Quote: (04-15-2016 01:21 PM)redbeard Wrote:
Pellets?
Are you afraid of injections?
No, I'm not afraid of injections. I've had a number of injections over the years (TDAP, Hep A, Vitamin B shots, Novacaine for surgery etc.) and have never really flinched at the idea of getting a shot. Thankfully, my pain threshold for needles is high. I wouldn't say I enjoy them, but I certainly don't fear them.
The reason as to why I'm considering the pellets as a first-try therapy is because:
1. All the research I've done on them seems to suggest that they provide a very even dosage of T.
2. It is simple, you get one inserted once every 3-6 months. You don't have to really add a lot more trouble to your daily routine. As someone who leads a very busy life, I like that.
3. I'm going to monitor blood work (as well as my subjective feeling of well-being) while on the pellets. If they don't raise my lab results to optimal levels, or I feel that they didn't get rid of the brain fog or sluggishness, then I will cycle off them and give injections a go.
4. I live in the United States where the most commonly prescribed T is Cypionate. Unfortunately, this has a longer half-life, which leads to more fluctuations from what I've heard than Propionate, which has a more frequent injection schedule. As MikeCF has mentioned up-thread and in his podcasts, Propionate is not commonly available in U.S. pharmacies, meaning that the only way that many American men can obtain it is through online stores, of which gives me second thought as to the quality controls for purity or pharmaceutical therapeutic benefit.
5. I'm working with an anti-aging clinic with a doctor that is flexible about options, so if one method doesn't work, I will certainly switch to another and report back the results.