Hey guys, I’m new here and I posted awhile back with a short synopsis on me and my TRT regimem but it more specifically was requesting information on TRT-induced acne. In this thread I intend to post all of my future labs, updates from the doc, and changes in dosing. Any and all comments/insight would be greatly appreciated.
I’m 26 years old and was found to have low T (approx 119 ng/dl) in January 2009, when in late august 2008 my levels had been 852 ng/dl (I was 21). After seeing a variety of endo’s who all accused me of steroid abuse due to my muscular size (and they claimed my levels would return to normal once enough time had passed since my steroid abuse that might I add NEVER OCCURRED) and my levels never again going above ~350-400 range, my GP prescribed me with Test Cypionate 200 mg IM injections once every 2 weeks (Feb 2011). My injection dosage has since been changed to 250 mg IM injections once every 2 weeks.
TRT has worked great for me. Yeah my balls are smaller but I don’t really care. I’ve been blessed with a nice size unit and that’s all the ladies care about anyways. I will address fertility issues later, but for now my primary concern has been acne. I’ve been on accutane for 5 months now and STILL have pretty bad acne. I’m NOT coping well at all with it since before I was on TRT I always had beautiful skin. So do you want beautiful skin? Or a worthless dick and dwindling muscles?
So after reading the stickies on this board, I’ve decided to go to my doctor on 6-6-13 and request at the minimum once weekly injections at half dosage. I’ve been told that more stable levels as opposed to peaks and valleys will help alleviate my acne.
Also, what I’m REALLY going to be asking for is permission to give myself EOD subq Test injections. I know I could just do it without permission and to be honest, I have switched to doing this the past few days and my acne is immediately subsiding - but I really don’t feel comfortable continuing on this regimen without checking my bloodwork. I intend to present the study to my doctor that was conducted in Canada regarding subq injections and request that I switch to a similar protocol and monitor my bloodwork very closely.
Updates to follow. If anyone has had success in convincing their doctor to permit subq injections, I’d love to hear your story. I’m pretty confident he will shoot it down, but I have to try.
Docs can be stupid and may need to be guided. If he has doubts about absorption:
point out that you feel better
acne is improved
note that T pellets are SC delivery and that female hormones are also delivered that way
Now your levels will be steady and your lab work will be meaningful for the first time
Nasty drug, get off ASAP if you can.
Isotretinoin’s exact mechanism of action is unknown but several studies have shown that isotretinoin induces apoptosis (cell death) in various cells in the body such as cells in meibomian glands,[40][41] hypothalamic cells,[88] hippocampus cells[82][83] and important for treatment of acne, in sebaceous gland cells.[42][43]
One study found that isotretinoin significantly changed the expression of hundreds of genes in skin after 8 weeks of therapy.[89]
Isotretinoin is also one of several drugs discussed in a recent study[90] examining epigenetic side effects (for example DNA methylation) of common pharmaceuticals that leads to silencing of genes.[citation needed]
I’m in the Dermatologists waiting room as I type this, either this past month or the coming month is my final month of accutane. It really has made an incredible difference in my acne, but I will not be doing a second course of the drug. My hopes are that one round of this medication, tweaking my hormonal levels and conventional treatment will have my skin pristine.
Thanks for the information. When accutane didn’t completely alleviate my acne I sunk pretty low. I just felt that this was the end of the road and I would have to deal with this crap forever. Hopefully that’s not the case, the information presented on this site has given me hope.
Attached is a graph (I hope it shows) I worked up today that I intend to present to my physician tomorrow to illustrate how the 250 & 300 dosages made me feel (I don’t have lab data, so the numbers are just “how I feel”) and what I propose will happen with EOD dosing. I intend to ask permission to self administer EOD dosing with weekly blood work to verify adsorption and T levels.
Truthfully, I’ve already begun self administering EOD dosing but I need blood work to verify that everything is working properly. I have to come clean or my doc will see in my blood work something’s not as expected. He’s been my physician since I was born so I think after he yells at me a little, he’ll still want to help. I’m definitely nervous though…
I also want full copies of my labs, I want E2, DHT and SHBG checked. Will post results. I don’t know you guys but we’re all in this battle together so please cross your fingers for me.
Doctor loved the idea and loved the way I presented it. He said he wished he’d thought of it himself. He wants me giving myself subq injections every 3 days (instead of every other day) at the 300mg/2 weeks dose, so 0.32mL every 3 days. Labs in 2 weeks so I will hopefully have some results in hand soon.
Still haven’t gotten a copy of my labs for myself, but the last TT levels were in the high 600’s. I feel fine, erections are good - gf is very satisfied lol so I’m not terribly concerned about the levels, just how I’m feeling. I do feel like my E2 is high as my left nipple is aggravated. I have solidified gyno that grew years ago when whatever flatlined my natural T happened.
Since taking Test Cyp every 3 days subq it has definitely been tender to the touch and even lactated occasionally. I’m going to order some anastrazole to have on hand, but I’d much rather get my doctor to prescribe it as I don’t much like going outside of his treatment on my own limb. But I’ll do what I have to do.
Eventually I will have gyno surgery and have everything removed. Can gyno return?
Just wanted to provide a follow up. I’ve been on the test cyp injections, subq every 3 days for quite awhile now and it’s made a huge difference in my training, sex life, mood and most of all - the acne I fought for so long is virtually gone.
I’m up to about 205lbs, probably around 12% bf benching 365, squatting 405 for reps, deadlifting 405, shoulder shrugging 455 for reps, shoulder DB pressing 100’s for reps, so on & so forth.
Guys KSMAN is the MAN he has the right idea, get on the subq injections they will save your life.
