Re: Update - There is hope if you're persistent

December 28, 2010

Congratulations Joe! I'm in the exact same boat, being diagnosed over 3 years

ago and never finding the " right " doctor. Depression was taking over my life. I

finally found a doc that actually listens and is willing to let me dose when/how

much I want based on how I feel. With the help of Phil and everyone else one

this group, I'm finally making progress. I feel energetic, my libido is back and

I have woke up with wood for the past 3 mornings. I also get wood for no reason

in the middle of the night and randomly throughout the day. This hasn't happened

to me in 15+ years.

I am on the following schedule: 100mg T injection-1x/week, 250IU HCG

injection-2x/week, .25mg Anastrozole-2x/week. It will be a couple of months

until my next test, so I don't know where my levels are at right now. Wherever

they are, I'm very happy with them. Even though I feel fantastic, I'm doubtful

my levels are ideal, so things may get even better!

Jeff

December 28, 2010

Thank you Joe for the update Dr. O and Hardasnails are get one can't do better

by seeing them. Your story gives the rest of us hope.

By the way on them Stating Drugs this sides croppled me I can't walk or stand

with out using a walker. So my poor A** is one of the few people that got hurt

from then drugs.

I am not saying this can happen to you but if you start to get sore muscles tell

Dr. O and Hard and get on some Ubiquinol Capliques Featuring Kaneka's Qh 50 to

100 mgs/ day I buy mine from mercola.com.

Taking crestor for cholesterol will lower your CoQ10 levels and in time can

cause muscle damage.

http://products.mercola.com/coq10-ubiquinol/?source=nl

Co-Moderator

Phil

> From: noonanjg <jgnoonan@...>

> Subject: Update - There is hope if you're persistent

>

> Date: Tuesday, December 28, 2010, 10:04 AM

> I haven't posted in awhile and just

> wanted to give everyone an update. I have been

> struggling for over 4 years with low T and I can FINALLY

> report that I am back to normal. I know some on this

> board have struggled a lot longer than that. In any

> case, I am now on a regimen that works very well for

> me. When I first started the T injections, I was

> getting a MONSTER shot of 200mg a week. I am also one

> of those folks whose blood thickens with T and I even had a

> very tiny stroke because of it. There seems to be no

> permanent damage, so no harm, no foul. I went to Dr.

> Overbeck and , and they started me on hCG because my

> endo would not do it. This was really the turning

> point. I went on the twice a week shot regimen with

> 250IU of hCG and 100mg of T. My hematocrit and

> hemoglobin were still too high, so we knocked it down to

> 80mg of T a week in 2 shots. I was developing insulin

> intolerance and had put on almost 60 pounds. In

> August, my wife and I started Nutrisystems D. I was

> also being treated with Synthroid for hypothyroidism (100

> mcg). Nutrisystems is a low glycemic diet and after

> struggling to lose anything the first two weeks the weight

> started to come off. I am now down 53 pounds to 177

> and feel fantastic. I am down to only 40mg of T a week

> (2 shots of 20) and the hCG. I take .5mg of Arimidex

> every other day and my ED issues have completely vanished

> and my estradiol level is 15. My T levels are in the

> high 600 range and I guess for me that is best because I

> feel like I did before this started. I am running on a

> treadmill every other day for 40 minutes at a 7 min mile

> pace (not bad for someone who is almost 50). I have a

> ton of energy and feel just great. I also take benicar

> for high blood pressure and that has been reduced. I

> take crestor for cholesterol and for the first time in YEARS

> my HDL is in range and my total cholesterol is only

> 97. My CBC is perfect. All my blood work is

> perfect.

>

> The bottom line is that you really have to be persistent

> with doctors and educate yourself. As Phil and others

> have said many times, most doctors don't know anything about

> treating low T other than what the drug companies tell

> them. The other thing is that we are not all built the

> same. While the standard treatment Dr. advocates

> is 100mg of T a week, that was way too much for me, combined

> with the hCG. Some have problems with estradiol being below

> 20 whereas I do not. I have been on the regimen since

> August and have had no issues with ED. Additionally,

> as you lose weight, you need to have your meds

> adjusted. I am taking a lower amount of Synthroid

> because of the weight loss.

>

> Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!

>

> Regards,

>

> Joe

>

> ------------------------------------

>

December 28, 2010

Phil: Thanks for the tip on the CoQ10. I had forgotten about that with the

statins. I followed your link and ordered a 90 day supply.

Regards,

Joe

>

> > From: noonanjg <jgnoonan@...>

> > Subject: Update - There is hope if you're persistent

> >

> > Date: Tuesday, December 28, 2010, 10:04 AM

> > I haven't posted in awhile and just

> > wanted to give everyone an update. I have been

> > struggling for over 4 years with low T and I can FINALLY

> > report that I am back to normal. I know some on this

> > board have struggled a lot longer than that. In any

> > case, I am now on a regimen that works very well for

> > me. When I first started the T injections, I was

> > getting a MONSTER shot of 200mg a week. I am also one

> > of those folks whose blood thickens with T and I even had a

> > very tiny stroke because of it. There seems to be no

> > permanent damage, so no harm, no foul. I went to Dr.

> > Overbeck and , and they started me on hCG because my

> > endo would not do it. This was really the turning

> > point. I went on the twice a week shot regimen with

> > 250IU of hCG and 100mg of T. My hematocrit and

> > hemoglobin were still too high, so we knocked it down to

> > 80mg of T a week in 2 shots. I was developing insulin

> > intolerance and had put on almost 60 pounds. In

> > August, my wife and I started Nutrisystems D. I was

> > also being treated with Synthroid for hypothyroidism (100

> > mcg). Nutrisystems is a low glycemic diet and after

> > struggling to lose anything the first two weeks the weight

> > started to come off. I am now down 53 pounds to 177

> > and feel fantastic. I am down to only 40mg of T a week

> > (2 shots of 20) and the hCG. I take .5mg of Arimidex

> > every other day and my ED issues have completely vanished

> > and my estradiol level is 15. My T levels are in the

> > high 600 range and I guess for me that is best because I

> > feel like I did before this started. I am running on a

> > treadmill every other day for 40 minutes at a 7 min mile

> > pace (not bad for someone who is almost 50). I have a

> > ton of energy and feel just great. I also take benicar

> > for high blood pressure and that has been reduced. I

> > take crestor for cholesterol and for the first time in YEARS

> > my HDL is in range and my total cholesterol is only

> > 97. My CBC is perfect. All my blood work is

> > perfect.

> >

> > The bottom line is that you really have to be persistent

> > with doctors and educate yourself. As Phil and others

> > have said many times, most doctors don't know anything about

> > treating low T other than what the drug companies tell

> > them. The other thing is that we are not all built the

> > same. While the standard treatment Dr. advocates

> > is 100mg of T a week, that was way too much for me, combined

> > with the hCG. Some have problems with estradiol being below

> > 20 whereas I do not. I have been on the regimen since

> > August and have had no issues with ED. Additionally,

> > as you lose weight, you need to have your meds

> > adjusted. I am taking a lower amount of Synthroid

> > because of the weight loss.

> >

> > Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!

> >

> > Regards,

> >

> > Joe

> >

> > ------------------------------------

> >

December 28, 2010

Jeff: Great to hear that you're feeling better! I was thrilled that they

finally came out with generic Anastozole! My insurance company finally started

paying for it! I am on .5mg every other day and I am experiencing the same as

you. Every morning solid wood and sometimes I wake up in the night with it as

well. Once my body got into a rhythm with everything, I haven't had a night or

morning where I haven't had wood since August. It's great to be feeling like my

old self again!

Joe

>

> Congratulations Joe! I'm in the exact same boat, being diagnosed over 3 years

ago and never finding the " right " doctor. Depression was taking over my life. I

finally found a doc that actually listens and is willing to let me dose when/how

much I want based on how I feel. With the help of Phil and everyone else one

this group, I'm finally making progress. I feel energetic, my libido is back and

I have woke up with wood for the past 3 mornings. I also get wood for no reason

in the middle of the night and randomly throughout the day. This hasn't happened

to me in 15+ years.

>

> I am on the following schedule: 100mg T injection-1x/week, 250IU HCG

injection-2x/week, .25mg Anastrozole-2x/week. It will be a couple of months

until my next test, so I don't know where my levels are at right now. Wherever

they are, I'm very happy with them. Even though I feel fantastic, I'm doubtful

my levels are ideal, so things may get even better!

>

> Jeff

>

December 28, 2010

Great not that you will have a problem but read this and do them labs from time

to time.

============================================

Detecting a Statin Hazard

In a clinical advisory issued recently, the American College of Cardiology, the

American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

noted that statins had proved to be extremely safe in the vast majority of

patients receiving them.

But the advisory warned doctors about possible serious adverse effects and

factors that could increase the risk of statin-caused muscle disorders. ``A

common complaint,'' the advisory stated, ``is nonspecific muscle aches or joint

pains.'' But far more rare is severe myositis characterized by muscle aches,

soreness or weakness and associated with greatly elevated levels of an enzyme,

creatine kinase, indicative of muscle breakdown.

If this occurs and the drug is not immediately discontinued, myositis can

progress to complete muscle breakdown, or rhabdomyolysis, kidney failure and

death. These conditions can occur at any time in statin therapy. The advisory

noted that adverse muscle reactions were less likely when lower doses of statins

were prescribed, rather than the maximum dosage approved by the Food and Drug

Administration.

Severe muscle damage is more likely to occur when statins are combined with

certain other medicines, including fibrates (like gemfibrozil) and niacin (used

to treat blood lipids); the immunosuppressant cyclosporine; certain antifungal

drugs (including ketoconazole); macrolide antibiotics, erythromycin and

clarithromycin; H.I.V. protease inhibitors; the antidepressant nefazodone;

verapamil, used to treat certain heart abnormalities; and more than a quart a

day of grapefruit juice.

Other factors that raise the risk of adverse muscle reactions include advanced

age, especially over 80; a small body frame and frailty; chronic kidney disease,

especially related to diabetes; and concurrent surgery.

Statins should be stopped in anyone soon to have major surgery. Anyone

experiencing muscle pain of unknown origin while taking statins should contact

the doctor without delay. If a blood test shows a very high level of creatine

kinase, the drug should be stopped immediately.

All patients taking statins should have periodic blood tests for the liver

enzyme transaminase, which is elevated when the liver is being damaged.

In addition, the advisory stated, statins should not be prescribed for patients

with acute or chronic liver disease, although there is as yet no clear evidence

that statins worsen existing liver disease. http://www.nytimes.com

Drawing (Sara Schwartz)

December 10, 2002

Co-Moderator

Phil

> From: noonanjg <jgnoonan@...>

> Subject: Re: Update - There is hope if you're persistent

>

> Date: Tuesday, December 28, 2010, 2:47 PM

> Phil: Thanks for the tip on the

> CoQ10. I had forgotten about that with the

> statins. I followed your link and ordered a 90 day

> supply.

>

> Regards,

>

> Joe

>

> >

> > > From: noonanjg <jgnoonan@...>

> > > Subject: Update - There is hope if

> you're persistent

> > >

> > > Date: Tuesday, December 28, 2010, 10:04 AM

> > > I haven't posted in awhile and just

> > > wanted to give everyone an update. I have been

> > > struggling for over 4 years with low T and I can

> FINALLY

> > > report that I am back to normal. I know some on

> this

> > > board have struggled a lot longer than that. In

> any

> > > case, I am now on a regimen that works very well

> for

> > > me. When I first started the T injections, I

> was

> > > getting a MONSTER shot of 200mg a week. I am

> also one

> > > of those folks whose blood thickens with T and I

> even had a

> > > very tiny stroke because of it. There seems to

> be no

> > > permanent damage, so no harm, no foul. I went

> to Dr.

> > > Overbeck and , and they started me on hCG

> because my

> > > endo would not do it. This was really the

> turning

> > > point. I went on the twice a week shot regimen

> with

> > > 250IU of hCG and 100mg of T. My hematocrit and

> > > hemoglobin were still too high, so we knocked it

> down to

> > > 80mg of T a week in 2 shots. I was developing

> insulin

> > > intolerance and had put on almost 60 pounds.

> In

> > > August, my wife and I started Nutrisystems D. I

> was

> > > also being treated with Synthroid for

> hypothyroidism (100

> > > mcg). Nutrisystems is a low glycemic diet and

> after

> > > struggling to lose anything the first two weeks

> the weight

> > > started to come off. I am now down 53 pounds to

> 177

> > > and feel fantastic. I am down to only 40mg of T

> a week

> > > (2 shots of 20) and the hCG. I take .5mg of

> Arimidex

> > > every other day and my ED issues have completely

> vanished

> > > and my estradiol level is 15. My T levels are

> in the

> > > high 600 range and I guess for me that is best

> because I

> > > feel like I did before this started. I am

> running on a

> > > treadmill every other day for 40 minutes at a 7

> min mile

> > > pace (not bad for someone who is almost 50). I

> have a

> > > ton of energy and feel just great. I also take

> benicar

> > > for high blood pressure and that has been

> reduced. I

> > > take crestor for cholesterol and for the first

> time in YEARS

> > > my HDL is in range and my total cholesterol is

> only

> > > 97. My CBC is perfect. All my blood work is

> > > perfect.

> > >

> > > The bottom line is that you really have to be

> persistent

> > > with doctors and educate yourself. As Phil and

> others

> > > have said many times, most doctors don't know

> anything about

> > > treating low T other than what the drug companies

> tell

> > > them. The other thing is that we are not all

> built the

> > > same. While the standard treatment Dr.

> advocates

> > > is 100mg of T a week, that was way too much for

> me, combined

> > > with the hCG. Some have problems with estradiol

> being below

> > > 20 whereas I do not. I have been on the regimen

> since

> > > August and have had no issues with ED.

> Additionally,

> > > as you lose weight, you need to have your meds

> > > adjusted. I am taking a lower amount of

> Synthroid

> > > because of the weight loss.

> > >

> > > Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!

> > >

> > > Regards,

> > >

> > > Joe

> > >

> > > ------------------------------------

> > >

December 28, 2010

Glad you sent me this. Other than the standard cholesterol tests, my PCP NEVER

tests anything else even though he prescribed the Crestor. I'll bring it up

with him when I see him in January.

Joe

> > >

> > > > From: noonanjg <jgnoonan@>

> > > > Subject: Update - There is hope if

> > you're persistent

> > > >

> > > > Date: Tuesday, December 28, 2010, 10:04 AM

> > > > I haven't posted in awhile and just

> > > > wanted to give everyone an update. I have been

> > > > struggling for over 4 years with low T and I can

> > FINALLY

> > > > report that I am back to normal. I know some on

> > this

> > > > board have struggled a lot longer than that. In

> > any

> > > > case, I am now on a regimen that works very well

> > for

> > > > me. When I first started the T injections, I

> > was

> > > > getting a MONSTER shot of 200mg a week. I am

> > also one

> > > > of those folks whose blood thickens with T and I

> > even had a

> > > > very tiny stroke because of it. There seems to

> > be no

> > > > permanent damage, so no harm, no foul. I went

> > to Dr.

> > > > Overbeck and , and they started me on hCG

> > because my

> > > > endo would not do it. This was really the

> > turning

> > > > point. I went on the twice a week shot regimen

> > with

> > > > 250IU of hCG and 100mg of T. My hematocrit and

> > > > hemoglobin were still too high, so we knocked it

> > down to

> > > > 80mg of T a week in 2 shots. I was developing

> > insulin

> > > > intolerance and had put on almost 60 pounds.

> > In

> > > > August, my wife and I started Nutrisystems D. I

> > was

> > > > also being treated with Synthroid for

> > hypothyroidism (100

> > > > mcg). Nutrisystems is a low glycemic diet and

> > after

> > > > struggling to lose anything the first two weeks

> > the weight

> > > > started to come off. I am now down 53 pounds to

> > 177

> > > > and feel fantastic. I am down to only 40mg of T

> > a week

> > > > (2 shots of 20) and the hCG. I take .5mg of

> > Arimidex

> > > > every other day and my ED issues have completely

> > vanished

> > > > and my estradiol level is 15. My T levels are

> > in the

> > > > high 600 range and I guess for me that is best

> > because I

> > > > feel like I did before this started. I am

> > running on a

> > > > treadmill every other day for 40 minutes at a 7

> > min mile

> > > > pace (not bad for someone who is almost 50). I

> > have a

> > > > ton of energy and feel just great. I also take

> > benicar

> > > > for high blood pressure and that has been

> > reduced. I

> > > > take crestor for cholesterol and for the first

> > time in YEARS

> > > > my HDL is in range and my total cholesterol is

> > only

> > > > 97. My CBC is perfect. All my blood work is

> > > > perfect.

> > > >

> > > > The bottom line is that you really have to be

> > persistent

> > > > with doctors and educate yourself. As Phil and

> > others

> > > > have said many times, most doctors don't know

> > anything about

> > > > treating low T other than what the drug companies

> > tell

> > > > them. The other thing is that we are not all

> > built the

> > > > same. While the standard treatment Dr.

> > advocates

> > > > is 100mg of T a week, that was way too much for

> > me, combined

> > > > with the hCG. Some have problems with estradiol

> > being below

> > > > 20 whereas I do not. I have been on the regimen

> > since

> > > > August and have had no issues with ED.

> > Additionally,

> > > > as you lose weight, you need to have your meds

> > > > adjusted. I am taking a lower amount of

> > Synthroid

> > > > because of the weight loss.

> > > >

> > > > Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!

> > > >

> > > > Regards,

> > > >

> > > > Joe

> > > >

> > > > ------------------------------------

> > > >

December 28, 2010

You should know that high cholesterol and high BP are often symptoms of low

thyroid. Maybe your T4 and/or T3 aren't quite optimal. You may need to add

some direct T3 to your Synthroid. Hopefully your doc isn't dosing you by TSH,

but checking Free T3 and Free T4.

Barb

> > > >

> > > > > From: noonanjg <jgnoonan@>

> > > > > Subject: Update - There is hope if

> > > you're persistent

> > > > >

> > > > > Date: Tuesday, December 28, 2010, 10:04 AM

> > > > > I haven't posted in awhile and just

> > > > > wanted to give everyone an update. I have been

> > > > > struggling for over 4 years with low T and I can

> > > FINALLY

> > > > > report that I am back to normal. I know some on

> > > this

> > > > > board have struggled a lot longer than that. In

> > > any

> > > > > case, I am now on a regimen that works very well

> > > for

> > > > > me. When I first started the T injections, I

> > > was

> > > > > getting a MONSTER shot of 200mg a week. I am

> > > also one

> > > > > of those folks whose blood thickens with T and I

> > > even had a

> > > > > very tiny stroke because of it. There seems to

> > > be no

> > > > > permanent damage, so no harm, no foul. I went

> > > to Dr.

> > > > > Overbeck and , and they started me on hCG

> > > because my

> > > > > endo would not do it. This was really the

> > > turning

> > > > > point. I went on the twice a week shot regimen

> > > with

> > > > > 250IU of hCG and 100mg of T. My hematocrit and

> > > > > hemoglobin were still too high, so we knocked it

> > > down to

> > > > > 80mg of T a week in 2 shots. I was developing

> > > insulin

> > > > > intolerance and had put on almost 60 pounds.

> > > In

> > > > > August, my wife and I started Nutrisystems D. I

> > > was

> > > > > also being treated with Synthroid for

> > > hypothyroidism (100

> > > > > mcg). Nutrisystems is a low glycemic diet and

> > > after

> > > > > struggling to lose anything the first two weeks

> > > the weight

> > > > > started to come off. I am now down 53 pounds to

> > > 177

> > > > > and feel fantastic. I am down to only 40mg of T

> > > a week

> > > > > (2 shots of 20) and the hCG. I take .5mg of

> > > Arimidex

> > > > > every other day and my ED issues have completely

> > > vanished

> > > > > and my estradiol level is 15. My T levels are

> > > in the

> > > > > high 600 range and I guess for me that is best

> > > because I

> > > > > feel like I did before this started. I am

> > > running on a

> > > > > treadmill every other day for 40 minutes at a 7

> > > min mile

> > > > > pace (not bad for someone who is almost 50). I

> > > have a

> > > > > ton of energy and feel just great. I also take

> > > benicar

> > > > > for high blood pressure and that has been

> > > reduced. I

> > > > > take crestor for cholesterol and for the first

> > > time in YEARS

> > > > > my HDL is in range and my total cholesterol is

> > > only

> > > > > 97. My CBC is perfect. All my blood work is

> > > > > perfect.

> > > > >

> > > > > The bottom line is that you really have to be

> > > persistent

> > > > > with doctors and educate yourself. As Phil and

> > > others

> > > > > have said many times, most doctors don't know

> > > anything about

> > > > > treating low T other than what the drug companies

> > > tell

> > > > > them. The other thing is that we are not all

> > > built the

> > > > > same. While the standard treatment Dr.

> > > advocates

> > > > > is 100mg of T a week, that was way too much for

> > > me, combined

> > > > > with the hCG. Some have problems with estradiol

> > > being below

> > > > > 20 whereas I do not. I have been on the regimen

> > > since

> > > > > August and have had no issues with ED.

> > > Additionally,

> > > > > as you lose weight, you need to have your meds

> > > > > adjusted. I am taking a lower amount of

> > > Synthroid

> > > > > because of the weight loss.

> > > > >

> > > > > Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!

> > > > >

> > > > > Regards,

> > > > >

> > > > > Joe

> > > > >

> > > > > ------------------------------------

> > > > >

December 28, 2010

> I haven't posted in awhile and just wanted to give everyone an

> update. I have been struggling for over 4 years with low T and I

> can FINALLY report that I am back to normal.

Hi There,

Well Happy Happy Joy Joy!

> When I first started the T injections, I was getting MONSTER shot > of 200mg a

week.

200mg a WEEK?! I misread that at first thinking you were getting 200mg every 2

weeks... not uncommon but very " old school "

I bet the needle was like a 22g too! :-}

I know I went almost immediately to 1 " 25g myself...

and since Phil said he'd switched to the little insulin syringes like he used

for HCG I gave it a try and it WORKED... so now I'm using up the last of my 25g

spikes and going to to 1cc 29g insulin syringes... the dose would fit in the

1/2cc syringe... but it takes so long for it pull the dose through that little

needle even with the plunger pulled ALL the way back I get the bigger syringes

just to make it easier to hold onto.

but I bet you felt like superman for at least a while! ;-}

(until all the side affects of taking that much T at once started)

> I am also one of those folks whose blood thickens with T

unfortunately pretty common it seems... may be as much an issue as a problem

with us just getting older as much as the test... think of all the people taking

a little aspirin a day that aren't on T... enough of a demand you can get

" adult " (i.e. non flavoured) 81mg aspirins in virtually every brand... including

enteric coated (which for some odd reason is actually harder on my digestive

tract than the regular)

> I take crestor for cholesterol and for the first time in YEARS my

> HDL is in range

I'm on crestor too... and it's worked wonders on my cholesterol levels -and-

ratios too... something lipitor didn't do much for.

> The bottom line is that you really have to be persistent with

> doctors and educate yourself. As Phil and others have said many

> times, most doctors don't know anything about treating low T other

> than what the drug companies tell them.

sadly true...

I'm lucky in that I've got a doc that works WITH me and doesn't freak out when I

come in with some printout from somewhere... before my disability (more or less

unrelated to T levels etc... I was run over and have some pretty serious chronic

pain issues... and he doesn't try to limit me so bad I'm in pain all the

time.... -and- worried I'll run out... so he lets me have enough so that I can

keep spare FULL SEALED 100 COUNT BOTTLES of all my schedule pain meds (in 2

houses... got remarried and with the housing market as it is we've got 2

houses)... plus the bottles I'm actually using... he used to have me bring in

the bottles (had signs up in the office and stuff) but doesn't anymore... I

guess he and his nurse got " tired " of me bringing in my current bottles (I've

never had a whole bottle of roxicodone or klonopin... but I've never " run out "

either... so it's always the " current bottle " ... but there's some at each

house... it's what my oldest son calls my " nuclear option " for pain)... and then

2 (each) still sealed 100 count bottles of 5mg vicodin, 7.5mg vicodin, 10mg

lortab, and 350mg Somas, that were the " spares " just in case... made me feel so

much better knowing that if something horrible happened (like while trying to

shake out a couple lortab and a soma at 4am shaking in horrible pain (if you

know what sciatica is you can relate to those JOLTS of pain... or just imagine

getting hit in the testes with a baseball bat every minute or so for hours) and

accidentally dumping a whole bottle down the toilet) I worked for the IT

Department of the State Medical School... so I know where to go to look for

stuff... and he doesn't freak... actually seems to read the stuff later because

of comments he's made about things in the journal article or whatever later...

he knows I prefer a mixed testosterone blend like Sustanon... which I guess I

could get from a compounding pharmacy... because I seem to be more " level " as

the different esters release at different rates... (which is the whole idea

behind sustanon) and knows I just order sustanon from an international pharmacy

and use it half and half with the cypionate he prescribes (so the total dose is

what he (and the labs) say I should do... it's just not all cypionate and

there's no roller-coaster effect.

he knows that because my insurance won't cover squat toward " real " US arimidex

even with pre-approval (they've got issues with things that are brand name only

in the US (like arimidex, cialis/adcirca, ultram-er, etc) and are expensive) I

order it from All Day Chemist... and since he's had me show him the website I

think he may recommend it to other patients in similar insurance situations....

and under my weirdo insurance even with pre-approval (which is a pain and has to

be done every month) to get cialis (aka adcirca) for my heart.... so I buy it

from ADC too and cut the pills into 1/4s to get my little daily dose... it's FAR

FAR cheaper... the insurance only covers like 10% of the grossly overpriced US

price for me...

though if you're getting cialis/adcirca for your heart and going international

because of the price despite a prescription hit their website (www.cialis.com)

and get a coupon good for a month's dosing of every day cialis... saves you the

trouble of cutting those oddly shaped tablets... which are probably shaped that

way ON PURPOSE to make them hard to cut accurately.

> as you lose weight, you need to have your meds adjusted.

I know I lost a lot of weight when I went on Test... then started gaining

weight... lost fat gained muscle... but it makes sense that some meds doses

would have to be changed... you might have lost 20% or more so there's just less

of you!

> Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!

for real.

happy happy merry merry!

December 29, 2010

That is great news Joe.

SKY

________________________________

From: noonanjg <jgnoonan@...>

Sent: Wed, 29 December, 2010 2:04:52 AM

Subject: Update - There is hope if you're persistent

Â

I haven't posted in awhile and just wanted to give everyone an update. I have

been struggling for over 4 years with low T and I can FINALLY report that I am

back to normal. I know some on this board have struggled a lot longer than that.

In any case, I am now on a regimen that works very well for me. When I first

started the T injections, I was getting a MONSTER shot of 200mg a week. I am

also one of those folks whose blood thickens with T and I even had a very tiny

stroke because of it. There seems to be no permanent damage, so no harm, no

foul. I went to Dr. Overbeck and , and they started me on hCG because my

endo would not do it. This was really the turning point. I went on the twice a

week shot regimen with 250IU of hCG and 100mg of T. My hematocrit and hemoglobin

were still too high, so we knocked it down to 80mg of T a week in 2 shots. I was

developing insulin intolerance and had put on almost 60 pounds. In August, my

wife and I started Nutrisystems D. I was also being treated with Synthroid for

hypothyroidism (100 mcg). Nutrisystems is a low glycemic diet and after

struggling to lose anything the first two weeks the weight started to come off.

I am now down 53 pounds to 177 and feel fantastic. I am down to only 40mg of T a

week (2 shots of 20) and the hCG. I take .5mg of Arimidex every other day and my

ED issues have completely vanished and my estradiol level is 15. My T levels are

in the high 600 range and I guess for me that is best because I feel like I did

before this started. I am running on a treadmill every other day for 40 minutes

at a 7 min mile pace (not bad for someone who is almost 50). I have a ton of

energy and feel just great. I also take benicar for high blood pressure and that

has been reduced. I take crestor for cholesterol and for the first time in YEARS

my HDL is in range and my total cholesterol is only 97. My CBC is perfect. All

my blood work is perfect.

The bottom line is that you really have to be persistent with doctors and

educate yourself. As Phil and others have said many times, most doctors don't

know anything about treating low T other than what the drug companies tell them.

The other thing is that we are not all built the same. While the standard

treatment Dr. advocates is 100mg of T a week, that was way too much for me,

combined with the hCG. Some have problems with estradiol being below 20 whereas

I do not. I have been on the regimen since August and have had no issues with

ED. Additionally, as you lose weight, you need to have your meds adjusted. I am

taking a lower amount of Synthroid because of the weight loss.

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!

Regards,

Joe

December 29, 2010

I also use the insulin needles. I inject into alternating shoulders. I use a

23g needle to draw it out and then fill the insulin needle with the amount I

need to take. Been working like a charm. I also use the insulin needles for

the hCG which I inject either into my stomach fat (not much left) or pubic fat

(seems to be less pain doing it there).

Joe

>

> > I haven't posted in awhile and just wanted to give everyone an

> > update. I have been struggling for over 4 years with low T and I

> > can FINALLY report that I am back to normal.

>

> Hi There,

>

> Well Happy Happy Joy Joy!

>

> > When I first started the T injections, I was getting MONSTER shot > of 200mg

a week.

>

> 200mg a WEEK?! I misread that at first thinking you were getting 200mg every 2

weeks... not uncommon but very " old school "

>

> I bet the needle was like a 22g too! :-}

>

> I know I went almost immediately to 1 " 25g myself...

>

> and since Phil said he'd switched to the little insulin syringes like he used

for HCG I gave it a try and it WORKED... so now I'm using up the last of my 25g

spikes and going to to 1cc 29g insulin syringes... the dose would fit in the

1/2cc syringe... but it takes so long for it pull the dose through that little

needle even with the plunger pulled ALL the way back I get the bigger syringes

just to make it easier to hold onto.

>

> but I bet you felt like superman for at least a while! ;-}

> (until all the side affects of taking that much T at once started)

>

> > I am also one of those folks whose blood thickens with T

>

> unfortunately pretty common it seems... may be as much an issue as a problem

with us just getting older as much as the test... think of all the people taking

a little aspirin a day that aren't on T... enough of a demand you can get

" adult " (i.e. non flavoured) 81mg aspirins in virtually every brand... including

enteric coated (which for some odd reason is actually harder on my digestive

tract than the regular)

>

> > I take crestor for cholesterol and for the first time in YEARS my

> > HDL is in range

>

> I'm on crestor too... and it's worked wonders on my cholesterol levels -and-

ratios too... something lipitor didn't do much for.

>

> > The bottom line is that you really have to be persistent with

> > doctors and educate yourself. As Phil and others have said many

> > times, most doctors don't know anything about treating low T other

> > than what the drug companies tell them.

>

> sadly true...

>

> I'm lucky in that I've got a doc that works WITH me and doesn't freak out when

I come in with some printout from somewhere... before my disability (more or

less unrelated to T levels etc... I was run over and have some pretty serious

chronic pain issues... and he doesn't try to limit me so bad I'm in pain all the