Here are Some Important Things That Your Doctor May Fail to Tell You Before You Start Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT):
1- TRT decreases your sperm count.
Some doctor prescribe Clomiphene alone or hCG with TRT to preserve your fertility
2- TRT may increase your blood viscosity due to increased hematocrit, the amount of red blood cells in the blood.
Some doctors may want to stop your TRT when this happens, but this side effect can be managed easily with blood donations or therapeutic phlebotomy.
Just be careful: frequent blood donations can deplete iron and cause fatigue.
3- TRT shuts down your own testosterone production.
It may take up to 6 months for your testosterone to return to baseline after you stop.
4- TRT works to improve your sex drive, muscle mass, and burn fat.
But it does not work for everyone and dose/frequency are important along with other factors like side effect management.
TRT is not a magic bullet.
5- Testosterone can be injected under the skin (Most doctors think you should inject deeply into muscle)
6- Testosterone gels and creams are effective but some doctors do not adjust the dose based on your blood level and symptoms.
7- Many doctors still prescribe testosterone injections at 200 mg every two weeks.
Many are moving towards recommending 100 mg/week or 50 mg twice per week with an insulin syringe.
8- TRT can worsen sleep apnea.
Apnea can improve with weight loss and can be treated with a CPAP machine.
9- TRT improves erectile function in some men but not all.
It improves libido in most men regardless of age, though.
10- You can monitor your own blood tests via companies that sell discounted labs without a doctor visit.
11- You can access a testosterone doctor via telemedicine if you don’t have one close by.
However, most of them do not take insurance.
12- TRT does not cause prostate cancer or heart attacks.
Cardiovascular outcomes depend on proper monitoring of hematocrit, HDL, and blood pressure.
13- Many men do not know that they ask questions to TRT-experienced men by visiting the ExcelMale forum.
14- In follow up visits, some doctors only measure blood levels of total testosterone but forget to include free testosterone, DHT (metabolite), and thyroid function tests.
15- Most insurance companies only pay for certain TRT products but not others.
And most refuse to pay if your testosterone is over 350 ng/dL.
16- You can buy affordable TRT options with a prescription at compounding pharmacies like Empower Pharmacy.
17- Urologists are quickly becoming the most knowledgeable doctors of TRT management.
18- Some men fail to achieve benefits from TRT. Comorbidities and other issues can be to blame.
