Considering TRT, Questioning Global / Longterm Availability

rjfranco 2016-10-18 23:06:51 UTC #1

I'm in my early 30s and have been considering going on TRT, so I had some blood samples done. Turns out my SHBG is at 66(nmol/L), and free testosterone at 7(ng/dl), which isn't exactly low, but definitely sub-optimal and may be the cause of some of the symptoms I'm looking to alleviate. Now, my total levels are 700(ng/dl)+ which, isn't amazing but respectable as far as I can tell from references I've found.

My main concern right this second as to why I wouldn't want to do this, is long term availability. There's potential I may choose to move to Japan or Ireland ( for work purposes ), and though it seems that in Ireland I would be able to find some kind of TRT, I'm very unsure about how this works in Japan.

Anyone have any insights on how that would work, or what options would be available to me?

KSman 2016-10-19 22:24:17 UTC #2

You cannot self-inject in Japan.

Please read the stickies found here: https://forums.t-nation.com/t/about-the-t-replacement-category/38/2?u=ksman

advice for new guys - need more data about you
things that damage your hormones
protocol for injections
finding a TRT doc

Please post more labs than that and we need lab ranges!!!

At your age:
TT
FT
E2
prolactin
LH/FSH
TSH
CBC
total cholesterol - could be too low

Where are you now? - speaking of what is available where...
TRT care is mostly poor everywhere, in the USA you can get almost anything needed if your wallet is open wide. Most docs and endocrinologists are idiots when it come to male hormone care. So it up to you to get on the learning curve.

rjfranco 2016-10-20 11:27:47 UTC #3

Over all, it really does seem normal (I think?) outside of the low free T and high SHBG, I'm in Portland now and actually have a doctor who suggested trt as a solution to some libido issues I've been having, and citing my low free t (and high shbg) as a potential problem, though both seem "in range", that seems to be a very subjective term when it comes to TRT in general, and I'm definitely having a hard time finding what's considered optimal for those.

So, self injection is out of the picture in Japan, that's not a real biggy for me, so long as they are ok with administering treatments (and, actually I've been considering the pellets, though I've seen a couple of cases gone bad, it seems the main argument against them is cost, which I'm less sensitive about)

I guess then ... I just need to gauge if it's worth it, but I feel like probably not? but I'd love to read some experiences from younger people who've been suggested they go this route, but it seems the few cases where that's true their totals were sub 300 TT, and that just seems like, not at all the same thing.

ohiodude 2016-10-20 13:08:06 UTC #4

Please edit your post to include normal ranges that was listed with your labs.

KSman 2016-10-20 15:33:57 UTC #5

In Japan, if you need to get injections in a medical office, they will not be frequent enough. You also may not be able to have E2 managed with anastrozole or hCG. There is someone recently active here in Japan, search "Japan" and see if you can wake up that thread and ask questions.

rjfranco 2016-10-20 22:04:18 UTC #6

I had actually seen those person's posts (I think, unless it's the wrong person), but saw nothing too specific about treatment options, and as far as I can tell there was no kind of .. messaging on this forum, and I didn't want to hijack the threads to ask XD

rjfranco 2016-10-20 22:08:16 UTC #7

Done ... but I'm taking those ranges with a grain of salt based on what my doctor has said, but documents I have found on the internet have been varied