T Nation

TRT Protocols

T Replacement
#1

I currently go to an endo for my TRT and she only prescribes T, no HCG or AI. I started at 200mg eow which I split into 100mg a week. Then after my T was measured at 252 3 months later, she upped it to 300 mgs eow which I split into 150mgs every 5 days–I hit the occasional vein Doc! :wink: this got me into the 450 range on my T.

I did have to swap from test cypionate because it gave me terrible headaches. I’m currently on Test Enanthate which has been much better for me as far as results/side effects go.

I’m thinking about asking to make it 400 eow or 200 mgs a week to hit the 700+ zone. I think thats my magic number.

That said a few questions:

What is everyone else currently taking for their optimal levels?

What is your libido/erections like at that dosing?

#2

welcome on board. you are in the right place.

please (pretty pretty please) read through all of the sticky threads at the top of this forum (the ones with the yellow sticky note). like Prototype - Advice for New Guys

you are missing a lot of information and are going to do yourself more harm than good.

odds are:

1- you have problems with some other system that is being overlooked (thyroid, cortisol, vitamin D, ferritin, estrogen, etc.)

2- you are testing at the wrong interval (I would hazard a guess that you are drawing right before your next shot) compounded with the fact that you are only injecting once a week which is known to give people huge swings to their hormone levels.

#3

I already read those, thanks. I’m looking for others experiences in this matter, not neccessarily the protocols themselves.

That being said, looking for others to chime in here. Thanks!

#4

ok - so…

You know that shots every 5 days will give you hormone swings.

You know that simply increasing your T dose will give you larger hormone swings and cause additional side effects if not monitored and adjusted (i.e. - sky high estradiol - which then causes libido/erection issues, etc.)

You know that injection every three days is best practice for most with some needing to inject every other day.

You know that the date of your blood draw compared to the injection date is a huge influence on the lab results.

You know that you may or may not be testing for the right things to fix your system (TSH, E2, 8am Cortisol, D25-OH, etc. etc. etc.) and could be trying to overdose on T to compensate for those other problems.

You know that you have not provided enough information for anyone to be able to really offer any individual advice for your exact situation since you have chosen not to post the additional details requested in the Advice for New Guys sticky.

as for your question - I take 30mg T-Cyp EOD and have Total T levels of 795. Before I fixed my Thyroid, ferritin, D25-OH levels, etc. etc. etc. I was taking 200mg a week and was still crashing and had Total T of 350. The best practices/protocols/advice/stickies are there for a reason.

#5

Like I said, just looking for people experiences on their protocol and how they feel.

I’m currently taking T4 and Vitamin D as well. I had all blood work done except for estrogen. My current dr does not test for it and thinks it is unecessay. I do not take HCG either, altho they are researching that to potentially give it to me in the future. Because they are stcuk in the every other week mantra, I divide the dose into what I would take over the course of a 7 day period. I’m currently taking 150mg every week-- divided up into multiple shots. Being that all my bills are being paid for, I’m not pushing it with this Dr just yet. That being said, I’ve been very pleased with the results so far on 150mg divided up per week. although I’d like to hit the 800 range.

What has everyone else found to be their magic number and how is your libido/erections?