Any Guys on the Patch?

I’ve heard good things about the patch, that it can give you a more constant dose of T and helps you avoid the “roller coaster” effect of injecting every week or 2.

Are any guys here using the patch, and what do you think of it?

The cost$ are horrible. Many quit because of skin irritation. That can be the adhesive or chemicals that help carry the T through the skin. If you sweat, moisture under the patch can reduce absorption.

You avoid the roller coaster by injecting twice a week or more often. These new expen$ive products always compared to worst case injection protocols - deceptive.

I don’t know why anyone would want to wear a patch when gels that dry within less than a minute and pellets are available.

Some go with injections, but I disagree with KSman’s statement of deception. What’s deceptive - giving people products that work and are less invasive and more convenient?

In addition, MOST people who work full time have health benefits. I’ve had four different jobs while getting T. Never once have I had to pay more than 50 or 75 bucks (don’t remember exact amounts) for my medicine. Now I pay ten bucks a month for Androgel on the highest dose.

What’s deceptive - discount cards, medication covered by health insurance plans, good products?

The deception is these companies claiming that their products are better than injections when comparing to injecting every two weeks.

I was actually told by my new Endocrinologist that her guys on T seem happiest on the patch than any other form of T she prescribes. It didn’t sound like she has many that self inject at all. I’m not sure I would like jamming a needle into my leg every other day, but I guess if I can’t find anything else that works – I’ll get to that point one of these days.

Cheers,

  • Hakrjak

[quote]hakrjak wrote:
I was actually told by my new Endocrinologist that her guys on T seem happiest on the patch than any other form of T she prescribes. It didn’t sound like she has many that self inject at all. I’m not sure I would like jamming a needle into my leg every other day, but I guess if I can’t find anything else that works – I’ll get to that point one of these days.

Cheers,

  • Hakrjak[/quote]

If you don’t like injecting, then just stick with a patch or gels or get the pellets.

I’ve used a gel for the past 9 years and am probably going to switch to pellets.

What are pellets? Are those implanted in your body to slowly release over a long period of time or what? Wondering how that works?

Thanks!

[quote]hakrjak wrote:
I was actually told by my new Endocrinologist that her guys on T seem happiest on the patch than any other form of T she prescribes. It didn’t sound like she has many that self inject at all. I’m not sure I would like jamming a needle into my leg every other day, but I guess if I can’t find anything else that works – I’ll get to that point one of these days.

Cheers,

  • Hakrjak[/quote]

Is she comparing to injections ever two weeks? Evert two weeks in her office or self injected. You really need to know the details and repeating what she said is sort of meaningless.

[quote]hakrjak wrote:
What are pellets? Are those implanted in your body to slowly release over a long period of time or what? Wondering how that works?

Thanks![/quote]

Correct - implanted under the skin and T is released until peak levels are reached and then stay there for 3 to 5 months.

See here: www.testopel.com

but the levels don’t stay steady for the entire 3-5 months. They start out higher and then constantly drop as the T is absorbed, right? plus you have the whole outpatient surgery thing, infection risk, procedure cost, etc.

i do 2 shots ever other day (which is a huge pain) but still better for me personally than pellets, but it works for some and preferred by some… whatever works you and you are comfortable with.

also never go by the drug company PR… get stories from people who have been there and done that.

Every guy I know on the pellets is doing fine. And it’s the preferred method in my doctor’s office of the patients. Some go straight to the pellet rather than the gels (by their own choice).

Insurance covers the procedure cost.

This is not major surgery. Check out a clip on You Tube.

Someone here had a severe infection…

I think that “stay there for 3 to 5 months” was referring to the fact that the pellets are there that long before they are gone. Unfortunately the way that things were written, it implied that peak levels lasted that long, which is not correct.

Not everyone is happy with falling T levels until the next implant. After the second implant, there will be overlapping implants, more than one group, which should make things better than the first go around. Some docs might implant more pellets the first time to address this issue.

[quote]Bricknyce wrote:
I don’t know why anyone would want to wear a patch when gels that dry within less than a minute and pellets are available.

Some go with injections, but I disagree with KSman’s statement of deception. What’s deceptive - giving people products that work and are less invasive and more convenient?

In addition, MOST people who work full time have health benefits. I’ve had four different jobs while getting T. Never once have I had to pay more than 50 or 75 bucks (don’t remember exact amounts) for my medicine. Now I pay ten bucks a month for Androgel on the highest dose.

What’s deceptive - discount cards, medication covered by health insurance plans, good products? [/quote]
You are very lucky. I have one of the best known health insurance companies and my androgel costs me $258 a month and absorption is very random. I had better test numbers and lower cost with the patch.
Androgel dries very quickly, but Testim gets a lot of complaints for staying sticky 24/7.
Some people love the pellets, but I’ve read complaints of them coming out by themselves and some people hypermetabolize medications and can use up what should last 3 to 4 months in 30 days which leaves them low until the next procedure.

After taking 30 days off from getting shots, I just started trying the patch yesterday after my Endo asked me to try it to see if the constant delivery gives me a better experience. I applied one to my right quad yesterday (5MG), and didn’t notice much of a feeling at all yesterday. Thinking it could take awhile to build up my system.

The one bad thing I noticed was a definite red circle where the patch had been when I pulled it off this morning. They say that 2/3rds of guys who use it get dermititis, so I’m guessing I’m going to have a poor reaction to these things. It’s not itching or feeling too bad, but the rash looks unsightly.

I think I’ll continue to try these for a couple of weeks anyway just to see how it makes me feel and then I’ll report back for the rest of you who are interested.

Cheers,

  • Hakrjak

Patches will not work for many who have thyroid problems.

I was on the patch and/or gel for 6 years. Just could not get and maintain a consistence blood level of Free T. Then switched to injections and everything leveled out nicely.

I started out on the patch, lasted about 2 weeks. They wouldn’t stick, I had to tape the hell out of them to get them to stay in place. I went to my doctor and got switched to injections. He said he starts people out on the patch because they don’t want shots, but mostly everyone comes back to change to something other than the patch.

No patch nor pellets for me.

I just switched from a year of needles to cream. The reason is that I am on blood thinner medication and my physiology is different, normally I would pull back to see if blood would enter the needle but once on the medication blood would already be in there just from sticking it into my thigh.

So for the last 3 months I will be using the 20% cream. The needles never bothered me but the cream seems like a decent alternative.

Dr. John Crisler said :

“The constant variability of serum androgens provided by T gels mimic the hormones of a young man; the stable daily level provided by T injections mimic the hormones of an old man; those of implantable pellets mimic the hormones of no one. Entropic hormone levels are part and parcel of the process of youth.”

It is injections or cream for me.

My experiment testing the patch is now officially over after 4 days. There’s no way I could wear these things consistantly. They make a loud “crinkling” sound when you roll over on them in bed, and when you roll around a lot like I do – it’s very annoying. Also they hurt like a son of a bitch to get off if you have a hairy body (They say to apply to a place with little hair, but where is that I ask!?! haha)… Also I felt absolutely no benefit after 4 days of wearing the patch. No energy boost, no morning wood, nada. I also developed bright red bullseye marks where the patches were, so my skin definitely didn’t like them!

Seriously thinking my Endo is smoking crack, because she told me “Most of my patients find the patch to be the best!” – WTF, are you nuts!?! No way could I see that…

I think I’ll test the cream out next to see if that works for me at all. I’m concerned about that one though because I’m read there is a high chance of cross contamination to your mate and family members if you get sweaty or whatever. A little could be great for my wife’s slow sex drive, but I definitely don’t want her growing a beard! haha

I may just end up back on the shots if I need to stay on this stuff.

Hey HiredGun – Can you share with us how long it took for the gel to work for you? I’m wondering if it’s a very gradual build up like the patch, or if it will just hit you 12 hours after the first application like a shot?