My doc had me on Androgel 1% and I was using 6 pumps a day. The new Agel 1.62 has a higher concentration of test so you need to apply less. I understand that. BUT, he has me on 3 pumps which, if you do the math is less test than the 6 pumps of the original formula. Here is the verbiage for the dosage difference on the Agel website:
â?¢The recommended starting dose for AndroGel 1% is 50 mg of testosterone or 5 g of gel (4 pump presses)
The recommended starting dose for AndroGel 1.62% is 40.5 mg of testosterone (2 pump presses)
Why would they (and my DR) recommend LESS test? I understand you need less volume (fewer pumps) but does the 1.62 absorb better or something? Best I can tell my dosage will drop from 75mg (6 pumps) down to 60.75mg Anyone know why this is?
I know this doesn’t really answer your question, but have you considered just switching to injections? It takes a lot of the guess work out. You know exactly what dose you’re getting, and it all gets absorbed. Easier, simpler, cheaper.
[quote]reidnez wrote:
I know this doesn’t really answer your question, but have you considered just switching to injections? It takes a lot of the guess work out. You know exactly what dose you’re getting, and it all gets absorbed. Easier, simpler, cheaper.[/quote]
No I have not. The Androgel was keeping my overall t level at 775. Morning wood. An occasional but rare back pimple. No gyno. Leaner, stronger, more energy, ^^^ sex drive. I was very happy slapping on 6 pumps per day. Balls shrank a little but not much. Last thing I want to do is introduce needles into my home (I have kids). The gel is covered by insurance so I am not sure the shots could beat 15 bucks per month. So once again, no…I did not consider.
But I am still wondering about the dosage difference.
[quote]jmsizzo wrote:
[quote]reidnez wrote:
I know this doesn’t really answer your question, but have you considered just switching to injections? It takes a lot of the guess work out. You know exactly what dose you’re getting, and it all gets absorbed. Easier, simpler, cheaper.[/quote]
No I have not. The Androgel was keeping my overall t level at 775. Morning wood. An occasional but rare back pimple. No gyno. Leaner, stronger, more energy, ^^^ sex drive. I was very happy slapping on 6 pumps per day. Balls shrank a little but not much. Last thing I want to do is introduce needles into my home (I have kids). The gel is covered by insurance so I am not sure the shots could beat 15 bucks per month. So once again, no…I did not consider.
But I am still wondering about the dosage difference.[/quote]
You’re worried about needles that can be locked up in a medicine cabinet, but not worried about trasnferring hormones to your kids by incidental contact?
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
[quote]jmsizzo wrote:
[quote]reidnez wrote:
I know this doesn’t really answer your question, but have you considered just switching to injections? It takes a lot of the guess work out. You know exactly what dose you’re getting, and it all gets absorbed. Easier, simpler, cheaper.[/quote]
No I have not. The Androgel was keeping my overall t level at 775. Morning wood. An occasional but rare back pimple. No gyno. Leaner, stronger, more energy, ^^^ sex drive. I was very happy slapping on 6 pumps per day. Balls shrank a little but not much. Last thing I want to do is introduce needles into my home (I have kids). The gel is covered by insurance so I am not sure the shots could beat 15 bucks per month. So once again, no…I did not consider.
But I am still wondering about the dosage difference.[/quote]
You’re worried about needles that can be locked up in a medicine cabinet, but not worried about trasnferring hormones to your kids by incidental contact?[/quote]
That is actually a very valid point when children around. They are always over you and you might not be even aware of the accidental contact. It sure can’t be good and another + to injections no mess no fuss.
OK you guys are taking this in a direction I did not intend for it to go. Can we forget about the needle/gel debate for a minute. My question is about the reasoning behind the lower prescribed dosage of the new product.
[quote]jmsizzo wrote:
OK you guys are taking this in a direction I did not intend for it to go. Can we forget about the needle/gel debate for a minute. My question is about the reasoning behind the lower prescribed dosage of the new product.[/quote]
Had a look at the data sheet for both. Yes you will be taking less Testosterone as you pointed out.
The only reason I see why he has you on 3 pumps is that he does not want you to take the maximum amount of androgel 1.62% which is 4 pumps daily. If he said 4 pumps daily you would be taking 81mg and that is higher than the dose he has you on currently. So he would rather give you less (60.75mg) and see how you fair. If you fair badly he will no doubt increase to 81mg I assume.
And he can’t tell you to take 3.5 pumps daily (that would be inaccurate). So he said take 3 so he knows exactly how much you are taking. All just a guess.
I don’t think anyone here actually knows the true answer. It’s possible that it absorbs better so you will get more in you, or its possible they just made it more concentrated without changing absorption properties such that it makes your new dose slightly different.
Only way to know is to give it a try and see how you feel.
(Or remove all the guesswork and inject…)
I called Abbott labs and they can’t answer it either. The 2 people I spoke to cited an increased concentration means you need less volume. I get that. But the bottom line is, its still LESS test. The OG formula recommends a greater amount of test. The new formula recommends a lower amount.
Here is how I compare it (just an example, not intended to be exact science). Hypothetically speaking it takes 6 beers to get you to .10 blood alcohol content. It takes 2 shots of whiskey to get you to .08 blood alcohol content. Yes, both make you legally drunk. Yes it takes LESS whiskey to get you there. But when its all said and done the 6 beers get you a higher BAC than the 2 shots.
Unless someone from Androgel can explain how LESS total T delivered from the new formula can raise your T in the blood test to the same as MORE total T from the OG formula, I am very skeptical about the dosage recommendations of the new product.
Dude just use it and monitor your symptoms and bloodwork, or switch to injections…its not rocket surgery
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
Dude just use it and monitor your symptoms and bloodwork, or switch to injections…its not rocket surgery[/quote]
rocket surgery?!? nice 
no worries. but you are right, the proof is in the pudding. just frosts me cuz the old formula had me exactly where i wanted to be and life was good.
Endocrinologists did not help me. Holistic MD put me on PLO testosterone cream from compounding pharmacist; better than androgel.