I am debating whether to start TRT or not. Yesterday I was prescribed 80mg of test per week. From what I understand I have low levels but not absurdly low.
There are a couple of reasons I suspect for having low test. The first is I have chronic stress. I have always struggled managing my stress. I just got a cortisol test which came back high (732 nmol/L). I have been working to get this down.
I also believe I have always had low testosterone. I did not hit puberty until I was 18. Possibly from getting 3 concussions causing damage to hypothalamus? Hard to determine for sure the reason.
I have also used SSRI’s for two years as well as opiates off and on for a couple years. Haven’t touched either for about 4 years.
Here are my levels:
Testosterone (Total) - 10.8 nmol/L
Testosterone (Free) - 295.8 pmol/L
Estradiol - 40 pmol/L
Prolactin - 7.4 pmol/L
PSA - 0.4 ug/L
FSH - 2.4 IU/L
TSH - 1.06 mU/L
LH - 3.2 IU/L
Cortisol - 732 nmol/L
I have many symptoms that have been significantly impacting my quality of life. That being said some may also be caused by the high cortisol.
- Extreme fatigue
- Not feeling myself
- Brain fog/Forgetfulness
- No energy
- Never wake up feeling refreshed - always tired
- No emotions for anything whatsoever - feel blunted and kind of depressed because no emotions
- Irritable
- No sex drive
I sleep 9+ hours per night, eat a healthy diet, don’t drink or do drugs or smoke, and exercise 3x per week. None of which has helped significantly.
I am mainly torn on what going on testosterone for 50+ years would do to my health. I want my life back but I am struggling to commit to this. Any thoughts or advice is appreciated!
This isn’t good if injecting once weekly, as levels will likely drop too low before your next injection.
Maybe 80 mg weekly would work if injecting EOD and some outliers could do well on 40 mg twice weekly.
Usually if low-T is caused by opiates it is permanent and any endocrine disruption <25 is usually for life since the HPTA is still immature and still developing even at 25 years old.
These symptoms aren’t minior and recovery of nature T is NOT possible in my opinion. Things are just too far in the wrong direction. If your symptoms were minor, maybe you would have a better chance at correcting the problem.
Either one of these will cause low-T, especially opiates.
Men with high testosterone are more easily able to deal with stress because testosterone has a calming effect and is what makes a man a man from a mental standpoint. It’s hard to be a man, act like a man, perform like a man when you’re missing a vital component that makes you manly.
My cortisol was high pre-TRT, and significantly lower on TRT.
The telehealth clinic has said to inject 2x (40mg each time) per week. Is this fine or should I inject EOD?
That makes sense though. I figured these negatively affected my T levels. If you were in my situation would you hop on T? If I go on then I plan to for life. Just considering whether risks outweigh the benefits in quality of life which I think they would.
There is an optimal injection frequency for every individual. Some say daily injections is a game changer while others claim the opposite.
Just the other day a member tried every injection frequency and only found daily propionate (very short half-life) was the only thing that work for him. The cypionate and enanthate he claimed to have never felt right at any injection frequency.
I have the same experience, only on Jatenzo (dosed 2x daily) was a success.
You’ll have to answer which injection frequency is best for you.
Easily 99% of men will be just fine with once or twice a week injections.
What about children? It might be good to assess your current fertility status. Maybe, though not a long term solution, trying a short course of Clomid would help provide some information which would help you make long term decisions.
That sounds good I will start with the 2x per week injection frequency.
My wife is currently pregnant and we will be having our first child in 3 weeks or so. Because of this I am not as concerned about infertility but I will be taking HCG incase we want another. I feel as if I really need my energy back for parenting which is the main reason for looking at starting TRT as opposed to trying other methods.
That sounds good, my next appointment is in 3 months so I will be on the 80mg/week until the next appointment. Regardless it should be a good starting point and I’m sure it will boost my levels. Sounds like lots of trial and error to get dialed in.
Dialing in typically is easier in older men, the younger men seem to have more problems. I grew up in the 70’s when the world was less toxic, less chemicals in the environment. Now there are so many chemicals and endocrine disruptors that the younger generation is more sensitive to everything.