Stayin on......6 months then off or continue?

[phreak]

Yeah this stuff is great but I wonder how the body reacts to it as we get older.

There's a few older guys here like primemuscle who are on trt....I'd like to hear his experiences with it.

You are right that it's an unknown. There are studies saying test is bad for your heart, and studies saying it is actually good for your heart same with prostate problems.

The one thing I do know, and agree with Bass Generator with wholeheartedly, is that it is about basic quality of life for some. Nobody but my wife sees me naked or even partially naked. I look like shit. But feeling like you are living in the wrong body is terrible. And I don't mean this from a body dysmorphia viewpoint, but more feeling like you are living in your father's or grandfather's body. Other people your age are feeling energetic and getting things done, while you have a hard time lifting yourself off of the couch to shuffle to the toilet. People ten years older decide to start running and do okay, while you dread walking to the car because of extreme fatigue. That is why I'm taking HRT. I don't want to feel 18 again, I want to feel normal for my age. So I will never stop.

[Henda]

You are right that it's an unknown. There are studies saying test is bad for your heart, and studies saying it is actually good for your heart same with prostate problems.

The one thing I do know, and agree with Bass Generator with wholeheartedly, is that it is about basic quality of life for some. Nobody but my wife sees me naked or even partially naked. I look like shit. But feeling like you are living in the wrong body is terrible. And I don't mean this from a body dysmorphia viewpoint, but more feeling like you are living in your father's or grandfather's body. Other people your age are feeling energetic and getting things done, while you have a hard time lifting yourself off of the couch to shuffle to the toilet. People ten years older decide to start running and do okay, while you dread walking to the car because of extreme fatigue. That is why I'm taking HRT. I don't want to feel 18 again, I want to feel normal for my age. So I will never stop.

You summed it up perfectly how it feels with low test. While my mates of the same age are out running, playing 5 aside football ect after work id be on the couch. Even if you did have the energy to desire to do anything over than get though the day is absolute zero.
Then theres the low mood ect.
Id rather die ten years earlier than go though life like that.

[Simple Simon]

200-250mgs test every week to ten days, I could even go every 2 weeks TBH.
I gain off that and am always in good shape.
I eat well and dont kill myself to stay in shape either.
I plan to stay on for life, my health is fine I have no health issues Im aware of, I never get colds or flu, people say I look young for my age.

Fuck it, if it goes tits up and I have a heart attack at 75 then so be it, saves me from wasting away with cancer getting kicked about in an old folks home.

[phreak]

You summed it up perfectly how it feels with low test. While my mates of the same age are out running, playing 5 aside football ect after work id be on the couch. Even if you did have the energy to desire to do anything over than get though the day is absolute zero.
Then theres the low mood ect.
Id rather die ten years earlier than go though life like that.

One thing I have to tell you from personal experience (purely n=1). Yes, HRT has done wonders for me. I will never stop. However, for me there is a disconnect between the physical and mental effects. A bit hard to explain, but here goes.

I'm 40. Without the HRT my physical self felt at least 50. Now with the HRT (a bit more than normal, 325 mg/w) my body feels like 30. Wonderful! The strange thing for me is: my body feels younger, as in it can do much more. But the mental part has not changed as much. Mentally I don't feel 30 instead of 40, I feel 38 instead of 40. Sorry if it doesn't make sense, I even find it hard to verbalize it to myself.

Perhaps a manly car analogy will help.  I am suddenly driving a Ferrari body, but my mind keeps telling me to not step on the gas, because it still thinks I'm driving an old Fiat. I rationally know it is no longer true, but my subconscious keeps being too cautious. So I'm finding I have to force myself to step on the gas pedal, which in a sense is also fatiguing.

A real-life example is simple walking. Before starting HRT a 4 hour walk was possible, but only once per week. Now I do the same walk, and my mind will be telling me the next day that I can't do it again. But that's not true, because I CAN do it again the next day. My body is telling me: "go ahead!", while my mind is telling me "be careful, you are old!". So there is always that mental block for me to overcome. Possible, but that too takes willpower. The roids don't make you go out and do things, they allow you to go out and do things. Small but important difference.


Does any of this change my views on HRT? Not at all. I still highly recommend it. But just a heads up.

[Borracho]

One thing I have to tell you from personal experience (purely n=1). Yes, HRT has done wonders for me. I will never stop. However, for me there is a disconnect between the physical and mental effects. A bit hard to explain, but here goes.

I'm 40. Without the HRT my physical self felt at least 50. Now with the HRT (a bit more than normal, 325 mg/w) my body feels like 30. Wonderful! The strange thing for me is: my body feels younger, as in it can do much more. But the mental part has not changed as much. Mentally I don't feel 30 instead of 40, I feel 38 instead of 40. Sorry if it doesn't make sense, I even find it hard to verbalize it to myself.

Perhaps a manly car analogy will help.  I am suddenly driving a Ferrari body, but my mind keeps telling me to not step on the gas, because it still thinks I'm driving an old Fiat. I rationally know it is no longer true, but my subconscious keeps being too cautious. So I'm finding I have to force myself to step on the gas pedal, which in a sense is also fatiguing.

A real-life example is simple walking. Before starting HRT a 4 hour walk was possible, but only once per week. Now I do the same walk, and my mind will be telling me the next day that I can't do it again. But that's not true, because I CAN do it again the next day. My body is telling me: "go ahead!", while my mind is telling me "be careful, you are old!". So there is always that mental block for me to overcome. Possible, but that too takes willpower. The roids don't make you go out and do things, they allow you to go out and do things. Small but important difference.


Does any of this change my views on HRT? Not at all. I still highly recommend it. But just a heads up.

Great explanation of how the mind works...

Surely, living with abnormally low testosterone has its physical side effects. However, the hrt (for life) is a big step to take and personally, I would exhaust all other means in attempts to fix whatever is wrong without medication prior to going that route.

I know you guys are smarter to think that gear will magically fix everything but its exactly how the mind works. And once the novelty of the gear wears off you could just be back to square one or square negative 100 forcing to inject yourself, taking anti androgens, cholesterol meds, etc etc 10-15 years down the line.

[phreak]

Great explanation of how the mind works...

Surely, living with abnormally low testosterone has its physical side effects. However, the hrt (for life) is a big step to take and personally, I would exhaust all other means in attempts to fix whatever is wrong without medication prior to going that route.

I know you guys are smarter to think that gear will magically fix everything but its exactly how the mind works. And once the novelty of the gear wears off you could just be back to square one or square negative 100 forcing to inject yourself, taking anti androgens, cholesterol meds, etc etc 10-15 years down the line.

Well I did give HCG solo a try before. It did do something, but not what I needed. My dick got even harder, but I was still lethargic like an old man.

I agree that it is a slippery slope, and that the mental battle is really about finding the lowest acceptable dose. I have been experimenting, and I was already debating reducing my dose further. This morning I trained in a tank top. Something that never happens, it's just that every T shirt was in the laundry. Finally I saw what I looked like in the gym -- no mirrors at home. Mind was blown! Bodyweight is hard to keep down (which freaks me out as a former hippowhale), but it seems it really is all muscle gains.

Now there are two competing temptations: either up the dose and become fucking huge (going from current 220 to 280 Lbs or so), or cut down even further and get lean(er)&mean (cut from 220 to 190). Oddly enough the latter option sounds better to me in my old age. Twenty years ago I would have tried to outmass Fux. 

My HRT dosages since I started:

0-2 months: 250 mg test/week,
3-4 months: 250 mg test/week + 200 mg mast/week,
5-6 months: 125 mg test/week + 200 mg mast/week.

Looks like I will probably be going down to 125 mg test/week + 100 mg mast/week.

[phreak]

On a side note: Seeing my low dosages, and comparing them to some of the recommendations I see here, either everyone is using fake gear or many people have no idea how to train and diet. I've seen people here come out and say "anything less than 500-600 mg of xyz/week is useless!". What gives? Just a mindset difference, or is European gear just much more reliable and dosed higher?

I really can't imagine what my results would be at a gram per week. Or the 2-6 grams I see some here use.

[jixxxer]

Im the op, so I got started, doing 500mg week; on week 3 now.......already getting the boners and way more horny! Anxieity is up a lil also; I prolly stay with this for 3 full months then drop to 250 for 3 months, then 125 for cruising? Still not sure about that part.

[Henda]

One thing I have to tell you from personal experience (purely n=1). Yes, HRT has done wonders for me. I will never stop. However, for me there is a disconnect between the physical and mental effects. A bit hard to explain, but here goes.

I'm 40. Without the HRT my physical self felt at least 50. Now with the HRT (a bit more than normal, 325 mg/w) my body feels like 30. Wonderful! The strange thing for me is: my body feels younger, as in it can do much more. But the mental part has not changed as much. Mentally I don't feel 30 instead of 40, I feel 38 instead of 40. Sorry if it doesn't make sense, I even find it hard to verbalize it to myself.

Perhaps a manly car analogy will help.  I am suddenly driving a Ferrari body, but my mind keeps telling me to not step on the gas, because it still thinks I'm driving an old Fiat. I rationally know it is no longer true, but my subconscious keeps being too cautious. So I'm finding I have to force myself to step on the gas pedal, which in a sense is also fatiguing.

A real-life example is simple walking. Before starting HRT a 4 hour walk was possible, but only once per week. Now I do the same walk, and my mind will be telling me the next day that I can't do it again. But that's not true, because I CAN do it again the next day. My body is telling me: "go ahead!", while my mind is telling me "be careful, you are old!". So there is always that mental block for me to overcome. Possible, but that too takes willpower. The roids don't make you go out and do things, they allow you to go out and do things. Small but important difference.


Does any of this change my views on HRT? Not at all. I still highly recommend it. But just a heads up.

good point, i think i was maybe over optimistic about the mental effects as i was convinced id hop back to the mindset i had at 19 or so. I do feel like i have more energy but i stil mentally cannot be bothered to do a lot of things.

On week 4 now and feel its finally getting going, feel literally buzzing with happyness, even at work which i used to hate, was on a roof taking a chimney down yesterday, the sun was out and it just felt amazing but cant explain why.
Libido up massiveley, went from having sex once a month to beating off 2 to 3 times a day, going to see ex tonite and am given the chance im going to absoutley destroy her whereas before i couldnt be bothered.
Its helping shift the fat in the stubborn areas that i couldnt shift despite practacally starving myself but with little effort its starting to dissapear.
I cant sing the praises of trt enough i feel like i have a new lease of life

[phreak]

good point, i think i was maybe over optimistic about the mental effects as i was convinced id hop back to the mindset i had at 19 or so. I do feel like i have more energy but i stil mentally cannot be bothered to do a lot of things.

On week 4 now and feel its finally getting going, feel literally buzzing with happyness, even at work which i used to hate, was on a roof taking a chimney down yesterday, the sun was out and it just felt amazing but cant explain why.
Libido up massiveley, went from having sex once a month to beating off 2 to 3 times a day, going to see ex tonite and am given the chance im going to absoutley destroy her whereas before i couldnt be bothered.
Its helping shift the fat in the stubborn areas that i couldnt shift despite practacally starving myself but with little effort its starting to dissapear.
I cant sing the praises of trt enough i feel like i have a new lease of life

Good for you man. Enjoy the ride, I know I am. 

[Henda]

Good for you man. Enjoy the ride, I know I am. 

thanks mate, best decision i made starting trt i wish i started years aho.