Hello from Vermont
- Thread starter mikeb
- Start date
CoastWatcher
Moderator
Welcome to Excelmale.com! I, too, hope you see some improvement. However, the protocol you were prescribed is one that is more than a bit outdated. It's been established that a two-week interval between injections, no matter what amount of testosterone you are administering, is likely to fail. Three hundred milligrams of testosterone is a very large dose; it will drive your levels sky high, your estrogen (estradiol/E2) will jump, and then start falling. Two weeks later, when you're due for your next shot, you will be posting hypogonadal levels...and feeling terrible. The half-life of testosterone simply doesn't lend itself to the protocol you've been told to follow. Lower doses, administered more frequently, weekly/every 3.5 days/every other day, has proven to be the key to TRT success. Please consider speaking to your doctor about this. There's great information on the Forum, spend some time reading through the posts. Feel free to post any questions you have. All the best!
Completely agree with CoastWatcher. Your protocol is "state of the art" TRT from around 15 years ago and is almost guaranteed to fail.
I know a couple of Veterans at my workplace on TRT and both of then had to go outside of the system to get on a TRT protocol that worked. I hope you have better luck.
I know a couple of Veterans at my workplace on TRT and both of then had to go outside of the system to get on a TRT protocol that worked. I hope you have better luck.
Vettester Chris
Super Moderator
Mike, welcome to EM!! Glad you joined!
CW is right! The protocol you're on is going to be difficult to manage at best. The half-life of the medication is at/around 7-to-8 days, and the peak value is around 2 to 3 days after injecting. If you inject 300mg, you will probably see a spike around the 3-Day mark at 1,200ng/dl -1,400ng/dl ..?? Something around that, it's speculation, but you know what I mean? So by day 14, your serum levels won't be baseline, but it will be heading there real quick! (18 days is what it took me about 5 years ago).
Also as CW noted, the big jump in total serum is also going to promote a spike in E2 conversion, so the imbalance program just compounds downstream, and with your well being. As CW also noted, this can be addressed real easily just by taking the same amount, breaking it up into 2x per week dosages. With that, you capitalize on the peak value every 3.5 days, which provides minimal fluctuation with your serum levels, which also pays it forward with keeping your estradiol in check, or at least very manageable.
I can't really think of anyone over the years who has had any decent experience with the VA and HRT, but I could be wrong(?). At a glance, I would think that should/could be the place where the best of the best for HRT physicians & endos would be?!?!
CW is right! The protocol you're on is going to be difficult to manage at best. The half-life of the medication is at/around 7-to-8 days, and the peak value is around 2 to 3 days after injecting. If you inject 300mg, you will probably see a spike around the 3-Day mark at 1,200ng/dl -1,400ng/dl ..?? Something around that, it's speculation, but you know what I mean? So by day 14, your serum levels won't be baseline, but it will be heading there real quick! (18 days is what it took me about 5 years ago).
Also as CW noted, the big jump in total serum is also going to promote a spike in E2 conversion, so the imbalance program just compounds downstream, and with your well being. As CW also noted, this can be addressed real easily just by taking the same amount, breaking it up into 2x per week dosages. With that, you capitalize on the peak value every 3.5 days, which provides minimal fluctuation with your serum levels, which also pays it forward with keeping your estradiol in check, or at least very manageable.
I can't really think of anyone over the years who has had any decent experience with the VA and HRT, but I could be wrong(?). At a glance, I would think that should/could be the place where the best of the best for HRT physicians & endos would be?!?!
CoastWatcher
Moderator
Mike, I know it's surprising to hear from three of us, all telling you that you didn't receive the medical advice you should have. Sadly, it happens all too frequently. In my own case, my initial TRT protocol was focused on topical administration. I was happy to try them, but I failed to absorb them. When switched to injections, months later, I was told to inject on the same schedule you have advised to follow. By this time I had done my own research and knew that was a plan for certain failure - I got a new doctor.
That has been the experience of a lot of members here. Half the TRT battle is getting connected to a doctor who knows what he (in my case "she") is doing. It can be tedious and frustrating. But it can be done. We all hope to hear from you if you have questions or comments.
That has been the experience of a lot of members here. Half the TRT battle is getting connected to a doctor who knows what he (in my case "she") is doing. It can be tedious and frustrating. But it can be done. We all hope to hear from you if you have questions or comments.
CoastWatcher
Moderator
Haow are you injecting? Self-administered, or at your doctor's?
CoastWatcher
Moderator
May I ask how you're feeling, and if you'd confirm your protocol?
mikeb
New Member
Feeling better, but not great.
Injecting 300mg every 2 weeks.
Stopped at a drug store next town over, who is a customer of mine. Spoke to the pharmacist. He said weekly or bi-weekly injections makes sense, but almost all of the Docs writing scripts for TRT are writing them for bi-monthly. Ordered some needles and syringes online. Can't buy them otc in VT.
Injecting 300mg every 2 weeks.
Stopped at a drug store next town over, who is a customer of mine. Spoke to the pharmacist. He said weekly or bi-weekly injections makes sense, but almost all of the Docs writing scripts for TRT are writing them for bi-monthly. Ordered some needles and syringes online. Can't buy them otc in VT.
CoastWatcher
Moderator
Your dose is enormous, the schedule is absurd, it is a recipe for failure. I know you are a VA patient, but it is in your best interest to consider care from another doctor is that is at all possible.
CoastWatcher
Moderator
Injecting 300mg at one time will drive you into supraphysiological range. That, in turn, will send your estradiol, an estrogen, skyward. Estradiol is an essential hormone for male health, but a dose of 300mg of testosterone typically results in an excess amount. Too much estradiol can lead to erectile problems, lack of libido, fatigue, water retention, a host of problems that undermine a TRT protocol.
Typically, knowledgable doctors don't prescribe more than 200mg of testosterone in a single injection. Even that amount is excessive. Success with TRT come when smaller, more frequent doses of testosterone are administered. A starting dose of 100mg weekly is typical. Even better is 50mg every 3.5 days. I inject 60mg every Tuesday and Friday and am very happy with the results. Monitoring estradiol is a critical part of a successful TRT program. Your current protocol features an excessive amount of testosterone, injected on an outdated schedule, with little thought for estradiol management.
I am afraid you will find it impossible to achieve success.
Typically, knowledgable doctors don't prescribe more than 200mg of testosterone in a single injection. Even that amount is excessive. Success with TRT come when smaller, more frequent doses of testosterone are administered. A starting dose of 100mg weekly is typical. Even better is 50mg every 3.5 days. I inject 60mg every Tuesday and Friday and am very happy with the results. Monitoring estradiol is a critical part of a successful TRT program. Your current protocol features an excessive amount of testosterone, injected on an outdated schedule, with little thought for estradiol management.
I am afraid you will find it impossible to achieve success.
CoastWatcher
Moderator
All the best!
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