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Advice for first time TRT treatment

genetic freak

genetic freak

VIP Member
Dec 28, 2015
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genetic freak, you have a few modifications comparing to Iron1 with needles and where to pin. Sounds like Iron1's advice about trying different size needles and places to pin is going to be the way to start out.
I know for example I had blood drawn back in July at a lab upstairs from my Doctor and hardly felt the needle. I mentioned it to the Nurse in comparison to having donated blood. She commented it was the difference in needle size the Blood Bank uses.
Yep, everyone has their own preferences and you will find yours. The needles used to inject testosterone are much smaller than those used to draw labs. Most of the time they are painless. You may get some point injection pain post injection. This is the body's reaction to the serum itself, generally pain is caused from the solvents. People have different reactions, but just about everyone has adverse reactions to those with super solvents like EO and guaiacol. You should not have to worry about the super solvents though, as they are not used often anymore except in highly concentrated compounds. If you have every had a typhoid or penicillin shot then you have experience point injection pain. It goes away after a couple days.
 
genetic freak

genetic freak

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Dec 28, 2015
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I'll let GF respond but wanted to throw my two cents.

The important thing with TRT is getting enough test into your body to bring you into a normal range. How frequently you introduce test into your system, where to inject it, what the ideal level is and what hardware you choose to use are almost trivial. Some folks even use insulin syringes to inject subcutaneously but I'd say that's for more experienced people.

I've been doing the TRT thing for over 20 years already and have yet to see anyone reach a true consensus on the nuances. Everyone has their own opinion about how, where, how much and how often and sometimes those opinions change over time. However, every one of them agrees that getting your bloods in a normal range is the goal of any TRT regimen.
Solid advice here.

Just get your blood work done to ensure you are in the normal range, preferably high normal range. While also watching your other blood markers like, red blood cell count, hematocrit, etc... If those go out of whack you may need to reduce your TRT dose.
 
ttyndall

ttyndall

Member
Nov 15, 2022
23
17
Genetic Freak, this brings up a new question.
What items do I need to make sure the doctor test my blood for before and after I start?
You mentioned Hematocrit and red blood cells (I guess that is the mch & mchc), etc
In the past, like a lot of people, I just always asked about cholesterol and a1c.
 
genetic freak

genetic freak

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Dec 28, 2015
2,562
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Genetic Freak, this brings up a new question.
What items do I need to make sure the doctor test my blood for before and after I start?
You mentioned Hematocrit and red blood cells (I guess that is the mch & mchc), etc
In the past, like a lot of people, I just always asked about cholesterol and a1c.
I would ask that they test for the following (cut and pasted from PrivateMedLabs male hormone panel):

Complete Blood Count / CBC (includes Differential and Platelets): WBC, RBC, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW, Platelet Count, MPV and Differential (Absolute and Percent - Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Eosinophils, and Basophils)
Comprehensive Metabolic Profile ( includes eGFR ): Albumin, Albumin/Globulin Ratio (calculated), Alkaline Phosphatase, ALT, AST, BUN/Creatinine Ratio (calculated), Calcium, Carbon Dioxide, Chloride, Creatinine with GFR Estimated, Globulin (calculated), Glucose, Potassium, Sodium, Total Bilirubin, Total Protein, Urea Nitrogen
Cortisol, Total
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA-s) Sulfate
DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone), Unconjugated, LC/MS/MS
Estradiol
Follicle-stimulating Hormone (FSH)
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
Hemoglobin (Hgb) A1c
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (IGF-I, LC/MS)
Liver Function Profile:
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT/SGPT); albumin, serum; alkaline phosphatase, serum; aspartate aminotransferase (AST/SGOT); bilirubin, direct; bilirubin, total; protein, total, serum
Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)
Sex Hormone binding Globulin, (SHBG)
Testosterone, Free and Total, LC/MS/MS (This testosterone test will also provide Total Testosterone results when the value is >1500 but <10,000.)
Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
Thyroxine Free (FT4), Immunoassay
Tri-iodothyronine Free (FT3)
Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy LC/MS/MS:
Vitamin D, 25-OH, Total; Vitamin D, 25-OH, D3; Vitamin D, 25-OH, D2
 
ttyndall

ttyndall

Member
Nov 15, 2022
23
17
genetic freak: Crap, I don't think I have that many different things in my body. I'm just a simple North Florida Redneck.
We have Sugar, Protein and Cholesterol.
 
genetic freak

genetic freak

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Dec 28, 2015
2,562
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genetic freak: Crap, I don't think I have that many different things in my body. I'm just a simple North Florida Redneck.
We have Sugar, Protein and Cholesterol.
Haha. The only things that matter.

If you tell the doctor you want a full hormone panel they should know what to pull.
 
ttyndall

ttyndall

Member
Nov 15, 2022
23
17
An additional pre doc visit question. My appt is tomorrow afternoon and he will probably send me upstairs for blood work before he prescribes anything.
I notice a lot of comments about (for example 200 as a starting point) being every two weeks and then some are one a week and then some are every 5 days.
I prefer the weekly shot to not have the ups and downs members talk about.
Is it better to have 100 every 5 days or 7 days.
I know 7 days makes it easier to work a schedule but is 5 days more beneficial?
Thanks for all the advice,
Ted
 
ttyndall

ttyndall

Member
Nov 15, 2022
23
17
Did blood work and am confused as a noob. I keep reading about staying on the upper end of testosterone which seems to be 900 to 1100.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
My blood test came back showing:
PSA 2.37 ng/ml
Free PSA .54 ng/ml
22.8%

How does that relate to the 900 and 1000 numbers I read about on the forum? I see the 1000 numbers and also see the dl numbers. Explain in layman terms.
Trying to understand before my appt. on the 10th of January.
Thanks for beginner help,
Ted
 
J

J2048b

MuscleHead
Jul 2, 2012
286
82
To be % honest alot of regular normal trt patients are doing smaller every day, or every other day dosages, emeric and honis an old pro recommends 10 mlg per day… some go above that or even stretch it out to pinning a couple times per week…. Id honestly look at this method if u arent trying to eventually cycle
 
J

J2048b

MuscleHead
Jul 2, 2012
286
82
Did blood work and am confused as a noob. I keep reading about staying on the upper end of testosterone which seems to be 900 to 1100.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
My blood test came back showing:
PSA 2.37 ng/ml
Free PSA .54 ng/ml
22.8%

How does that relate to the 900 and 1000 numbers I read about on the forum? I see the 1000 numbers and also see the dl numbers. Explain in layman terms.
Trying to understand before my appt. on the 10th of January.
Thanks for beginner help,
Ted
Where is the testosterone number? None of those even say testosterone
 
ttyndall

ttyndall

Member
Nov 15, 2022
23
17
J2848b, you guys are so demanding over little trivial things. :D
First bit of bad news was my Doctor emailed me and said he was opening his own practice in January so Jan. 10th is my last visit with him. I go to a different doc in the same practice after that. He did not order everything most of you said to look at but the test numbers did come in.
These are through Quest if that makes any difference.
339 ng/dl with them showing a range of 250 - 1100 ng/dl
Free was 72.9 pg/ml with a range of 30 - 135 pg/ml

Any recommendations?

Almost forgot. Merry Christmas to everyone.
Ted
 
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