Testosterone replacement therapy

Hello super20
I am sorry to hear about a second bout hopefully you are doing what is best for you.
I'm not clear on why you would consider trt

Are you hypogonadal? If not then you'd have no reason to consider TRT I'm not on TRT to build muscle. My natural level is painfully low and I suffer greatly. While the physical suffering is minimal the emotional side is horrible.
If my PCA was high grade I would have considered adt but with mostly low Gleason grade I remained on TRT
Best wishes

Glen

Seems most doctor's are CYA cover your ass!
Few want to make a decision because they don't want to risk losing their practice over some lawsuit. I understand that. I'm frustrated because I have to fudge the truth and not let my testosterone doctor know the fact that I had PCA. I don't think it would matter but I very afraid of losing my testosterone. All my other doctors know that I take testosterone so they know what I'm doing.
PSA is dropping and it looks good now going on three years post SBRT.
Eventually I will find a urologist who is going to prescribe but I'm lazy and frankly am tired of sitting in doctor's offices.

Tomorrow I get my 600 mg then take home two syringes of 300 each which I spread over four weeks to save money.
I hope your T level goes up and as long as you feel well the level should not matter.
I happen to feel best over 800

Glen

As it was time for my 3-month blood work, I sent a message to my oncologist regarding TRT (which she referred to as an "epic note"). Yeah it was a bit lengthy but I wanted her to understand that I feel like crap most of the time. IDK if it is due to undetectable Test, but an anti-depressant didn't help. I'm moody. My temperament is on a roller coaster. Feel good. Feel crappy. And it switches back-and-forth like a light switch. I'm weak. Most days I wouldn't mind if I just did not wake up. Life sucks. Everything is bleak. I see everything from the negative POV. Then other times, I feel like I'm living life to the fullest. We are able to travel (tho not as much as in the past) and I have a few classic cars I toy with. Anyway, the oncologist is willing in having a further discussion about it. So I'm very optimistic I will be able to resume TRT without having to do it incognito.

And then I read the new post above from Mike from CT and wonder if I'm a total fool for even considering this. Mike's original dx was 13 years ago. If I make it 13 years I'll be 82 then. Of course that seems like OLD now, but then 13 years ago 69 seemed ancient too. The big unknown (x-factor) in the equation is that "they don't know". It's a coin toss. What is quality of life worth?

BTW renal calculi might cause hematuria

Isitserious that is very promising.
I've been looking for urologist who is willing to prescribe however my clinic while expensive and out of the way (Staten Island) they are liberal in prescribing and I'm on a large dose.
Most doctor's are cookie cutters who limit it to 400mg every two weeks.
I'm on 600 then 300 then again 300 back to six hundred because I take home six hundred and divide it.

Glen

I am not a doctor, but I am a retired lawyer, so I’m familiar with CYA. Without randomized controlled testing, there is no way to know the answer about trt for PCa patients, but when I was diagnosed, no one suggested I go on ADT, but I was low risk G-6. Still, if testosterone is like gas on fire, why wouldn’t I have been put on ADT?

It amazes me how long “old beliefs” persist in medicine. I am allergic to shellfish, with my reaction being anaphylaxis. The old belief was it was iodine which caused the reaction. Everyone’s body produces iodine, so if that were true, people like me would be having daily reactions, which we don’t. The reaction is actually due to a certain protein contained in shellfish. Also, shellfish are bottom dwellers and scavengers, so carry 100’s of thousands of parasites that could cause an allergic reaction, but not iodine.

I’ve been to a number of top hospitals that have either refused to give me iodine containing contrast for CT scans or wanted me to take steroids and some other drugs first. They usually relent after I tell them it’s not an iodine reaction and that I’ve had many iodine contrast studies done without issue.

Why do these old beliefs persist? If I, a layperson, know this, why don’t the techs at some of the top hospitals in the country know this? It’s either that or legal has said it’s not worth the risk of litigation, since as we say in my old profession, anyone can sue anyone.

In the case of trt, I’d want to see a study that shows it doesn’t promote recurrence. If testosterone didn’t promote recurrence, I’d think that ADT would be curative, but it’s not. That said, if lack of testosterone made my life that miserable, I’d probably take the risk. Quality of life is important. Just my 2 cents.

I apologize for the aside.
Fact is that I was kinda in shock and at the same time, extremely grateful for not swallowing the implants.
The two are large and have screws so I might have choked to death. I was just trying to respond to the recent post but got sidetracked

G

Sad thing is that there might not be any research.
The reasons already pointed out such as sticking to the old adage of gas on fire.
It'll take a degree of guts to go about arranging such a trial.
Maybe down the road who knows?
Meantime we just weigh the good and bad.
BTW dentist is sending antibiotics because my screw holes are possible routes for bacteria. He'll work on re implanting them Thursday.

Glen

My T level is over one thousand. My clinic is big on high dose. Most of the guys I see are younger and have been weight lifting.
I'm okay with a lower level but I don't want to rock the boat because of how I'm using it.
My libido is better but not great and at almost 72 I don't really care much.
Having PCA with diabetes low back surgery and post radiation issues, it's not going to make for erections. Once in a while maybe but not like in years gone by.
I have explained that because of the disability and distance to the clinic, he sends me home with two syringes of 300 mg each. So instead of injecting both at once. I do 300 then in two weeks the other 300 I'm doing okay so far and I don't have to schlep out to the end of the city every two weeks but actually I do six weeks or a little more

I can only add that my testosterone clinic wants my level above 850 but as long as my estrogen and other tests come back within limits.
Yes he is a hard core supporter of TRT and most urologist's disagree with that high a level. However, he treats "symptoms" just as much as blood test levels. In other words, "How am I feeling?"
My last test showed all levels of hormones as okay and testosterone at 925

My dosing is not what I would like but distance and cost play into my choice. Since I travel via two subways, one ferry (Staten Island) and a 25 minute bus ride, he allows me to take my 600mg dose home after I am injected with 600mg in office. I get two 300mg syringes. However, rather than taking the full 600mg in two weeks after leaving, I inject the 300mg syringe and two weeks later the second 300mg syringe.
Yeah I am somewhat "playing doctor" but at $100 per 600mg it gets costly plus I would have to travel more often.
So far my blood work has been good so there it it!
My point is that the per usual dosing is usually 400mg every two weeks but my clinic believes for me that that dose is too low.
To be honest I am actually ok with a lower dose because sex is not my end point. I just do not want to feel crappy.

Good luck

Glen

I have looked into many venues to get T and prefer injection. The problem is once I leave the clinic I will have to deal with lab work and NY makes it hard because they will not deal with out of state doctors. (all the online clinics are out of NYS)
I guess I could go to NJ but that is another travel issue.
My goal is to get a local urologist who is going to give me IM or SubQ at 400mg which I am okay with.
The PCA makes this hard as none of my current urologist's or oncologist's will prescribe it. I think I found one that Dr Joice told me about but that is down the road in the meantime, I am okay with the travel and cost.
My copay;s have been massive with my cost being $3000 this year. Androgel will be yet another $225 co-pay.
Thank you

Really? Wow that is cheap. Back in the day it was like $1,000