New member of the trt club..advice/guidance appreciated

[Yonstar]

Hi, my name is Yonstar. I am 27 years old and just this week went and got my testosterone checked. I was feeling very fatigue and depressed. I am having anxiety and trouble keeping an erection at times. I am having lots of issues in my personal/mental/physical life for the past couple years. I went in and saw a specialist at a Low-T Center. First test results came back as 253. The next day (today) I went back for another test to verify the first and to take a more comprehensive blood test. Today, my test was 151. Dropped by over 100 in a day. I know these numbers are very low from what I've read and heard. I am curious as to exactly how low these numbers really are. For example, will the increase in testosterone help me with these issues I've been struggling with? (All above + sweating, sleep problems, etc). I took my first shot today they told me I was receiving an elevated dose for the first shot to jump start the process. I'm a little nervous of this whole thing for several reasons. I am already bald so that is out of the way. Apparently, my testes weren't working that well so I'm not worried about them shrinking much. However, I don't have any kids and I was told at the clinic HCG will help me in the future if I decide to.

Basically, I'm wondering what kind of results can I get from this treatment? How long will it take to get me out of this funk? Will I actually be able to have kids later or should I begin to mentally prepare for a life without? Anything you went through and learned with experience that you can share with me?

Any suggestions or advice is welcome. Thanks for having me here, guys. Glad to have found a community.

 

[Vince]

Do you need a complete testosterone panel, with shbg and the right sensitive estradiol test LC,MS/MS for men. I would also get a complete thyroid panel at least once TSH, free T4, free T3, reverse T3 and antibodies. Then if you post your labs, you'll get some good recommendations.

 

[Systemlord]

Quite a few red flags here!

These Low T clinics are the worst, the force you to come into the office for weekly injections which is as for from optimal as you can get. These clinics don't staff doctors who can diagnose and treat complex medical conditions, they staff incompetent people who understand nothing in relation to hormone therapy. Loading dose, there's no such thing, great for selling product though while cause misery for the patient.

Your SHBG will dictate dosing and injection frequency, not these large weekly cookie cutter protocols which are designed for the masses. If SHBG is low, frequent injections multiple times a week is the only path to recovery. Monitoring and balancing estrogen is mission critical.

Please provide all labs including SHBG, E2 sensitive. I'm going to guess SHBG was never run and that E2 wasn't the LC/MS/MS method designed for men because these clinics keep the real hormone specialists busy.

You wanted to know what kind of results can you get from this treatment, it doesn't look good.

 

[Yonstar]

Wow. Okay I'm a little lost. You guys are gonna have to cut me a break I am new to all of this. I am not entirely sure what those abbreviations mean or what those tests are? I thought a testosterone clinic would be the best place to go?

This sucks, right as I got some hope in my life..

 

[MarkM]

Wow. Okay I'm a little lost. You guys are gonna have to cut me a break I am new to all of this. I am not entirely sure what those abbreviations mean or what those tests are? I thought a testosterone clinic would be the best place to go?

This sucks, right as I got some hope in my life..

You came to the right place for help. Don't feel bad, I've been on TRT for 13 years and folks around here will tell you I'm still lost. Yes you have hope and it will benefit yourself to learn as much as you can about the therapy that is going to make you feel better. It is not an overnight fix but with persistence and a commitment you can start feeling better.

When Systemlord stated "You wanted to know what kind of results can you get from this treatment, it doesn't look good.", he was referring to the T clinic you are using and the so called specialist there.

Yes, you should be able to have children later if you follow the proper protocol. You got a lot to learn, so be patient. There are many individuals on this forum that can help you.

 

[Systemlord]

Wow. Okay I'm a little lost. You guys are gonna have to cut me a break I am new to all of this. I am not entirely sure what those abbreviations mean or what those tests are? I thought a testosterone clinic would be the best place to go?

This sucks, right as I got some hope in my life..

I'm in no way implying you did anything wrong, it's just the situation within insurance based healthcare places low priority on testosterone related therapy and has been ignored for decades. This is why few know how to do it, there's no standard of care model for TRT.

SHBG scanvanges sex hormones and prevent your body from clearing out all your testosterone too quickly, if SHBG is high normal it means you hold onto it too well which can have consequences of holding on to too much testosterone forcing your bioavailable testosterone too low. Bioavailable testosterone is the magical stuff that your body responds to, builds muscle, increases lean body mass and affects every cell in your body and shapes how you think and behave.

We get guys in here all the time who have joined the T-Mills as we refer to them, they don't staff actual doctors who can diagnose and treat medical conditions, but they can prescribe testosterone even if they have no clue. The only doctors that know how to do TRT properly are those who have been doing it for decades, we have a lot of members here who were once in your shoes who have been enlightened to the fact those most doctors have no idea how to replace testosterone effectively and have joined Defy Medical.

An anti-aging clinics who staffs real doctors capable of diagnosing and treating a many different of medical conditions such as thyroid, replacing testosterone and much more. They do telemedicine for those living across the country, those unable to find competent doctors.

I'm with Defy Medical and it was the best decision I could have made.

 

[Yonstar]

I'm in no way implying you did anything wrong, it's just the situation within insurance based healthcare places low priority on testosterone related therapy and has been ignored for decades. This is why few know how to do it, there's no standard of care model for TRT.

SHBG scanvanges sex hormones and prevent your body from clearing out all your testosterone too quickly, if SHBG is high normal it means you hold onto it too well which can have consequences of holding on to too much testosterone forcing your bioavailable testosterone too low. Bioavailable testosterone is the magical stuff that your body responds to, builds muscle, increases lean body mass and affects every cell in your body and shapes how you think and behave.

We get guys in here all the time who have joined the T-Mills as we refer to them, they don't staff actual doctors who can diagnose and treat medical conditions, but they can prescribe testosterone even if they have no clue. The only doctors that know how to do TRT properly are those who have been doing it for decades, we have a lot of members here who were once in your shoes who have been enlightened to the fact those most doctors have no idea how to replace testosterone effectively and have joined Defy Medical.

An anti-aging clinics who staffs real doctors capable of diagnosing and treating a many different of medical conditions such as thyroid, replacing testosterone and much more. They do telemedicine for those living across the country, those unable to find competent doctors.

I'm with Defy Medical and it was the best decision I could have made.

Okay. Very interesting stuff. What do you think would be my best plan of action? I currently don't have insurance so I am paying out of pocket. I had to pay 3 months advance to get a discount. So I am stuck there for 3 months at least. What are some questions I should ask and seek answers for when I go in next week? I was told they are going to do a much more comprehensive blood panel to check if I have thyroid problems or high blood sugar etc. Is Defy Medical located in fort worth texas as well?

 

[Systemlord]

Telemedicine is a service that offers therapy via skype or by telephone and mails you your medicine after your consultation. I had my labs drawn, had my consultation over the phone, we discussion treatment options and medicine is mailed to my house, location matters not.

 

[WrenchHead80]

I think in your case the best thing you could do is call Defy. All these Low T clinics or the same. Clueless and rip offs. Call Defy they will explain the whole process from start to finish. You'll save money too. In the mean time start reading all the stickies in all the forums and reading threads to educate yourself more.

 

[Yonstar]

Alright, thanks guys. I'll give them a call and explain my situation to them. I should have my results from the blood tests in soon so I can see what they say about everything. Wish me luck.

 

[CoastWatcher]

You wrote that the news about the T-Mill sucked. It should certainly make you angry, but you got the word on these places before you'd been sent down the rabbit-hole of cookie-cutter protocols, inadequate lab tests, and money hungry doctors forcing you to show up weekly for something the rest of us do at home. Things are actually looking up for you...but, sadly, there's a line of men waiting to fall into the hands of these clinics.

 

[WrenchHead80]

You wrote that the news about the T-Mill sucked. It should certainly make you angry, but you got the word on these places before you'd been sent down the rabbit-hole of cookie-cutter protocols, inadequate lab tests, and money hungry doctors forcing you to show up weekly for something the rest of us do at home. Things are actually looking up for you...but, sadly, there's a line of men waiting to fall into the hands of these clinics.

Exactly! I spent $55 a week to drive to the first place every week to have my numbers tanked worse. Second place charged twice the amount of Defy for test,hcg and AI to be sent to my house from APS and I paid $400 just to join. Let alone there whole cookie cutter protocol was all wrong for me.

You should be thrilled you found this forum and Defy!

 

[Dave B.]

Hi, my name is Yonstar. I am 27 years old and just this week went and got my testosterone checked. I was feeling very fatigue and depressed. I am having anxiety and trouble keeping an erection at times. I am having lots of issues in my personal/mental/physical life for the past couple years. I went in and saw a specialist at a Low-T Center.

Yonstar, I'm new to TRT as well, but am having great results.

You mention the "Low-T Center" - this is the red flag. I got my prescription from an endocrinologist, after they ruled out low-thyroid, pituitary tumor, and other causes. If you haven't had a real consult with a doctor, you need one. A shot of testosterone won't help you if you have a brain tumor or low thyroid. Many people here use Defy Medical as well if there's not a good doctor local to you.

The Low-T center will charge you a lot of money to come in and give you shots. This is unnecessary. I get my testosterone and syringes from the pharmacy and inject myself at home. My endocrinologist's office will give me shots if I want them, but this is simply a courtesy service they provide on occasion to patients who for some reason can't inject themselves due to a disability. They expect people to inject at home.

TRT is a lifetime treatment. It means your body isn't capable of making testosterone, so you need to add it. Yes you can remain fertile. Young women disrupt their cycles with hormones (birth control pills) starting at a young age, and years later they can go off the pill for a month and get pregnant immediately. With HCG you can stay fertile as well.

Testosterone is supposed to be in your body, you need it to feel good. Testicle shrinkage is cosmetic only. If you don't have any test, you're doing the right thing by getting injections.

You need a doctor you can trust, not a T-Mill. Who is your general practitioner? You should have one.

Are you getting regular physicals and checkups? You need to. Now, and for the rest of your life. Staying on top of your own health is critical, because nobody's going to do it for you.

Lots of guys here on this forum are intimately aware of how their blood levels change from month to month, down to which day of the week. This is advanced stuff, you need to start with the basic battery of tests and a good doctor.

 

[Outcome]

Hi Yonstar. I felt compelled to reply to your thread. I too was a client of low t center in Texas for about 8 or 9 months. I started with the elevated dose also, iirc it was 200 mg and I could feel it by the next day. Felt awesome and indescribable, best I'd felt in years. I may have gotten the 200mg shot the next week I don't remember. But it was working and I was in the so called honeymoon period and that lasted for a good long time. I kicked myself for not starting sooner but it's in the past and things are so much better now. I hope you respond like I did. My trouble with their program was the lack of estrogen management and general guidance they did not offer. I recall about the 3rd blood test that showed elevated estrogen and I was feeling it too. Their answer? Dim, a broccoli extract. I tried it but to no avail.. so I started researching . Found out about estrogen management and how important it is. Then I found Defy medical from reading this forum. I really like their program and they guide you on different aspects of your health not just your Testosterone levels. I understand you pre-paid for 3 months. Here is my advice. Keep going there and before the 3 months have passed have something else lined up. It will take like 6 weeks to get started with Defy but it is worth it . They are probably the best of the best. But don't wait to start. Start getting your blood work lined up and schedule your consultation. They will take some of your blood work from low t center but will probably ask for more so get it done. Good luck.!