hello everyone,
I'm 41 years old with a 16 year natural training history that leans toward powerlifting (non-competitive) vs. bodybuilding. 10 years ago my best lifts at about 200 lbs bodyweight were 600/345/505. Can't say I'm much better than that now despite a lot of different training programs/trainers/efforts.
My testosterone level was not low enough for a doctor to prescribe TRT. All of my health markers were great in a recent checkup/blood work. I'm bald so I don't have to worry about hair loss and I had gyno surgery (not AAS related at all - had it since a teenager) and the surgeon told me I'd never have to worry about gland regrowth again.
It just felt right to try pharma stuff at this time. I'd sort of investigated it many times in the past but the gyno, not yet being bald, being younger - it just didn't make sense. Seems like now it does.
Started with 200 mg of testosterone a week. Been doing that for 10 weeks. I know that's basically a TRT dose, however, I feel great, no side effects, and the strength gains from weeks 4-10 have been great. Bloodwork is essentially the same as before I started using, blood pressure isn't up, resting heart rate is up just a little bit (because I weigh more, which has always been the case).
I don't want to come off (but I will with no problems if necessary). I don't really see why I need to - TRT guys use dosages like this indefinitely, I think. The only thing I'm uncomfortable with is possibly never being able to be without the bottle again...someday I may not want to be injecting myself twice a week - priorities change as you get older, even though my garage is a powerlifting gym so the chance of me NOT being interesting in lifting in the future is very low.
Anybody have any thoughts on this? Is a TRT dose enough to where, if used long enough, the ability to produce even a low-normal test level naturally is gone forever? Would periods of HCG use keep the natural system within range to where it could be recovered in the future?
(If I ever used much more than a TRT dose, all of this would change.)
I'm 41 years old with a 16 year natural training history that leans toward powerlifting (non-competitive) vs. bodybuilding. 10 years ago my best lifts at about 200 lbs bodyweight were 600/345/505. Can't say I'm much better than that now despite a lot of different training programs/trainers/efforts.
My testosterone level was not low enough for a doctor to prescribe TRT. All of my health markers were great in a recent checkup/blood work. I'm bald so I don't have to worry about hair loss and I had gyno surgery (not AAS related at all - had it since a teenager) and the surgeon told me I'd never have to worry about gland regrowth again.
It just felt right to try pharma stuff at this time. I'd sort of investigated it many times in the past but the gyno, not yet being bald, being younger - it just didn't make sense. Seems like now it does.
Started with 200 mg of testosterone a week. Been doing that for 10 weeks. I know that's basically a TRT dose, however, I feel great, no side effects, and the strength gains from weeks 4-10 have been great. Bloodwork is essentially the same as before I started using, blood pressure isn't up, resting heart rate is up just a little bit (because I weigh more, which has always been the case).
I don't want to come off (but I will with no problems if necessary). I don't really see why I need to - TRT guys use dosages like this indefinitely, I think. The only thing I'm uncomfortable with is possibly never being able to be without the bottle again...someday I may not want to be injecting myself twice a week - priorities change as you get older, even though my garage is a powerlifting gym so the chance of me NOT being interesting in lifting in the future is very low.
Anybody have any thoughts on this? Is a TRT dose enough to where, if used long enough, the ability to produce even a low-normal test level naturally is gone forever? Would periods of HCG use keep the natural system within range to where it could be recovered in the future?
(If I ever used much more than a TRT dose, all of this would change.)
