Hello
I’ve been lurking and learning form everyone for the past few months and hopefully I’m headed in the right direction. I’ve known that there was something off with my health for awhile now and I’ve already gotten some progress with the IR protocol in the stickies. Looking to learn more. Thanks for the assist.
Look forward to your comments.
age: 53
height: 6’0’’
waist: 36
weight: 230/ ± 22% BF
describe body and facial hair: average on body, not a lot of facial hair on cheeks, can grow a goat-tee, but no side burns 
describe where you carry fat and how changed: Mostly on abdomen and lower back. Have not been lean for 10+ years. Just have not been able to get below 220lb not matter how much exercise I do. Could be more regimented, but stay busy with work, GF, yard projects and this nowadays. Till about 2001 I was very active, lifted 2-3x/week, played a lot of full court BB and did trail running (Hash runner) and my weight stayed at 190-195lb. Got in car wreck 2001 and L4/5 damage has prevented any regular ‘Johnny run fast and jump high’ sports.
health conditions: Was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue when I return from deployment in 2009. I know now that I was running pretty hard from 2005-2009 and have been trying to get back to a reasonable QOL every since. I have adjusted my pace to get things done and enjoy things without getting too wiped out, which I can do if I don’t pay attention to my level of activity.
Adrenal fatigue was initially treated with supplements and acupuncture till the practitioner moved back to mainland. Treatment just made things bearable. Got new doc and low t rates were identified and Andro-gel was tried for about a year and stopped for non effect and worry about transfer to GF. My Doc is an internist
and has been open to suggestions from the beginning. We tried testosterone pellets, but we were both out of water on the treatment and I was referred to another guy that was highly recommended for Low T work. He seemed very knowledgeable and very quickly determined that pellets were that way to go. Unfortunately they were not covered (outta pocket), but he assured me that it was the way to go. I remember that within a few days of the first pellets, I felt better than I’d felt in years. It did not last too long and it’s hard to admit that things don’t sometimes. I know now that I went thru the sweet spot and blah for next few months then sweet spot again as things came down. I remember asking him about it and he played it off as me not being used to the levels and that I’d get used to it. Short story, the sweet spots got less and less over the next 3 years. I did ask about estrogen levels once I remember and He said they were fine. During this time, my brain started turning off in the early afternoon about 3 PM and at times it would be at 11 AM on stressful days. Started using Nootropic supplements to maintain concentration at work and for anything.
Please understand that till this point I was not doing much research at all and I just wanted the docs to fix me so I could get on with my life. I know better now that I have to take a much more active role in my health. For about last year I’ve been slowly getting educated on Low T.
In March 2016, after discussions with my Doc, I told the Low T doc that the pellets were not doing it for me and that I wanted to try injections. He was not very supportive and finally agreed, he wrote a script and 15 seconds of instruction on where to inject 100mg of the testosterone (Cypionate 200mg/mL) a week and he sent me on my way with instruction to follow up in 3 months. Funny thing is that when I started reading T-Nation, I’d dismissed site previously thinking it was just a steroid site, my mistake. . Wish I’d found sooner. So the last few months have been interesting to say the least. I did hit that sweet spot and it felt good, then it sucked worst then ever. T-Nation education was invaluable, I figured out that Low T doc had me on 200mg a week (too much) and so I went to 2X/Week and then lowered dosage to 100mg a week and learned about arimidex. I contacted Low T doc was told not to worry. I got labs:
Testosterone, Total 1385 H ng/dL 250-1100
Testosterone, Free 347.5 H pg/mL 35.0-155.0
Estradiol 57 ng/mL >=30 pg/mL <61
It was totally sucking, I called Low T doc and tried to explain my condition and my concerns. I was told to wait till scheduled appointment. I spoke with my doc and he wrote a script for the arimidex. Insurance did not cover, something about me not having breasts ;-). GoodRX app coupon, got it for $12. I stopped injections for a week and started back with 45mg T E3D and .25mg arimidex on inject days. During off week, started getting morning wood after a 4 days and have since starting back with injections as well. Got new labs and waiting on results.
I did go to my scheduled appt with Low T doc just to see what he had to say and was told that all tests looked good and to schedule a new appt in 3 months. Needless to say I’m not seeing him again and my Doc and I will be getting educated together with help from here. He really seemed to lose interest once the pellet deal was off the table.
This is out of sequence, after going over the all the required reading, I started doing body temp readings. I remembered that I always had lowish body temp and sure enuf after 2 weeks of tracking I averaged 96.6 in the morning and 97.8 in the afternoons. In early June I did IR protocol as describe in the stickies and slowly after about 3 weeks my temps are 97.8/9 in the morning and at or above 98.6 in afternoon. I will continue to monitor this. There was some stinky times during the deal, I think it was the bromine coming out as discussed in the stickies. Totally weird sweating on my head and neck area. My dog would lick my neck like a salt stone.
So at this point I’m waiting for my July labs so I can make some adjustments
Rx and OTC drugs:
any hair loss drugs or prostate drugs ever: no,
Current Rx: arimidex, Testosterone, Flexeril
Current OTC: Vitamins (D3-5000iu, BioAstin, B12), Nootropic supplements (Sulbutiamine, Piracetam, Vinpocetine, Alpha-GPC: I take the GPT and rotate thru the other 3)
Fish Oil, Magnesium, Huperzine-A, melatonin, zinc, selenium, Iodine
Have ordered ZMA and a good multi-vitamin as suggested
Symptoms;
Since Sept 2009:
a.) Really have to pace workouts and other activities so as to not smoke myself.
b.) Lack of motivation to workout, work or pursue things. Unfortunately I have physical requirements for work and USAR.
c.) Brain fog, difficulty finding words, difficulty solving new problems. This can be problems at times, but I’m able to differ most times. Nootropics supplements have helped.
d.) Muscle soreness takes a few days to get over if I go too hard.
e.) Difficulty losing weight, just doesn’t seem to come off.
f.) I Difficulty to put on muscle when bulking.
g.) low libido, it has low for awhile and feast or famine in last few months.
h.) I do get more leg cramps since starting TRT.
i.) I do not snore or very little.
j.) Depression is when there’s no plan, is a hard one to gauge
k.) Got my last old filling replaced last month.
l.) I almost never get cold (Hawaii)
m.) Stressful has been kinda hardcore for later 15 years, it is exhausting.
n.) scrotum, they do look a bit small.
o.) My GF does say I can be a moody little bitch.
p.) The penis don’t work like it used to, that’s for sure.
lab results with ranges: Lab test from 05/30/2016
WBC 5.15 x10(3)/uL 3.80-10.80
RBC 5.21 x10(6)/uL 4.00-6.20
Hemoglobin 17.3 g/dL 13.7-17.5
Hematocrit 48.6 % 40.1-51.0
MCV 93.3 fL 79.4-98.4
MCHC 35.6 g/dL 32.0-36.0
Platelet 132 x10(3)/uL 151-424
Chol: 228 mg/dl ( < 200 mg/dl)
HDL: 32 mg/dl ( > 40 mg/dl)
LDL: 158 mg/dl ( < 100 mg/dl)
Triglyceride: 191 mg/dl ( < 150 mg/dl)
DHEA 167 ng/dL 61-1636 ng/dL
Glucose fasting: 102 mg/dl ( < 100 mg/dl)
Creatinine: 1.06 mg/dl ( 0.6 – 1.4 mg/dl)
25-hydroxy-vitD: 40 ng/dl (>= 30 ng/dl)
Albumine: 4.4 gm/dL (3.5 – 5.2 gm/dL)
Test Total 1385 ng/dL (250-1100 ng/dL) - 5/30/2016
Test Free 347.5 pg/mL (35.0-155 pg/mL) - 5/30/2016
E2: 57 pg/ml (<61) - 5/30/2016
Test Total 1385 ng/dL (250-1100 ng/dL) - 3/29/2016
E2: 57 pg/ml (0-47 pg/ml) - 3/29/2016
LH: <0.1 mIU/mL (1.7 -8.6 mIU/mL)
FSH: 0.3 mIU/mL (1.5 - 12.4 mIU/mL)
TSH:
1.55 uIU/mL (0.27 – 4.2 uIU/mL) - 5/30/2016
2.17 uIU/mL - 2/06/2016
1.69 uIU/mL - 8/20/2015
2.69 uIU/mL - 2/14/2014
1.93 uIU/mL - 9/21/2013
T4, Free: 1.41ng/dl (0.9 – 1.7 ng/dl)
T3, Total : 92 ng/dl (80 – 200 ng/dl)
T3, Free: 2.7 pg/dL (2.0-4.4 pg/dl - 02/06/2016
Cortisol, A.M. 8.2 ug/dL (6.0-25.0ug/dl)
Labs I will get next time - ?: ( I have no history of these at all)
DHT - ?
DHEA-S - ?
Prolactin - ?
Bio-T - ?
cutting
No cutting
Maintenance
- 2000-2500 calories per day.
- no fried foods, no soft drinks
- not a lot of red meat, but mostly fish, chicken, nuts, eggs, olive oil, lean meat,
- 75-100 gr protein; whey protein in my oats in the morning, fish, eggs, meat, not much diary at all
- carbs; oatmeal, watch protein to starch ratios, lots of veggies, brown rice, fruit.
- forced gluten free at times due to GF being Gluten intolerant.
describe training [some ruin there hormones by over training
I train cardio 2-3x/week and dog walking at brisk pace 2-3x/week as well. I do at home body weight exercises 2-3x/week and surf 2-3x /week when there’s waves. Used to train pretty hard in 20s & 30s when I was active duty military. Know now that I over trained a lot, young and indestructible. 
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testes ache, ever, with a fever?
No ache normally. Have been fairly active and have taken a few shots to the jewels in my life.
how have morning wood and nocturnal erections changed; Have started getting some morning wood since downing T dosage and IR. Libido not doing well. Used to get the nocturnals, but not for a long time.
For your review and comment.
