Seattle area: on TRT for 2 months now. Not working well thus far, working on increasing absroption

Hello all,

Glad to have found this site, seems like a great resource for TRT patients. After having consistent low T for last few years , doctor agreed to put me on TRT.

After being on 4 months of Androgel, levels have hardly increased. Lab results say ( 270 total T, 49 free, % free 1.8 ) started with 20 mg of 1.62 Androgel. Doc gradually upped to 40 mg and in the latest visit yesterday I said I was not happy with results so far and he upped to 80 mg, 1.62 androgel.

To make sure the 80 mg works better, I plan do to the following

1. Follow the absorption suggestion posted in this site (apply lotion an hour after application)

Will be also posting question from the experts here to see if there is anything else I can do without prescriptions (Doctor I got Androgel prescription from did not seem interested in exploring HCG at all ) to keep my free levels at normal levels. Given that I am lower than normal currently, even if I get into the normal range , will be happier.

Hi Laaki and welcome to EM!

Many men don't absorb well on transdermals no matter how large the dose and soon have to move to injections which are 100% effective in raising testosterone serum levels.

Make sure to put your gel on right after your hot shower in the morning as this will help with better absorption as well.

Lot's of info here for you to learn and keep us posted on your results here in this thread as this is your case now.

Gene

Many guys do not get their T levels to where they need to be with transdermals, so please don't feel like its just you. If the new 80 mg dose does not help, I'd switch to twice weekly injections. Do you get the feeling that your doc really understands TRT or is he/she just going through the motions? I ask because many if not most of us here had to search out a doc that truly understands TRT before we had any success with it.

Many guys never absorb enough from the transdermals to raise their total T past their Low T levels and switch to injections. Is your doctor up for that, and is he/she knowledgeable about TRT or just going through the motions? I ask because many if not most of us had to search out a competent TRT doctor to replace our GP.

Many guys don't absorb Andro 1.62 very well. I think that you're on the cusp odf discovering it doesn't work, for you. 4 pumps, I know, I used to use it, is A LOT of product to try spreading and rubbing in every day.

Some guys never do well on topicals for this very reason - they cannot get to a decent Total T level with any reasonable dose. Is your doc up for switching to twice weekly injections instead?

laaki welcome, you could check out Defy Medical and see if they are afforable for you. http://www.defymedical.com/ that's who I use. Personally for me I would only inject https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8ND2q2ZNgQ

I use Nelson's protocol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uXoBb6mkys

Your doctor under dosed you. You are using one actuation of the pump. Most guys need 3-4. As simple as that. Has he prescribed Androgel before? He has induced a hypogonadal state in you for an unnecessary time frame. Some docs do not know that we need to replace not supplement testosterone. We need to dose to compensate for the shut down of your own production plus the T you need to get to levels above 500 ng/dL (most guys don'd feel benefits until they have reached levels higher than 600 ng/dL, in my experience).

I'm in the Seattle area, ask your doctor to prescribe for a compounding pharmacy, its much cheaper and you can get higher concentrations in the cream rather than big pharma androgel. Maybe try Island Drug. I'm using 150mg/cc in a versabase, 0.8cc per day. There are a few tricks in the application, use on wetted skin dilute in hand with warm water before applying etc.