No TRT For Me! - What's Next?

Last video I mentioned that my doctor wanted me to go one more month to see if my natural Testosterone levels would bounce back at all and then the way I understood it, we would look at the possibility of me going on TRT. Well that's not how it turned out. My Testosterone levels from my most recent bloodwork show that they have dropped again by a fair bit and rather than bouncing back it looks like my Testosterone is just crashing harder now, almost 7 months after quitting TRT cold turkey back in January.

So when I had my latest doctor consultation I was expecting we were going to talk about a game plan on what kind of TRT we should consider but instead my doctor wants me to see a hormone specialist which will not be for another couple more months... That was a hard pill to swallow "yah I know" as the last month has been a real challenge and I was hoping some relief was coming soon, but that is not the case. Another two more months of this and then maybe my new specialist will put me on some sort of TRT program?

To be honest I am at my wits end and all I want it is to feel normal. I have been doing everything the right way and not trying to produce an outcome that I am looking for, but I feel enough is enough and sometimes you need to take your personal health into your own hands ( I am not condoning or recommending anything). That said, I am contemplating getting on a fast acting Testosterone for a month just to get me through to my specialist appointment but the problem is that is going to affect my bloodwork to some degree, even if I make sure to get my Testosterone levels back down to their low level before my bloodwork, I am sure a hormone specialist would be on to me looking at all the bloodwork results. I will most likely just tell my specialist what I did as they need to know what is going on to be able to figure out a plan moving forward, I do hope they will see my 6 months of being off TRT and come to a conclusion that my natural Testosterone is probably not coming back.

Well what do you think I should do? Tuff it out or do what I need to do to get my mental and physical health back?

 

Road to Recovery - 4 Months Off TRT

In this video I talk openly about what I feel like being off TRT 100% for 4 months. As many of you know I had major heart issues that I became aware of in early January 2023 resulting in my having to have open heart surgery to replace my Aortic Valve and a portion of the artery above it. This was a result of a genetic defect I was born with.

Because of this I stopped all hormone therapy 100% and at the moment I am getting blood work to check on my Testosterone levels to see where they are at after several years of being on TRT. As expected my Testosterone is not very high now being off TRT but surprisingly better than I thought it would be. I will being getting my Testosterone checked out again in a couple of weeks to see where I am at and then have a discussion with my doctor to see what may be the best course of action moving forward...

I also talk a lot in this video about how I am personally feeling and how this is effecting me now that my testosterone is very low as compared to when I was on TRT. 

 

How Can I Tell If I Should Go on TRT?

As we get older our Testosterone levels will naturally decrease over time but they can drop to low levels that can affect us negatively in many ways. It is not always easy to tell if it is for sure low Testosterone as many factors can come into play but I have made a short list of the most common symptoms to look out for. You do not need all of these symptoms to know you are low in Testosterone but if you find yourself having several of them, you may want to talk to your doctor or check out my partner links for TRT Clinics in Canada and the US.

Here is a list of signs your Testosterone may be low and TRT could be a good fit for you.

• Is your Energy Level low?
• Is your Sex Drive low?
• Morning Wood, not so much these days…
• Do you feel Less Excited About Life in general?
• Does it take a lot longer to Recover from Exercise?
• Is your Body Weight and Fat increasing even though your Diet and Activity have not changed?
• Is your Strength going down in the Gym, not making any Progress?

TRT in Canada - Where Can You Get It?

I am super happy to announce that I have partnered with a Wellness & Performance (AKA TRT - HGH - HCG) Clinic in Canada by the name of Panday Group.

I have been in communication with Panday Group and feel confident I can recommend them as a provider to Canadians seeking TRT and other age related solutions.

Who should consider Panday Group for their TRT (Wellness & Performance)?

• First of all this is a Canada based company so it is for Canadians only.
• This is for anyone that is NOT getting the help they need from their family doctor in terms of optimizing their Testosterone levels for better health and fitness.
• This is for anyone looking for a doctor prescribed solution for their low Testosterone with ongoing support and blood-work to make sure everything is where it needs to be for feeling good and staying healthy.
• This is not for the gym rat that is already hooked up with their PED’s unless they want a more regulated and health oriented solution with a prescription for travel.

How it Works in Summary. 

There are no contracts or monthly memberships, this solution is a pay as you go system with a basic one time Consulting fee followed by a $100 Prescription fee along with whatever prescriptions prescribed sent as required under each prescription made.

First fill out the Online Patient Assessment Form. 

Step 2 Blood-work Referral & Case Review with Follow-up Appointment ($100).

Step 3 Prescription Dispensing ($100 Fee).

Example:
Prescription Fee of $100 that includes 3 months worth of Testosterone Cypionate Injection 100 mg/ml 10ml per bottle taken 150mg per week. This would cost $155 per bottle with two bottles required for the three month prescription so the total would be $410 for three months so around $135 per month for a person using 150mg per week of Testosterone Cypionate. By the way shipping and all syringes are included so no nickel-and-diming here!

Pricing from my own research is on par with other TRT Clinics in Canada but feel free to look around and compare.

Top TRT Questions and Answers

Is Testosterone Safe?

In general most studies are in favor of TRT being safe and actually beneficial to your health as low Testosterone can also have a very negative effect on your health and even your longevity. Testosterone is a natural hormone we all require and so if it is deficient it only makes sense to have it restored in your body for proper hormone levels and body function.

What Risks are Associated with TRT?

Yes there can be some risks for a small group of people.

• Some people can experience a rash or itching at the injection site most likely from an allergy or reaction to the other fluids (esters) used to help absorb the Testosterone into your body, this is usually temporary and just a minor inconvenience. Trying a different type of Testosterone solution can correct this problem.
• TRT can increase the risk of heart attach and stroke but generally this is if the dose is too high and or blood prose is not monitored correctly, if your Estrogen is not in check it can lead to water retention and higher blood pressure.
• The same is true for possible sleep apnea.

Can TRT Cause Prostate Cancer?

Another risk I wanted to single out on its own is prostate cancer related to TRT. There is much debate on this but it is assumed that elevated levels of Testosterone can speed up the rate of existing prostate cancers so some doctors will actual crash a mans Testosterone as a way to slow down prostate cancer and treat it. 

Is TRT the Same as Taking Steroids?

The short answer is no, however many body builders do inject Testosterone along with other performers enhancing drugs as part of their steroid protocol. A TRT dose is generally anywhere from 80mg to as much as 200mg of testosterone per week while body builders generally start out at 500 and can go up to extreme levels of Testosterone and other steroids in combination. The main goal of TRT is to get that individual back to a normal level of Testosterone in their system while a body builders goal is to obtain super-physiological levels of Testosterone and other steroids.

How is TRT Taken?

There are several popular ways to take Testosterone.

• Injections are generally conducted weekly or bimonthly and in some cases monthly depending on the oils/ester used and how the Testosterone absorbs into your body.
• Gel tabs are also commonly used especially when a person is reluctant to have regular needle injections and possible doctor visits.
• Transdermal Testosterone or skin patches are applied typically once per day to the upper arm allowing the Testosterone to absorb into the body.
• Implants or tablets can be applied directly into the muscle or under the skin and absorb over several weeks and even months.

Do You Need an AI (Aromatase Inhibitor) When On TRT?

First you need to understand what an AI is used for and why you might need one. Testosterone in both men and women partially converts to Estrogen and estrogen is also a necessary sex hormone both men and women require for proper body function and overall health. That said too much Estrogen is not a good thing and can lead to water retention, high blood pressure, gynecomastia and mood imbalances, even sexual disfunction. Most TRT doses should not require an AI because when your Testosterone is increased you also need an increase in Estrogen to balance each other, this generally happens as it should but for some people their Estrogen can become too high or cause side effects so in this situation an AI (Aromatase Inhibitor) may be required.

Keep in mind too low of Estrogen in your body can also have a negative effect like joint pain, mood swings, tiredness, sexual disfunction and even less muscle mass so it is not good to take too much of an AI and potentially crash your Estrogen levels.

Should You Go On and Off Cycle When On TRT?

The idea of going on and off cycle is something more commonly associated with body building as body builders take very high levels of Steroids during a prep cycle or bulk cycle and to give the body a break from the extreme high levels of Steroids they take several month off to allow their bodies to rest in hopes that they will begin producing natural hormone again. This is more of a practice done in the past, most body builders today will do what’s is called “blasting and cruising” which means they take the same high levels of Steroids while getting ready for a contest and rather than coming completely off of them, they take much lower doses in hopes of keeping most of the muscle the worked hard to build during  the prep or bulk. It is now understood that most body builders will not get back to normal hormone function after years of steroid abuse. Many will have to be on TRT for the rest of their lives.

So getting back to the idea of going on and off of a TRT program, this is not a good idea unless there are other outside reasons for it since if you decide to come off of your TRT, your Testosterone levels will crash and since you needed to go on TRT in the first place because of low Testosterone, it is highly unlikely that your body will begin to naturally make adequate levels of Testosterone. So in other words you will feel like garbage after a few weeks of coming off of TRT.

Do Your Testicles Shrink and Can You Still Have Kids On TRT?

Yes your testicles will more than likely shrink unless they had already shrunk because of low Testosterone production, then you may not notice it as much. The reason for this shrinkage is because when you go on an exogenous or (outside source) of Testosterone because you are on TRT, your body will then stop making it’s own Testosterone with much of it being produced in the testicles. This results in a reduction in the size of the testicles. This lack of your own body making Testosterone and testicle shrinkage also effects sperm count drastically and can result in infertility for some.

There are drugs like HCG and even Climid that can help to bring back your bodies own natural production of Testosterone even while on TRT resulting in a more normal testicle size and higher sperm count allowing fertility to be more likely.

If you're interest in finding out if TRT may be right for you, you can checkout the Link Provided to get your blood-work done and if you do end up going on TRT you can save $45 per month with my “GFO40” discount code. This is for US residence only at this time.