I was training since 19 and now 25, and stayed around 180-190lbs at 13-15% BF. I have myofascial pain disorder and trigger points all over my back along with a whiplashed necked and at 23 a pain doc pretty much said I’m f*cked and needed opiod treatment for pain for life, which ended rather bad… 3 years witout any exercise I was 240lbs, very high BF% and oh yeah they found out that even after I stopped opiate treatment my total T was at 110-190. I also had mumps as a kid and that may permanently damaged testicles and reduced T levels permanently.
Now after 2 months on Axiron my T levels were at 550 and 450 at about midday, not early morning when I applied the gel. My endo thinks my morning T is higher at maybe 600. In 2 months I went from 240lbs to 211lbs (24.4%), but that includes coming off opiate treatment which slows down metablic rate BIG TIME and also lowers T and increases progesterone and oh I was taking this bad bad anti-acid cimetidine which slows down break down of estrogen by inhibiting a buttload of liver enzymes. I was also on a buttload of other meds that reduced T - benzos supposedly and pregabalin. It was pretty bad, lol, but I am done with all that.
I also take a non-amphetamine stimulant Nuvigil at 250mg, which was forbidden from use by athletes because it improves performance, focus, memory. I need because I get very fatigued from pain, for which I take SNRI Savella which mostly ups norepinephrine, not serotonin and reduces overall pain sensetivity, helps lifts, but my back still hurts like hell. I am also bipolar type II but not taking anything weight gaining for it. I know that is a buttload of chemicals, but none really did much until I started TRT.
I am losing fat fast on a good cutting diet, but my strength is greater than ever before. Within 19 days of every day and sometimes 2 times a day working (lifting + cardio), I went from burning 300 calories on eliptical in 30 minutes to burnin 500 and not be dead tired like before. My lifting strength went up some. I was benching 155lbs max at 190lbs and months of “bulking” and yesterday I did 175lbs 2 times on and 3d one I needed help. I am not sh*tting you. I feel like for a while I will experience some muscle gains and strength but as long as I cut it will eventually stop and possibly go down until I bulk.
I want to go down to 10% BF and then bulk some. I could never do it before and now I am unemployed and with TRT I feel confident I can do it. T is great! It did make my testicles rather tender, gave me a nearly permanent erection and desire to get rid of it by constant mate-seeking. I feel like I am going through puberty second time! It does feel like its a bit too be true, but it either is or I can’t count weights and cardio machines lie.