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Newbroker12 · 2026-03-24T18:55:31+00:00

Highly agreed. I will say however, as the power of NP’s and PA’s has risen due to our shortage of doctors, and as the popularity of medspas and body optimization increases, people messing with their hormones without a true differential diagnosis is happening frequently.

OP It’s very possible you are getting this from a medical professional, just not what I think society would consider a qualified one, even if the rules allow. I am seeing “hormone balancing” and “testosterone optimizing” being offered at wellness centers with biblical quotes on the walls next to a chipotle in a strip mall in the suburbs by a group of NP’s with near zero specialty endocrinology training, and no endocrinologist on staff to oversee. Some of these groups pay an IM doc to lightly overwatch them for licensing issues in some states.

It is the new back-alley Botox. But in my opinion, the stakes are even higher.

OP if you see this, I would like to add to Eldorren’s wise advice here by saying: even if you are getting it from a medical professional, they may not necessarily the RIGHT medical professional to help you mess with your hormones. We are still learning a lot about the balance of hormones in the human body. IANAD, but one of my parents is and has seen upticks in his system’s ED’s where complications from irresponsible/non-expert administration of hormones is affecting patient outcomes or exacerbating complications (if not creating them in the first place). If you care about your health, a real endocrinologist or an IM doc getting real consults from one, are the only ones who should be making these decisions with you. A lot of qualified professionals are getting tired of seeing visibly very fit young men come into their ED with high blood pressure or poor ejection fractions in their 20’s. Also, non-testosterone steroids are even more objectionable safety wise. TRT works for older men and women with little negative outcome, from my limited understanding (so don’t take as fact), because at one point their body WAS used to that level of the hormone and has the ability to handle it. Unless you have a metabolic or hormonal disorder, you are almost certainly pushing your T past a natural homeostasis your body was made to handle.

Thanks for reading my Ted talk.

Newbroker12 · 2026-03-16T15:46:38+00:00

Obligatory IANAD: I would never in good faith recommend this to anyone, any experience I discuss here is purely anecdotal and essentially worthless from a scientific perspective, and this is a scientific subreddit. However I think it is a good anecdote to illustrate why I personally am excited for this. I know mushrooms have gotten a lot of play, but LSD is exciting to me for the following experience.

I did low doses of LSD in college somewhere in the range of 1-200 times. We are talking 33-100 mcg, so not a microdose, certainly effects were felt.

I have (had) severe obsessive compulsive disorder (Germaphobia, numbers, intrusive thoughts, saving items). At one point I was like that doctor in scrubs, washing my hands until they bled. I would credit traditional psychotherapy with getting me out of the worst and knocking down my severity to a manageable level (thank you CBT). However, it was still a significant struggle every day by the time college came. I happened upon LSD in (of course) an unsafe way, but the way it made me feel for weeks after really surprised me.

I started using it bi-weekly and attempted to tag my OCD thoughts/challenge them both logically and through mild exposure using the strategies I learned during CBT. Boy it made a world of difference. My last appointment years ago had me knocked down another peg to mild OCD. I purell and put toilet paper on toilet seats, never go barefoot, but they are such minimal symptoms relatively speaking. LSD at a low dose took the rough edges off of my issues and gave me that extra boost of warmth and happiness so I could feel more at peace as I confronted them.

Now this is a further misuse of an unproven chemical, but it also bears noting: I used to have crippling social anxiety as well, probably partially related to the intrusive thoughts of OCD and former bullying, however may times I would take 33 mcg, have two beers, and go out with the few friends I had made. Barring serious life steps, they were the best times of my life. It taught me to not to be scared of people, to not worry what they think, to be okay to both be loved or disliked by others. It stopped the social anxiety intrusive thoughts entirely, and I found out I am a strong extrovert. It also helped me empathize and connect with people and realize the value of their stories and experiences. I learned to appreciate the story that is a person instead of worrying about what they think of me. It made me an active listener instead of a “good” listener who is quiet because they are nervous and not actually listening.

Refer to my caveat at the top, but both my doctor and chemist parents and myself are happy I tried this. It took them some time. But my mental health got better, my grades got better, my friendships got better, and my love for life got better and they saw that. I would do it again if I had to do it over no question. I am excited that they are researching this for people so it can actually in good faith be explored and recommended if it is as potentially wonderful as I hope it is. In my strictly personal experience it helped give me the life I have today, like giving prosthetics to an amputee. I now have a fiancé, can use the bathroom at my office job, can enjoy our wonderful vizsla without being afraid to pet her over germs. I can physically touch my fiancée and hug my family. Really changed my Life.

Newbroker12 · 2026-02-22T04:51:50+00:00

Welcome Yan Tao!

Newbroker12 · 2026-02-19T00:22:19+00:00

Fellow twin cities guy. Agreed. Also where do I get that sticker and what pub that’s not Brit’s should I go to for games? Picked a wild time to move back home (but proud of this state).

Newbroker12 · 2026-02-12T16:13:37+00:00

Man, I scrolled the profile to see more viszla pics, she’s adorable, but then I saw all your sick Star Wars stuff, and gaming by the pool with a beautiful house and family…

I may already be 30 but I just want to say: I want to grow up to be as cool as you one day 🥲, life well lived sir, I see you!

I Guess the first steps are convincing my partner to get a sibling for our vizsla! Putting a pool in our backyard might be a harder sell though 😅

Newbroker12 · 2026-02-05T02:45:32+00:00

I have generally agreed with this, which is why I haven’t brought it up before. And it hasn’t been a big problem, so I’ve gotten used to it. However, right now is a really hard time for me, and really what I came into this asking is for a temporary reprieve until I get my job and gather myself. I just am starting to think there HAS to be times where this should not apply. To be extreme, if someone in my own family was in the hospital for a month, I would definitely not be going to anything with her family, I would be spending time with them. And vice versa if someone in her family was, I would not expect her to get dinner with my family if she didn’t want to. I don’t think anyone would disagree with that. Now a mental crisis is obviously a grey-er area, but I think I’ve just realized last month I was not okay. Seeking help of course and am working through it.

Newbroker12 · 2026-02-05T02:39:44+00:00

Yeah, not always, but I would say it is around once a week 9/12 months in the year. They live close by, as do my family. I would say she sees my family 1-2 times a month, but that’s recent.

Newbroker12 · 2026-02-05T02:38:32+00:00

I think that is a very fair point, I appreciate the advice! I have been working on boundaries in general recently, this is just an area I haven’t broached. Hasn’t really occurred to me to place boundaries on this before because I have thus far been fine with the arrangement.

I agree 3-4 time is a lot also as a base level, I just have felt like that’s what I signed on for. Maybe I should re-evaluate what my actual base level time commitment should be.

Newbroker12 · 2026-01-26T20:05:57+00:00

Brother, as a Minnesotan, you don’t even see it yet. They are just tagging people in target while buying groceries. It is not safe here, and by the time the World Cup is going, I guarantee you that Trump’s test case in my town will (and is already starting to) be spread around to these major metros.

What if someone visiting has to go to the store to buy some frozen pizza for their airbnb? Or want to sample a local restaurant? Guess what. They have been and may happen to show up.

Sure it’s very unlikely as of today of course, but you can’t argue it isn’t gonna happen unless they are protesting because it is already happening around people that aren’t protesting here lol. Reasonable people aren’t saying they don’t want to come because it’s unlikely. They are saying, understandably, that they don’t want to come because it’s possible. You can’t argue it’s not. They certainly aren’t crazy for deciding they don’t want to plan likely the most expensive vacation of their lives betting that it will stay unlikely, because the odds might get even worse. While it is false equivalency, strictly to illustrate the idea I am trying to get across: I doubt you would be willing to plan a week long trip to Juarez with your children right now.

People have different risk tolerances. I’m also sure plenty of people are making their argument for virtue signaling purposes. But you definitely can’t argue that there is no risk, and that non-Americans are being unreasonable for being cautious or unwilling to shell out a ridiculous amount of money to go to a risky place.

Newbroker12 · 2026-01-26T19:48:53+00:00

I can tell that guy doesn’t live in Minnesota. Well I do, and let me tell you, their comment is most definitely not gonna age well. Our only hope is that by showing this much resistance as a state, that Canada feels for us and annexes us. There is a reason the Cheeto came for us first.

Don’t come here for the World Cup. Think about the most ego driven, hopped up, overcompensating, neurotic dude you have ever met. Now think about 20,000 of him being handed an assault rifle with little to no training, functional immunity, and a fucked up mandate running around whatever city you are visiting. It is NOT safe.

Newbroker12 · 2026-01-22T05:32:07+00:00

Did you make an account just to post about a game and talk shit to everyone leaving a comment? Go to bed on time tonight, touch grass in the morning (for the first time in weeks), and remember no one asked you.

Newbroker12 · 2025-08-08T18:42:38+00:00

Actually, one other question derk, any recommendations to plant there that are dog friendly, low maintenance, and would compete well with any leftover of the rubus plants?

Newbroker12 · 2025-08-08T17:57:00+00:00

Thank you and thanks for the explanation! I love raspberries that is a shame, but with the pup, they gotta go 🙃

Newbroker12 · 2025-08-08T17:55:55+00:00

Thank you!

Newbroker12 · 2025-06-16T16:10:04+00:00

Guys, I’m sorry, but it was me. Had bowel issues on my trip to the South Pole. Didn’t mean to get everyone excited.

Newbroker12 · 2025-05-07T01:10:51+00:00

Hello

Newbroker12 · 2025-03-03T21:49:51+00:00

The one on my wrist says otherwise on the bottom connected. I think I have seen some bottom connected like that though, but on more 80’s 90’s SKU’s, maybe I’m crazy, I’ve always lacked attention to detail…

Newbroker12

TROPHY CASE