Testosterone replacement therapy

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heartofmidlothian
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Re: Testosterone replacement therapy

Post by heartofmidlothian »

Have you tried eating certain foods, like oysters, which give you a large dose of zinc, which is essential for testosterone production. Resistance training, in particular compound exercises, can raise your testosterone as well. Worth a try rather than the bad side effects of testosterone therapy.
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jumusman
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Re: Testosterone replacement therapy

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Dr Mike wrote:One more thing. If you are contemplating treatment first go to the lab and have a PSA test, for prostatic cancer. If it is HIGH do not have testerone treatment as it fuels prostatic cancer. And beware this can be a racket, twice monthly shots (!!!!!!!!!!)
While I agree with getting the PSA test I disagree with it not affecting your libido or performance, for me it greatly heightened my libido and sexual performance but I think everyone reacts differently to treatment just like everyone needs to figure out how much they need to take, we are all different. For myself I take 120mg every 7 days and your symptoms might be different than mine.

I am not sure how it is a "racket". You can either go into the Doctors office and have a Nurse do it once a week or so, this takes all of 5 minutes. There are also other options available, for instance my Doctors office in the U.S offers other alternatives, the pellet, which are a few tic tac sized pellets which are placed under the skin. These last 3 to 4 months and the testosterone is released very slowly over a matter of months. He also had the option of the gel, this is like a Speed Stick deodarant type thing that you roll on the outside of your arm, I still decided to use the injection option because out of the 3 I find it the most reliable with the most amount of testosterone entering your body. I think when you use the gel the absorbtion rate is not as high.

I have been injecting myself recently, the Nurse at the Drs office showed me how to do it myself, to be honest I was scared of needles for some silly reason (now it seems insane) but after doing it a few times I realize how ridiculously easy it is. It saves me the $50 charge every 7 days I was being charged by the Drs Office to have the Nurse inject me. Syringes and Needles are very cheap and a 2ml bottle of Testosterone that will last me for 5 months only costs me $65 from the pharmacy.

Someone sent me a PM about doing this in Hua Hin. I apologize for not getting back to you yet. When I lived here I used to buy my testosterone from a pharmacy that is very close to Chao Lay seafood restaurant. I will have to drive by and take a photo of the place, its on the opposite side of the street. Ask them for testosterone and they will give you a book showing all the different types available. You will only want to purchase either Testosterone Cypionate or Ethanate because they release into the body allot slower than the other kinds that body builders use. Normally about 7 to 10 days.

The lab I used to test my levels was Health Lab Hua Hin on Phetchkasem. The Clinic I used to get my injections done was close to the lab and only cost me 40 baht for a shot! Very cheap of course, certainly didn't break the bank. I will drive around tomorrow and take a photo of the place, I can't remember the name of the clinic, I think it was in Thai.

http://www.healthlabclinic.com/?lang=en

That is the website link. Go in and ask to have your Testosterone and Estrogen levels taken, do it in the afternoon when its the lowest. I got mine tested a few months ago before I got back on treatment and I was at a 280 which is quite low, now I am back on therapy and doing it myself I am up around 700 +. I feel like I have more energy, my mind is not so foggy whereas before I would forget things I had to do during the day my mind works better. My body also recovers from playing sports quicker than it used to and I have a greater feeling of overall well being than I used to. As I mentioned before individual results are varied depending on what your particular symptoms are.

I am not a Doctor, and everything above is just an accumulation of my individual experiences. I recommend you first go to an Endocronologyst (not sure if thats the correct spelling) but as I mentioned in a previous post I am not sure if Hua Hin is a big enough town to have one, maybe at Bangkok Hua Hin Hospital but maybe not.

Last time I had my tests done in the U.S it was very thorough, Testosterone, Free Testosterone, DHEA, Thyriod, Vitamin E, and dozens of other tests to see what I might be deficient in. But that is the U.S and of course medical treatment is different in each country, my Doctor was extremely detailed.
"If there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism." - Albert Einstein, 1936
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jumusman
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Re: Testosterone replacement therapy

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Three wrote:Has anyone discovered a pharmacy at which to buy testosterone for injection?
Hi, as I mentioned in my last post there is a pharmacy in the tourist area just across the street from Chao Lay seafood restaurant, ask them for testosterone and they have a book with all their different selections inside.

Again I would only recommend this to someone who knows what they are doing, has visited a Doctor first and has found the right amount of medication that works for their body. This is not something you should try by yourself first. As for the comment about side effects, there isn't really any information out there right now as to side effects because nobody has come up with a conclusive study that proves negative side effects. I was previously on TRT for 6 years and I didn't notice any side effects, most side effects I read about are for bodybuilding levels of testosterone which are COMPLETELY different than taking Testosterone just for TRT. You take massive amounts of testosterone and people get "roid rage", increase their chances of prostate cancer, get pimples on their skin and a whole bunch of other side effects. So unless you are injecting 1000mg every week ( I am currently taking around 100mg, ten times less) I would not consider this an issue.
"If there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism." - Albert Einstein, 1936
Three
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Re: Testosterone replacement therapy

Post by Three »

jumusman: Yours are remarkably lucid and helpful posts. Many thanks.
jumusman wrote:Go in and ask to have your Testosterone and Estrogen levels taken, do it in the afternoon when its the lowest.
However, most professional advice seems to be to have your test done in the morning when the level is highest. That seems to make more sense as what you do during the day (exercise, for example) will affect your T level. Testing in the afternoon will be subject to more variables difficult to control.

Here's some recent scientific discussion:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/2 ... test/?_r=0

An excerpt:

“As long as the draw is done before 2 p.m.,” he said, “the value is still considered valid, except for the youngest two groups of men seen in this study.”
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jumusman
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Re: Testosterone replacement therapy

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Interesting study. Guess cause I am younger than 45 my levels still vary between morning and afternoon. I have been tested so many times throughout the years I know for myself personally my afternoon number is usually lower than my morning number.

I guess the key would be if you were thinking about testing yourself before taking Testosterone and then after, to see the difference in levels, you would try to make sure you took both tests around the same time of day.
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Re: Testosterone replacement therapy

Post by brianks »

If you exercise outside, do it in the early morning when the sun is low or not yet up and temperature more bearable. I moved my running from 7am to 6am and makes a big difference.
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Re: Testosterone replacement therapy

Post by Three »

jumusman wrote:I guess the key would be if you were thinking about testing yourself before taking Testosterone and then after, to see the difference in levels, you would try to make sure you took both tests around the same time of day.
Sorry but no.

You should have tests done in the morning for 2 reasons:

1. Fewer variables during the day (exercise, food intake, others) that will affect the outcome - even for comparing your own levels over time,

2. You are comparing not only your own levels. Most importantly you are comparing your levels with the "normal" levels as measured on many other persons - and those were overwhelmingly drawn in the morning.

Note that the point is not to try to find your lowest level during the day. That measurement is not meaningful.
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jumusman
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Re: Testosterone replacement therapy

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Three wrote:
jumusman wrote:I guess the key would be if you were thinking about testing yourself before taking Testosterone and then after, to see the difference in levels, you would try to make sure you took both tests around the same time of day.
Sorry but no.

You should have tests done in the morning for 2 reasons:

1. Fewer variables during the day (exercise, food intake, others) that will affect the outcome - even for comparing your own levels over time,

2. You are comparing not only your own levels. Most importantly you are comparing your levels with the "normal" levels as measured on many other persons - and those were overwhelmingly drawn in the morning.

Note that the point is not to try to find your lowest level during the day. That measurement is not meaningful.
I think we are missing the forest for the trees here. Who cares when its taken... if its low, it's low and it can be remedied. This is getting silly splitting hairs on this and it's not where the focus should be. There are 100's of articles on the web from Dr's explaining why they take it in the morning and others why they take it in the afternoon. It really doesn't matter that much and is more of an opinion. Again what matters is the level the patient is at and their accompanying symptoms they are experiencing.
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Three
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Re: Testosterone replacement therapy

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jumusman wrote:Who cares when its taken...
Many scientists, doctors, researchers, drug companies ... and I've already provided a link to an excellent study.

But one area in which you're correct: this HAS become silly.

Repeat: you're not looking for the lowest point in the day. And the best method is not subject to your opinion as a person who thinks they have low T. Even if you have misunderstood this for many years of TRT.

And people cannot go by symptoms! Many patients with low T do not feel any change when they have their levels brought up to normal.

Folks, just have your test(s) done in the morning. Period.

That's it ... I'm outta here.
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jumusman
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Re: Testosterone replacement therapy

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Three wrote:
jumusman wrote:Who cares when its taken...
Many scientists, doctors, researchers, drug companies ... and I've already provided a link to an excellent study.

But one area in which you're correct: this HAS become silly.

Repeat: you're not looking for the lowest point in the day. And the best method is not subject to your opinion as a person who thinks they have low T. Even if you have misunderstood this for many years of TRT.

And people cannot go by symptoms! Many patients with low T do not feel any change when they have their levels brought up to normal.

Folks, just have your test(s) done in the morning. Period.

That's it ... I'm outta here.

Thank you but I have not misunderstood anything during my years of talking TRT, I have done quite a bit of research and added as much insightful information to this forum as possible, I like to help people when I can, and in this area I have allot of expertise instead of just trolling. I know I have low T, it's not my opinion, its a medical fact. I have had it checked in the morning and afternoon and evening at many different times over the years because I wanted to know the full story and the fluctuations my body goes through throughout the day.

As for "people cannot go by symptoms" you could not be more wrong. Here in the U.S a DR cannot legally prescribe you TRT for having low testosterone levels alone. That's just a number. This has been explained to me a few times by different Endocrinologists in the past. You can be prescribed TRT for your symptoms such as low energy level, foggy thinking, reduced libido etc. The goal is simply to reduce or eliminate these symptoms by treating the hormone imbalance.

And I am glad you are "outta here" thanks for you helpful input to this serious topic that affects many men throughout their lifetime.
"If there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism." - Albert Einstein, 1936
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Re: Testosterone replacement therapy

Post by handdrummer »

natural progesterone cream is another way to increase your testosterone without endangering your prostate gland. you can purchase it through iherb, in the u.s on the internet. I'm 77 and have had good results with it. as far as testing goes the important number is that of free testosterone, that is circulating as opposed to bound testosterone. the number to strive for is that of a 25 yr. old male. that is the optimum thought not necessarily the required amount. if you opt for progesterone give it a 4 month trial. if you're not satisfied stop using it. look up bio-identical progesterone cream for men.
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Re: Testosterone replacement therapy

Post by JohnD »

Last post is about 2 years old.
Any more recent advice, with an update on how to source (doctor, clinic, and best of all which pharmacy) in Hua Hin?
My preference would be a cream or patch, with injections low on the list of options.
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