21 - Starting TRT and Confused

The first of March of this year I had bloodwork done by my primary care due to my psychiatrists concern over my treatment resistant depression, low libido, lack of energy, lack of concentration and extreme weight gain over the past few years(from 165lbs in summer of 2013 to 230lbs winter of 2015. Nothing I did would make the weight gain stop.

Most everything was in normal ranges.
Glucose Serum was a 101 with a normal range of 65-99. I expected this with my weight.
Total Testosterone Serum came back 215 ng/dL with a normal range of 348-1197.
Free T came back at 11.9 pg/mL with a normal range of 9.3-26.5

The doctor ordered a second test of total t 7 days later and it came back at 281. Options were discussed and was told I needed to start TRT. I opted for a topical due to my issues of constantly passing out while getting bloodwork drawn. I went three weeks on Testim and got to a point that I could no longer stand the constant stickiness and smell of it. I’m 21. I don’t want to smell like my grandpa’s cologne and I don’t want to have to add an extra 30 mins to my morning routine for the stuff to partially dry and still stick to my shirt when I put it on.

Today I visited my doctor and told her I wanted something else. My only option due to insurance denying everything but test cyp injectable and testim, was to go with the injectable. I pick that up from the pharmacy tonight. The doctor prescribed 100mg/every 14 days. To me, this seems low from all the topics I have read on TRT. I also had bloodwork drawn today, I should get the results when I see the doctor on Friday to learn how to do the injections.

I am needing some input into whether this treatment plan is right for me. Thanks.

You are 21. Injecting T is premature and can sacrifice your fertility.

Do you have the following tests:

Prolactin
FSH
LH
TSH

Your first step should be to identify if you are primary or secondary hypogonadism and possibly hypothroid. If you are secondary (playing the odds at your age, you are) then SERMs or even a HPG axis restart (via short-term SERM use) is possible.

Read the stickies, with the information given, there’s no way I’d be going down the path you are.

Only one of those 4 were tested. TSH was 1.830 uIU/mL (0.450-4.500)

That’s a pretty good number, could be lower though. Consider supplementing iodine.

I’d add E2 to the list of needed tests, and my prior advice stands, I really think that at your age you should be trying a SERM restart.