New To TRT - Experiencing These Issues - Any Advice

[Acesrus]

Good Morning from SoCal

I’m on week 6 of 200mg/g of trans-scrotal test. Over last few weeks I’ve been experiencing shortness of breath going up a flight of stairs at work (no problem at gym), strange cramps at odd places - ribs, Tricep, hamstring, glute, delts, arch of foot, red face, acid reflux and coughing while sleeping (on meds for hustle hernia but not had these issues in years), and mild lack of patience. A forum recommended to get my hematocrit checked which I did when I was so short of breath on Thursday morning that I landed in ER. Crit was barely above my pretreatment baseline (45->46.5). My doc said the transdermal doesn’t spoke hematocrit like injections can. Anyone have any thoughts or experienced similar symptoms? Is this all just an adjustment period since I’m still very new. Workouts rock and getting solid and my libido is back finally! Thank you in advance!

 

[CanadaJim]

Shortness of breath - check, acid reflux - check, Chest pain, weird swelling on the bottom (pads) of my feet, not painful just felt like I was stepping on something, Eczema like skin issues on back, chest, legs, lack of libido, energy etc....I did not have any of these issues prior to TRT (well my libido was lowered but not to the extent it was after I started TRT).
I had a whole cardiac work-up which found nothing thankfully, doc started me on pantoloc for the acid reflux. I eventually stopped the testosterone. The skin issues have declined but not disappeared completely. Haven't taken any pantoloc since with no issues, libido seems to be picking up, the weird edema like nodules in my feet have also seemed to cease. Now mind you I took it upon myself to start testosterone. It was not prescribed. When I stopped I started a low dose clomid regime (12.5mg MWF) to help kick start things and it appears to be helping. I think testosterone therapy is amazing if a person really needs it. But messing with hormones when it's not necessary can lead to many months of grief in my very humble opinion.

 

[Systemlord]

Crit was barely above my pretreatment baseline (45->46.5).

What is your iron status, ferritin, iron and iron saturation?

Over last few weeks I’ve been experiencing shortness of breath going up a flight of stairs at work (no problem at gym), strange cramps at odd places - ribs, Tricep, hamstring, glute, delts, arch of foot, red face, acid reflux and coughing while sleeping

This sounds oddly familiar as I had the same problem, every single symptom initially on TRT and it was iron deficiency.

Looking back at my old iron labs, iron was at the bottom of the range and iron situation below range.

I was even misdiagnosed with GERD and after two years of unsuccessful treatment, the specialist doctor said I didn't have Gerd.

.

 

[Fortunate]

I assume the ER evaluated you for a pulmonary embolism? Very important to rule out, along with an MI. With those worries out of the way, you can then focus on the myriad of other things that can cause shortness of breath.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Good Morning from SoCal

I’m on week 6 of 200mg/g of trans-scrotal test. Over last few weeks I’ve been experiencing shortness of breath going up a flight of stairs at work (no problem at gym), strange cramps at odd places - ribs, Tricep, hamstring, glute, delts, arch of foot, red face, acid reflux and coughing while sleeping (on meds for hustle hernia but not had these issues in years), and mild lack of patience. A forum recommended to get my hematocrit checked which I did when I was so short of breath on Thursday morning that I landed in ER. Crit was barely above my pretreatment baseline (45->46.5). My doc said the transdermal doesn’t spoke hematocrit like injections can. Anyone have any thoughts or experienced similar symptoms? Is this all just an adjustment period since I’m still very new. Workouts rock and getting solid and my libido is back finally! Thank you in advance!

I have all that too! I'm working through b12 and folate deficiencies again though.

 

[Cooper]

Shortness of breath - check, acid reflux - check, Chest pain, weird swelling on the bottom (pads) of my feet, not painful just felt like I was stepping on something, Eczema like skin issues on back, chest, legs, lack of libido, energy etc....I did not have any of these issues prior to TRT (well my libido was lowered but not to the extent it was after I started TRT).
I had a whole cardiac work-up which found nothing thankfully, doc started me on pantoloc for the acid reflux. I eventually stopped the testosterone. The skin issues have declined but not disappeared completely. Haven't taken any pantoloc since with no issues, libido seems to be picking up, the weird edema like nodules in my feet have also seemed to cease. Now mind you I took it upon myself to start testosterone. It was not prescribed. When I stopped I started a low dose clomid regime (12.5mg MWF) to help kick start things and it appears to be helping. I think testosterone therapy is amazing if a person really needs it. But messing with hormones when it's not necessary can lead to many months of grief in my very humble opinion.

CanadaJim: were you on transdermal or injections when this occured?

 

[Tman]

Well, it's been over a month and he hasn't been back. Must of worked it out?

 

[GreenMachineX]

Well, it's been over a month and he hasn't been back. Must of worked it out?

Hope so!

 

[CanadaJim]

CanadaJim: were you on transdermal or injections when this occured?

I was injecting (shallow IM) test-cyp weekly.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Shortness of breath - check, acid reflux - check, Chest pain, weird swelling on the bottom (pads) of my feet, not painful just felt like I was stepping on something, Eczema like skin issues on back, chest, legs, lack of libido, energy etc....I did not have any of these issues prior to TRT (well my libido was lowered but not to the extent it was after I started TRT).
I had a whole cardiac work-up which found nothing thankfully, doc started me on pantoloc for the acid reflux. I eventually stopped the testosterone. The skin issues have declined but not disappeared completely. Haven't taken any pantoloc since with no issues, libido seems to be picking up, the weird edema like nodules in my feet have also seemed to cease. Now mind you I took it upon myself to start testosterone. It was not prescribed. When I stopped I started a low dose clomid regime (12.5mg MWF) to help kick start things and it appears to be helping. I think testosterone therapy is amazing if a person really needs it. But messing with hormones when it's not necessary can lead to many months of grief in my very humble opinion.

How long did it take to notice a benefit from the clomid?

 

[CanadaJim]

How long did it take to notice a benefit from the clomid

I started it within a week of stopping testosterone. I started with (if i remember correctly) 25mg daily. The effect was pretty quick with regards to a positive change in testicles. But overall feeling wasn't great. I received notice that I had bloodwork in 5 weeks so I stopped until after my blood work as I didn't want anything effecting my levels. My total test levels came back through the roof. Which was puzzling as my sense of well-being, energy, libido etc was definitely in the basement. I restarted the clomid at 12.5mg eod. But my feeling of "shitiness increased" I'm guessing due to the estrogenic effects...so I stopped. It's been nearly 4 months since my last test injection. Not feeling my best. Achy, low energy, low libido. I have blood work again sometime next month so we'll see where I'm at. Maybe if I had of "blasted" with clomid it might have been more beneficial but I wanted to keep it at a low dose due to the reported side effects.

 

[GreenMachineX]

I started it within a week of stopping testosterone. I started with (if i remember correctly) 25mg daily. The effect was pretty quick with regards to a positive change in testicles. But overall feeling wasn't great. I received notice that I had bloodwork in 5 weeks so I stopped until after my blood work as I didn't want anything effecting my levels. My total test levels came back through the roof. Which was puzzling as my sense of well-being, energy, libido etc was definitely in the basement. I restarted the clomid at 12.5mg eod. But my feeling of "shitiness increased" I'm guessing due to the estrogenic effects...so I stopped. It's been nearly 4 months since my last test injection. Not feeling my best. Achy, low energy, low libido. I have blood work again sometime next month so we'll see where I'm at. Maybe if I had of "blasted" with clomid it might have been more beneficial but I wanted to keep it at a low dose due to the reported side effects.

If I'm understanding correctly, you took it for only a week or 2, stopped for 5 weeks, and total test levels were through the roof and the end of 5 weeks?

 

[CanadaJim]

If I'm understanding correctly, you took it for only a week or 2, stopped for 5 weeks, and total test levels were through the roof and the end of 5 weeks?

Yes. The high end range for total test was 25nmol/l. Mine was 29. I was puzzled as I definitely did not feel like my test was high. My Doc mentioned that my body could be in "rebound mode". But it seems unlikely that it would remain so high. I do also take vitamins and supps (multi, ginseng, omega's, c, d, b, zinc), so maybe something in my supps may be skewing the numbers. I also had stared a keto diet previous to my blood work. Maybe that had an effect? I know my cholesterol was through the roof and my Doc was more focused on that then the elevated testosterone. I stopped the keto diet after speaking with my Doc. I will be having follow up blood work in a month or so. Hopefully the values will be more indicative of my baseline.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Yes. The high end range for total test was 25nmol/l. Mine was 29. I was puzzled as I definitely did not feel like my test was high. My Doc mentioned that my body could be in "rebound mode". But it seems unlikely that it would remain so high. I do also take vitamins and supps (multi, ginseng, omega's, c, d, b, zinc), so maybe something in my supps may be skewing the numbers. I also had stared a keto diet previous to my blood work. Maybe that had an effect? I know my cholesterol was through the roof and my Doc was more focused on that then the elevated testosterone. I stopped the keto diet after speaking with my Doc. I will be having follow up blood work in a month or so. Hopefully the values will be more indicative of my baseline.

Gotcha; thanks. There's always a chance for lab error too, right? I just had that a couple months ago.

 

[CanadaJim]

Just as a (much late) follow up...i did have blood work done and the results showed that my cholesterol levels dropped back to normal, however my doc did not order any sex hormone lab work ....the whole libido thing is still kicking around...it waxes and wanes but more so than not it is quite low...i wish i could find the root of it but my doc is just throwing it up to getting older...I'm only 55..I find it hard to believe because I work out religiously, eat healthy, have a beautiful sexy wife...sure ED drugs are an option but they are a waste of money if the desire is not there...

 

[Systemlord]

my doc is just throwing it up to getting older...I'm only 55..

That’s a copout if I’ve ever heard one.

 

[CanadaJim]

That’s a copout if I’ve ever heard one.

I know...makes it difficult to find help