Introduction

[mx0z77]

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been lurking here for a while, and it’s finally time to introduce myself. I’m a 55-year-old man who started TRT about 18 months ago. Since then, I’ve been researching TRT, HCG, HGH, and other anabolics like Masteron, Primo, and Anavar.

Goals​

My primary goals with TRT are:

• Increased energy and libido
• Enhanced muscle mass and strength
• Overall improved well-being

Lifestyle​

• Exercise: I do resistance training with free weights at least 3x per week, fasted cardio most mornings, and play pickleball regularly.
• Diet: My meals are mostly home-cooked with single-ingredient foods (e.g., ribeye, chicken, pork chops, broccoli, potatoes, and my wife’s homemade sourdough).

My Journey​

When I started TRT, I also revamped my fitness and diet. I’m 6’1” and went from 225 lbs to 185 lbs with 12% body fat (per my latest Dexa scan). The transformation has been amazing—my wife loves it, which keeps me motivated!

After 7 months of TRT through a clinic, I transitioned to self-administration using UGL sources. I order my own bloodwork and adjust my protocol based on what I’ve learned from my health practitioner, online resources, and GPT.

Lessons Learned​

Like many beginners, I overcomplicated things early on. I ramped up my testosterone dose too quickly, added HCG, Masteron, and Anavar pre-workout, and ended up with ED issues, high E2, then crashed it with AIs, tanked SHBG, etc.

Eventually, I simplified:

• Dropped everything except testosterone.
• Reduced my T dose to 125 mg/week (split twice weekly).
• Stayed consistent for 6 weeks.

This reset resolved my ED issues in 2 weeks and left me feeling good overall. From there, I titrated up in 25 mg increments every 6 weeks, keeping things steady without needing an AI. My current TRT dose is 150 mg/week, with total T levels around 733 (my goal is to see what 1,000 feels like). Interestingly, my E2 decreased slightly as I increased my dose.

Current Cycle​

I’m currently running a cycle to help make some increased gains in muscle mass and strength:

• 400 mg Test
• 400 mg Masteron
• 10 mg Anavar pre-workout

I’m three weeks in, with no major issues so far. Libido and erections are good. Side effects include some BPH (difficulty urinating), increased edginess, and occasional night sweats. I plan to run this cycle for 12 weeks, with bloodwork at the 6-week mark to check hormones, lipids, etc.

HGH and Fat Loss​

I also use HGH, starting at 2 IU/day and gradually increasing to 4 IU/day to target an IGF-1 level of ~300. At 3 IU/day, my IGF-1 was 267, so I’m hoping the increase to 4 IU/day will bring me closer to my goal. Alongside HGH, I’ve used Semaglutide and Tirzepatide for fat loss. I’m currently on Tirzepatide and plan to taper down to a maintenance dose once I’ve eliminated the residual belly fat.

That’s my story so far! Feel free to ask questions or share advice. I’ve learned a lot in the past year and a half and am excited to keep learning from this community.