I have been following this thread now for about a year, as I have been on my on TRT journey. My experience with doctors as related to low T thus far have been awful, but you guys have given me some hope. I have been essentially trying to manage things on my own up till now, but it is time to get some feedback from folks who might have something worthwhile to say.
I will keep the case history as brief as I can. I am a 43 year in reasonably good condition. I exercise several times a week. I’m 6’5" tall and weigh 250. My body fat is about 18%. I have hyper-tension treated with a 5mg/ed dose of Bystolic. I drink. I quit smoking 6 years ago.
It all began with my prostate swelling up about July of 2015. I went to my GP and he diagnosed me with a prostate infection and prescribed a heavy and long course of antibiotic. It took about 3 weeks for the “infection” to clear up. Then everything went to hell.
I became massively depressed (never occurred in my life before) and began losing erections mid-intercourse. Then my interest in sex tapered off. Then I could barely get an erection at all. This all occurred within a one month time frame. When I approached my doc with my erection and libido problem shortly after, he poo-pooed it and said that’s what happens when you get older, etc…
I began gaining weight. I started seeing a therapist. Nothing got better.
I finally got frustrated enough to strike out on my own and found a good urologist in town. He also waved it off, but after I pushed a bit, reluctantly tested my T (T and FT, nothing else). It came in around 386 and he reluctantly put me on cream. This boosted me to about 560, consistently but had no noticeable effect on my wood, my desire or my depression. After going on like this for about 5 months, and with the help of Cialis I reached a point where things were as good as they were going to get. Almost no desire, barely could get it or keep it up, unable to lose the weight I had been gaining, major loss of sensitivity.
I went back to the urologist for my follow-up (he had scheduled a follow-up after prescribing the cream for 6 months later!) and told him I didn’t want to do this anymore. He prescribed me 3 months of Clomid and said goodbye. No follow-up.
I went back to my GP and complained some more. I shared the info from my urologist. I refused to leave. He sent me to another urologist. They took blood and found my T low and my E2 around 96. He put me on injections 200mg/eow of Testosterone Cyp and 1mg Arimidex per week. (I had to insist that he test my E2.) The second week, for the first time in over a year I began to feel slightly like my old self again. Desire was back. Erections were there. Sensitivity was better. It lasted a few days and then tapered off again. More Cialis. A follow-up visit to the dos who told me that “this happens with some men.”
I finally got frustrated enough to strike out on my own. It was clear that no doctor around here was going to help or even knew what they were talking about. My research led me to find a lab that would run bloodwork for me without a doctor’s authorization and I used that to try and zero in on the correct treatment.
I’ll spare you the trial and error. Here is where we landed. I now inject subQ 20mg e3d of T Cyp and take .5 mg of Arimidex every day after I inject. Below are the results of my last set of tests, taken at the end of the three day cycle, before injecting. I got a full panel because it was on sale, so some of these results are not necessarily needed. I include them here for the full picture:
FSH - 0.9 L
LH - <0.2 L
T Total- 788 ng/dL
Free T- 137.4 pg/mL
Prolactin- 6.2 ng/mL
Estradiol- 36 pg\mL
My Cholesterol is a little high, which it has never been before, and my liver numbers are slightly elevated as well.
Using this regimen, I feel good. My brain fog is cleared up. My depression is gone. I have a healthy interest in sex. However my penis does not want to get on board. I have morning wood, but it is fairly soft. My sensitivity is fair. I am operating at maybe a third of where I used to be and I am getting tired.
I think my E2 is still too high, based on what I have read. It should be closer to 20 pg/mL. I have tried DIM but it does not seem to be helping. I loathe the idea of having to go back to the Urologist and have him up my Arimidex, but I don’t think I have any other choice. Thoughts?
I also want to add HCG to my injection routine (that will be another fun conversation) and would like your advice on dosing. Since I inject 20mg/e3d I figured I would substitute every third injection for 250 iu hCG as a starting place to see where that lands me. My reading suggests it will stop the aching in my testicles and also restore their size, as well as allowing my scrotum to stop hugging my body. My real hope though is that it will restore my libido as some have suggested it might. Up until my crash 2 years ago, I had the appetite of an 18 year old. Now I have one of a guy in his 80s. True, I can perform… but it would be nice to want my girlfriend (who has been with me throughout this whole ordeal and been nothing but supportive) viscerally as well as intellectually, if you get my drift.
Thanks for the patient read of all that back story. I hope this gives you a starting place and I welcome your questions, comments and suggestions. I know there is a way back from this and I’m hoping you gentlemen might have the key. Thanks again.