# Low T Treatments...your experiences?



## donny64 (Apr 21, 2012)

Believe I could benefit from T replacement therapy. Last I had it checked last year I was at 396 total and 13.2 free. In my late 40's. According to the research I've done, it's still in "normal range", but I'm in the bottom 10th to 15th percentile with those readings, and have the T levels of the average 80 year old.

I had it checked because as the years move along, I have felt "less right". The last 6 months it seems to have accelerated.

Loss of mental focus. Almost completely. Can't focus or get motivated at work. Or home.

Memory was never great, but is getting worse. So much so it affects my job.

Less interest in sex. Less sensitivity has increased over the years as well. Still have an interest in it, but seems my motivation to do anything about it or really put any "work" into it (romance, etc) has left me.

Feel as though I'm in a mental fog most of the time.

Feel run down. And depressed.

Was in great shape just 10 months ago after dropping a good bit of weight and working out 5 to 6 days a week. Worked my azz of for almost a year. Then I took off working out for 4 months due to working on a project on my time off that took all of my spare time (important family project. Satisfying but draining, and did not keep up with working out). Since then (6 months ago), I cannot seem to find the motivation to get off my dead azz to do anything.

At any rate, thinking about seeing a doc about this. Have a friend who has referred me to a guy he sees, and he says it was life changing for him.

For those of you who have been through it, and started replacement therapy, how did things improve for you? Most concerned with mental sharpness, memory, and desire to just LIVE a life instead of trudging through it.


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## CuddleBug (Nov 26, 2012)

Co worker was in his early 40s and his 
wife was complaining about the lack of sex 
and he was tired and moody. He went to the 
doctor and it turns out he has low test. So the
doctor now gives him regular injections and
his sex drive is high, he weight trains, and 
no longer is moody and of course a happy 
wife. Test objections from a doctor for low
test makes a big difference.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Big Tree (Jul 25, 2014)

Late 40s here. My T level was a bit lower than yours when I first had it checked. 

I was feeling fatigued and mentally fuzzy. My wife felt like I was *****y and run down.

I get a weekly shot now. I have been dialed in for the last two years.

I am doing great at work. I do tons of volunteer work on the side. My fatigue is gone.

Sex drive is high. Frequency went from 4/month to 11/month. Who knew?


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## Thor (Oct 31, 2011)

I was on T therapy for about a year, around age 51. It was incredible. I felt like Superman. It was like being 18 again, where muscle just appeared and fat disappeared. I felt focused, strong, alive.

It was far too expensive for me to continue, though. And, my doc was not an expert, just a Urologist. T therapy is a complicated thing, not just putting on a gel which delivers T to the body. You really need an expert Endocrinologist who will look at the full panel of hormones.

One of these days I'll get to an Endo to get back on T therapy in a way that is affordable.


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## Buddy400 (Aug 30, 2014)

Do it.


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## Constable Odo (Feb 14, 2015)

I would avoid the patches. 

I tried Androderm, and ended up looking like I was attacked by a paint-ball psycho, with giant welts where ever I applied one. Took them 3+ weeks to disappear.

I tolerated Androgel quite well, although, there's always a concern about transfer. The doc advised me to take a washcloth before going to bed (or intimate moments) and just quickly wipe away any residual, as virtually all of the T is absorbed within the first few hours.

Shots are out of the question, no way I'm travelling to a doctor's office that often to get an injection.


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## Buddy400 (Aug 30, 2014)

Constable Odo said:


> Shots are out of the question, no way I'm travelling to a doctor's office that often to get an injection.


Some places will give you the syringes and you can shoot up yourself!


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## Cletus (Apr 27, 2012)

Buddy400 said:


> Some places will give you the syringes and you can shoot up yourself!


As awesome as that sounds...


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## karole (Jun 30, 2010)

My husband gives himself T injections.


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## Constable Odo (Feb 14, 2015)

I'd feel too much like a junky.

I do give my dogs their injections, though.


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## karole (Jun 30, 2010)

At the beginning, my husband went into the dr's office for his shot; but that got to be too much of a hassle, having to leave work, etc., so he just gives them to himself now. He says it isn't a big deal.


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## Buddy400 (Aug 30, 2014)

Constable Odo said:


> I'd feel too much like a junky.


It's not like you have to hit a vein or anything...


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## Thor (Oct 31, 2011)

There are things you can do to help boost your T naturally.

- Add muscle and reduce fat. 
- Get good and regular sleep. Working odd shifts can really kill you.
- Eat healthier, cut down on sugar, junk, and alcohol. Eat organic when possible.
- Don't use gel hand sanitizers and other androgen killing products. Deoderants, anti-perspirants, shampoo, and soaps can all interfere with T. I make my own deoderant with organic coconut oil, shea butter, corn starch, and baking soda. Cheap and works better than any commercial product. Various soaps and shampoos are available which are natural and don't mess up hormones. You can do this easily and for less cost than your current products.
- Engage in active sports, even as simple as riding a bicycle.
- Spend time in fun competition with other men. e.g. an after work softball or golf league.
- More sex.


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## Constable Odo (Feb 14, 2015)

Thor said:


> There are things you can do to help boost your T naturally.[...]
> - Spend time in fun competition with other men. e.g. an after work softball or golf league.













I dunno... I think I'll pass. Just too weird for me.


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## Thor (Oct 31, 2011)

Hey, if it works for them...


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## Pollo (Oct 17, 2014)

I'm 30 and the last time I got tested I think it was around 200. 
I'm pretty young so I didn't want to resort to injections and I'm not a fan of temporary treatments that don't fix the route of the problem.

I've been going to acupuncture for treatment and I've been feeling much better. I haven't gotten myself tested again but I'm feeling much stronger and my libido is much higher. I'm hoping a couple more months and I'll be back to normal.


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## EVG39 (Jun 4, 2015)

Donny, I have heard that once you start the therapy you will always have to continue since your body will no longer produce the even inadequate levels you may now be producing. Don't know if that's true but I would ask my Doc that before beginning therapy. I will say that I would try all the natural things first. There are a ton of things on the net about ways to increase T in addition to what Thor mentioned. Another component that that not many men work at it is to reduce their estrogen levels. Of course the very best way to do that is stop drinking beer so there's that. (getting to know King Whiskey has been pretty fun though I have however probably paved a few highways in Kentucky with what I've spent) So I am trying do both. Good Luck


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## Phil Anders (Jun 24, 2015)

TRT can change your life--it's more than libido; it also helps with weight control, muscle building, assertiveness/"alpha" social traits, and energy/ambition. But you shouldn't leap into TRT half-c0cked, as it were. If you can't boost your levels with natural means and opt for medical TRT, I'd strongly advise looking up a specialty forum such as T-Nation's TRT subsection for crowd-sourced wisdom on this course. 

TRT is something a lot of doctors (FP's, uros) know about generally but haven't bothered keeping up-to-date on. That can lead to woefully non-optimized regimens. Aside from accepting mid-300's levels typical of 80-year-olds as "normal", the worst non-passive scenario is the mega-shot at the doctor's office every 4 weeks, which will have your T levels roller-coastering all over the shop...way up at first, then way down. You will feel like crap and have some sympathy for women's monthly travails. 

Optimally, you'd self-inject ~2x per week. This frequency is in line with the "half-life" of the ester breakdown in vivo (ie, the inactivating cypionate, propionate or enanthate groups which are slowly cleaved to liberate active T), so you maintain optimal levels between shots. This does mean more injections, but it's possible to use smaller needles or even do it subcutaneously instead of IM, using tiny insulin syringes instead of the usual 2" pig-sticker needles the doctor will have. 

Then you monitor not only Total T but also SHBG and estradiol (E2) at minimum. SHBG binds and inactivates T, and it's the ratio (Free T) that you're trying to influence. Exogenous T shuts down the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal cascade (HPG axis) and affects auxiliary hormones and spermatogenesis--so ideally you would keep your balls from shutting down and shrinking by supplementing hCG. Also, T naturally converts to estrogen in fatty tissue, so you must keep estradiol/E2 levels in check with a titrated amount of an aromatase inhibitor such as Arimidex...especially if you are overweight. 

One major downside is that your sperm count will nosedive...classic TRT and reproductive attempts don't go well together. HCG or FSH supplementation helps sperm count a bit, but there are secondary T-boosting methods (like Clomid) that are more advisable if you're trying for a baby.

That is a snapshot of a more complete, stable and sustainable TRT picture, but it can be hard to achieve without either an enlightened/cooperative MD or a ton of persistence. The board I mentioned may help you find a good anti-aging/male health resource in your area.


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