I wish it was that easy for everybody. You did the right thing by following up with a second opinion. Lots of people don't.
Dear Coach Rip,
Let me start by thanking you for that interview with Jay Campbell regarding TRT. It was a game changer for me.
I am 51, 5' 8" and 188 lbs. Based on symptoms I had been having, such as stagnation in my training, low energy levels and sex drive, shitty sleep and being overly emotional, I had been wondering for a couple of years if my test level was declining. I asked my GP to check it several times over the last few years, but I always received the typical "you're lifting weights, its fine" response. After watching your podcast, I had a conversation with my cousin who is an MD, and was surprised to hear that he has been on TRT for about two years. He echoed all of the benefits that you and Mr. Campbell discussed and referred me to his doctor. After a phone interview with this physician, who is also 51 and has been on TRT for 10 years himself, I had blood work done that revealed a total T level of 383 and a free T level of 47. He said that while my numbers were considered to be in the low average range, my age, symptoms and the fact that my numbers would likely continue to decline qualified me for treatment. Well, this morning he showed me his sub q injection technique and sent me on my way with 100mg of test cipianate in my right love handle. I will pick up my prescription at the pharm today, and begin injecting myself next Monday. I will continue with weekly injections for 6 weeks, until my follow up appointment and labs, after which I can alter my injection schedule to twice a week, every other day, or daily. I was quite surprised at how affordable the treatment is! The cost is about $42 for a 3 month supply.
No insurance is involved, which is fine by me. I have high hopes that this therapy will once again allow me to progress in my training and provide me with the other benefits that you and so many other guys who's opinions I trust, have spoken about. Thank you, Coach.
Will Still
I wish it was that easy for everybody. You did the right thing by following up with a second opinion. Lots of people don't.
Congrats! You should do glut IM instead of love handle subcutaneous.
Why is the glute IM better than sub-q?
My advice seems to be a bit outdated, so disregard. I was under the impression that sub cu had a higher chance to cause hemocrit problems and the slower release of test was suboptimal and less reliable.
It would seem that the current research shows a similar result from both methods with test cyp.
I’m definitely a novice when it comes to this stuff and it’s interesting to see that both of these methods work fine.
Hi Guys,
Thanks for your replies. While I'm no expert, from what I've read and heard, SubQ injection allows for greater overall absorption than IM, and since its punched right into the fat, there is less tissue damage than using your quad or glut musculature as a pin cushion over time. The shorter needle plunged into my love handle was quick and painless. Even as a puss who dislikes needles, I can see myself abiding to a twice weekly schedule once I'm into the program proper (after my 6 week lab eval).
As an aside, I've been stalled on the dead lift in the mid three hundreds for longer than I'd like to remember, even with the help of Coaches Wolf, Santana and Baker and gaining 45 lbs. I am looking forward to seeing if this therapy can help pull my pull up from the basement as well. Thank you for your input.
Will
It should unlock your potential for slow, steady progress, but I wouldn’t expect skyrocketing PRs.
My levels were lower than yours (305) at the age of 33 and it definitely helped me overcome the wall I was hitting and made training a lot more rewarding and enjoyable. The most noticeable difference was my mood and energy levels throughout the day. I stopped taking my SSRI after a couple weeks on T and I don’t plan on ever going back on that shit.
My lifts have gone up 10+% since starting (and my body weight has gone up about 8% as well) not quite six months ago, but like the others note, the most significant benefits have been to energy, mood, and sleep. Those were the reasons I went on TRT. That said, I will take the gains in PRs that came with it!