Androgel 1% 2.5gm Question

[cocarr]

I started my treatment about 6 days ago and feel absolutely nothing. Still fatigued with possibly a touch more energy due to an active effort by myself to help the drug and kick start "a new life" so to speak. I know injections take some time as Nelsons' graph shows but I thought transdermal acted faster. I have my doubts about this low dose since my Total was 229 but I do understand my Dr. starting low to work up if this doesnt work.

My question is this. On the box (my prescription) it says apply once daily to the abd or shoulder, but the handout that came in the box which is a "general" hand out for everyone says apply twice daily not to exceed 5gm. Do some people that apply androgel do it more then once a day?

Also I am unbelievably paranoid using the gel. I have 3 kids 6, 3, 6 months and a wife who is still breast feeding. Once I apply the gel, let it dry and put a shirt on I still feel "poisenous" for hours afterward. Really regretting not going with injections at this point but my insurance has already paid for a 90 day supply of the gel.

 

[Rorinsmith]

I started my treatment about 6 days ago and feel absolutely nothing. Still fatigued with possibly a touch more energy due to an active effort by myself to help the drug and kick start "a new life" so to speak. I know injections take some time as Nelsons' graph shows but I thought transdermal acted faster. I have my doubts about this low dose since my Total was 229 but I do understand my Dr. starting low to work up if this doesnt work.

My question is this. On the box (my prescription) it says apply once daily to the abd or shoulder, but the handout that came in the box which is a "general" hand out for everyone says apply twice daily not to exceed 5gm. Do some people that apply androgel do it more then once a day?

Also I am unbelievably paranoid using the gel. I have 3 kids 6, 3, 6 months and a wife who is still breast feeding. Once I apply the gel, let it dry and put a shirt on I still feel "poisenous" for hours afterward. Really regretting not going with injections at this point but my insurance has already paid for a 90 day supply of the gel.

cocarr, the dosage you've been given is far too low. The Doc should have started you off on 5gm per day. My first HIV Doc (whom I later fired) wrote my first prescription for 2.5gm after I told him I wanted to start at 5. Call your Doc and tell him you need to be starting at 5gm and have him write an additional scrip for another box of 2.5gm. That way you'll be using two packets of 2.5gm that will equal 5gm. to get you through your 90 days. You should apply Androgel only once a day. This should be done after taking a morning shower. With 5gm it should be applied to your chest, shoulders and traps and upper arms. Follow this with a good moisturizer as it really helps the gel absorb into the skin. I use Gold Bond Ultimate for Men mostly because I'm extremely scent sensitive and this has a very light "fresh out of the shower" scent which I can handle. Remembering that each of us is different, in my case using 5gm worked great for about a month and a half. Then all of a sudden it stopped even though I continued using it. I ended up frustrated and disgusted and gradually went off it. HUGE MISTAKE! I crashed like you wouldn't believe! Remember, you've entered into a life-long commitment with TRT and you'll suffer badly if you break it. If you decide to transition from the gel to injections do it without taking a break in between. In my desperation after the big crash I went back to my new Doc (the one who has now decided to "disown" me) and pleaded with him to restart me with a higher dosage. He agreed to increase to 10gm per day which has done wonders. I've been on it for 8 months now and feel great. My total now is 836 and free is 170. During "the big crash" the total was 206 and free 41. It's upsetting that you feel paranoid and poisonous when using the gel but I can certainly understand your feelings when it comes to the kids. The fact that your wife is breast feeding really concerns me. If you can handle injecting yourself (I can't, which is why I chose Androgel) then I would definitely go that route just for the sake of your family. Keep your head up and don't get discouraged. Testosterone therapy requires some tweeking to get everything dialed in just right.

P.S. Thanks for your kind words of encouragement in a previous posting regarding my having lost my doctors support for TRT. You said this would probably work out for the best and it appears that it has. Having spent a week working with the manager of my HIV clinic, she has lined me up with an Endocrinologist who specializes in testosterone. These doctors are almost impossible to come by in the state of Oregon which is why I was in such a panic when the Doc dropped me. And good ol' "Father Joe" didn't want to take me on either! I was hurt at first but got over it. Anyway, I've got an appointment with the new Doc in a few weeks. Still keeping my fingers crossed!
Ron

 

[cocarr]

Thanks for your input Ron and good luck to you. Plenty of kind words to be had on this website that go along with the piles of knowledge.

Funny you said chest because in the print out (in bold) it says "do not apply to chest or back." It says only shoulders and abd.

I am not sure what I would do if I exposed my wife or babies to something that hurt them.

 

[Rorinsmith]

Thanks for your input Ron and good luck to you. Plenty of kind words to be had on this website that go along with the piles of knowledge.

Funny you said chest because in the print out (in bold) it says "do not apply to chest or back." It says only shoulders and abd.

I am not sure what I would do if I exposed my wife or babies to something that hurt them.

I do recall reading the "Do not apply to chest or back" thing when I opened my first box of gel. I ignored it because after talking to two doctors and doing a lot of research as to where and how it should be applied the instruction given just didn't make sense. My first assumption regarding the chest was that maybe it would affect the heart. Not a problem though as my ticker seems to be working just fine! Once you've increased your dosage to 5gm and until you make a decision about injecting, you may want to concentrate on applying the gel to your chest, back and legs and avoid your arms unless you constantly wear a long sleeve shirt. The place your kids are going to want to have the most contact with are your arms. You already know that you should be wearing at least a tee shirt and if you apply gel to your legs you should be wearing long pants. If you apply it to the legs it should be done on the back of your thighs and inner thighs. Just be sure it's done far enough away from the genitals. If you want to do your back, you need to order from Amazon an Aquasentials Easy Lotion Applicator. It's a wand with a wooden handle and washable soft plastic applicator and is perfect for applying gel and a moisturizer. And it's less than 7 bucks! Love mine! As for the kids, yours at least one of them, is at the age where there's nothin' better than body contact with Dad! For them it's all about daddy playing horsey, piggy back rides and general horse play and rasslin' on the living room rug! Just make sure your gelled areas are covered and you shouldn't have to worry about exposing them to anything harmful. This is going to be tough though when warmer weather rolls around so then is the time you should consider injections. All the best to you and your family!

 

[Nelson Vergel]

To protect your kids and wife, you can apply on armpits

 

[Kelly]

Switch to injections and eliminate all the risk.

 

[bassindaddy]

I felt the same exact way on the gel. It was driving me crazy. I switched to injections andall worries are gone.