Is My Testosterone Count Too Low?

[Flavio]

[...] If the OP wants somewhere to start, I would recommend reading Dr. John Crislers book; “Testosterone replacement, a recipe for success”.
I was a member of his forum for 15 years. I learnt so much there.

Here's a question for Simbarn and all testosterone experts on FT: is testosterone really essential for erections?

Testosterone increases the levels of NO, which we all know is necessary for relaxation of the penile vessels. BUT aren't there other ways to increase NO (e.g. pycnogenol, L-citrulline)?

I'm asking this because I'm not too fond of increasing T levels, I know for sure that it worsens my hair loss.

[Simbarn]

Concerning the post about using frequent injections of Testosterone with an insulin syringe, I don't understand how an insulin syringe can be used. My Uro prescribed 110 mg/week of testosterone. My solution is oily and can't be drawn with an ordinary syringe. I've been provided big bore needles for Loading, then switch to a smaller bore at 1.5" for an intramuscular injection in the thigh. I must have misunderstood...?

I use a type of insulin syringe which you can can change needles. They come without a needle attached and you need to buy the needles separately. I use a 21g to draw out of the vial, then I change the needle to a much smaller 27g to inject with. I have very low body fat on my thigh so I can use a technique called "hyper inject", whereby I push the syringe in so it causes a slight depression whilst I inject. I reach the muscle depth doing this. Using a smaller gauge needle causes less trauma and therefor less scar tissue from injecting. It is also much more comfortable.
Changing to a fresh needle is always better for two reasons: it is perfectly sterile and it remains sharp. As soon as you stick a needle into a rubber stop vial to draw with it gets slightly blunt. Which means it will hurt more.

You can also inject into the abdominal fat as well using a subq technique with the above needle and syringe. Dr John Crisler used this often with his patients. This slows down the absorption rate of the oil based preparation of T. You are not trying to reach the muscle layer doing this.
It is difficult trying to draw with a 27g needle, but not with a 21g.
If you need photos of what I am using I am happy to take some and post.

[Simbarn]

[...] If the OP wants somewhere to start, I would recommend reading Dr. John Crislers book; “Testosterone replacement, a recipe for success”.
I was a member of his forum for 15 years. I learnt so much there.

Here's a question for Simbarn and all testosterone experts on FT: is testosterone really essential for erections?

Testosterone increases the levels of NO, which we all know is necessary for relaxation of the penile vessels. BUT aren't there other ways to increase NO (e.g. pycnogenol, L-citrulline)?

I'm asking this because I'm not too fond of increasing T levels, I know for sure that it worsens my hair loss.

Absolutely essential. Testosterone works indirectly and directly through libido. Testosterone is essential because it maintains the smooth muscle quantity and the health of the NO pathways and the endothelium in the erectile tissues. It does this through DHT and itself. Both are necessary. Oxidative stress will also increase in the penis if T levels are low.
When smooth muscle declines, collagen levels increase. This combination causes a slow insidious inability of the spaces in the penis to fill with blood. They are less able to relax. The compliance (flexibility or ability to stretch) of the erectile tissues also changes due to the collagen deposition. This is a prefect recipe for CVOD. The term uro's keep using is venous leak, which is CVOD.
As we age T levels decline, this is one of the reasons why CVOD develops in old age.