Testosterone Replacement Therapy

[Pigmut]

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ADVICE OR SUGGESTIONS REGARDING TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY  ?   DOES IT WORK ARE THERE SIDE EFFECTS ETC.

[drscorpio]

My husband was treated for low testosterone for years before his death. He got testosterone injections about every three weeks. He said they helped tremendously. The only side effect we noticed is he went from being mostly smooth chested to being a hairy bear over 7-8 years. 

[Pigmut]

Was your husband's death related to prostate cancer? 

[drscorpio]

2 hours ago, Pigmut said:

Was your husband's death related to prostate cancer? 

No, he died of a stroke like his father and his father's father. It was what he always expected to die from just not nearly as young as he did. 

[Pigmut]

Wow! That is fucking scary as hell to live like that. I mean knowing it is hereditary and not knowing what where and when.  Did he have any symptoms other than family history? 

When he would take  his Testosterone replacement injections,  do you recall him taking an estrogen blocker injections as well? 

[MuscledHorse]

HRT with test is fine. Your test levels peak around 20 and begin a long slow decline towards age 70 with a slightly steeper drop in the late 40's. If your test is low, a supplement is a good option with this caveat: IN a study done of males taking testosterone hormone replacement therapy (T-HRT) it was found that those in the T-HRT group had a higher incidence of cardiovascular related mortality than those on placebo. However, those in the trial were your average middle aged male (i.e. other issues like hypertension and lack of physical activity). which likely contributed to this outcome.  You will do well to be athletically active as you don't find that morality cause to be an issue among the athletic crowd like myself. Also, don't let them sell you on expensive daily use testosterone creams, foams, gels, etc. Just man up and give yourself an intramuscular shot one time every week or two. The cost is far less.

[leatherpunk16]

My late husband was missing one of his balls when we got together. It had to be removed when his doctor discovered a lump. So he was giving himself test injections every couple of weeks. The only side effect I got to experience with him was the increased energy and libido. 

[drscorpio]

17 hours ago, Pigmut said:

Wow! That is fucking scary as hell to live like that. I mean knowing it is hereditary and not knowing what where and when.  Did he have any symptoms other than family history? 

When he would take  his Testosterone replacement injections,  do you recall him taking an estrogen blocker injections as well? 

He was born with Cerebral Palsy. His right leg and arm were partially paralyzed and shorter that the left ones. Over the course of his life, this had led to him developing a lot of chronic pain. He was on quite a bit of medication trying to manage that pain. When he started having memory problems and personality shifts, we both thought it was from drug interactions. He was taking over two dozen prescriptions daily. As it turned out, those were actually caused by small strokes that were a precursor to the large one. The main thing he wouldn't do that might really have helped was sleep using a CPAP machine.  Anyway, I really don't want to do a more thorough rehash of his death, so I am going to leave this part of the conversation alone. 

To the best of my knowledge, he was not taking an estrogen blocker. 

[Pigmut]

Thank you for sharing. 

[Poz-Mcr]

Just started using testosterone gel after a blood test indicated my levels were barely above the lower end of the range. Too early to notice any effects, just two weeks in at the moment, but I have high hopes that it may just give me my mojo back.

[horndoggy]

I’ve been talking to my doctor about it. My testosterone levels, which were off the high end of the chart when I was 20, are now waaaay below the lowest expected value for my age group.

I was on oral test (andriol? Or some such) 20 or so years ago, but I stopped taking it after a few months because I was concerned it could cause cancer. 🙄

Of course part of the issue is I’m a big, super chubby bear and testosterone can bind with the fat and become ineffective.

My doctor wants me to have another test and we will proceed from there. I have a lot of symptoms that mesh with test deficiency - low energy, low sex drive (it’s been dropping like a rock since about December. My dedicated PornPad is getting lonely), low everything drive. And for a guy that take stimulants for ADHD, my lack of get up and go is pretty amazing!

[leatherpunk16]

I've been shooting testosterone for the past nine weeks, and let me tell you I feel incredible. I'm horny all the time, my muscles look fantastic, my ankle and hip do not hurt anymore, and my confidence is through the roof. I've also got the first signs of steroid abuse - shoulder acne. I wear it like a badge of honour. I earned that shit.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, leatherpunk16 said:

I've been shooting testosterone for the past nine weeks, and let me tell you I feel incredible. I'm horny all the time, my muscles look fantastic, my ankle and hip do not hurt anymore, and my confidence is through the roof. I've also got the first signs of steroid abuse - shoulder acne. I wear it like a badge of honour. I earned that shit.

Show us some progress pics stud!  More muscle = more sex!! :)

My  T levels have been low most of my life.  I was tested at 30yo due to erection problems, and the dr said I was low.  But at the time there were no easy treatments like now, and Viagra had just come out so he gave me an Rx which solved that problem.  Then in early 40s I was having more symptoms  like low sex drive and low energy.  Of course I was still low (around 350) and Dr agreed to prescribe Androgel.  I started with the usual dose amount.  It was somewhat gradual, but it didn't take too long (a few months) before my sex drive was through the roof and my body was getting more lean and muscular.  I have always worked out since 20yo, so my workouts had not changed and neither did my diet at that time.  It was purely the androgel, and I LOVED what it was doing physically and sexually.  But it kept on going.  Sexually I felt like I was in heat all the time and felt like I was becoming an addict.  I actually spoke with my doctor who told me to cut the gel in half.  I did that, but still felt just as horned up and was developing acne on my shoulders and also my face.

This was about 5 years before Prep, but I was fucking all the time and always raw...not all the quarterly tests for stds like now.  At my annual physical I ended up dodging hiv again somehow, but I had syphills, gono and herpes all at the same physical exam.  Stds are so common now with everyone barebacking and getting tested more, but back then (12 years ago) it was a "wake up call" and I decided to take a break from Androgel.  Not sure it effects everyone so strongly, but it did for me.  And that only put my T levels around 600 according to the tests.  I can't imagine how I'd feel on real steroids.  I sort of want to find out at this point though :)

Then around 6 years ago this guy from Crossfit I was going to recommended another topical cream that seemed to be legit (has testosterone in the ingredients) and I get it through chiropractors (weird I know - not just available without a "referral).  I've been using that for about 6 years now.  It keeps my T levels testing around the 600 range (same as androgel), but my sex drive feels "good" without being in heat, and it definitely seems to help with my body, but not to the same extent the "real" stuff did.  Either way - if you have low T I would definitely give it a try.  There are actually negative consequences to having low T besides just the usual side effects.