My TRT regimen

[ironmako]

Recently started TRT (couple months ago). Test levels were 470 ng/dl. A bit low for 36 the doc said. Luckily my doc is supportive of TRT and does not believe numbers "in range" is the same thing as "optimal".

I'm currently taking
200 mg Test Cypionate per week
0.25 iu HCG twice per week
0.5 mg Anastrozole per week

Next blood test in July.

Only numbers that showed a little high were estradiol (prior to the anastrozole), and hematocrit.

Doc suggested donating blood to keep RBC from getting too high.

Strength has been steadily increasing (nothing crazy - but I'd been sedentary for the last few years so the improvement is noticeable)
Energy is up.
Libido is RIDICULOUS.
Dropped about 5 lbs in the last 2 weeks. (210# right now).

Only thing a little off is some energy swings. Some times I'm sleepy as shit, other times I'm really amp'd up.

[Greenegorilla2]

That's good to hear about your doc being cool, as far as the swings, sounds normal there are too many variables to Try and diagnose that like sleep, diet etc... Keep up the progress and let us know how it goes. By the way, what is the lab your doctor is giving you?

[Misterb]

you got a crazy doc, glad you like them but at 470 you're fine, was that a morning or afternoon blood draw ?

So you went on 200 and an AI right away ?
id try to not use anything extra if possible, the HCG is for aesthetics, keeps the nuts plump, after a while youre going to not love the extra pin holes in your waist and the spike its causing with the test could increase Estradiol. i would only use this if you want children

try using the Test in two 100 mg shots roughly 3.5 days apart , this will reduce the spike and again lower the conversion to Estrogen , it will also has less impact on hematocrit ( please post your numbers)
you should try to find a level that allows for homeostasis to occur , 200 might be too much, feeling great is nice but damaging the arterial walls and having secondary polycythemia are not worth it

id also split the AI dose ( if its necessary) to .25 twice a week

if you have a doc saying donate blood he's not looking after your long term health

[rippedgolfer]

You got a good doc. Most would think you're in normal range for your age. My levels were 280ish and I waited another year before I got on TRT. But I didn't go to him for TRT. He just checked my levels and it came back low and I monitored myself over the next year for the symptoms of low T and I had them all. He put me on the gel then I asked him to put me on inject b/c it was making my shoulders break out and he agreed. But I'm only on 100 mg a week. After a month I actually did closer to 125 mg a week and my bloods came back at 729. Anyways, I feel it's life changing and improves your quality of life for sure. I wish I got on it sooner.

[ironmako]

That's good to hear about your doc being cool, as far as the swings, sounds normal there are too many variables to Try and diagnose that like sleep, diet etc... Keep up the progress and let us know how it goes. By the way, what is the lab your doctor is giving you?

The lab I got sent to was Labcorp.

Diet is not strict by any means but I think decent. Lot of home cooked chicken and vegetables.

But as far as sleep goes, chronically sleep deprived (high stress career, and a toddler and a baby at home...lol)

[ironmako]

you got a crazy doc, glad you like them but at 470 you're fine, was that a morning or afternoon blood draw ?

So you went on 200 and an AI right away ?
id try to not use anything extra if possible, the HCG is for aesthetics, keeps the nuts plump, after a while youre going to not love the extra pin holes in your waist and the spike its causing with the test could increase Estradiol. i would only use this if you want children

try using the Test in two 100 mg shots roughly 3.5 days apart , this will reduce the spike and again lower the conversion to Estrogen , it will also has less impact on hematocrit ( please post your numbers)
you should try to find a level that allows for homeostasis to occur , 200 might be too much, feeling great is nice but damaging the arterial walls and having secondary polycythemia are not worth it

id also split the AI dose ( if its necessary) to .25 twice a week

if you have a doc saying donate blood he's not looking after your long term health

Blood draw was around 2:30 pm, but doc didn't mention the time. Left it to me to schedule as convenient.

Haven't had follow up bloodwork yet, but initial hematocrit and estradiol were on the higher end of normal with E slightly higher than the upper range listed (i will get my actual numbers next visit and post up). This was prior to starting. Went to donate blood a few days back and they said iron levels (hematocrit) were 51, with acceptable range for donation being 30 to 60. Can't remember if that scale shows the same from the lab results. The machine they used at the blood bank was just a little device on a desk. I will get a copy of my bloodwork next visit to get better numbers. Blood bank did a double RBC draw and said iron level was really good...although they may just be thinking from a harvesting perspective...

Since estradiol was high doc said to take the AI from start, and will re-evaluate on next appointment.

Good call on splitting it up. Is the rationale on the AI split to coincide with Cyp split (twice a week).

The HCG shots have been super easy to the point where I don't even feel them. I've never noticed testicular atrophy on cycles I did when I was in my 20's so the appearance of fullness isn't really a high priority at the moment. I'm not actively trying to have any more kids right now, but not trying to avoid having more either.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[ironmako]

You got a good doc. Most would think you're in normal range for your age. My levels were 280ish and I waited another year before I got on TRT. But I didn't go to him for TRT. He just checked my levels and it came back low and I monitored myself over the next year for the symptoms of low T and I had them all. He put me on the gel then I asked him to put me on inject b/c it was making my shoulders break out and he agreed. But I'm only on 100 mg a week. After a month I actually did closer to 125 mg a week and my bloods came back at 729. Anyways, I feel it's life changing and improves your quality of life for sure. I wish I got on it sooner.

Doc asked if I had a problem with doing self injections or if I'd prefer the gel. Since I've got little kids I opted to not go for the gel.

From what I'm reading I have a feeling at 200mg/wk I'm going to come in high at next blood test and doc will probably scale me back.

[Misterb]

Blood draw was around 2:30 pm, but doc didn't mention the time. Left it to me to schedule as convenient.

Haven't had follow up bloodwork yet, but initial hematocrit and estradiol were on the higher end of normal with E slightly higher than the upper range listed (i will get my actual numbers next visit and post up). This was prior to starting. Went to donate blood a few days back and they said iron levels (hematocrit) were 51, with acceptable range for donation being 30 to 60. Can't remember if that scale shows the same from the lab results. The machine they used at the blood bank was just a little device on a desk. I will get a copy of my bloodwork next visit to get better numbers. Blood bank did a double RBC draw and said iron level was really good...although they may just be thinking from a harvesting perspective...

Since estradiol was high doc said to take the AI from start, and will re-evaluate on next appointment.

Good call on splitting it up. Is the rationale on the AI split to coincide with Cyp split (twice a week).

The HCG shots have been super easy to the point where I don't even feel them. I've never noticed testicular atrophy on cycles I did when I was in my 20's so the appearance of fullness isn't really a high priority at the moment. I'm not actively trying to have any more kids right now, but not trying to avoid having more either.

Thanks for the suggestion!
natural test production happens in the morning you should have taken blood as close to 8 am , you would have been over 550, do you have other symptoms that would make you want to go on a life time of injections. Why no gels first round, theyre the new gold standard in trt

If your e2 is already high on the baseline can I assume you have some extra bf in the mid section? The aromatize enzyme lives in the fat, get working out and that can help, also broccoli and asparagus are natural AI properties , give it a google
your blood is thick 51 is .5 away for marking as high, the Red Cross measure hemoglobin not hematocrit but good to know your numbers , a double red will help you about 3 points, I would lower the dose and split it to avoid more harm than good see what 100 Monday and Friday dose and go down if necessary you will still feel good, you can always blast later once you're dialed in
be well, health first

[ironmako]

natural test production happens in the morning you should have taken blood as close to 8 am , you would have been over 550, do you have other symptoms that would make you want to go on a life time of injections. Why no gels first round, theyre the new gold standard in trt

If your e2 is already high on the baseline can I assume you have some extra bf in the mid section? The aromatize enzyme lives in the fat, get working out and that can help, also broccoli and asparagus are natural AI properties , give it a google
your blood is thick 51 is .5 away for marking as high, the Red Cross measure hemoglobin not hematocrit but good to know your numbers , a double red will help you about 3 points, I would lower the dose and split it to avoid more harm than good see what 100 Monday and Friday dose and go down if necessary you will still feel good, you can always blast later once you're dialed in
be well, health first

Thanks for the info. Good stuff.

I went for the injectables over the gel mainly b/c I have two little kids little boy and girl (1 and 2.5 yrs old). Didn't want to take the chance of them coming in contact with an application site, and I was already familiar with doing self sticks from cycles back in college (won't lie...little bit of nostalgia here).

Spot on the BF in the mid section. I don't eat too horribly but I don't get much sleep at all and have a very high stress job. Stress gut has been creeping on for the past 3-4 years and I can't seem to cut it down even tightening up on my diet. Overall what triggered it was just feeling run down, little energy, libido was getting noticeably lower, and sex just didn't "feel" like it used to, and I everything just didn't seem as "sharp". Best way to describe was I felt like I was 20 years older than I actually was.

I've got no doubt its 100% lifestyle and the fact I have a toddler and a baby but none of that is changing. Career is insane but its also what I love and I'm good at it.

[cdwilson72]

Our doctor sounds like mine. I first tested at 286ng. So I'm on 200mg of Test Climate per week. I just tested again at 635ng. My estradiol levels were a little high so she added anastrozole 1mg tab a day. She goal is to keep me at 1000ng.