As for needle phobia, it is much easier if you do it yourself, with Dr. training, than to have someone else do it. When I do it, I'm in control, so the fear factor is a lot less. You can go as slow as you want (I go very slow, so almost no pain). If a nurse does it, they jab it in, to get on with it, and you don't have any control, so that is where the fear comes in. I think once you learned how to do it, fear would not be a problem. It's like you driving your car vs. being in a car with someone else driving and you don't trust their driving. But in Europe, you have oral testosterone, which is prohibited in U.S. due to liver damage concerns. So why not just do the oral meds?

I think you can get away with twice-weekly shots sub q without too much of a problem. Regular testosterone cypionate is fine but our clinic has moved towards 250mg per 2ml stuff so as to make micro-dosing easier (say daily shots of 0.14ml).

However, I am not a doctor and can only suggest how I do mine at the moment.

On the subject of implants (Say nebido) I have heard conflicting reports on how good it is.

Some complain of feeling fine for the first week or two post implantation but also suffer a few weeks of feeling pretty crappy as the stuff wears off.

JockItch (imported) wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:29 pm But in Europe, you have oral testosterone, which is prohibited in U.S. due to liver damage concerns. So why not just do the oral meds?

ambiguous (imported) wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 3:08 pm For the same reason than you, the risk of liver damage

I think you can get away with twice-weekly shots sub q without too much of a problem. Regular testosterone cypionate is fine but our clinic has moved towards 250mg per 2ml stuff so as t

o make micro-dosing easier (say daily shots of 0.14ml).

I will ask my urologist if I can have a subcutaneous treatment.

Otherwise I will be more inclined to take a patch or gel which has good effects on what I can read, and which is more suitable for me. Especially the patch if possible, this is the method I would choose.

For the same reason than you, the risk of liver damage

Gelded (imported) wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 4:01 pm I will ask my urologist if I can have a subcutaneous treatment.

Otherwise I will be more inclined to take a patch or gel which has good effects on what I can read, and which is more suitable for me. Especially the patch if possible, this is the method I would choose.

When I was castrated, the doctor was very adamant that HRT had to be started. He started with patches, which were a gross nuisance. First off, they didn't stay attached, so I used surgical tape to keep them on. I was working outside a lot (I ran a landscaping business), producing lots of perspiration, making the stuff fall off. Someone at the clinic took on a fight with the insurance company over the use of a gel. I was getting twice monthly shots of testosterone, until there was success in getting the insurance to cover Androgel, which at the time was the only gel legal in the United States (there are now several generic brands that cost significantly less). I inquired about the tablets, and the insurance company said absolutely no way, nor was the doctor very inclined to go that way. I have now used testosterone gel for nearly 19 years in varying amounts. I would never again consider patches, unless they worked somewhat like nicotine patches.

If you do subQ, I think you are supposed to use about the same as weekly dose but half it and do it every 3 days.

That would be about right. I do mine every other day but twice weekly at the moment but will move back to twice weekly.

kristoff wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 4:37 pm I have now used testosterone gel for nearly 19 years in varying amounts. I would never again consider patches, unless they worked somewhat like nicotine patches.

Can you tell me more about how you use the gel, schedule? where? do you have side effects?

Are you satisfied with the effectiveness of testosterone, do you have a normal sexuality with the gel?

Did you have some effects of castration?