TRT experience

[Dana Rice]

Originally Posted by Arden Cogar Jr.

In hindsight, given what I know about training and nutrition NOW, I would have trained and eaten a lot differently when I was, for lack of a better term, stupid.

I'm serious. In hindsight, I ate like **it. Processed everything personified. I actually thought a double meat sub from subway was good for me and a one cheat meal everyday was okay.

And the training was something out of the old Muscle and Fitness be like "so-and-so" era. No planning other than "back and biceps", "chest, shoulders, triceps" and "legs." Deadlifts were rarely if every done. Just stupid.

I hope that makes sense?

I've made more progress, strength wise, in the past 3 years, while on HRT and following a good diet and a strict training regimen than I did in the previous 20 years combined. That includes the wonderful teenage "awesome hormonal profile" years and the brief foray into the darkside.

Granted, I looked a lot better in less clothes when I was stupid; but I was not functionally strong and was anything but fit. I consider myself pretty rugged now and I'm phenominally fit for my sport/hobby and I know I could put in a hard day's work in the hayfields or in the wood pile without issue - whereas 10 years ago, I was good for 90 minutes, tops, then I immediately needed a protein shake and a nap.

All the best,
Arden

I would give just about anything for the ability to go back in time and slap 22 year old me in the face as hard as I can.

[Bob Herald]

Charley and Cain... You are both too young to be dealing with this and I think in hindsight that Ive always had low test like you guys. I have all the same symptoms.

I'm lucky my doc is aggressive with treatment and my insurance covers it.

The hard fact is, if you have low test nothing you do is going to raise it to normal levels short of taking testosterone.

I believe we are all victims of our environment in this respect. Cavemen were surging with test, but they weren't exposed to environmental pollutants, processed food, drugs, and modern stressors.

Testosterone is being genetically leeched from our DNA. Less hard work, more stress, the feminization of men.

We are made to feel guilty to want to be men. Testosterone is demonized. Masculinity has progressively been cursed by our society. You are told you are to be sensitive, follow the rules, be a good housewife to your woman. Shave your chest and arms.. Lol

All the while we are losing the chemical our bodies need to function as they were designed. We are sick.

My grandfather was a commander in the Navy. Ruled his home with a loving, but iron fist. A father , husband , and war hero. He was surging with testosterone. Something got lost in the next two generations.

I don't think I'm wrong for wanting to be the man he was. So if it means pinning my *** every two weeks, then I've made my decision.

I don't think you guys should be struggling to feel normal and virile.

Just my view of it

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Originally Posted by Bob Herald

Charley and Cain... You are both too young to be dealing with this and I think in hindsight that Ive always had low test like you guys. I have all the same symptoms.

I'm lucky my doc is aggressive with treatment and my insurance covers it.

The hard fact is, if you have low test nothing you do is going to raise it to normal levels short of taking testosterone.

I believe we are all victims of our environment in this respect. Cavemen were surging with test, but they weren't exposed to environmental pollutants, processed food, drugs, and modern stressors.

Testosterone is being genetically leeched from our DNA. Less hard work, more stress, the feminization of men.

We are made to feel guilty to want to be men. Testosterone is demonized. Masculinity has progressively been cursed by our society. You are told you are to be sensitive, follow the rules, be a good housewife to your woman. Shave your chest and arms.. Lol

All the while we are losing the chemical our bodies need to function as they were designed. We are sick.

My grandfather was a commander in the Navy. Ruled his home with a loving, but iron fist. A father , husband , and war hero. He was surging with testosterone. Something got lost in the next two generations.

I don't think I'm wrong for wanting to be the man he was. So if it means pinning my *** every two weeks, then I've made my decision.

I don't think you guys should be struggling to feel normal and virile.

Just my view of it

I would add to this that we have become, for lack of a better term, *ussys for the most part. Seriously. We don't do physical labor. We don't have to hunt for our food. We don't have to move that much. We live in an era of instant gratification.

I was recently in the presence of a good number of my 14 year old daughters male friends. And I swear they, except for 1 or 2, were the biggest group of metrosexual pansies I've ever encountered. I truly felt sorry for my daughter. It kinda hurts her that I'm such step back on the evolutionary ladder - or does it?

For those of us who post on this site and train our proverbial backsides off, we strive to have some sense of "I can do something" in our lives. The reality is most if not all of us sit on our duffs and have come to a conclusion that we need to toughen up. Add to that all the crap we've gone through in our lives (plastics, etc., all the things mentioned by Bob) and we've got ourselves a mighty albatross to discard - but it can be done with time, effort, and persistence.

Good luck to all. Go hard and heavy.

All the best,
Arden

[Michael R. Miller]

No I think I get it you would've done it but eaten better and trained more with say a O-lifting or powerlifting style that build myofib muscle as opposed to sacroplasmic muscle.

[Charley Agen]

So you guys that had Low T and are on TRT, do you ever second guess/ regret your choice to start? Is it worth starting (looking at every angle)? Is it ever a hassle? Have you ever flown on a plane with your medication? Do you ever worry about being on it for life? How has it changed your life (specific symptoms that you know longer have and the difference you feel physically and mentally)?

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Originally Posted by Charley Agen

So you guys that had Low T and are on TRT, do you ever second guess/ regret your choice to start? Is it worth starting (looking at every angle)? Is it ever a hassle? Have you ever flown on a plane with your medication? Do you ever worry about being on it for life? How has it changed your life (specific symptoms that you know longer have and the difference you feel physically and mentally)?

I do not second guess myself. I know what I feel like both while I'm on TRT and when I'm off. From a mental standpoint, I'm much calmer and confdient while on TRT.

I do not regret the choice of starting. I feel more complete and satisfied with life.

The only hassle comes with weekly shots. There are enough places on the body to inject (shoulder, quad, hip) that you can rotate injection points to avoid scar tissue build up - it amounts to one injection point repeated every sixth week.

I have a copy of the script for the medicine and the needles if I need to do it when I travel. I also place the medications and the syringe in a container used for insulivn needles along with the scripts and place it in my checked baggage. Normally, I don't have to travel with it as my business and pleasure trips are always at or under a week.

I am not concerned about being on it for the rest of my life. I intend on taking 16 fish oil pills and joint supplements daily for the rest of my life and using supplemental protein. I also intend on doing some form of physical training every day for the rest of my life. I see the therapy as not that different. More invasive but not that much different.

Changed my life is difficult - more confident, thinner, more healthy over-all, I have a much calmer mind, and most anxiety issues I may have are all but gone.

I hope I answered your questions?

All the best,
Arden

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Originally Posted by Michael R. Miller

No I think I get it you would've done it but eaten better and trained more with say a O-lifting or powerlifting style that build myofib muscle as opposed to sacroplasmic muscle.

That's one way to look at it.

The body would have been more for "GO" than for "show." Any aesthetic (sp) or "awesomeness" that may have resulted from the training was/is purely a side effect.

All the best,
Arden

[Bob Herald]

Well said, Arden.

Charley, I just began my regimen, so I can't say too much about it.. BUT I will tell you that I am only 3 days into it and I can already see differences.

Keep in mind , my doctor gave me 400 mg of test cypionate IM. And my test before starting was on the lower end, but not below normal range.

Day one...

The only thing I felt this day was a pain in my butt from the injection. Oddly I slept in until 7 am the next morning. And woke up feeling wide awake. I usually wake up at 5 can't fall back asleep and drag my self out of bed with aches and pains.


Day two...

Noticed a slightly calmer mood today. No difference in weight training but felt more focused and energetic when i went to the gym and did Brazilian jiujitsu.
Butt hurts like crazy at injection site.

I noticed my testicles are kind of sore. Almost an achy feeling.


Didn't sleep too great because my dog decided to bark all night, woke up with decent energy none the less. No morning stiffness and aches and pains in accustomed to.


Day three.... Today


Woke up with raging morning wood. I know that's a but graphic but I haven't had anything but the rare occurrence of slight morning wood since high school.

I slept a solid 7 hours without waking up.. I feel like I spring out of bed a little more vs dragging myself out of bed.

My tescticles are slightly sore but not like yesterday. It's subsiding. So im not too worried about it.

I'm on a deload week of 5/3/1 so its actually good timing. I can focus on how I feel without worrying too much about moving heavy weight.


The jury is still out for me .. But as long as I don't get any bad side effects, the sleep quality and springing out of bed, and of coarse the morning wood, is worth it enough for me.

[Michael R. Miller]

Originally Posted by Arden Cogar Jr.

That's one way to look at it.

The body would have been more for "GO" than for "show." Any aesthetic (sp) or "awesomeness" that may have resulted from the training was/is purely a side effect.

All the best,
Arden

Yeah I guess I have that image of Ivan Stoitsov in my head, google his name and aside from vids its usually the first image of him, he was one of the Bulgarian guys busted for AAS in 2004 or 2008??? But I can't imagine most people not wanting that look and strength level.

[Charley Agen]

Bob and Arden I really appreciate the honest assessments. Its hard to get first hand insight on this topic not knowing anyone that is on TRT. Another question for you, does the injections hurt? Do you get used to giving them to yourself? Also what does it cost you per month on average? Does your insurance cover it? I have been reading that a lot don't.

Bob keeps us updated on how you are feeling day to day and your T levels if you can; it is really helpful.