Testosterone Therapy

[txtrophy85]

It's like your body stops producing on it's own because it doesn't have to.

Thats 100% what happens.

Your natural test production will shut down when it detects the body getting it from an outside source.

[Quackerbox]

I see my primary care physician yearly and he prescribes it. Just pay my normal $25 copay. Vials cost about $25 per month if I remember correctly. Insurance makes me get a testosterone level drawn yearly.

Same. 35 co pay then 10-12 bucks at the pharmacy. That gets me 10 weeks. Hair everywhere but my head is the only negative. Wayyyyyy more pros to negate that. Besides maybe wife can't keep up

[Texans42]

But in my case when I stopped it was lower than before I started. It's like your body stops producing on it's own because it doesn't have to.

you can take clomiphene/clomid and it will increase natural testosterone production, it’s just not to same level or speed as TRT, it’s what you should of been prescribed when you quit cold turkey

[Big pig]

But in my case when I stopped it was lower than before I started. It's like your body stops producing on its own because it doesn't have to.

As posted above , your level was dropping
my positive results outweigh the negatives for me.

I feel much better physically and have the energy to do the things I like to do around the ranch.

But I appreciate hearing the real life experiences here

BP

[TRF455]

I’ll be honest, I didn’t read all 19 pages of this post, but what I can contribute… I’ve been on testosterone for the last 7 years (off and on.) I was very low on free testosterone when I was 30. My doctor recommended to start TRT then, and it worked out great. What little side effects I had/ have are oily skin, pimples on my back and shoulders, and some body hair growth. None of which are excessive. (Started losing my hair when I was 21, so I can’t contribute that to TRT, just runs in the family) I do my lab work every 6 months to make sure my levels are in check. I was told by some friends that have been on test for a while to cycle it and keep a healthy lifestyle. (Eat clean and exercise daily) I was told if it is cycled and not in excess that your body will “learn” to reproduce testosterone… just not in the same amount as when you were in your prime. The side effects when you do stop taking injections for a bit, you will feel sluggish and lethargic. I personally don’t sleep as well after stopping a cycle. My DR told me to give blood often to manage increased red blood cell production. I do get the mental clarity that some in the previous posts have spoke of, and feel great when my levels are where they are supposed to be. I have never had any “rage” that you commonly hear about with people on testosterone, but I don’t abuse it and keep my levels in check.

[RiverRat1]

I suspect if you were to start a RR poll you would find you are in the minority that you were not told or didn’t know. Anyone I asked or spoke to on a medical or personal level the first thing mentioned to me was “you understand this is permanent”? Your body is slowly producing less T as you get older, if you supplement it your body will quit producing it on its own.
I suspect the majority if not all of the men in this thread were asked two questions from the first TRT conversation.
Do you want or plan on having more children?
You understand this is permanent and that your body will quit producing test if you supplement it?

Did you go to a urologist, your primary, or one of the Low T type clinics? What year did you do you get injections?

It's been a while. But glad to hear they are warning people.

To others. My issue is (at least a while back) "low" is totally subjective. A comparison is a Dr trying to put people on statins because their cholesterol is "high". But some people run a little high naturally.

So if someone's T is just a little low they're probably far better off not getting T shots. Try a few natural things first IMO.

[RiverRat1]

Why would this freak you out? If your testosterone levels are low at this point in your life, it stands to reason that it’s never going to come back up on its own so it makes perfect sentó me that you’d have to be on it for the rest of your life.
It’s no different than a pancreas that does not produce enough insulin. You’d have to be on insulin for the rest of your life as well.

On a scale to 100 (100 being how I felt in my 20's) I was feeling lets say 65. I get the T but once I stopped then I felt more like 35-40. It really sucked. If, once I stopped I felt around 65 again then it wouldn't matter.

Only point is, at least for me, taking T made my body stop producing it.

[ThisLadyHunts]

On a scale to 100 (100 being how I felt in my 20's) I was feeling lets say 65. I get the T but once I stopped then I felt more like 35-40. It really sucked. If, once I stopped I felt around 65 again then it wouldn't matter.

Only point is, at least for me, taking T made my body stop producing it.

This is exactly what happens with the pancreas when a person starts taking insulin as I understand it. Nevertheless, if you’re diabetic, you need it. It doesn’t seem to matter if your insulin numbers are low or lower, if you need it, you need it, and probably for the rest of your life.

Thyroid and thyroid hormones is no different. If your thyroid levels are suboptimal such that you need to take thyroid hormone, what does it matter if your thyroid stops producing what it did before you started supplementation. It wasn’t enough to begin with.

[RWB]

I am 50 and been taking testosterone for close to 10 years inject myself once a week. If your over 40 and feel tired get your T checked and get your butt in the gym, Pretty simple recipe for men.

BTW my wife takes it as well. Its just as critical for women, their levels are just not as high.