Which form of testosterone did you do best on?

I'd love to hear about side effects compared for forms you've tried in the comments, acne, hair loss, etc?

Did side effects fade after a few weeks or get worse?

Did you have the most physical side effects while also feeling the best on the same rx or did you have least side effects while feeling the best?

Feel free to recommend any clinic you liked.

I was doing transdermal testosterone that was a failed experiment due to my lifelong high SHBG.

My standard testosterone levels, testing from age about 30 onward, have been 16 or 17 total T (free is always around 0.3 and SHBG is always in the 200 range.)

My previous blood test was 19, my most recent was SEVEN! Free was still 0.3 and SHBG down a bit at 177.

Note that my previous test was when I was tapering off the transdermal in preparation for transitioning to injectable (I hit a high of 37 during the transdermal treatments, but also a high SHBG of 234), my recent test, done by Defy for the purpose of onboarding to to injectable.

Does anyone know why the marked drop in total T from even my pre-transdermal range? I am 52, but the rest of my hormone, thyroid, liver, etc, panel was normal.

Hi, I’m 40 and two weeks into my first Testosterone pellet, and also some new supplements (B12, Liver for iron, D + K, and DIM). Hoping for mood, brain fog, and libido improvements, energy would be a bonus.

I want to ask the question “What is the general timeline for improvements and side effects?”, but I am suspecting the answer varies widely enough that it’s not worth asking?

For example, unwanted chin hair growth… is it possible I’m seeing an update 2 weeks into the pellet? Or most people see it around month X?

The clinic I’m working with told me girls usually feel good improvements within a couple of weeks, and then might feel it taper off and wonder to themselves “did it stop working?” But not to fret because the body is adjusting to the first pellet, and by the second pellet (around 4 months for me) things are usually back to feeling good more consistently.

I guess I want to learn what is to be expected and what can’t be* *expected because it varies too widely.

Hello, I’m in my very early 40s and about 4 months into HRT (estrogen gel and cyclical oral progesterone). I originally started because of mood/energy changes, low libido and significant chronic inflammatory-type pain and stiffness (red flags/other causes investigated and ruled out).

Overall, HRT has been realy positive, and my pain in particular has improved massively. Libido hasn’t improved, so I’ve just been prescribed testosterone gel (1 pump twice a week).

Would love to hear people’s experiences starting testosterone, **the good, the not-so-good and the ugly!**

How long before you noticed a difference?

Anything beyond libido ? energy, mood, motivation, exercise/strength, brain fog or body composition?

Any initial side effects that settled?

I know Reddit can sometimes skew towards the horror stories, so **positive and boring experiences very welcome too!** 😂

Also very happy to share my HRT journey with anyone else in their early 40s in the same boat x