Thinking of TRT need suggestions.

nvmike · Jul 11, 2014

Some stats to start off with,

33 yom
cycled for five years off and on (more off than on). Used hcg whenever I had it on hand, 500 ius 2x week, usually for 4 weeks at a time.

Came off everything last year due to health worries, had some abnormal EKG's, anxiety about heart attacks, some heart enlargement, and was short of breath many times. Im in medical field and got super paranoid about it all and dropped it.

Did a 6 week PCT with Toremifene 60 - 120 mgs ed, did blood work routinely every 4 to six weeks.

Initial LH, FSH, was 0.01

After Torem, test was 453

Next test (6 weeks later) showed my lh fsh had both risen to 3.0 but my test fell to 130.

It has stayed that way for 10 months.

I have normal EKG's now and am not nearly as short of breath, I feel healthy actually. I have lost a lot of lean mass though and have gained body fat. My sex drive is almost non-existant, which sucks.

The way I see it is I could try another re-start such as the POWER PCT I have seen around the boards...OR I could just hit up a TRT clinic and start along that route. I just don't want to rush to any decision and end up making things worse for myself.

I am pretty sure I had low Test to begin with before I started cycling in my 20's, was never very big but I definitely had more drive back then. I'd like the best of both worlds, drive, and health. Is this possible?

Are there any other options I am not seeing?

Thanks for your help!

nvmike · Jul 11, 2014

(more off than on)[/QUOTE said:
That should read "more ON than Off"

Deansreturned · Jul 13, 2014

Decision is completely yours.

Bear in mind, TRT is a lifelong decision. Try as many routes as possible to get your levels to where they should be before making such a long term commitment. If all else fails, go for it.

Only down side is a legit RX (if you can't find a dr who will work with you through your insurance) from an anti-aging clinic is substantially more expensive than you're used to paying from UG providers. Since it's a long term commitment and you don't want your medicine to be interrupted it's best to find a legal source IMHO. Plus since it's prescribed you can travel with it, if you go on vacation, etc.

biffnbash · Jul 13, 2014

Agreed ^

33 is young, try all other methods first

gt500 · Aug 23, 2014

What he said... try all methods first... TRT is nice, but the downside is now you are dependent on an external source, supply chain, etc.. for your wellness and state of being.

I can only imaging going off TRT and how crappy I'd feel. It's a double edged sword for sure.

nvmike · Sep 10, 2014

So I went with your guys advise and stick with trying to figure out how to produce my own test again. I read and read and read some more and stumbled upon an article about Vitamin D deficiency and decided to get a vitamin level blood test, vitamin D came back at 9, which I believe ref range was supposed to be above 20. I don't have paperwork in hand yet. I went ahead and started at 5k iu if Vit D and threw in some Zma to try and balance out everything. Total Test has come up to 560 in 4 weeks. I wanted to wait until 6 weeks but will be attending training course for a few weeks so decided to bump it up sooner. I'm wondering what will happen in a few months if I stay at 5k iu. Would be great to bump that up higher. I would also like to get another test to see free t and cholesterol values. Fsh and lh both fell half a point from 4.5 and 4.2 respectively which I found odd. Maybe more efficient lh to test conversion?
I'll post more info when I draw next labs. I just wanted to drop by and update as well as thank you for your help. I do feel at some point I will cycle again, just lower doses and less harsh compounds, for now though I just want to make sure I can recover.

jer · Sep 10, 2014

I saw an Endo about my Test situation. I felt like crap.....blah blah blah. Test came back in the 300's. While not completely in the toilet, 300's just doesn't cut it when you love to hit the gym. Recovery is crap. Drive/desire to go to the gym are crap. Mood is crap. You get the point.

Well, my Vitamin D was also low. He put me on 50,000iu once a month and I also take 1,000iu daily.

The initial labs after a couple months of this regimen, boosted my Test into the mid 500's.

I'm do for another set of labs in a couple weeks to see how it's going.

j2048b · Sep 10, 2014

jer said:
I saw an Endo about my Test situation. I felt like crap.....blah blah blah. Test came back in the 300's. While not completely in the toilet, 300's just doesn't cut it when you love to hit the gym. Recovery is crap. Drive/desire to go to the gym are crap. Mood is crap. You get the point.

Well, my Vitamin D was also low. He put me on 50,000iu once a month and I also take 1,000iu daily.

The initial labs after a couple months of this regimen, boosted my Test into the mid 500's.

I'm do for another set of labs in a couple weeks to see how it's going.

Holy sheets batman! It increased to 500 just do to vit d? How is ur cholesterol?

Sent from my iPP using Tapatrash

jer · Sep 11, 2014

j2048b said:
Holy sheets batman! It increased to 500 just do to vit d? How is ur cholesterol?

Sent from my iPP using Tapatrash

~170 or so.

Was on the Vit D for a few months.

eaglecall · Sep 16, 2014

jer said:
~170 or so.

Was on the Vit D for a few months.

was the vitamin D oral or in a different form?

loot · Sep 17, 2014

I tried all the natty ways to increase T as well. It worked a bit, but I didn't want to be as healthy as a 65 yo. I wanted to be healthy -PERIOD- if I'm bothering to lift heavy and eat clean. So I did a ton of cardio, stopped eating supps and beef, stopped lifting heavy - and went in to give blood. My BW showed I was low T.

I've never felt better since getting the T dialed in. And I'm monitored regularly which I think all men should be, especially LDL-P. LDL Particle number tells the true story of cholesterol, the rest is just a guess or a calc. Also, C-Reactive protein. Get it tested guys!

But my story is different. I'm older for one. I never did a cycle and tried everything to avoid going on test before I decided I needed to. I now go to a Naturopath for my test cyp that takes EVERYTHING into consideration, not just the latest lab results.

My vit D is 43.1 (range is 30-100) Should be over 50 ng/mL.