I’m 39 and larger/leaner/stronger than I’ve ever been. Does anyone else here basically do they’re own HRT using a steroid? I use basically HRT level dosages and every part of my life benefits from it.
You’ve had blood tests done? Were these done on your own? Have you seen a doctor and he refused to treat you for hypogonadism?
If you have a legitimate medical need for TRT and your doctor refuses to treat you then find another doctor!
[quote]Garage Squatter wrote:
I’m 39 and larger/leaner/stronger than I’ve ever been. Does anyone else here basically do they’re own HRT using a steroid? I use basically HRT level dosages and every part of my life benefits from it.[/quote]
Interesting. I can foresee many reasons why self-perscribed HRT is an option for some.
Even if you self-treat, then a Doc can still oversee and read your bloodwork, etc. You should just be honest with your Doc and get regular check ups and blood work.
I see you’re in Mexico. So can you simply buy gear at a pharmacy?
Tell us more about your HRT: drugs used, dosage, how long you’ve been on, any ancillary drugs (e.g. AI) and any sides you’ve experienced. Thanks and good luck.
[quote]Garage Squatter wrote:
I’m 39 and larger/leaner/stronger than I’ve ever been. Does anyone else here basically do they’re own HRT using a steroid? I use basically HRT level dosages and every part of my life benefits from it.[/quote]
Blood work would be a good idea. PSA for the prostate, hematocrit to see if you are making too many red blood cells. check your E2 and use arimidex/anastrozole to keep it under control, typical starting dose is 1mg/wk in divided doses. Also available in the USA in an inexpensive liquid form.
Others have done this.
In the USA, you can get your blood work done without going through a doctor. Understanding the results is not all that difficult. Do you live near and cross the border?
It depends on which state you live in. Where I live (California) they have recently passed a law that requires a doctor’s request. Even ZRT Labs won’t do a saliva test for people in California without a doctor’s scrip. It really sucks.
As for telling your doctor what you’re doing… it could potentially be a very bad idea. Your doctor will note what you tell him in your file and your file is not your private property. Insurance companies, for example, have access to your file any time they want and will routinely ask for patient files if there is a serious injury or medical condition.
Being a “steroid abuser” (which you automatically are if you’re self medicating) will be a legally valid reason to deny your claim no matter what. Telling your doctor that you’re self-medicating with ANY controlled substance is a good way to lose your health insurance. If you don’t have health insurance, then this obviously won’t apply.
I know a guy who is doing his own HRT and has regular blood work through his doctor. When his doctor questioned his rising testosterone levels, he simply said he was using tribulus. My doctor, I mean his doctor, had to ask how to spell tribulus. I don’t go to my doctor for his philosophy (lower testosterone levels are a natural part of aging), I go to him for what I need and want and I do the research and decide for myself what my blood results mean.
Raw Power - Are you aware that there are legal implications for doctors when prescribing testosterone? To “qualify” for HRT from most doctors, you’ll need to be below 200 ng/dl. If you come in above that level, then it doesn’t matter what symptoms you have, you don’t qualify.
As someone who is 55 and has experienced the difference in the quality of life at “low normal (300)” versus “high normal (900),” I can tell you without question that high normal is better. It’s worth the risk to me. YMMV.
Good points HD48.
It sux that you can’t get your own booodwork in CA without a script. I’m sure the doctors’ lobby pushed that law through.
IMO, that seems VERY offensive toward personal rights. A script for medication is one thing, but simply knowing your own blood values is ridiculus. They blocking you from having information relating to your own health!
Here in GA, I go down to my Quicklabs and pick any test I want. Also, it’s not my doctor, so insurance will never know . . .
[quote]happydog48 wrote:
Raw Power - Are you aware that there are legal implications for doctors when prescribing testosterone? To “qualify” for HRT from most doctors, you’ll need to be below 200 ng/dl. If you come in above that level, then it doesn’t matter what symptoms you have, you don’t qualify.
As someone who is 55 and has experienced the difference in the quality of life at “low normal (300)” versus “high normal (900),” I can tell you without question that high normal is better. It’s worth the risk to me. YMMV.[/quote]
Yes sir, I did know that there are implications for doctors when it comes to prescribing T. When I was tested last year I showed total T of 135. I was prescribed Testim 5g. I was reluctant on going on this for various reasons. I did consent to it and I’m happy that I did now.
I was retested four months later and my total T was 549. I asked my doctor about bumping me up to 10g daily of Testim and he refused because of the reasons that we are making here. I was then in normal ranges. I wanted to go to the higher level and he wouldn’t go for it. If I wanted to move it up I was going to have to do it on my own.
I started doing a lot of reading and came across a study in one of the medical journals regarding transdermal gels. I then started experimenting with application sites, applying at different times of the day and doing my own blood tests through LEF almost monthly.
I found that my E2 was very high and I was going to have to deal with that on my own because my doctor wouldn’t even talk to me about it. I started taking exemestane as a research chemical to help bring it down and continuing with monthly blood tests through LEF until I got it right.
I haven’t been very pleased with the results of exemestane and was very disappointed in my numbers. Either what I was given was a weak batch or something else is going on. My E2 has gone down a little so it hasn’t been a total waste.
I came up with some tricks through experimenting with Testim and my last blood test through LEF showed my total T was 925. My free T was out of range on the high side as well. I was shocked.
I saw my doctor two weeks ago and he ordered blood work to check lipids, T levels and thyroid levels (I’m on synthroid now after having my thyroid taken out a few months ago). I know that when he sees my total T going from 549 to 925 he is going to be questioning me.
I told him on the last visit that I had been “monkeying” with application sites and times after having read about it in a medical journal. I’ve already printed it out and will give it to him on the next visit.
I will not be telling him about using exemestane to bring E2 down for the reasons already stated in this thread.
My doctor gave me a “kick start” on HRT, but I was left to do the rest on my own since he was down on the idea of HCG, arimidex, injections or anything else. He gave me 5g of Testim to use per day so I had to figure out how to get the most bang out of that one tube. Thankfully, it’s worked out pretty good so far.
I say this to you because I now know like you do what it feels like to have a T level “in the tank”, then be in the midrange and then up to the high range. The high range is where I want to be. I’ve never felt better.
Garage Squatter was vague in his post on his situation and past medical background. If his doctor has put him out like most do with the rest of us, then by all means he should explore every avenue available.
If he thinks that he has a low T issue and has not been tested then he needs to know what all his numbers are and see what his doctor says. If his doctor won’t play along then he should go somewhere else.
If I hadn’t been able to bring my own T levels up on my own I would have gone to see another doctor. I like my doctor despite these HRT issues so that is why I stay with him.
not trying to hijack, you state 1mg per week, if you get this in liquid form, how do you figure out the conversion. such as 1mg/ml 60 ml. If you were using a Insulin Syringe 1cc x 28g x 1/2 would that be one full syringe for 1mg. sorry to be ignorant
[quote]KSman wrote:
Blood work would be a good idea. PSA for the prostate, hematocrit to see if you are making too many red blood cells. check your E2 and use arimidex/anastrozole to keep it under control, typical starting dose is 1mg/wk in divided doses. Also available in the USA in an inexpensive liquid form.
Others have done this.
In the USA, you can get your blood work done without going through a doctor. Understanding the results is not all that difficult. Do you live near and cross the border?[/quote]
I hope I didn’t come off as snarky, I was just commenting that Doctor’s hands are tied legally in many cases regardless of their personal feelings about HRT. I suspect my doctor will continue to look the other way as long as I can give him a plausible out.
There are a lot of us whose levels aren’t low enough to qualify for HRT but who could still benefit from higher levels and self medicating is our only option. I started with just using anastrozole but eventually went to making my own transdermal and so far I’m very happy with the results.
I don’t like to get into details and it isn’t really necessary as anyone seriously interested in self medicating can find the information they need if they just look for it and I consider the research as a necessary part of the process. Monkeying around with our hormones isn’t something to be done lightly.
[quote]smitrock wrote:
not trying to hijack, you state 1mg per week, if you get this in liquid form, how do you figure out the conversion. such as 1mg/ml 60 ml. If you were using a Insulin Syringe 1cc x 28g x 1/2 would that be one full syringe for 1mg. sorry to be ignorant[/quote]
1cc = 1ml
My research chems come with a graduated dropper that easily allows me to measure 0.25ml which is 0.25mg of anastrozole. Take that four times a week and you’re getting 1mg/week.
thanks happydog, i searched all over the net, trying to find a conversion site. I am going to try this.
With 1mg/ml I counted the drops per ml and got 30. For EOD dosing, take 8 drops. When the EOD day falls on a weekend, make the dose 10 drops. That makes 30 drops per week.
Make sure that you shake the bottle first.
Please pardon my ignorance.
I’m a little confused on T-therapy. Assuming products like Alpha Male and TRIBEX really work, why not just use that instead of going the doctor/prescription route?
Do the OTC t-booster products simply not work? Or do they only boost T a small amount?
-BV
[quote]brienv wrote:
Please pardon my ignorance.
I’m a little confused on T-therapy. Assuming products like Alpha Male and TRIBEX really work, why not just use that instead of going the doctor/prescription route?
Do the OTC t-booster products simply not work? Or do they only boost T a small amount?
-BV[/quote]
That’s not a bad question at all.
If your body is willing and able to produce more testosterone, then upping LH levels (TRIBEX or Alpha Male) may be productive, depending on how “low” your levels are.
For many an OTC strategy will be enough, but for others it may not. It will also depend on why you are taking the supplements… many are not necessarily looking closely at their test levels but instead at libido.
I don’t know how much of a test boost they provide, but if it works for someone then it may certainly be a lot easier than prescriptions, injections and whatever hoops may need to be jumped in order to find a helpful doctor.
[quote]brienv wrote:
Please pardon my ignorance.
I’m a little confused on T-therapy. Assuming products like Alpha Male and TRIBEX really work, why not just use that instead of going the doctor/prescription route?
Do the OTC t-booster products simply not work? Or do they only boost T a small amount?
-BV[/quote]
Everyone is different. Some people respond well to the OTC products and some don’t. For some people, the boost they get from OTC products can make a big difference. For others, even if they are getting the same boost, it won’t make any significant difference at all.
There really are no easy answers when it comes to testosterone. How hormones work is very complex dance of interaction with receptors and feedback loops and other hormones. It may or may not be necessary for you or anyone else to get into understanding it.
If you take a few Alpha Male and a few Tribulus and you feel fine and you’re happy with your results, then you’re done. If you do the full TRT route and things still aren’t working right, then you find yourself in the position of needing a more complete understanding of what’s going on. Everyone’s situation is different and you won’t know what works and what doesn’t work for you until you try.