Blood Work & Testosterone

[Clay Lacey]

Good afternoon,

Physical: 37YO Male / 6'2 / 250 / No Known Medical Conditions

Training: SS Novice / Texas Method (Current)

Medication: Testosterone Cypionate (200mg twice weekly) / Anastrozole (1mg, 2-3 times weekly) / 6-12 Shiner's per week

*Family Practitioner found to conduct T Therapy is over one hour drive from home, so only used for TRT. Family doctor recently sought to have a relationship with someone local for annual physicals and minor acute conditions throughout the year*

During recent annual physical with aforementioned "convenience doctor" blood work indicated information found within attached photograph. This doctor is anti-TRT and has requested I see a Hematologist for RBC levels and have a liver ultrasound due to liver performance - and of course, stop TRT immediately. She indicates that it could be the TRT causing these values or liver disease/cancer, which scared me.

Phone consult with Family Pracitioner that prescribed TRT recommended to simply give blood to lower Hemoglobin levels and work on diet and exercise for liver enzyme indications and cholesterol readings, re-check in two to three months.

Sorry to be long winded, but looking for guidance from you due to your extensive knowledge and no bullshit approach to unnecessary blood work and medical test.

Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You're taking about 2x too much test. A guy your age won't need even 150mg/week. The H&H can be corrected by the blood draw. Do that. The lipids should normalize when you get the dose down. AST, ALT and CPK all are elevated with training and DOMS. If the doctor doesn't know this, do not pay for her opinion about these values.

[Clay Lacey]

Thank you, sir. Hematologist was seen today and concurred with everything your advised. Performed therapeutic phlebotomy (500ml drawn). Have another appointment to do same in 4 weeks and re-check. Thanks again for all you do.

[TinyArnold]

But.. but what about the huge GAINZ? Why was that shit prescribed in the 1st place (No Known Medical Conditions)? I wish I could get my hands on that stuff (legally).

[Clay Lacey]

The T was prescribed for all the same reasons it is prescribed for men everyday. Feeling like shit, no energy, loss of sex drive. I think the dosing is just wrong and needs to be worked out. The comment regarding no known medical conditions was intended to clarify that nothing abnormal was going on to drive the blood work numbers. As far as GAINZ, none really for me out of the ordinary, I'm just off a novice linear progression SS program hand on to the Texas Method - only squatting 335 X 5 X 5 on my volume day. That's fairly weak for my size.

[Alcon]

You're taking about 2x too much test.

Blasphemy.

[TinyArnold]

The T was prescribed for all the same reasons it is prescribed for men everyday. Feeling like shit, no energy, loss of sex drive.

That's me! Too bad it is nearly impossible to get a prescription (in Finland, unless you know who to ask).

[plugchop]

Medication: Testosterone Cypionate (200mg twice weekly)

Your doctor is a fucking bawss for prescribing this, but unless you titrated up to this over some period of time (as in a year or two) then this is way too much too fast. For a man still in his 30s (especially one with "No Known Medical Conditions"!), the starting dose would almost always be 200 mg EVERY 2 WEEKS. Very few doctors would modify that upwards until you've been on it for at least 6 months, although they would likely be quick to decrease the dose or suspend it entirely if you had some adverse effects.

So you're actually taking 4x as much as the average guy in your position would start out on.

If I were you, I would continue filling the current prescription, but cut back your injections, and stockpile the extra in your fridge for the coming global economic collapse.

[Clay Lacey]

Thanks so much for the advice. I intend to do exactly as you suggest regarding the prescription, but cut down to 150mg per week. Thanks again for taking the time to respond with helpful information. I appreciate it.