Could use some much needed advice.

[Therapy]

Not sure where to start so I guess the beginning.

I am 45yo
5'8"
was over 250lbs
Not very fit.
I have epilepsy.

So bare with me... When I was younger up til the age of 33ish I was very fit, ran a few miles a day, competed in endurance sports and lifted. I was not very interested in gaining a ton of muscle mass. I was happy at my then body. At that time I was 185 and about 10% body fat. I paid a lot of attention to my legs and my core. So needless to say I had some good abs, back, and legs. So you could see I wasn't all ripped up.. just healthy size.

Then I came down with epilepsy and things changed. At first my epilepsy was not to noticeable. At the time we didnt know what it was. I did have some small seizures off and on. I worked in a hospital in maintenance. It wasnt until I have a tonic clonic seizure in the ICU (of all places) that it was discovered. Because over time I was getting worst.

So I was then diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy. I was placed on a cocktail of meds to control it. Which has helped. Im not seizure free by any means. Anyway the meds create some issues. One of them is hypogonadism. My doc had me tested and my body was producing very little testosterone. He recommended injections. I asked about gels because I didnt want injections. He tried to reason with me to get injections. I finally said yes but then changed my mind. So I am currently taking 10g of Androgel a day. Its been almost a month now and this is what I have noticed.

I no longer have a craving for sweets. I dont drink much soda nor coffee because I dont have a craving for them. I have more energy as well as some of the other benefits. The one thing I didnt have an issue with was getting and erection. But I was unable to climax and that became an issue with my wife. Now its not much of an issue. Still have the problem but its another one of those wonderful side effects from my meds.

I also went from being over 250lbs down to 237lbs. People notice I am getting thinner and comment on looking for healthy. I have noticed some muscle tone in my arms, shoulders, and back. Then again maybe it was always there just covered in fat. ?

What I wanted to ask, after all that talk, is if I change over to injections, get back to a healthy diet, continue to exercise... I would like to get more down in weight and gain some muscle mass back? I am able to do my own injections. I was told it had to be in the butt cheek every other week. But would one time a week be ok? And can I give it in the thigh?

I look forward to advice.

 

[Zyglamail]

You can inject is literally dozens of places, shoulders, pecs, thighs, ass, calves.

Most of us older guys on hormone replacement therapy inject ourselves at least once a week and preferably 2x a week. The reason is the test "wares off" if you will and as it does your test levels fade as you get to the end of a week, then you take another injection, test level rise and taper off again. This roller coaster of test levels for many causes mood swings and such and most of us like to keep our test levels nice and even.

You are going to be at the mercy of your doc however, some will only give you injections themselves meaning an office visit which can be very inconvenient, others will let you pin yourself. Then there is always the dose to worry about. Generally speaking general practitioners and endocrinologists generally treat you for lab numbers and try and get you in the middle normal range. However for many older guys who suffer depression, lack of mental clarity, apathy about life etc mid normal range isnt really high enough to cause a noticeable benefit usually causing them to seek a hormone replacement therapy specialist. These docs generally treat you for your symptoms which in many cases means a higher dose of test if you are in good health.

So, if you stay on test, eat clean and exercise you certainly can get back in shape. It will likely be a bit harder to have a six pack at 45 than it was at age 30 but its still possible.

 

[Therapy]

I guess thats one of the things I dont understand about test therapy. If you go in every two weeks vs one time a week.. my thoughts are the every week option with me more stable, and the every two weeks would create massive peaks and be more likely to cause mood swings.

 

[Zyglamail]

I guess thats one of the things I dont understand about test therapy. If you go in every two weeks vs one time a week.. my thoughts are the every week option with me more stable, and the every two weeks would create massive peaks and be more likely to cause mood swings.

As I mentioned general docs dont care about that, they care about your test numbers on the blood test, thats all that typically matters to them and the 1 inj every two weeks will do that....for at least part of the two weeks.

Most have never used so they dont know what its like. Bet if they tried it for a bit themselves they would likely change their opinion on dosing.

 

[XMAN.]

agree with Zyg on everything , and in ur next visit ask for HCG and an AI (aromatase inhibitor or anti-estrogen).
good luck

 

[Therapy]

Ok... I will ask to be placed on injections. Which I am going to need to do anyway because now my youngest daughter is scared she is going to grow chest hair and a beard. lol


If I ask my doc about the HCG and the A1.... wont he suspect something?

 

[Zyglamail]

You likely wont need an AI if on 200mg/wk or less but bloodwork should tell your doc what he needs to know. HCG is a nicety, tell him your wife commented on your balls shrinking and tell him you heard coupld small doses (150IU) a week cant counter the testicular atrophy.

 

[Therapy]

ok... i will tell him and see what he says....

what exactly is the hcg going to do for me?

 

[RADAR]

HCG will give your boys a nice full feeling and get you sexally active again,you can also try HCGenerate From NTBM it take about a week to work but personally i love the stuff!

 

[XMAN.]

ok... i will tell him and see what he says....

what exactly is the hcg going to do for me?

preserve ur testes from total shut down , keep them functioning even if at minimum level but u need some normal production for fertility issues, and it also stimulate the enzyme that produce pregnenolone the parent of all steroid hormones (progesterone, mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, androgens, and estrogens...)
which means it has an effect on many other hormones secretion in the body.
a low dose of 500 iu/week (250iu x 2/week) is a must for all ppl on hrt to replace natural LH.

 

[XMAN.]

HCG will give your boys a nice full feeling and get you sexally active again,you can also try HCGenerate From NTBM it take about a week to work but personally i love the stuff!

hey RADAR how r u bro, long time no see, nice to c u posting here again, or maybe ur just loyal to the anabolic steroid party lol

 

[Therapy]

ok.. back to the androgel. I have to use up this stuff and then i can go to injections..

so the dose is adjust according to how much makes it into te blood stream,,, so im on the highest dose 10g. .... The alcohol used evaps pretty fast.... do you think i could get a higher percentage by placing some plastic over the area for a few minutes and then let the area dry..... thoughts?

like 90% of the product isnt even being used...

 

[XMAN.]

ok.. back to the androgel. I have to use up this stuff and then i can go to injections..

so the dose is adjust according to how much makes it into te blood stream,,, so im on the highest dose 10g. .... The alcohol used evaps pretty fast.... do you think i could get a higher percentage by placing some plastic over the area for a few minutes and then let the area dry..... thoughts?

like 90% of the product isnt even being used...

i think u need Radar or The lion on this matter they're both experienced with androgel or maybe Zyg knows something about it.

 

[RADAR]

hey RADAR how r u bro, long time no see, nice to c u posting here again, or maybe ur just loyal to the anabolic steroid party lol

Hi my friend, I love it here ,this is my home and my objective is help all the good bro's here!

 

[RADAR]

ok.. back to the androgel. I have to use up this stuff and then i can go to injections..

so the dose is adjust according to how much makes it into te blood stream,,, so im on the highest dose 10g. .... The alcohol used evaps pretty fast.... do you think i could get a higher percentage by placing some plastic over the area for a few minutes and then let the area dry..... thoughts?

like 90% of the product isnt even being used...

I hate the stuff,its messy ,you have to be careful what you touch ,doorknobs ,women,children,all it ever gave me was a rash and itchy nips!

 

[XMAN.]

Hi my friend, I love it here ,this is my home and my objective is help all the good bro's here!

i know that bro but we miss ur posts here and btw did u stop the osta sarms ? cuz last time i checked ur thread u said u gained 9 lbs.

 

[Therapy]

yes secondary exposure is freaky.

 

[XMAN.]

yes secondary exposure is freaky.

specially when u have children

 

[Therapy]

reason I am going to switch to injections. Plus it would be nice if I can reap any benefits going to injections.

I was also thinking about the implant.... any thoughts on them?

 

[RADAR]

reason I am going to switch to injections. Plus it would be nice if I can reap any benefits going to injections.

I was also thinking about the implant.... any thoughts on them?

I would take injection,they are hard to beat!

 

[XMAN.]

well i read something on the net about the pellet implants under the skin , u have pellets that last for 6 months and others for a year or so but it's still experimental, dunno if someone here on EF did it, we don't have it here in my country.
i'm curious too about it, it would save us the trouble of pinning , getting prescriptions and finding a good source all the time, can u imagine going once a year the the doc and have an implant and it's done.

 

[Therapy]

I think its the same type of implant they use for woman birth control.

 

[Therapy]

i actually just found a really cool med report on it... which i can post after i hit the much sought after 25 threads

 

[Therapy]

 

[XMAN.]

okay this information is from the member " therapy " and because he's new to this forum and cannot post links so i'm posting it for him on his demand.


An investigation of the effectiveness of testosterone implants in combination with the prolactin inhibitor quinagolide in the suppression of spermatogenesis in men ? Hum Reprod

 

[RADAR]

i know that bro but we miss ur posts here and btw did u stop the osta sarms ? cuz last time i checked ur thread u said u gained 9 lbs.

Yeah! I finally finished it ,Personally i like Sarms S=4 better
I'm getting ready to make a journal running the two

 

[XMAN.]

Yeah! I finally finished it ,Personally i like Sarms S=4 better
I'm getting ready to make a journal running the two

gr8

 

[Therapy]

Ive had some changes since my last post. I figured now would be a good time to come back and ask some more questions before I start lifting on a regular basis.

Androgel = 10g each day. I don't take this anymore but I do have four months worth just sitting on the shelf.

Testosterone = 1ml every 14 days.

The doc wont let me do my own injections and I am stuck with the injection schedule.

I want to add the hcg and the A1 we talked about. I need to know what doses I should aim for of each. Are these also injections?
Im not looking to get huge. I just want to look healthy again with some decent muscle tone.

 

[Zyglamail]

For the AI, likely not needed at 200mg every 2 weeks, so I dont think I would bother unless labs show high E.

HCG is an injection, either subq or IM. I prefere subq with slin pim in a fold of skin around belly. 250IU 2x a week should do it for ya.

 

[XMAN.]

agree with zyg, but divide ur test shot into two 100mg and shoot once per week, much better.

 

[Therapy]

I was actually thinking about going to weekly injections anyway because the fricken RN that gives the shots sucks. My gawd all the woman does it give injections you would think she would be able to give one without feeling like I've just had a nail gun shoot me in the side. That's prior to the actual injection which hurts because she is going to fast and then if they werent enough she pushes and leans on it because of the blood.

Im trying to get my doc to allow me to do my own injections at home. I havent asked about the hcg yet. Maybe Im paranoid but I don't want him thinking I'm juicing it up.

Oh and btw the injections are way better then that gel. I havent even begun to get into heavy work outs and, with out asking, people are already noticing a difference.


Just edit for adding more information.

I wanted to ask this so I could see if I need to speak with my doc..... Which I should probably do anyway...

I have been noticing a day or two prior to my injections I start to get a headache. lol... ok... I try to get my injections every monday. But like this week I was not able to get into the hospital for the injection until today (Wednesday). Now I have this raging migraine and its not going to get any better until I have that injection. Then it usually resolves its self in a few hours.

What gives?

 

[XMAN.]

hcg can be part of HRT and it's prescribed by many doctors , u don't need to be a big time juicer to use hcg. and yes try to convince ur doc to do ur own shots at home.
i dunno if ur headaches r necessarily from the test drop at the end of the week but u may try to divide the dose to 2 weekly half doses, shot on monday and thursday for example, it'll solve many problems concerning E2 peaking and test dropping below baseline, u'll have more stable levels in ur blood. in case u start HCG and wanna keep injecting once a week just keep doing it on mondays and do 250 iu hcg on saturdays and sundays , the 2 days b4 ur next shot, they'll help u prevent the fall while producing some of ur endo test.

 

[Therapy]

Ok then today I will call my doctors nurse and get everything set up.

 

[zagdawg22]

HCG will give your boys a nice full feeling and get you sexally active again,you can also try HCGenerate From NTBM it take about a week to work but personally i love the stuff!

can you take this instead of HCG? it would be nice to be able to just take needto's stuff. thanks in advance!

 

[thefalconer2011]

This is a GREAT effin' post guys... I've been lurking on here a while...just had the blood drawn...will know on TUESDAY what my T levels (and other levels are).

My deal is this: though I am going through DOC, who may prescribe Test, I really feel like dosing myself.... espeically since I ran test with primo a while back (like..4 years ago)...for ONE 8 week cycle... the gains I made...muscularly...I STIL have signs of! But alas, age is taking it's toll....so I'm getting back on the prorgram. FOR LIFE.

What's the MOST test you can do weekly without suffering estrognic effects? And what's the best Anti-E out now? Thanks guys... GREAT freakin' post!

 

[XMAN.]

This is a GREAT effin' post guys... I've been lurking on here a while...just had the blood drawn...will know on TUESDAY what my T levels (and other levels are).

My deal is this: though I am going through DOC, who may prescribe Test, I really feel like dosing myself.... espeically since I ran test with primo a while back (like..4 years ago)...for ONE 8 week cycle... the gains I made...muscularly...I STIL have signs of! But alas, age is taking it's toll....so I'm getting back on the prorgram. FOR LIFE.

What's the MOST test you can do weekly without suffering estrognic effects? And what's the best Anti-E out now? Thanks guys... GREAT freakin' post!

it depends on the individual , some can shoot a gram of test/w without having any estro sides and others can suffer from just 250mg/w, u have to see it urself, usually beginners starts between 350 and 500 mg and go from there.
best anti-e in my opinion is aromasin (exemestane 25mg) 2 or 3 halves pills (12.5mg) per week will do the trick.