I’ll be 33 next week on the 19th of March. I’ve been on TRT for almost 5 years now and I have lost significant strength and mass over my whole body not just upper body. I’ve tried working out and different supplements but nothing seems to help. Is there anything around that’s known to be beneficial to men that are on TRT?
Please describe exactly what your protocol is.
What other meds do you use? Rx and OTC
In mg’s please.
Post recent lab work with ranges.
Please follow theses links from the 2nd post of the 1st forum topic:
- advice for new guys - need more info about you
- things that damage your hormones
- protocol for injections
I get an injection every two weeks at the dr office of 400mg of depo-testosterone. Been on that dose for two years now and my most recent labs showed my T levels at just shy of 300 and my free testosterone was at about 46 I think it said. That’s all they tested for that and my psi which was like .7 I don’t take anything over the counter except for a dhea vitamin. I have tried taking numerous products from gnc in the past when I’ve lifted weights and worked out and I just couldn’t seem to get anywhere. It was like I plateud before I even started. And in the last 5 years or so I’ve noticed that I’ve lost a lot of strength and mass thought out my body and put on more body fat where there used to be muscle.
The labs speak for themselves. If you have read the stickies, you would know the problems with your protocol. What did your doc respond to your labs?
The half life of testosterone cypyonate is 7 days, so you should inject at least once a week, better if you can do 2x a week. The way you do it now, by the day of your next shot you have minimal testosterone in your blood. Ask your doctor for weekly shots or ask him to teach it to you so you can do it for yourself. 400mg is a lot for 2 weeks, most guys are on 100mg/week. If you don’t use an AI, you should, high estrogen can cause your problems too. If your doctor won’t bother, than find another, because this one seems stupid.
She doesn’t want to up my dose right now cause it’s already so high she thinks. But I just started seeing her a month ago when I moved where I’m at and transferred for work. So idk if it’s cause I’m still new to her or what. She just said keep going like I have been and recheck labs in 2 months
It’s not the dose but the pinning schedule really that’s causing you problems. Pinning a high dose like yours once in two weeks is very bad. For 6-7 days, you are probably high on T on supra-physiological levels and then crash for a week before your next dose. You should do everything to try to convince her for alteast once a week, 2/week is ofcourse even better. Are you on an AI like anastrozole? If not, that’s also another red flag causing danger.
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Ok and what is AI? And would starting on hcg help any or that just one of the sales comics at those men’s testosterone clinics they have around?
No I’m not taking anything else, what is an AI and where can I get it if that will help? What does it do?
AI is an aromatase inhibitor. It helps prevent T converting to E2 which is a natural event. High E2 causes all kinds of problems for men. Remember E2 is a form of estrogen. So guys need some, but not too much. It’s an rx and requires a prescription from your doc.
AI means aromatase inhibitor. @Nashtide describes it well for you. If your E2 is so high from the aromatase from your exogenous Test, you’ll feel no better on your TRT. The T:E balance should be maintained for optimal functioning. AI does that. Please ask your doc about it, it’s a necessity. You can read the sticky : protocol for TRT injections to learn more. You will also find the answer to your hCG question there as well. hCG is absolutely a must if you want to keep your fertility.
Ok awesome I will ask my dr about writing me a script for that. None of the dr’s I’ve gone to in the past have ever said anything about it before. Do you know of the hcg shots would help also or anything else I could take with the AI and testosterone injections to build my strength and muscle back up short of going to full blown steroids?
Awesome I will talk to her tomorrow when I go in for my shot. Thank you all for your advice, I appreciate it a lot!
You should be using T weekly 80mg per week should be fine. If you are not gaining muscle check prolactin, progesterone, estrogen and growth hormone as well as SHbg.