+ 5 Completely new to this
Hey all,
Completely new to this world, gained about 70 pounds from my lowest weight, a lot of it muscle, I am about to be 42, live in the USA, I get a ton of sleep, eat more protein than my kidneys can likely handle, and I'm about 65% happy with my build, I have been lifting regularly for about 5 years, and I am plateauing... I work my ass off to maintain the gains that I have, but, I would like to start test only, I've made my mind up on that and have been waiting 6-8ish months to take the plunge, pun intended, but, this forum (while seemingly great) is a little overwhelming, any way I could ask people if I could DM them or if they could DM me about what to specifically do post-lab work? I don't know where to buy from, what to buy, when to inject, how to inject, and seems like I am misinterpreting some of the verbiage here, I am sure there are 50 posts like this a day so appreciate the fellowship.
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https://www.eroids.com/forums/general/general-talk/blood-testing-resourc...
135 is pricey but blood testing is your golden ticket.
https://www.eroids.com/forums/general/general-talk/when-to-test-bloods
Thabks for posting those… I bookmarked them
$135 is pricey? I know prices went up over the years but the Bodybuolding panel is over $300. Expensive but I think it’s worth it during the health phase. I already spend $300 a week on whole foods (double that, maybe more, for my 15 year old son) and the price of gear, which ironically which is the cheapest of all the things used, besides maybe the gym membership
It definitely adds up quick. When I was younger I did labs like every 4-5 months, now I do them monthly. Keeping my numbers in check have been a huge game changer with happiness and feeling, so i look at the lab costs as an investment.
To save yourself a bunch of time and headache , either go to your Dr and get tested or go to a TRT clinic. TRT clinics usually push high Test doses weekly, and say to pin once weekly.. both of which are pretty stupid.
If you dont want to do that, then do it yourelf.
Labs: https://requestatest.com/
I rotate buying labs, some can be pricey. My main picks are the 1) Male Hormone Panel, 2) Bodybuilding Panel, and 3) my latest order (and its super cheap) Gender Reassignment (Transgender) Panel.
The Gender Reassignment (Transgender) Panel tests 1) Complete Blood Count (CBC), 2) Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP), 3) Estrogen, 4) Estradiol, 5) Lipid Panel (Cholesterol), 6) Prolactin, and 7) Testosterone LC/MS. This test is only $135!!!
You ever look at hellogoodlabs?
I checked it out, closest Quest provider is 2 hours away. Lab Corp is 20 minutes away so
I’m willing to pay a slightly higher price for the proximity
Got my appt at Quest tomorrow and I’m using GoodLabs for the first time. They are pretty damn cheap, $150 for everything I wanted using a 20% discount code. Was using AlgoRX and I thought they were cheap before finding GoodLabs.
I heard of it from @randomdude. Fuckin guy knows about all the cool shit.... I also bought a stolen Camaro from him
lol he does seem like a smart guy that knows how to get shit done! I’ve got a 20% off code (that I think gets me 20% off my next labs too). Yall can DM me for it - not sure if it’s kosher for me to post in open forums.
Thank you very much! Really informative and a great place to start, I know you didn't have to give me an extensive answer and this is something I probably would have skipped haha, so, just what I needed.
DocMcGainsAgree with the others here - find a clinic (natural medicine/homeopaths are a good option because test is NATURAL, amiright?) But really, if you can do a little research and find a natural medicine clinic that your insurance covers you can save a lot of money on test (I pay under $5 for 800mg, distributed monthly) and on bloodwork. You will be able to consult with a physician about your blood markers and find a sweet spot that works well for you, supports your gains, and brings all the other great benefits of TRT.
They will likely ask you about lifestyle etc. at your intake appointment and order a bloodtest. If you are sub-300 there will be a prescription for TRT, basically no questions asked. If you are over 300, you'll have to make a case for it since the reference range does not determine whether or not one receives TRT - your symptoms do, so push your case.
Best of luck!
Awesome, I have a lot of those here, I am in the northeast. Any symptoms I should say? I feel like Johnny Drama on entourage lying about why I need weed just to get a hat. Bad reference. Also, is there a name these doctors use that I could seek, just NDs? or?
DocMcGainsThe basic script goes lethargy/fatigue, changing physiology (more fat, less muscle mass), low libido, lack of energy/enthusiasm, mild anhedonia/depression, general disinterest and lack of joie de vivre, impotence or low-quality erections. Emphasize that you have tried all the behavioral modifications (you eat well, sleep 8-9 hours a night, go to bed at the same time, avoid screens within an hours of bedtime, lift weights and get regular cardiovascular exercise) and you have not seen any improvement in your symptom profile. Your PCP, if you have one, might be more keen on deploying an SSRI or anti-depressant in response to that symptom profile (mine was, which is why I sought out a naturopath). A naturopath committed to bio-identicals may be more likely to order the blood test (in which case it would be covered by insurance if the naturopath visit itself is covered). If you really want to ensure your results come back with low testosterone, there are protocols for tanking your test levels (bad diet, bad sleep, pizza, alcohol etc.) but that's probably unnecessary and not worth the squeeze.
When shopping for a doc, look to what they offer. If they list things like regenerative therapy, anti-aging, sexual wellness, hormone therapy etc., then you are in business. Look at specific providers that say something about men's health. That's usually a good indicator that they will be supportive of TRT, and someone you can work with and find a protocol that actually works for you.
As others here have said, avoid the pay-for-play online clinics. They gouge you, for starters, and will just give you a script and a boilerplate protocol. You probably don't need to be pinning 200mg once a week, which as others have said tends to be the blanket script they give everyone, rather than doing a low-and-slow titration to the dose on which you feel good and your goals are being met.
Good luck!
Lol someone negged this? Seems like the most legit post asking for help.
@Aggieguy is right, get bloods. You're in your 40's, so definitely needed. You might also qualify for Dr prescribed trt as well (thereby taking lots of guesswork out of it).
Plenty of YouTube videos on how to pin. Prepare for pain your first couple times. Pick a trusted us source from here and most of them have "how to buy" type info.
And just keep browsing and asking questions.
Thank you very much! Pinning is a source of immense anxiety for me too after seeing some abscess posts on here. Appreciate your help and thanks for not making me feel like a burden.
Pinning ain't so bad buddy. Once you get used to it it's like just another thing you do. Just follow the steps. Make sure you clear the air out of your injecting needle/aspirate etc. Just watch some videos. It's easy peasy.
I will say this you should do Pre, during, and post lab work. There is a noob corner if you search and you will learn a lot there and you can always youtube on how to pin test.
There are a few other sites that are cheaper but since it's your first time, privatemdlabs.com you can get a first time discount and you can order the mens hormone health panel it has everything you will need.
Thank you so much for the rec for the lab site! I feel like there are so many sites to buy from and so many options, would you help me understand why that is? Is it just promos? Do people get ripped off on these sites? Taking something that could be a knock off scares me a bit, and I don't see a consensus for a reliable site for test. Sorry if this isn't allowed, again, new here.
It can be a bit overwhelming but you're in the right place. Like Zdaa said, read, read, read. We are fortunate to have some of the most knowledgeable guys in the world on this subject. Talk to as many as possible and evaluate all the info they give you. You'll learn more from these guys than you would have ever thought possible.
Happy learning bro and welcome to the Eroids Family!
Appreciate it! Will do. Would you say give my blood work to those I trust and have them tell me what to do first?
Go to forum section and spend the next year reading everything the newbie corner. Everything you need will be there. Take your time, stay safe.
I sent you a friend request. DM me. I remember being new to this, it can feel like a lot.