A Few Questions Before Starting TRT

This mainly goes to @unreal24278 (since I hear he’s the go to guy here), but of course anyone can chime in too.

Here goes…

  1. Free test vs Total test + SHBG vs Bioavailable test…which one (or combination) should I do Pre-TRT?

  2. Since the departure of KSman, I notice AI is no longer recommended during TRT. How should one manage e2 then? And if looking to keep test at around 900 (provided that level feels good and everything is else is in order), what levels e2 are optimal? At what levels should one worry?

  3. Is there an HPTA restart protocol you can recommend? How do you generally feel about HPTA restart methods?

  4. SQ vs IM Test injections. Thoughts?

  5. hCG during TRT (to kepp boys active)…Yay? Nay? What dose? Frequency?

  6. How often should blood work be done during TRT? Which tests?

That’s all I got. Really appreciate your input/s! Thanks in advance!

I can try to answer some of these

  1. I would pick one, and stick with the same measurement for future blood work so you have apples to apples comparison. Most guys use calculated total + SHBG because it is accurate enough, and the least expensive considering you want to track both of those independently as well.

  2. There is no need to manage AI unless you have symptoms from high E2 as well as a measured high E2

  3. Someone else can answer this.

  4. Most guys do IM. Some guys do better on one or the other. You would need to try both and see what works best for you. This is very individual.

  5. No HCG unless you’re your trying for a pregnancy. You can go without it, then hop on when needed.

  6. You need numbers before you start. Then another set of labs at about 8 weeks after each protocol change. Once you’re dialed in you can go every 6 months or so, but not really longer than that.

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Everyone one of your questions can be answered by reading for a couple hours here. The plus is you’ll learn the answers to the 50 other important questions that you didn’t know to ask.