AndroGel 1.62 for low T need advice

The Doc tested my testosterone and came up at 107 the normal range is 300 - 1000. no wonder I have no interest in sex or doing PE for that matter. Hell I haven’t masturbated in so long when I do I’m afraid I’ll be shooting dust.

I would like to hear from members who have used it. I read all the info the Doc gave me and went on line and read more, I read the reviews that users posted but always felt that some editing was done before they were posted. I need some straight advise and opinions. They say my balls will shrink I would like to avoid that but it is what it is.

I have not started using the Gel yet,I am still gathering info so I can make an informed decision. So guys tell me all that you know about the stuff the good the bad and the ugly. Thanks.

Just wondering how old are you, and has this effected anything else. Like general energy levels or needing more sleep? Do you not get morning wood?

I have been using it for just under a year. Once you have used it for roughly 30 days, your body will no longer manufacture any testosterone, hence the ball shrinking. My balls were on the smallish side to begin with, but I still lost maybe 25% of that size. You cannot stop using the medication after you stop producing testosterone naturally, and as I understand it, the drug is not covered by Medicare. I turn 55 on Monday and have my own company that pays for my medical insurance, which does cover the cost of the scrip. There are coupons available to get up to one year with zero copay if you have Rx coverage.

Now for the results. I wouldn’t go without it. In fact, I can tell by afternoon if I forgot to apply it in the morning. My sex drive increased significantly. I am more aggressive in my business life, in a good way. I will say that my energy levels increased a bit. I did not experience decreased body/belly fat, nor did I build muscle mass. I had heard this was one of the side benefits of using, but it was not to be in my case.

The consistency of the gel? Well, quite frankly, it feels like you are applying a handful of cum directly to your shoulders. The sticky residue stays for some time, and your shirt will tend to stick to your skin. I recommend a cotton undershirt. Some dislike the smell, but I don’t mind it at all, and it dissipates quickly. You should leave it on at least 2-3 hours before showering, but I just apply in the mornings after I shower.

I hope this is helpful to you. Feel free to ask me any questions that I may not have answered. Good luck with your decision.

I would rather inject test any day of the week over the gel. Keep in mind that you need to time the gel application around possible love-making times, or any time you may have skin-to-skin contact with someone. The area where you apply the gel can transfer the drug to another person who touches you there. Make sure it has several hours to “soak in” before skin-to-skin contact with anyone.

Audacia, What led me to have my T checked was - Hot flashes’ with sweating, no energy, always felt tired, could care less about doing things. I’m 57 and would look at my friends enjoying life and I felt like a spectator. and yes to the wood during the night and morning

A doctor who treats low T for a living will do better for you than a regular doc, who is unlikley to do more than just give you T. The modern protocol for TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) includes some form of testosterone - either gel or injections - along with HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) which keeps your testicles functioning so they don’t shrink, an aromatase inhibitor if needed such as Arimidex to control conversion of the extra T to estrogen, and DHEA and transdermal pregnenolone to replace those hormones which are suppressed by TRT.

A good source for information on this subject is allthingsmale.com, the home page for Dr. John Crisler, who specializes in this field. In particular, he has prepared these guides for TRT, which you might show to your doctor:

All Things Male - Center for Men’s Health
All Things Male - Center for Men’s Health

Bearhunter, if your T is really 107, I think that’s actually dangerous to your health, and would urge you to follow through with doing TRT. There are a couple docs fairly close to you in PA - Overbeck and Shippen - who know what they’re doing.

BearHunter;

You will definitely regain both your energy levels and sex drive. Be aware that you might have an initial surge of aggression the first week or so when using the cream. (Not a real common problem and is handled by being aware of it.) And yes, your balls may shrink some more. Mine were almost gone already, but if I had to choose between big balls and big wood — need I say more? (Now-a-days I’m all tree and no root; my lady couldn’t care less and voices her approval, quite loudly at times!! (;> )

Now, pay attention.. TELL YOUR DOCTOR ALL MEDICATIONS YOU TAKE, INCLUDING - AND ESPECIALLY - ALL NON-PRESCRIPTION MEDS, VITAMINS, AND SUPPLEMENTS. Sorry about the shouting, but this is critical. You can check some of the potential interactions online at http://www.drug … teractions.html but many of the "supplements" are not in the database.

Also, if the cream doesn’t work (due to smell, rubbing or sweating it off) there is an injectable form which is given every 2 weeks.

I’m 59, have been on the cream 60 days and my lady could not be happier! I have morning and evening wood and feel more like a 25 year old with almost 60 years life experience. The boost in energy and confidence may be remarkable and noticed in public, the workplace and -of course- in the bedroom.

Good luck and let us know how it works for you. And congratulations for being both man enough to see the doctor about it AND to share the news with us all.

Cordially,
Southern Curmudgeon

I started using androgel in early July. At the time my total T was somewhat higher than yours - more like 220 ng/dL. (My total T numbers had bounced around some in the months before starting testosterone replacement, but my free T was consistently at or below the lower bound of the reference range.)

In my case, my doc started me out on a beginning dose of 2 squirts of Androgel. After about two weeks I began to experience some relief from what my doc referred to as “non-specific” or “collateral” symptoms — sort of a brain fog and visual field disturbances that had become a serious problem — but no basically no change in libido. About a month after starting Androgel, I moved up to 3 squirts/day. Within a week or so, I started having more night and morning wood, and libido has gradually been improving. I don’t know my current T levels, but should have more lab work done in the next month or so.

I have experienced a small amount of nut shrinkage and will bring this up with my doc during my next appointment. However, my impression is that a lot of U.S. practitioners (and insurers) may only include HCG as part of a hormone replacement therapy when fertility is an issue, which is not the case fir me. I think there is a class of guys who enough from HCG that they don’t need exogenous T at all. If your doc is open to prescribing HCG, it would make sense to me to see try it on a stand alone basis first, and then add T if HCG does not do the trick on its own.

If your doctor is open to alternate delivery methods, there is something to be said for injectable T. Although my doc downplayed the significance of unwanted transfer of testosterone to others, I talked with an Abbott labs technical rep who treated this as a more serious issue - even suggesting that transfer can occur from contact with clothing that touches application areas. Transfer concerns can be reduced by washing prior to direct contact. However, that may affect the amount you absorb, so you might have to take that into account in determining the amount you apply in the first place if you find that you are frequently washing application areas because of transfer concerns.

Injectable T is generally a cheaper form of treatment, although if your insurance plan has a mail order pharmacy plan you can bring the cost of Androgel as low as $70 for a 90 day supply.

On the plus side, Androgel delivers a steady daily dose of T, so you don’t have a roller coaster effect of T peaks and low points. Folks who inject only once a week or less often report that as an issue. More frequent injections can reduce that problem if your doctor lets you divide a weekly dose into 2 or 3 injections.

Well after reading this following thread: Old PE vet finally reached my 8 year old goal by accident I’ve recommended a few people have fermented cod liver oil and brazil nuts to increase their testosterone. Perhaps you’d like to try it then report back the results after a little while.