So who is happy with TRT? Who wish they never started?

[42HRT]

Considering starting TRT but worried you might regret the decision? Understanding real-world satisfaction rates can help you make an informed choice about testosterone replacement therapy, though it's crucial to recognize potential selection bias in online forum discussions. Research studies consistently show high satisfaction rates among men on properly optimized TRT, with many reporting significant improvements in energy, libido, mood, and quality of life. However, this thread acknowledges that online forums tend to overrepresent men experiencing problems, as satisfied users often don't feel compelled to seek advice or share their positive experiences. Members discuss the critical 3-6 month optimization period during which protocols must be fine-tuned through blood testing, dose adjustments, and potentially adding ancillary medications to address side effects like elevated estrogen or hematocrit. Learn from men who initially struggled but achieved excellent results after protocol refinements, as well as those who share what they wish they'd known before starting TRT about managing expectations and committing to the optimization process.

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Hi,
As someone with a total T of 230 at 42 years old. And reading these boards as well as numerous research articles. Who is ultimately happy with going on TRT? What benefits did you see? What negatives did you personally see? Its hard to really discern whether the benefits outweighs the risks etc. How is everyone's libido? What ester are you on and how much/how often?

Just trying to get some feedback from people currently on TRT or that were on and went off due to side effects.

 

[Systemlord]

Just trying to get some feedback from people currently on TRT or that were on and went off due to side effects.

You’ll find the majority men on these forums having problems with TRT, versus the men who went on TRT and didn’t have a need to seek out forums for help due to very positive response to T therapy.

It would be like going to a mental health clinic and finding the majority of people with mental health problems.

No one has had more difficulty than I on TRT, 7 years to figure everything out and I’m glad I started TRT.

Testosterone replacement therapy is associated with high satisfaction rates: results of a survey study - PubMed

Despite a well-documented increase in both the prevalence of Testosterone Deficiency (TD) and prescription of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), few studies have investigated the preferences of patients receiving TRT and factors associated with increased treatment satisfaction. To...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What ester are you on and how much/how often?

I’m currently on Jatenzo @ 237 mg twice daily, 988 peak, 264 trough. I feel the same 24/7.

Most men are on injections, 70–150 mg weekly, or split up more often to alleviate side effects.

It’s hard to really discern whether the benefits outweighs the risks etc.

Simply stated, the benefits do outweigh the risks, and that’s what the data shows. There’s more risk remaining with low-T than with high normal T.

The TRAVERSE trial: cardiovascular safety of TRT for older men - Excel Male Health Forum

Bradley D Anawalt University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. For decades, there has been controversy about whether testosterone therapy has deleterious effects on the risk of major cardiovascular events in older men. As the number of prescriptions for testosterone...

www.excelmale.com

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2215025

 

[Systemlord]

Impact of Low Free Testosterone on Prostate Cancer - Excel Male Health Forum

www.excelmale.com

 

[42HRT]

yeah, well thats sorta the issue, i would say there is a negative bias here on trt from the posts. Seems people are all messing with their bloodwork constantly. This is high, this is a low. I have no libido. instead of just living your life

 

[Systemlord]

Seems people are all messing with their bloodwork constantly. This is high, this is a low. I have no libido. instead of just living your life

It’s the impatient guys that don’t give each protocol enough time. To be real, it will take 3-6 months in a steady state, as in not messing with your protocol to start to see significant changes.

It’s when you start messing with your protocol, that you apply the brakes to progress.

A steady state, which is 4-6 weeks after starting TRT or after dosing, protocol changes. I believe labs should be drawn between 6-8 weeks and assess how you feel at 12 weeks.

 

[Systemlord]

I have no libido.

Libido is multifaceted, healthy hormones is only one component to having a vigorous libido.

Things that affect libido:

• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Poor sleep
• Medications
• Stress/depression
• Low testosterone
• Infections
• High prolactin
• Low thyroid hormones
• Alcohol & drugs
• Surgery
• Heart disease
• High cholesterol

 

[42HRT]

jatenzo is the oral test right? Unfortunately, since insurance doesn't cover this, I've looked and I can't afford it. Maybe in the future prices will come down

 

[Systemlord]

jatenzo is the oral test right? Unfortunately, since insurance doesn't cover this, I've looked and I can't afford it. Maybe in the future prices will come down

Jatenzo is oral T. The only way I got my insurance to cover it is my doctor gave me a “medical exception” because nothing else was working, injections, topicals etc.

This medical exception brought my co-pay down to $4.

Jatenzo is part testosterone undecanoate, nothing new. The other patented formula is to aid in absorption in the small intestine. Jatenzo bypasses the liver on the first pass only, this sets it apart from all others before it, and therefore no liver toxicity.

 

[42HRT]

@Systemlord so if its test undecanote. is it because its not going directly into the blood on why it has to be taken twice daily? Did you try test undecanote injections? I have heard some evidence, that the longer acting esters , provide more stable levels, and less downsides, such as lipids and hemocrit elevation. Any thoughts?

 

[Vince]

Hi,
As someone with a total T of 230 at 42 years old. And reading these boards as well as numerous research articles. Who is ultimately happy with going on TRT? What benefits did you see? What negatives did you personally see? Its hard to really discern whether the benefits outweighs the risks etc. How is everyone's libido? What ester are you on and how much/how often?

Just trying to get some feedback from people currently on TRT or that were on and went off due to side effects.

I started TRT a little over 8 and 1/2 years ago and I never looked back. My main issue was brain fog and starting TRT completely took it away and it never came back. There's other benefits like increase energy. Easier to work out in the morning. My libido and sex life stay strong.

The only issue I had when starting out was high HCT. I did donate blood every 8 weeks for the first two years. Then I went to daily injections and my HCT stabilized and for over 6 years now I have not had to donate blood.

 

[42HRT]

@Vince thank you. What ester and dosage are you using? Where is your total t levels?

 

[TLR]

I heard Dr Rob Kominiarek say something along these lines awhile back….he sees four types of reactions from giving a guy testosterone…one, the guy feels great, has no problems and it’s the best thing he’s ever done…two, the changes and benefits are subtle, but it improves their life….three, they don’t really feel better or worse….four, they get side effects and negative reactions that outweigh the benefits.

Which one you will be, what levels will you need / feel best at, etc are all things that won’t be known until you do it. I have two pieces of advice, as I was one of the guys that struggled for awhile, primarily due to pre existing anxiety that higher levels of testosterone aggravate.

One, find a GOOD doctor that actually knows what he is doing and that WILL LISTEN TO YOU. He also needs to know how to bring you off of it if after a fair trial it is not agreeing with you.

Two, testosterone is not a magic bullet for every problem a man has, so keep your expectations reasonable and remember MORE IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER.

 

[Systemlord]

Did you try test undecanote injections? I have heard some evidence, that the longer acting esters , provide more stable levels, and less downsides, such as lipids and hemocrit elevation. Any thoughts?

Testosterone undecanote is unpopular, offers little control, unless you dose it every 4 weeks. Even then, many men don’t feel right on it.

When you have cypionate and enanthate, it makes no sense to use testosterone undecanote. Also stable levels causes problems for some men, instead needing hormone levels swinging to feel good.

Long esters, super steady levels on paper sounds ideal, but doesn’t always translate into feeling optimal. That would be like everyone going on daily injections, some don’t feel right.

Cypionate and enanthate, single ester types are far more popular, desired and common. Men in some countries outside the USA can only dream of getting their hands on these esters.

 

[literally.me]

My libido was wrecked for ten months after 4 years on TRT. I became low SHBG and very sensitive to estrogen. Symptoms were insonia, angryness, anxiety and ED. Cannot use it anymore but now I am off for almost three weeks and recovered without any complex TPC. Feeling normal.

I think I cannot go back to testostosterone...

 

[Hyrulewarrior1978]

You’ll find the majority men on these forums having problems with TRT, versus the men who went on TRT and didn’t have a need to seek out forums for help due to very positive response to T therapy.

It would be like going to a mental health clinic and finding the majority of people with mental health problems.

No one has had more difficulty than I on TRT, 7 years to figure everything out and I’m glad I started TRT.

Testosterone replacement therapy is associated with high satisfaction rates: results of a survey study - PubMed

Despite a well-documented increase in both the prevalence of Testosterone Deficiency (TD) and prescription of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), few studies have investigated the preferences of patients receiving TRT and factors associated with increased treatment satisfaction. To...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I’m currently on Jatenzo @ 237 mg twice daily, 988 peak, 264 trough. I feel the same 24/7.

Most men are on injections, 70–150 mg weekly, or split up more often to alleviate side effects.

Simply stated, the benefits do outweigh the risks, and that’s what the data is suggests. There’s more risk remaining with low-T than with high normal T.

The TRAVERSE trial: cardiovascular safety of TRT for older men - Excel Male Health Forum

Bradley D Anawalt University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. For decades, there has been controversy about whether testosterone therapy has deleterious effects on the risk of major cardiovascular events in older men. As the number of prescriptions for testosterone...

www.excelmale.com

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2215025

How’s your libido and energy on jatenzo?

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

Testosterone undecanote is unpopular, offers little control, unless you dose it every 4 weeks. Even then, many men don’t feel right on it.

When you have cypionate and enanthate, it makes no sense to use testosterone undecanote. Also stable levels causes problems for some men, instead needing hormone levels swinging to feel good.

Long esters, super steady levels on paper sounds ideal, but doesn’t always translate into feeling optimal. That would be like everyone going on daily injections, some don’t feel right.

Cypionate and enanthate, single ester types are far more popular, desired and common. Men in some countries outside the USA can only dream of getting their hands on these esters.

You and I know that's a popular subject on t-nation; steady state versus weekly or large doses E10days or every two weeks. There are so many threads and so much spirited discussion!

 

[42HRT]

@tropicaldaze1950 is there any consensus? I see some evidence the longer acting, has lower effect on lips and RBC's.

 

[Systemlord]

How’s your libido and energy on jatenzo?

I always wake up in the middle of the night and morning with erections, recently increased sex to a couple of times per week. Desire is always increasing.

I go to the gym every day, 7 days a week, for an hour and a half, then I go to work at Amazon 2 hours later. I still have energy later in the evening.

Co-workers keep asking me if I run out of energy towards the end of my shift, because I’m full throttle the entire time. They call me the machine.

I’ll let you judge, how’s that for energy?

Fasting glucose is 114.

My ferritin is now 198, which was stuck <100 for years.

 

[Queequeg]

I've been taking testosterone since 2016 and I'm happy with the results. I had hct and hbg just a bit over normal range for a while but this has dropped back to upper normal. All my bloodwork is good. Hdl/ldl ratio often marked abnormal on the good side, often under 2.

 

[42HRT]

I've been taking testosterone since 2016 and I'm happy with the results. I had hct and hbg just a bit over normal range for a while but this has dropped back to upper normal. All my bloodwork is good. Hdl/ldl ratio often marked abnormal on the good side, often under 2.

what ester are you taking? how often? Whats your goal for total T? Thank you