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.