Just got on TRT, help me navigate this with an inexperienced doctor.

[Danjo]

Hi everyone,

If you'd like to read more briefly on my background, just take a look at my members introduction post. I'm 36 years old, live in Canada.

I just got onto the TRT bandwagon yesterday after recent bloodwork showed low T. Granted, I've been blasting and cruising for a while, but what sparked my desire to look into TRT was when COVID hit in early 2020 and lock downs shuttered all gyms, I totally wrote off training until COVID and the lock downs ended. So that meant get off cycle, do a solid PCT, and didn't end up hitting the gym or eating properly for about 2.5 years (yes, 2 and a half years - I lost all my muscle and progress during this time). Lock downs lifted and gyms opened up fully in 2022, prompting me to get back into it in August of 2022.

Cleaned up my diet, started hitting the gym natty (at first) and things just didn't feel the same. Progress was much slower, even natty. As I tuned back into my body more, other areas of life and we'll being just didn't feel the same - motivation, libido, mental clarity, all the typical things associated with Testosterone felt off. Told my doc and got bloods done - Testosterone was well below normal, 3.3nmol/L (for you Americans, the 'normal' range here in Canada is between 8.4 - 28.8nmol/L).

This was a new doc for me (previous one shuttered his practice on short notice), and this one is probably the best doctor I've ever had - he actually listens and provides options, doesn't talk down and have a superiority complex. Being a new doctor, he wanted to run some more standard bloodwork to make sure everything else was good (cholesterol, glucose, liver function, A1C, the whole gamut) before running bloods for test levels again to double check before providing the script.

So I say to him "doc, I'm going to be upfront, I can't wait and am going to self administer test until you can get me the script". I thought I was going to get the old scolding and finger wagging. Instead, he's cool with it! He nonchalantly says "meh, that's fine, just make sure these bloods get in first and then we'll go from there".

Fast forward to yesterday, he writes me a script for... Testosterone SUSPENSION (LOL). It was clearly an error on his part, and could've even been a mistake when he possibly clicked the wrong product on his computer before printing the script. I go to the pharmacy yesterday and the pharmacist shakes her head and laughs. She switches it to Testosterone Cypionate.

Now, I don't mind cyp for a change, but the problem is the cyp product is 100mg/ml rather than the Delatestryl (Enanthate) at 200mg/ml. The further issue here is that my doc has started me at the (ridiculous) standard clinical dosing protocol of "1CC every 2 weeks". Now, with the test cyp, doesn't that seem wayyyy too low? That's 100mg every two weeks! He wants me back in for bloods in 3 months to check levels, but I'm wondering if I can:

A. Convince him NOW, before the bloodwork in 3 months, to switch the protocol to 1CC (100mg) once per week, if I'm going to stay on the Cypionate. I have a feeling he is going to want to maintain this protocol at least until the bloods to see where this is going to put my T levels, which I predict will be inadequate. I'm also not interested in rollercoaster ride blood plasma levels. Even if I try to split the shots up, it comes down to 50mg/week. I can't see that as being enough to bring my T levels to normal range. Then again, won't know with total certainty without bloods.

B. Switch ASAP to the Delatestryl (Enanthate). Maybe it's possible that even the pharmacist could do this, as I do know pharmacists have more leeway to work around this stuff compared to other meds.

Anyhow, I've rambled on enough, I hope I haven't lost anyone by this point!

 

[grey]

A. Convince him NOW, before the bloodwork in 3 months, to switch the protocol to 1CC (100mg) once per week, if I'm going to stay on the Cypionate

You don't really have an ask for us in all this.

Ask you doc. We can't possibly know or influence what his response will be dude.

 

[guyfawkes1010]

Ok? Yeah I guess just tell him you're worried about the peaks and dips being too much. He either will agree or not. There's probably a reason he wants to do it that way. It's just a baseline.

 

[edjohn88]

You tell him you are going to inject 50mg cyp twice a week and check again in a month.

If he has a problem with that you get a nee doctor. NFQ

 

[clearheaded]

naa good dr will start u low and see where that gets you.. why take double dose if half will do what is needed? if want to be on a cruise go on a high cruise but 50mg a week is not a crazy starting point.. confuses me why people want to go to a DR to 'do it right', but then complain they aren't instantly given high doses...

didn't know suspension was even available for humans? perhaps he meant Sustanon?lol

cookie cutter stuff is easy and what most drs will do, standard protocols.. some drs with more experience knowledge and that have been to several conferences specific to mens health may offer more tailored approach.. and have literature to back up said approach that may differ from "standard". But MOST family Drs have not been educated on it and therefore go by the old school book, which mostly says avoid avoid avoid and haven't read dozens of papers on the topic.... not there fault as there is a reason for specialists.. they are watched by the college and because they are smarter than us, tend to follow the rules in ethical way as to keep their practice.

folks just have to think about what they are trying to do, get huge/1000+ test levels or do things right, which is slowly and cautiously... just because sketchy clinics offer 200mg a week off the hope to target 1000, does not mean thats the safe way to go... so either have to play the DR game by being safe and slow or just do whatever u want and bitch about DR starting at low doses.. 2 very different things.

 

[OmL]

You tell him you are going to inject 50mg cyp twice a week and check again in a month.

If he has a problem with that you get a nee doctor. NFQ

Realistically, This is the answer.


I don’t understand why the vast majority of TRT isn’t testosterone Undecanoate.

 

[edjohn88]

I don’t understand why the vast majority of TRT isn’t testosterone Undecanoate.

i have to assume some people feel differently on different esters. I personally have not “felt” any testosterone yet… ive used C, E, P, and even aqueous suspension. either every single source I’ve used (to include costco and empower) was bunk, or some of us are not sensitive and can/should just do what’s convenien.

 

[OmL]

i have to assume some people feel differently on different esters. I personally have not “felt” any testosterone yet… ive used C, E, P, and even aqueous suspension. either every single source I’ve used (to include costco and empower) was bunk, or some of us are not sensitive and can/should just do what’s convenien.

I’ve never ‘felt’ any either. I don’t think anyone does. Bloodwork is what you should do.

 

[edjohn88]

I’ve never ‘felt’ any either. I don’t think anyone does. Bloodwork is what you should do.

So many guys say prop or base hits quickly and makes them feel amazing to the point that its used for libido or just prior to sex or the gym.

I have trouble thinking everybody is making it up…

 

[Whopperflopper]

i have to assume some people feel differently on different esters. I personally have not “felt” any testosterone yet… ive used C, E, P, and even aqueous suspension. either every single source I’ve used (to include costco and empower) was bunk, or some of us are not sensitive and can/should just do what’s convenien.

If you havent " felt" or noticed a Trt dose, well... you probably didnt need it.

I'm 50. I can assure you, I feel it. No question.

I swear, you kids take whacking off for granted.

 

[Danjo]

If you havent " felt" or noticed a Trt dose, well... you probably didnt need it.

I'm 50. I can assure you, I feel it. No question.

I swear, you kids take whacking off for granted.

This. There's a threshold for feeling the subjective and qualitative effects of Testosterone (such as increased sense of well being, increased libido, etc.). And that's excluding any placebo effect (I. E. "OMG I feel INCREDIBLE because I know I'm 'on' / enhanced" ), which is very common, but that's all purely psychological.

When you've got low T, even your first shot of just a TRT dose of a long Ester like Enanthate or Cypionate can be noticeable within the next day or two after the shot. Some people actually don't notice a difference even if they already have low T, but they are rare outliers among the population.

 

[edjohn88]

When you've got low T, even your first shot of just a TRT dose of a long Ester like Enanthate or Cypionate can be noticeable within the next day or two after the shot. Some people actually don't notice a difference even if they already have low T, but they are rare outliers among the population.

True for some, patently false for others. Perhaps I and everyone like me is a rare outlier, but 105mg doubles my TT and puts me in a perfect balance all while have zero effect on the senses. Ive used numerous esters and even moderate doses of suspension and never once felt different after injecting.