Thinking About HRT, opinions please?

[SpeedoGuido]

I'm 53, have been training naturally for about 39 years on & off..... mostly on.
For the first time in many years I'm really excited about competitive bodybuilding again. (I think the excitement about this years Olympia has something to do with it.)

I think I want to try doing a Masters show in the future.
I've been having lots of trouble adding muscle.... and even more trouble keeping muscle when dieting.
My testosterone levels are 328, normal but on the low side.
I feel pretty good and seem to have lots of energy for training.

I sent in my blood work for HRT treatment today. For several reasons I haven't decided with 100% certainty that I want to commit to doing it yet. Although I already decided that in seven years at age 60 I would start HRT.

My questions are:

Does anyone regret starting HRT? It is a big commitment knowing that I'll be doing it for the rest of my life.

Has anyone started treatment then decided they wanted to stop, say a year or so later? If so what was the result?

With my testosterone levels at 328 will bumping them up to 800 - 1200 make that big of a difference? (the clinic say they would bring my range to 800 - 1200 treating me with test cypionate, HCG, and arimidex.)

If I decide to stop in 6 months or so will my levels go back around 328... or is that number history?

If anyone here is natural and thinking about HRT I'd like to hear your opinions and concerns too!

Thanks!

[DR.BB]

SpeedoGuido,
Here is my experience withe TRT that I started this year.

I have no regrets for starting TRT after maybe 8-10 years of staying off AAS. I am on 200mg/wk of t. cyp and feel great in terms of energy, libidio and even workouts. Clinics are often very pricey (can lead to regret over time), so it may be worth researching a local doc. who can prescribe and cover under insurance, although the clinics seem to be better for BBing purposes.

If you take HCG with test as mentioned, often called the Crisler protocol, you will not shut down. Others on this board allow a complete shut down of nat. T as they are on exogenous test and don't see the point. I just feel better sexually and in general with lower dose test with low dose hcg.

If you stop everything altogether, your test levels will decline, probably go lower than it is now. Many people load up on test before doc visit, go off for a while to "crash" to get a low reading on the labs.

I am sure others will offer different experiences and this board is a great pace to gather up some informed opinions.

[esplendido]

This is a very personal decision. Not because of potential sides...HRT protocols rarely produce sides. It's personal because of quality of life decisions, financial considerations, the opinion of the significant other, etc.

If your test level is low, it will continue to drop as you age. Things will not get better. If you decide to start HRT, you should never go off. Think about it...you're getting on now to feel better, for increased sexual desire and performance, and to allow you to be as physically active as if you were still in your thirties. Coming off will diminish all those attributes. HRT is not a stop-gap measure. It's a maintenance protocol necessary indefinately, especially for men over 50.

Science is discovering that low testosterone is the culprit behind heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and depression in men. Even now, the major drug companies are coming out with newer, higher dosed testosterone-based medicines for aging men.

HCG is a waste of money in my estimation because it only generates production of testosterone at the level or lower that you have pre-HRT. And even then, there is no guarantee it will do so. My doc put me on 400mg/wk cyp rather than 200mg/wk + hcg. The problem is that most family doctors are sorely uneducated in HRT for men, and are shooting in the dark when prescribing. The clinics are better informed, but usually much more expensive and insurance generally does not cover their services and scripts.

My monthly script, which is 1 10ml vial of test cyp at 200mg/ml costs me $10 a month. The same script from a clinic where insurance won't cover it is $100-$200.

Yes, test levels in the 800-1200 range will give you remarkable energy and good gains, and will definately help you hold muscle while dieting. I say go for it and don't look back!

[Tatyana]

I think more men and women need to consider HRT.

I think that it is easier for men to find the right testosterone and the right dose to feel fantastic.

[sturrific]

I'm 53, have been training naturally for about 39 years on & off..... mostly on.
For the first time in many years I'm really excited about competitive bodybuilding again. (I think the excitement about this years Olympia has something to do with it.)

I think I want to try doing a Masters show in the future.
I've been having lots of trouble adding muscle.... and even more trouble keeping muscle when dieting.
My testosterone levels are 328, normal but on the low side.
I feel pretty good and seem to have lots of energy for training.

I sent in my blood work for HRT treatment today. For several reasons I haven't decided with 100% certainty that I want to commit to doing it yet. Although I already decided that in seven years at age 60 I would start HRT.

My questions are:

Does anyone regret starting HRT? It is a big commitment knowing that I'll be doing it for the rest of my life.

Has anyone started treatment then decided they wanted to stop, say a year or so later? If so what was the result?

With my testosterone levels at 328 will bumping them up to 800 - 1200 make that big of a difference? (the clinic say they would bring my range to 800 - 1200 treating me with test cypionate, HCG, and arimidex.)

If I decide to stop in 6 months or so will my levels go back around 328... or is that number history?

If anyone here is natural and thinking about HRT I'd like to hear your opinions and concerns too!

Thanks!

If you dont want it bro, send the products my way.....

[Luv2Hurt]

This is a very personal decision. Not because of potential sides...HRT protocols rarely produce sides. It's personal because of quality of life decisions, financial considerations, the opinion of the significant other, etc.

If your test level is low, it will continue to drop as you age. Things will not get better. If you decide to start HRT, you should never go off. Think about it...you're getting on now to feel better, for increased sexual desire and performance, and to allow you to be as physically active as if you were still in your thirties. Coming off will diminish all those attributes. HRT is not a stop-gap measure. It's a maintenance protocol necessary indefinately, especially for men over 50.

Science is discovering that low testosterone is the culprit behind heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and depression in men. Even now, the major drug companies are coming out with newer, higher dosed testosterone-based medicines for aging men.

HCG is a waste of money in my estimation because it only generates production of testosterone at the level or lower that you have pre-HRT. And even then, there is no guarantee it will do so. My doc put me on 400mg/wk cyp rather than 200mg/wk + hcg. The problem is that most family doctors are sorely uneducated in HRT for men, and are shooting in the dark when prescribing. The clinics are better informed, but usually much more expensive and insurance generally does not cover their services and scripts.

My monthly script, which is 1 10ml vial of test cyp at 200mg/ml costs me $10 a month. The same script from a clinic where insurance won't cover it is $100-$200.

Yes, test levels in the 800-1200 range will give you remarkable energy and good gains, and will definately help you hold muscle while dieting. I say go for it and don't look back!

All very true. The TRT dose is the best for overall normal. healthy lifestyle, will not give the huge gains like a gram or so a week would but will have you feeling better all the way around. If your goal is big increases in muscle mass you will not be as thrilled at 200mg EW.

[SpeedoGuido]

Thanks all for the replies!

Esplendido
I was thinking about going with a clinic.... but $10 a month is definitely more appealing!
I don't have insurance though. How much does insurance actually cover?

My monthly script, which is 1 10ml vial of test cyp at 200mg/ml costs me $10 a month. The same script from a clinic where insurance won't cover it is $100-$200.

Yes, test levels in the 800-1200 range will give you remarkable energy and good gains, and will definately help you hold muscle while dieting. I say go for it and don't look back!

[esplendido]

Thanks all for the replies!

Esplendido
I was thinking about going with a clinic.... but $10 a month is definitely more appealing!
I don't have insurance though. How much does insurance actually cover?

The uninsured price is $70/vial.

[apex23]

Thanks all for the replies!

Esplendido
I was thinking about going with a clinic.... but $10 a month is definitely more appealing!
I don't have insurance though. How much does insurance actually cover?

SPleedoGuido, if that is your avatar, you have a great lean looking physique.

[zipmouth]

Thanks all for the replies!

Esplendido
I was thinking about going with a clinic.... but $10 a month is definitely more appealing!
I don't have insurance though. How much does insurance actually cover?

Do you mind telling what the clinic and testing was going to cost in your area? I have been researching clinics in my area and they are charging $1,000 to $1,500 for an initial consult and battery of tests!

So I'm stuck using the "uninformed" general practitioner for now.

[DR.BB]

You may try to haggle a bit with the clinics by having the labs in advance. The lifeextension website offers some at a reasonable price. Not all GPs are uninformed, but often operate more cautiously. My GP knows hrt well, yet leans toward careful dosing; clinics are in it to make $ and thus take risks, ones that BBs will like. Granted 200mg/wk is not suitale for serious BB competition, but if SpeedGuiodo is the pic in avatar it will offer a nice boost. I started trt w/18 inch arms at 5'9' and about 10 yrs no AAS, and they now hit close to 19' with about 10 percent bf. My argument is to start cautious and go from there. I felt low libidio, energy, etc. and feel great on 200mg/wk, but I agree that BBs need more. just my 2 cents and I am learning from these resposes also.

[SpeedoGuido]

SPleedoGuido, if that is your avatar, you have a great lean looking physique.

Yes, Thanks!

[SpeedoGuido]

Do you mind telling what the clinic and testing was going to cost in your area? I have been researching clinics in my area and they are charging $1,000 to $1,500 for an initial consult and battery of tests!

So I'm stuck using the "uninformed" general practitioner for now.

$200 - $375. It's cheaper if you get the bloodwork yourself, you can order it here:
http://www.health-tests-direct.com/

[SpeedoGuido]

OK, I did it!
My HRT treatments should arrive Monday or Tuesday. I went with the clinic.

I had more blood work done this week & my natural test level is now 243.1, down from 328 on last November's test..... yikes! I'm like a 70 year old man!!!

Funny thing is my cholesterol is now 160, it was 205 last November....
7 months ago I started eating 8 or more whole eggs per day. Before that I hadn't touched an egg yoke in 20 or more years.
So much for the cholesterol myth!

My THS (thyroid stimulating hormone) level is now 2.54 ... within normal range. In November it was 3.27 .... slight hypothyroidism.

Thanks again for the replies... I feel better already!!!

[s2h]

one thing with hrt,whatever dosage you get scripted(200mg most likely)split it into injections of 1 on 2 off.this will help w/ keeping your test at a even level.most hrt clinics dont tell you this because they arent giving advice thats best for physique enhancment.good luck!!