[quote]Porter Glockwell wrote:
I think what he meant by bypass was to pay for your own E2 labs so you can show it to a skeptical or know-nothing doctor who won’t order the test[/quote]
Ahhhhhhhhhhh…
I love my Androgel. I’m always at the higher end of normal for T. Never had a problem with estradiol levels either. 
Thanks Bricknyce, I’m glad it works so well for you. I’ve been lurking around long enough to know who the local Androgel rep is.
Update: Saw the new doc on Monday. He isn’t on my insurance so it cost me $150 bucks out of pocket. That said, I think he would prescribe anything I asked him to. He is very open to working on this. HOWEVER… I guess I missed it in the Androgel literature and my last 3 docs never said a word about the fact that in addition to shutting down your own testosterone production it shuts down your sperm production as well. I guess it makes sense.
Given that I am 31 and we are not done having kids, and that my last labs have always had me in range but on the low end for LH (2.5-3.0) he wants me to take HCG and Clomid to kickstart my sperm production and hopefully get my testosterone up a bit. He also prescribed Cialis in case the HCG and Clomid aren’t enough for the ED.
I have new labwork scheduled in 2 months to see where we get with this.
My question is, does anyone have any experience with this course of action? Will it get likely my Testosterone up at least a little without flushing my system with E2?
Obviously I am a little insecure and indecisive about all of this with how many different opinions I have heard now and having my hormone levels all messed up is not helping me to be a decisive or confident person, much less concentrate long enough to make an informed decision. (for example it has taken me about 40 minutes just to write this post after procrastinating it for 2 days)
Facts:
-We are close to being ready to try for another kid, but probably realistically 2 months out from starting to try. (if I were to go on testosterone now when do I need to cycle off to get sperm count back?)
- If it comes down to feeling like myself and being sterile vs. feeling like hell and being able to have kids, I have to go with being happy with the two kids I already have. I know that sounds a bit selfish and I know my wife won’t be happy but I have to keep my health, job, and take care of the family I already have and I am not doing that well at all right now.
(Should HCG and clomid be enough? Clomid is going to cost me over 100 bucks/month out of pocket and I’m not sure on the HCG yet. Considering how bad my insurance has been so far I would guess that it won’t be covered either.)
Let me know what you think guys.
So hCG and clomid… no T and no adex?
I am a broken record: In inject the T and hCG, start adex at 1mg/wk and then test after 6-8 weeks and adjust adex up or down from there. Know the signs of E way to low in case you are an adex over responder. If thats you, you will skip adex for 5-6 days then start at 1/4th the dosing and go from there.
A-gel may work well for you, but adex then more critical. Sounds like cost of a-gel is an issue.
You need to target E2 close to 22pg/ml to get optimal libido and mental response.
Target FT for high end of normal. If TT goes over range, not really a concern and many docs, few that know what they are doing, do not even check TT, only FT or bio-T.
Fertility can be fine with T+hCG. Clomid is not suitable for long term use and there are better SERMs. Check sperm count, then use a SERM is needed. Short term clomid with T+AI+hCG would be useful to get you going.
[quote]KSman wrote:
So hCG and clomid… no T and no adex?
I am a broken record: In inject the T and hCG, start adex at 1mg/wk and then test after 6-8 weeks and adjust adex up or down from there. Know the signs of E way to low in case you are an adex over responder. If thats you, you will skip adex for 5-6 days then start at 1/4th the dosing and go from there.
A-gel may work well for you, but adex then more critical. Sounds like cost of a-gel is an issue.
You need to target E2 close to 22pg/ml to get optimal libido and mental response.
Target FT for high end of normal. If TT goes over range, not really a concern and many docs, few that know what they are doing, do not even check TT, only FT or bio-T.
Fertility can be fine with T+hCG. Clomid is not suitable for long term use and there are better SERMs. Check sperm count, then use a SERM is needed. Short term clomid with T+AI+hCG would be useful to get you going.[/quote]
I hear this horror story over and over again with people walking into our office.
Dr should not pull you off TRT that could cause a nasty psychological reaction as well as a phyiscal ones as well.
They just need a good TRT dr
If you are in the states I would check out
these are broken down according to different areas in the US.
Dr overbeck and myself - east coast - please PM me.
Dr mariano - california
Dr John Crisler - michagen
All of these guys are good at what they do…
[quote]Hardasnails wrote:
KSman wrote:
So hCG and clomid… no T and no adex?
I am a broken record: In inject the T and hCG, start adex at 1mg/wk and then test after 6-8 weeks and adjust adex up or down from there. Know the signs of E way to low in case you are an adex over responder. If thats you, you will skip adex for 5-6 days then start at 1/4th the dosing and go from there.
A-gel may work well for you, but adex then more critical. Sounds like cost of a-gel is an issue.
You need to target E2 close to 22pg/ml to get optimal libido and mental response.
Target FT for high end of normal. If TT goes over range, not really a concern and many docs, few that know what they are doing, do not even check TT, only FT or bio-T.
Fertility can be fine with T+hCG. Clomid is not suitable for long term use and there are better SERMs. Check sperm count, then use a SERM is needed. Short term clomid with T+AI+hCG would be useful to get you going.
I hear this horror story over and over again with people walking into our office.
Dr should not pull you off TRT that could cause a nasty psychological reaction as well as a phyiscal ones as well.
They just need a good TRT dr
If you are in the states I would check out
these are broken down according to different areas in the US.
Dr overbeck and myself - east coast - please PM me.
Dr mariano - california
Dr John Crisler - michagen
All of these guys are good at what they do…[/quote]
How would one go about getting in touch with Dr. Mariano?
Tri-state (NYC, NJ, CT) area andrologists/urologists/fertility:
Dr. Brett Mellinger (my old doc - a great guy)
http://www.impotencespecialists.com/doctors/mellinger.html
Dr. Harris Nagler
[quote]Porter Glockwell wrote:
Anybody know any Anti Aging docs in Salt Lake City Utah? I haven’t been able to find any yet. I am more than willing to go out of pocket at this point.
And thank you to whoever edited my post to make it more readable. I was on a roll with the huge paragraphs…[/quote]
Porter, take a look at this link. It is a “top doctors” list covering Utah. Make sure to scroll all the way down. I realize its about doctors that deal with thyroid issues BUT more than likely they’ll be more open minded or more experienced in HRT than other doctors. Also, keep an eye out for D.O.'s (doctors of osteopathic medicine). They are more apt to listen to YOU and not just tell you you’re fine and you’re bloodwork is normal, etc, etc. I had great success following this very path. Just a thought.
Sorry. Here’s the link:
I had to doctor shop till I found someone who cares and now have a regemine of T+HCG+arimidex. I still don’t feel good but it’s getting better.