# Possibly starting TRT soon



## Elivo (Apr 17, 2018)

Had a MD check up last week and had him do a TSH, test and metabolic along with a cholesterol check. Got the results yesterday, everything was great except for the total test levels.  Think they said it was around 230, i go back tomorrow for more blood work to get a better picture of my test levels.

Ive been reading up some on this subject, curious as to what dose i would be looking to start out on? I know it will be up the the doc, but wanted to get an idea as to what other people have experienced.


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## DocDePanda187123 (Apr 17, 2018)

What time did you give the bloods? Post up the full lab work and get LH/FSH, E2 and maybe prolactin checked also. 75-100mg would be a good starting dose. It’s better titrating up than down regarding drugs so it could take a little trial and error as well as time to get it fully dialed in.


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## snake (Apr 17, 2018)

What Doc said.

 Years back S.O.P. was 200 mg/wk Test Cyp and adjust down as needed. Now that TRT is getting shunned among the GP's, we are seeing more starts at 100 mg/wk and work up. Six of one, a half dozen of the other. In the end, you want to feel better and perform at a higher level. If you need or the Dr. needs that quantify in the form of a number, 600 ng/dl for a trough, but that's my opinion.


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## Elivo (Apr 17, 2018)

DocDePanda187123 said:


> What time did you give the bloods? Post up the full lab work and get LH/FSH, E2 and maybe prolactin checked also. 75-100mg would be a good starting dose. It’s better titrating up than down regarding drugs so it could take a little trial and error as well as time to get it fully dialed in.



Blood  was drawn at 8 something am, only test level drawn was a total, i go back tomorrow at 830 am for the rest of the work up.


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## HollyWoodCole (Apr 17, 2018)

Mine started at 100mg every two weeks and that was bs.  Is this just your GP?


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## Elivo (Apr 17, 2018)

Yes, family doc is who im dealing with, if he tries some bs treatment ill just get a copy of the labs and make an appt with a urologist who probably knows a bit more on the subject.  But ill give this guy a go first and see what he is going to want to do.


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## mistah187 (Apr 17, 2018)

Amazed you habe a doc that would even give u the test. Mine won't even discuss the situation. Started asking me questions about depression symptoms.


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## Elivo (Apr 18, 2018)

he hasnt given me anything yet, only said he would discuss TRT with me after the further blood work was done. but at least hes willing to do that much, if needed there are a quite a few options in my area that i can turn to for TRT now that i know that my level is low. And ill have the labs to take to them so i wont have to start all over.


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## Ironwood (Apr 18, 2018)

Elivo said:


> he hasnt given me anything yet, only said he would discuss TRT with me after the further blood work was done. but at least hes willing to do that much, if needed there are a quite a few options in my area that i can turn to for TRT now that i know that my level is low. And ill have the labs to take to them so i wont have to start all over.



How are you feeling?  That’s what’s important.  My doc started me at 120 mg per week...cuz “I’m a big fella”.  I’m at 160 now and that seems to be working well.  Good luck.


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## Elivo (Apr 18, 2018)

Eh, ive been told by the wife and some close friends that i seem moody and grumpy...now ive never been the most chipper person youre going to meet but enough of them have told me the same thing that they may have a point. Physically i feel good, dont think im very run down, not getting tired much during the day. Drive has been a little off but nothing that really made me think.  The big thing ive noticed is that im having trouble getting rid of the extra weight since ive been back in the gym,  I had a hell of a drop in total weight over a 5-6 month time frame, but since then nothing.  Scale has remained static and over all  appearance doesnt seem to have changed as much as i figure it should have with as much time im putting in at the gym and the lower/better food ive been eating.


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## Jin (Apr 18, 2018)

I was a miserable, irritable, angry prick when I was hypo. Trt saved my life and my family (from me).

Zero sex drive. No pussy in the world could have got me horny.


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## dk8594 (Apr 18, 2018)

Whatever dose you start at, they'll be a "dialing in " period where you'll get frequent blood work done and adjust the dose as necessary.  It's hard to find the sweet spot coming out of the gate.


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## Elivo (Apr 18, 2018)

Im just hoping he doesn't try some stupid every other week crap or something like that. Not sure how informed he is on this subject but we will see, had my follow up blood work drawn this morning so now i wait.


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## DocDePanda187123 (Apr 19, 2018)

Elivo said:


> Im just hoping he doesn't try some stupid every other week crap or something like that. Not sure how informed he is on this subject but we will see, had my follow up blood work drawn this morning so now i wait.



If he does that you could send him the information regarding the half life and studies showing hypogonadal trough levels 2wks post injection. If he’s open-minded he will listen and adjust accordingly.


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## bplebo75 (Apr 21, 2018)

Elivo said:


> Yes, family doc is who im dealing with, if he tries some bs treatment ill just get a copy of the labs and make an appt with a urologist who probably knows a bit more on the subject.  But ill give this guy a go first and see what he is going to want to do.


Try a encrendoligst too..thts wht I did my family doc tried just didn't know enough


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## bplebo75 (Apr 21, 2018)

bplebo75 said:


> Try a encrendoligst too..thts wht I did my family doc tried just didn't know enough


My endo got me right after about a year of doing blood work every 2 to 3 months


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## bplebo75 (Apr 21, 2018)

bplebo75 said:


> My endo got me right after about a year of doing blood work every 2 to 3 months


Get ur thyroid lvls checked first


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## Elivo (Apr 21, 2018)

bplebo75 said:


> Get ur thyroid lvls checked first




They checked that already, thyroid is fine. The ONLY thing that was off was the total test level.  That was with a full metabolic, cholesterol, thyroid and total test done. Still waiting on the follow up results i had taken Wed for a full test work up.   Probably wont hear back from them till monday at the earliest on that stuff. Till then ill wait and keep busting my ass in the gym.


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## bplebo75 (Apr 21, 2018)

Elivo said:


> They checked that already, thyroid is fine. The ONLY thing that was off was the total test level.  That was with a full metabolic, cholesterol, thyroid and total test done. Still waiting on the follow up results i had taken Wed for a full test work up.   Probably wont hear back from them till monday at the earliest on that stuff. Till then ill wait and keep busting my ass in the gym.


Let him prescribe injections no gel and no pellets..Good Luck


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## Elivo (Apr 24, 2018)

bplebo75 said:


> Let him prescribe injections no gel and no pellets..Good Luck



I already had planned to turn down anything other than injections. Hoping to hear from them today, I work in healthcare so i know how long it takes for lab results to come back, thats why it kills me when a doctors office takes a week to contact someone, cause most of the stuff takes a matter of hours, a day at the most depending on what test is being run.


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## Elivo (Apr 25, 2018)

Well the doc sent me a message, apparently the follow up was just a repeat total test level that was still low. He mentioned doing the gel stuff for treatment. He seemed more interested in telling me about the risks of trt and that i should concentrate on diet and exerciser more. Like i havnt been doing that .  I was able to find a clinic near me that offers injections so i may make an appt to see them if my doc isnt willing to prescribe the shots.


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## dk8594 (Apr 25, 2018)

Elivo said:


> Well the doc sent me a message, apparently the follow up was just a repeat total test level that was still low. He mentioned doing the gel stuff for treatment. He seemed more interested in telling me about the risks of trt and that i should concentrate on diet and exerciser more. Like i havnt been doing that .  I was able to find a clinic near me that offers injections so i may make an appt to see them if my doc isnt willing to prescribe the shots.



Appreciate the update. Good luck with the clinic!


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## Jin (Apr 26, 2018)

I did everything that supposedly raises test naturally and nothing works if you are hypogonadal IMO. Only replacement therapy. Maybe for people with below average levels it may work. but not when there is something pathological causing hypogonadism. 

Gels are more expensive, less effective, less precise and can be transmitted to family members through skin contact. Just say no.


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## MrRippedZilla (Apr 26, 2018)

Elivo said:


> The big thing ive noticed is that im having trouble getting rid of the extra weight since ive been back in the gym,  I had a hell of a drop in total weight over a 5-6 month time frame, but since then nothing.  Scale has remained static and over all  appearance doesnt seem to have changed as much as i figure it should have with as much time im putting in at the gym and the lower/better food ive been eating.


This may very well be the cause of your problems. 

I'd recommend eating at maintenance for a few weeks before your next blood test. Get off the dieting mentality for the time being. Once you're past a certain threshold, drastic drops in T levels due to dieting are fairly common and no, you don't need to be ripped for it to become an issue.


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## Elivo (Apr 26, 2018)

MrRippedZilla said:


> This may very well be the cause of your problems.
> 
> I'd recommend eating at maintenance for a few weeks before your next blood test. Get off the dieting mentality for the time being. Once you're past a certain threshold, drastic drops in T levels due to dieting are fairly common and no, you don't need to be ripped for it to become an issue.



Dieting isnt exactly what id call it, been eating clean and healthy for the most part. Gym 5 days a week, 4 lifting  and at least 3 days of some sort of hiit cardio or conditioning. Im eating somewhat less than before and the stuff i do eat is just better, lots of chicken, fish and veggies. But im not like starving myself.   The repeat total test he did still shows it low. That was in the morning and fasted. 
After reading up on it a little bit i think i have some of the other symptoms that go along with it too, such as mood and "hardness" i always just attributed it to me getting older.  Ill see if the doc may be willing to go the rout of injections, although just from the tone of his message i dont think thats happening, and then ill check out the clinic who i talked to today.


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## MrRippedZilla (Apr 26, 2018)

Elivo said:


> Dieting isnt exactly what id call it, been eating clean and healthy for the most part. Gym 5 days a week, 4 lifting  and at least 3 days of some sort of hiit cardio or conditioning. Im eating somewhat less than before and the stuff i do eat is just better, lots of chicken, fish and veggies. But im not like starving myself.   The repeat total test he did still shows it low. That was in the morning and fasted.
> After reading up on it a little bit i think i have some of the other symptoms that go along with it too, such as mood and "hardness" i always just attributed it to me getting older.  Ill see if the doc may be willing to go the rout of injections, although just from the tone of his message i dont think thats happening, and then ill check out the clinic who i talked to today.


"I had a hell of a drop in total weight over a 5-6 month time frame" = dieting. If you're eating less than what is required to maintain your weight then you are dieting. Doesn't matter if it's a little less or a lot less. Also doesn't matter if it's clean & healthy (a healthy deficit is bullshit personified in most cases but I digress). 

It is of course up to you to decide on the right course of action. I personally was very thorough in trying to get an accurate diagnosis of my condition before settling for TRT and a lifelong marriage to the needle. It is something to be carefully deliberated over. Don't be one of those guys who thinks testosterone = awesome and then is desperate to get off in a few years time and restore their natural function. Just my opinion.


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## Elivo (Apr 27, 2018)

MrRippedZilla said:


> "I had a hell of a drop in total weight over a 5-6 month time frame" = dieting. If you're eating less than what is required to maintain your weight then you are dieting. Doesn't matter if it's a little less or a lot less. Also doesn't matter if it's clean & healthy (a healthy deficit is bullshit personified in most cases but I digress).
> 
> It is of course up to you to decide on the right course of action. I personally was very thorough in trying to get an accurate diagnosis of my condition before settling for TRT and a lifelong marriage to the needle. It is something to be carefully deliberated over. Don't be one of those guys who thinks testosterone = awesome and then is desperate to get off in a few years time and restore their natural function. Just my opinion.



No i am not of the opinion that test = awesome, but if its something that can help with multiple aspects of quality of life, i have to give it serious consideration.  On another note i head back from the doc and he is willing to go with injections but he wants to do them every other week and wants me to do it via an office visit everytime.  Not only would that be a pain in the ass but also would need to pay for an office visit every other week.  Im going to look around, there is that clinic i found and i may reach out to an endo doc in the area and talk to them as well. Ill keep you posted.


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## Elivo (May 1, 2018)

so my family doctor that ran my blood work wants to start me on 100mg test every 2 weeks. Have to go into the office for the injections also.  I sent him a message letting him know that i did not like the sounds of the plan he was wanting to start and that i would have to think it over.

I called a mens clinic near me that has decent pricing but the first available appt is not till the beginning of july!!   There is another one that i plan to contact tomorrow to see how they may be, if anything i may go with a different one just to get started and then switch to the one with the better prices when the time comes.

Never thought this would be so much work lol


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## dk8594 (May 1, 2018)

Elivo said:


> so my family doctor that ran my blood work wants to start me on 100mg test every 2 weeks. Have to go into the office for the injections also.  I sent him a message letting him know that i did not like the sounds of the plan he was wanting to start and that i would have to think it over.
> 
> I called a mens clinic near me that has decent pricing but the first available appt is not till the beginning of july!!   There is another one that i plan to contact tomorrow to see how they may be, if anything i may go with a different one just to get started and then switch to the one with the better prices when the time comes.
> 
> Never thought this would be so much work lol



No doubt. It’s a pain in the a$$.  Once you get dialed in though, it’s going to feel like a small price to pay.


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## Elivo (May 1, 2018)

So, i talked to a friend of mine that i used to work with in the hospital, hes a practitioner in a doctors office now, i was telling him about the issues i have been having with my family doc and with trying to find a decent clinic, i go see him tomorrow with the labs ive already had done and he is willing to get me started on TRT, and willing to let me do the injections at home on my own, he even thought it was stupid that my doc wanted me to come into the office everytime for a injection.


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## Elivo (May 4, 2018)

So i had my first dose of 100mg Test c Wednesday, im assuming its just a placebo effect, but i went to the gym after i took it, Wed is an all conditioning day with arc trainer and KB swings. No lifting. I did 25 mins on the trainer and i felt like i could go another 30 with no problems, same with the swings, did 100 but felt like i could pump out more easy.


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## dk8594 (May 4, 2018)

If you think the placebo feels good, wait til it kicks in! It’s life changing and you’ll won’t be able to remember how you lived without it.


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## Elivo (May 4, 2018)

Thats what i keep thinking, and i have an extra vial of test c just sitting around, so tempting to just up the dose myself per week, but im going to hold out and see how the ride is with the 100/week for a bit. Sooo tempting though but i dont want to screw things up before they even get started lol.


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## dk8594 (May 4, 2018)

Elivo said:


> Thats what i keep thinking, and i have an extra vial of test c just sitting around, so tempting to just up the dose myself per week, but im going to hold out and see how the ride is with the 100/week for a bit. Sooo tempting though but i dont want to screw things up before they even get started lol.



You are doing it the right way. I know it’s tempting, but enjoy the ride. You are 2 yards into an ultra marathon.  Get dialed in before you play around. You will learn a lot about how your body reacts in these next few months.


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## Elivo (May 27, 2018)

So week 4 of TRT at 100mg test c/ week.  I have noticed libido has gone up, but not really much else. no sides of any kind so thats good. Not really sure what to be expecting honestly.  Still have till december till my follow up with my pcp who started me on the treatment so long way to go still.


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## Rhino99 (May 27, 2018)

Plenty of ups and downs along the way.
Even when you get dialed in it can go away.
For me it's been a roller coaster. Took a year and half but I'm finally dialed in. I'm a more complicated case though as I also have diabetes, sleep apnea and hypothyroidism, which was the most difficult.
Good luck


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## jennerrator (May 27, 2018)

Elivo said:


> So week 4 of TRT at 100mg test c/ week.  I have noticed libido has gone up, but not really much else. no sides of any kind so thats good. Not really sure what to be expecting honestly.  Still have till december till my follow up with my pcp who started me on the treatment so long way to go still.



With TRT you’re not supposed to expect anything unbelievable lol

You will eventually notice positivity and a damn good mood 24/7 unless you have a messed up life on a regular basis LOL


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## dk8594 (May 27, 2018)

Elivo said:


> So week 4 of TRT at 100mg test c/ week.  I have noticed libido has gone up, but not really much else. no sides of any kind so thats good. Not really sure what to be expecting honestly.  Still have till december till my follow up with my pcp who started me on the treatment so long way to go still.



What is your schedule for doing blood work? Seems like your dr is letting you go a long time without checking in.  If it was me, I would be doing bloods every two months as I got dialed in.


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## Elivo (May 28, 2018)

jennerrator50 said:


> With TRT you’re not supposed to expect anything unbelievable lol
> 
> You will eventually notice positivity and a damn good mood 24/7 unless you have a messed up life on a regular basis LOL



No, i wasnt expecting anything unbelievable with TRT. 

As far as blood work, im assuming that since the follow up was made for 6 months out from the start that the blood work will be then. There wasnt any mention of doing any blood work prior to that.  It seems like a long time from what ive read.


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## Jin (May 28, 2018)

Elivo said:


> No, i wasnt expecting anything unbelievable with TRT.
> 
> As far as blood work, im assuming that since the follow up was made for 6 months out from the start that the blood work will be then. There wasnt any mention of doing any blood work prior to that.  It seems like a long time from what ive read.



You started trt based on a number. Not a list of nasty symptoms. Trt changed my life dramatically for the better because me being hypogonadal was detrimental to my physical, mental and sexual health. 

My test numbers were higher than yours. Symptoms >total test. When considering trt. IMO. 

6 months is way too long. Talk to your doc about getting blood work every two months until you're dialed in.


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## Elivo (May 28, 2018)

Jin said:


> You started trt based on a number. Not a list of nasty symptoms. Trt changed my life dramatically for the better because me being hypogonadal was detrimental to my physical, mental and sexual health.
> 
> My test numbers were higher than yours. Symptoms >total test. When considering trt. IMO.
> 
> 6 months is way too long. Talk to your doc about getting blood work every two months until you're dialed in.



After i left the office the day he prescribed it i was just so thrilled that i got someone that was at least starting off on a decent dose i didnt even think of the schedule of blood work!!  But i agree with everything ive read, 6 months seems like a really long time to go without seeing how things are doing with this dose. Id hate to go 6 months just to find out that i needed a higher or lower dose of the stuff.  Ill have to give him a call this week and see if we can get some stuff checked in a month.


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## Elivo (Jun 3, 2018)

Ok, so actually did research TRT before i started it, i dont recall seeing anything dealing with what im going to ask,  ive seen everyone talk about how it can help improve mood, but are there any chances that it can cause symptoms of depression as well??

Im on week 5 of it, been doing 100mg/week, just been doing one shot per week since it would be a pain in the ass to pull up 50mg and do it twice a week.

I have felt totally fine leading up to this week, but this week for some reason i have felt just horrible.  I dont normally have any issues what so ever with depression or anxiety or anything at all along those lines.  I mean sure  i have the crap day every now and then like everyone else, but nothing like what i have experienced this week.


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## Jin (Jun 3, 2018)

We can only speculate. Maybe you're having an off week. It happens. 

Get bloodwork done.


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## jennerrator (Jun 3, 2018)

Yea, I’m assuming it can just be “your body and mind “ not that you’re doing the test but how it obviously affects us differently who knows. The only thing I get is that the amount we are taking can and does (trust me lol) cause a little more than happiness lol


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## Elivo (Jun 4, 2018)

Eh, today was much better, im of the opinion that this was maybe just a shittier week than i realized. Feel great today. Ill make sure to pay attention though and get in to get some blood work done


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## dk8594 (Jun 4, 2018)

Elivo said:


> Ok, so actually did research TRT before i started it, i dont recall seeing anything dealing with what im going to ask,  ive seen everyone talk about how it can help improve mood, but are there any chances that it can cause symptoms of depression as well??
> 
> Im on week 5 of it, been doing 100mg/week, just been doing one shot per week since it would be a pain in the ass to pull up 50mg and do it twice a week.
> 
> I have felt totally fine leading up to this week, but this week for some reason i have felt just horrible.  I dont normally have any issues what so ever with depression or anxiety or anything at all along those lines.  I mean sure  i have the crap day every now and then like everyone else, but nothing like what i have experienced this week.



Could just be you're having an off week.

I've also noticed that the euphoric feeling levels off once your test stabilizes.  Once my T stabilizes,  I still feel good, but the initial "holy sh*t!!! I feel phenomenal!! " feeling subsides.  You may just be getting past the euphoric point.


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## Jin (Jun 4, 2018)

Jin said:


> We can only speculate. Maybe you're having an off week. It happens.
> 
> Get bloodwork done.





dk8594 said:


> Could just be you're having an off week.



Mediocre minds think alike. And two that agree = one great mind.

(one of the mediocre minds reads the posts above his, however).


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## Elivo (Jun 4, 2018)

Jin said:


> Mediocre minds think alike. And two that agree = one great mind.
> 
> (one of the mediocre minds reads the posts above his, however).



^^ This was funny!!

And still feeling good today, as big of a pain in the ass that it may be to draw up 50mg, i may give going to 2 shots a week a try, any negative effects to changing to that after doing 1 a week for 5 weeks?


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## Jin (Jun 4, 2018)

Elivo said:


> ^^ This was funny!!
> 
> And still feeling good today, as big of a pain in the ass that it may be to draw up 50mg, i may give going to 2 shots a week a try, any negative effects to changing to that after doing 1 a week for 5 weeks?


 Everybody is different and for some guys 2x/wk makes a difference in how they feel. Try it and see. In this game you must experiment/adjust.


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## Elivo (Jun 5, 2018)

Jin said:


> Everybody is different and for some guys 2x/wk makes a difference in how they feel. Try it and see. In this game you must experiment/adjust.



Thanks Jin, im going to try the 2x/week starting this week. Hit myself with 50 today and will use thursday as the second day. I was concerned about changing from 1 time a week to twice, glad to see its not a bad idea and may help!


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