prescribing injectable test like test cyp. My endo wanted to put me on the gel but I told her no and she had no problem doing the shots. I tihnk a lot of docs just assume that youre needle shy and would rather use gel. THe injectable is dirt cheap, I get 3 months worth for like $20 and the pins are free (through insurance). If you ask for the injectable but he still says no then tell him its a money issue and that you cannot possible afford the gel, maybe that will sway him.
As far as why he would make you come off the gel now to see if you recover even though its been 1 year already, thats a bit of a mystery. I think he is just trying to cover his butt though and make 100% sure that you will never recover on your own. Did you tell him about your past steriod use? Maybe he doesnt believe you when you tell him youve been off for 12 months and he wants an extra 2 months to make sure.

 

[maldorf]

whats the cost of going to an endo? Gonna break the bank?

If you have insurance, its not really any more than seeing a gen practitioner. I think the cost before insurance for me to have an office visit now runs about $120 or so. The blood tests are dirt cheap with insurance. I end up paying maybe 10% of the total cost worst case scenario.

 

[eyesin]

My opinion for what its worth. Why not get another PCT cycle (6 wks) for a reputable source and start the process over again to see if it helps. Maybe do like 500mcg HCG ED for 1st week with clomid 100 day 1 and then 50 for the next 4 wks. then maybe even add Nolv for 2 additional wks after that at 20mg the 1st wk and then 10mg the last wk. Again this is just me opinion and I would have to have more information before I could make a recommendation.

This is why I posted the question on this forum. Please tell me what information you need for your recommendation. I just want to get back to normal =/

 

[eyesin]

If you have insurance, its not really any more than seeing a gen practitioner. I think the cost before insurance for me to have an office visit now runs about $120 or so. The blood tests are dirt cheap with insurance. I end up paying maybe 10% of the total cost worst case scenario.

awesome, I went to a ENT dr for a ear problem I had and he raped me in my ass with the cost. Thx for the reply

 

[eyesin]

I dont think most doc would have problems prescribing injectable test like test cyp. My endo wanted to put me on the gel but I told her no and she had no problem doing the shots. I tihnk a lot of docs just assume that youre needle shy and would rather use gel. THe injectable is dirt cheap, I get 3 months worth for like $20 and the pins are free (through insurance). If you ask for the injectable but he still says no then tell him its a money issue and that you cannot possible afford the gel, maybe that will sway him.
As far as why he would make you come off the gel now to see if you recover even though its been 1 year already, thats a bit of a mystery. I think he is just trying to cover his butt though and make 100% sure that you will never recover on your own. Did you tell him about your past steriod use? Maybe he doesnt believe you when you tell him youve been off for 12 months and he wants an extra 2 months to make sure.

Heres the problem, Im trying to get my test levels back to normal so that im producing normally. The Gel or a injectable test would stop my natural production of test, therefore doing the complete opposite of what I want. I dont want to inject myself with test cyp for the rest of my life, I'd just become a pro body builder and go all out if that was my only option =/

 

[maldorf]

awesome, I went to a ENT dr for a ear problem I had and he raped me in my ass with the cost. Thx for the reply

My hematologist told me that endocrinologists dont make much more than a GP does, and because of this there arent very many of them around anymore. Most of their patients are diabetics and its not a high paying job. Find a good one and youll be set. Most start you out on 100 mg/wk and see where that gets you. A good one though would test your FSH, LH etc to see why you level is low. Mine was stuck at about 50-70 or so for almost 1 year before my endo put me on the injections. You can order the test mailorder if your insurance does that and just do your own injections at home. the quality of US pharm grade is unparalled as well and you wont get that in an UG form.