Testosterone: gel Vs injection - experiences & support needed

[Fourtytwo00]

Hi buddies,

I'm 42 and due to pituitary issues I found myself in the very low T range since almost 1 year.
1.68 ng/mL last check.
I started gel one months and a half ago. I reported some benefit on my mood, brain fog, etc.
I didn't have great expectations but after two/three weeks my nocturnals were back, had some good erections and started being responsive at tadalafi daily 5mg.
But.. it lasted 7-10 days then back to baseline. Perhaps just a little bit better during the night. Still some erections but not booners.

After 1 month T went up to 2.97 ng/mL and free T 19.9 pg/mL (lower bound 30-50yo
20.8).

Do most expert users could figure out an explanation?
Is it possible that moving from gel to injections could bring some benefit?

Does testicular shrinkage could make an implant more unpleasant / visible?

[vinnylid]

The gel did nothing for me. I now use subcut. twice weekly injection and can dial my goal very easily. I target 500=600 total which keep my hematocrits in range

[tomas1]

I have shrunken balls and an implant.
I asked my surgeon if that was a problem and he said it was just the opposite.
He was right in my case.

[vinnylid]

I started Testosterone Cyp Sdv on 05/29/18. I inject 0.2mg twice weekly into my belly fat. I stay around 600ng/dL and free testosterone of 13 and Estradiol of 15. I have not experienced any testicle shrinkage. A lot of the cases of testicle shrinkage have been with higher doses less often and injected IM.

[dtwarren1942]

Several years ago, I used AndroGel for about six months and raised my T level from 295 to over 800. However, it didn’t have much effect on my ED, my balls shrunk, and when my PSA began to rise, my Endocrinologist recommended I stop using it.

[Fourtytwo00]

I'm using Tostrex 50mg per day. It raised my level just below 300 last time I checked.

What I found difficult to explain is that it helped my ED for about 7 days then slowly back to the baseline.
Something similar happened months ago when I tried gonadotropin. I had one ore two weeks where I had some results then nothing.

[Martin6469]

I've had very good results with gels for 15 years; currently using compounding pharmacy custom prescription. $30/month - cheaper than AndroGel. Gels were a big logistics improvement over the twice-a-month peanut oil injections at the doc's office, but both gave me identical and good results. Don't have experience with self-injection. I like to keep T around 400ng/dL=4ng/mL.

Fourtytwo00: I don't know why your T values oscillate, but an endocrinologist might be a better bet than a urologist in figuring it out. Hormones are very complicated.

[gjmjoe017]

My Insurance won’t cover gel but does cover injections which work great for me.A no brainer in my case!