Testosterone.

I'll weigh in on the SQ vs IM. I started my TRT injecting SQ around my belly. I started at 11% BF. The area around my belly was pretty much optimal.

My carrier oil was MCT and using 200gm/mL.

Using 29ga, 1/2" insulin pins. I draw and inject from the same syringe/needle. Tried separate but didn't really feel it being less painful so went back to the simpler slin pins.

I would get a little depot lump from each injection though. They'd last about a week. Non-painful, but annoying nonetheless. No PIP,. I injected very slowly as well, read that faster injections can irritate the tissues more. I used a vibrating massager immediately after and later in the day as well with minimal reduction in the lumps.

Compounding pharmacy that makes my test recommends refrigeration, so i always put the vial in warm (not hot) water for a few mins before drawing.

Eventually, i got tired of the lumps, and tried vastus lateralus. Still using 29ga 1/2". My skin is very light tone, especially on my thighs, so super easy to see surface blood vessels and avoid them. Additionally, i am able to use the z-track method to close up the hole after i inject so pretty much never bleed, not even a tiny pinprick. For my BF%, 1/2" is plenty to get into the muscle.

For me, it actually hurts a good deal less than my belly (even using 31g for water based peps).

I highly recommend giving IM a shot.
 
A lot depends on how old you are and if you want to have kids in the future. If fertility isn't an issue, just get on test and stay there. If you do want to have kids, its a bit more complicated but many people have run test for long periods of time and still restarted their natural production, but there is always the risk you won't be able to. You have to decide if you are OK with that risk.

As far as IM or Sub-Q, Sub-Q will give you more stable levels if you can tolerate it. I started with .5ml weekly and never had any issues but some People will have lumps even at lower doses. I know more now than I did then and I would definitely recommend at least 2x a week and I recently went to EOD. Weekly spiked my estrogen and by increasing frequency I was able to get it back in line. If you go Sub-Q there is no need for multiple needles. You can draw and inject with a 27G or 29G, you just have to be a little patient letting it fill.

The big issue with TRT is that it has a tendency to mess up other things. I said this in another post today, it becomes like a game of wack-a-mole. Just getting on it and making sure your estrogen is in line will give you good results but if you want to optimize, you have to look at a lot more things. It will mess with your cholesterol, ferritin, DHEA, hematocrit, and some other markers. So really getting it right can take some work.

At your levels, its probably worth doing, but there is a lot to consider. Its not like a pep where you can just give it a shot and see what happens. There is a lot of tuning involved to really get the good results.
 
I do daily IM injections, 27 gauge 1/2 inch pin. I use my ventral glute, if you go slow you'll feel it. I use a swift stabbing motion and dont feel it at all.

If you lift, keep your nutrition and cardio on point it's life changing.

With levels that low you will be a new man after starting. If you're in Florida I have a great TRT doc I could refer you to.
 
Those of you taking TRT are you also taking Anastrozole? I was told by my DR its basically mandatory to prevent too much estrogen. Ive been on TRT for about 4 years now and its been great but it does take some time to get everything in the right place.
 
Silver said:


Those of you taking TRT are you also taking Anastrozole? I was told by my DR its basically mandatory to prevent too much estrogen. Ive been on TRT for about 4 years now and its been great but it does take some time to get everything in the right place.

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Never have I ever.
 
Silver said:


Those of you taking TRT are you also taking Anastrozole? I was told by my DR its basically mandatory to prevent too much estrogen. Ive been on TRT for about 4 years now and its been great but it does take some time to get everything in the right place.

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Click to expand...
I cut up a 1mg pill into 1/6-1/8ths of a pill and take one about every 7-10 days. Some people don’t need them based on protocol and how much they aromatyze. I’ve found I don’t ’need It’ when not using HCG but my libido is much better with it when running HCG.
 
Silver said:


Those of you taking TRT are you also taking Anastrozole? I was told by my DR its basically mandatory to prevent too much estrogen. Ive been on TRT for about 4 years now and its been great but it does take some time to get everything in the right place.

Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Nope, never needed it. Monitor your E2 and base it on that. No reason to take unless you have high level and/or symptoms. My last labs had my E2 at 36.
 
Silver said:


Those of you taking TRT are you also taking Anastrozole? I was told by my DR its basically mandatory to prevent too much estrogen. Ive been on TRT for about 4 years now and its been great but it does take some time to get everything in the right place.

Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Nope. I have a bottle but have never used them. Frequent injections, lower BF%, and a healthy lifestyle is usually enough to keep e2 levels in check. But some people aromatize a lot and will need it.
 
And @Gr33dyOctopus, everyone is right about it being a long term commitment which it can take a while to get everything dialed in and going smoothly. That being said, I'm pretty sure you will feel so amazing getting your T levels up that it won't matter that it's a lifetime commitment. The quality of life improvements are indescribable and worth the hassle according to myself and everyone I know who is on it. Plus, test is super cheap and easy to get.

As for the pinning, I do daily IM injections and use a 30g 1/2" insulin needle in my delts and quads. If I'm running a larger volume due to adding other oils I'll do a ventrogluteal injection using a 29g 1" needle.
 
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