How Long Before Testopel Pellets Start Working? (Page 16)

Just had Testopel pellets inserted in my backside. Forgot to ask doctor how long until they take effect. He's out of town.

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I occasionally have noticed guys posting about getting estrogen levels checked as part of their treatment program involving TESTOPEL implantation. My Doc has never mentioned/suggested this and I've been getting the implantations now for 4+ years. Wondering how common this is ? Am thinking that if estrogen level is abnormally high, reducing/treating this could only be beneficial to 'partner' with the testosterone supplement. Any thoughts ?!

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Bob,
If a man is an aromatizer (possessing an enzyme that converts free T into Estrogen) and about 35% are, conservatively, they need to monitor their E levels and treat accordingly. There are a couple options on how and when to treat this. What is important for your physician to understand is the relationship estrogen can play on prostate cancer. That is why I want people to be informed in choosing their HRT provider! Side effects of aromatization include nipple sensitivity, breast tenseness, gynocamasty, moody, weepy, weight gain in stomach and hip area...depending on what levels Testopel gets your total and free T to, it may or may not be a problem. Please look back at previous posts...I've been on here a while and have covered this topic before. I'm not a physician, but I am a user, worked for a dr, doing his BHRT consults and follow ups with patients, both men and women. There is a lot more to treating hormonal imbalance, than sticking pellets in your hip!

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It's a salt and pepper thing. If you have too much of one, you can offset it by adding a bit of the opposite..... and vice versa. If you have "man boobs" it's time to tell your Doc and suggest (let him) testing your other hormone levels. Increased body hair is another thing to watch.

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Thanks to both Ginger and Chisolm for their thoughts/suggestions re: estrogen levels. I appreciate assistance in this area. Will continue monitoring with appropriate follow-up.

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Just got implanted 10 days ago. T level was at 226. How much of an increase could I expect to see, and has anyone else had this low of a starting level anyhow much time will it take to see a difference. So far after 10 days I've not noticed anything at all except that the incision doesn't hurt anymore. Btw I am only 36. The Dr. told me he had no data for anyone my age as most of his patients are 20+ years older than me. Previously I tried testim and that only brought up the levels from 136. I was also on the IV's but had allergic reactions and had to stop those.

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Noel -- each case Is so different, because each guy is so different, with a wide array of contributing factors. It's therefore impossible to make predictions as to possible/probable outcomes. I started at a level of just 63 -- almost nothing at all. When I have the implantation done each three months, I begin to notice improvement within 24 hours. I have been doing this now 4+ years and it has greatly improved the quality of my life. Good luck to you.

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Noel & Bob, glad to see you're sharing info. N: if your T is that low at your young age it suggests you are possibly overweight, and under active. Excuse my very basic analogy, but you were a car entering a race, what would you best resemble? A Ferrari? A minivan with bald tires? You can get the drift here. Are you in shape? If not don't look to a med to get your T fired back up by itself (unless you have Thyroid or other issues). What other meds are you taking? Statins maybe? There's no proof, but after I was put on statins my libido fell off the table, and it has taken years to get it back to anything near my usual drive. Please have a gut check assessment and see where else you can be modifying your lifestyle, 'cause this is very early in life to need this kind of help. I'm 72 and have been aided by Testopel for about 4 years now. So far, so good.

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Noel, it very much depends on what dose you received. Each Testopel pellet contains 75mg +/- 10mg, and their reccommend dose is 6 pellets or 450mg. But if you look at this blog, 6 won't do much, and most men do 10 or more. My dr is able to raise men's levels to 800-1200, where you receive best benefits, both immeadiate and long term. And pellets typically last 5-6 months for men. 4-5 months for women.

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Ginger,

My doctor started me with 15 pellets the first time and it worked great but only lasted 3 months. He did 20 pellets this last time and I've been getting my blood drawn monthly and my T count has went up every month after the initial count of 950 post four weeks of implantation. I'm sitting right around 1300 now and I have no idea what is going on with my body. I promise I have not taken any testosterone from other sources since my implant on 12/13/13. Have you ever heard of such a thing? My general doctor put me on 200,000 of iu's of vitamin D weekly because my count was very low. He had me do this for a month and I'm done now. Can vitamin supplements impact testosterone levels and have you ever seen numbers spike like that? I know it should be going down but that isn't the case. I will have blood drawn again on April 7th.

Brian

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Brian,
These pellets were not designed for that high a dose. They are small pellets, and to get you to a level like that, it requires more. So now you have more surface area for blood to flow over an absorb the T. That is why Testopel pellets do not last as long as the biote method for HRT. Receiving as many as you did will get your levels up where they need to be, but I predict that they will drop by 4 months. My only real knowledge on Testopel has come from people that have been on Testopel, and what I read on this blog and one other. But I know the science behind pellet therapy. It was first introduced by a Dr. Greenblatt (sp?) in the mid 1930's and has been studied and continued to be perfected since. It is widely used in Europe and Australia, and has been for years. Because big pharma has not been involved, with the exception of Testopel, it hasn't been widely practiced here. The company I'm involved with now has over 500 practitioners all extensively trained and that # is rapidly growing. We pellet over 10,000 patients a month all using the same protocol. I look forward to hearing what your next lab levels are. Do they check your CBC, Estradiol and Free and Total T? I assume you are feeling good at those levels?

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And no, Vitamin-D would not increase your T levels. Most our patients stay on a daily dose of Vitamin-D3 of 5000iu along with Vitamin-A and K2, very important to be on if taking D3, as D3 is supported by them for proper function. One other thought on lab levels...be consistent in when they are drawn. For most accurate reading, first thing in the morning, before a workout or intercourse.

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Hi Chisholm, thanks for the suggestions. I of have about 35-40 lbs to lose. I was out of the gym for about 4 yrs recovering from a combat injury, but I healed enough about 6 yrs ago to get back to working out. I am at the gym 5-6 days a week and teach martial arts twice weekly but haven't list the weight. I talked to the urologist about that before I started the testopel, and he said the testopel should also help losing the weight I gained since exercise by itself isn't working. I'm on no other mess except niacin.

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Meds... Not mess. I hate auto spell.

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Noel,
I assume that a combat injury may mean that you were in Afganistan or somewhere similar. If your primary drinking water source was plastic water bottles, if stored in the heat, they can leach out a substance called xenoestrogens. They mimic estrogen in many bad ways, and no beneficial ways. They can oppose testosterone and drive those levels down prematurely as well as add fat to the hip area and cause gynocamasty in some men. Also, if you had to be on painkillers for an extended period of time, that can also drive down your production of T.

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Ginger,

Yes I feel very good right now and I do expect my numbers to decrease rapidly over the next month. I do get a CBC, estrogen, free T and total T checked. I found out there is a lot more involved than just putting a bunch of pellets in your rear or hip and calling it a day. I really appreciate your knowledge and input that you bring to us.

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Thank you Brian, although I feel like there are better options than Testopel, I would prefer men on it, rather than any other form of HRT, but also feel like too many drs providing it, don't really get the big picture! My only purpose on this blog is to hopefully guide and inform, and yes, I think my guys do it better, but I don't consider that a deal breaker! Age healthier, live happier!

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Ginger, as you are so well informed on much of hormone balance / enhancement, wondering if you have any enlightenment for the following:

I've recently moved from state to state and have only been with this urologist for one "fill-up" of Testopel. Recently, I was to get follow-up blood work one month after the procedure. When getting the new blood panel I was informed that there was a strong possibility that the PSA (ordered by the doc) would not be covered by my primary insurance: Medicare, and that I would then be responsible for the $160 cost.

I checked with my secondary ins (falls into the Cadillac ins range) and was told that they would follow Medicare's lead, and not cover.

As I'm 72 does that have anything to do with non coverage. Although I've not bothered to note all the different panels requested, I believe I've successfully had the PSA test done and covered by ins. over the last 4 +/- years I've been on Testopel.

Of course when discussing with my ins. co. (much easier to reach than Medicare) such tests are reduced to being referred to as a meaningless medical "code #".

Was I given a wrong code # or is there a limit as to how often I can be tested?

Thanx

Chisholm

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Chisholm, it's been awhile since I was around the ICD9 codes, but I believe the Medicare code for a PSA is VZ9477. I believe they typically will only pay for the test once a year, so if you are having it done more than that, they may be right. Your Drs insurance billing person should have the codes for it, so it could be something has changed. We provide our Drs with a national acct with labs and are able to get our full pre and post labs for the patient for $250-$300, and that includes CBC, CMP, PSA, free and total Testosterone, Estradiol, free T3, T4 total, TSH, TPO, and Vitamin-D. Post panel, CBC, free and total Test, Estradiol. Your Dr should have a contracted price that is cheaper than that for cash pay. Don't know if that helps.

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Ginger, Thanks much for your response.

It makes sense that there would be only one annual allowance for the test. My doc doesn't seem to have time enough to involve himself in such details.

Please stay in this blog-line as you have much to offer the wandering herd.

Chisholm

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Ginger, it's strange at times how things fall into place. Subsequent to my last posting to you I received my weekly subscription of The economist - a british publication that covers not only economics (March 8th - 14th, 2014 issue).

Lo and behold, there, on page 85, is an article about PROSTATES and PSAs, "Prostate cancer, help or harm".

It contains too much to attempt to relay, but it reviews a book: "The Great Prostate Hoax: How Big Medicine Hijacked the PSA Test and Caused a Public Health Disaster", by Richard Ablin and Ronald Piana Palgrave MacMillan, 262 pages, $27.

The review is not terribly kind to the authors, but does expose many problems with what is probably an American approach to science and medicine.

The article is definitely worth a read, not sure about an investment in a book.

C

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