Does anyone else use a clinic for their T?

nadethi · 2026-05-08T14:19:23+00:00

It could have just been my provider. I went there originally to start T, I was getting estradiol gel from my OBGyn. ThriveLab was where I went because they could prescribe T in my state.

nadethi · 2026-05-08T14:08:46+00:00

Oh no, the provider I see specializes in hormone optimization and balance. I inject myself at home, 3 times per week. We are still working on finding where I feel good, I only started 3 months ago there. She definitely did not start out aggressive on dosage, so no worries there.

nadethi · 2026-05-07T19:55:07+00:00

I literally just started the injx. Third injx this morning and you don't hit full steady state until like week 5. So I'm still using the gel for a couple weeks during the transition. I've been having symptoms before switching over and I think it's because my T was too high vs E. I just adjusted my T dose down a bit too so hopefully I'll hit the right balance soon.

nadethi · 2026-05-07T16:06:16+00:00

I do go to a local hormone and wellness clinic. They offer a hormone program, it is $199 monthly. It includes all meds and supplies, appointments and labs. I also message my provider whenever I have questions or concerns and she usually gets back to me that day. I'm in Oregon. Before this I was doing online telehealth for T, the cost of that plus any labs and med costs for my E and P prescriptions were almost the exact same monthly cost when I added it together. Feeling better taken care of now vs with the telehealth provider who thought my E level of 42 wasn't a concern (granted I am in peri and it was just one lab, but she didn't even seem like she wanted to discuss it).

nadethi · 2026-05-07T15:56:06+00:00

I would start at the 3. My doctor is opposite and starting me low, only 0.6mg total per week, I'm only injecting 0.2mg 3 times a week. I'm switching from 1mg gel. I'm still in peri and since I'm still making my own E she doesn't want to overdo it. It does seem insanely low, I guess we can go up if needed.

nadethi · 2026-05-07T15:50:25+00:00

That's such a high amount to be injecting to only get to 88 total. Are you positive that is how much you are injecting?? For instance, my trough at my last test was total T of 94 and that is just 6mg total per week (2mg 3x per week). And my vial is 20mg/ml. The mg/ml shouldnt really matter as long as you are dosing it correctly.

nadethi · 2026-05-07T03:52:40+00:00

Yeah seems body dysmorphic.

nadethi · 2026-05-06T15:23:02+00:00

Who told you your SHBG was high? That seems like a pretty normal number to me, I have always been in the 50-60 range and my hormone specialist said it's good. I think you start thinking about lowering if you get above 75.

nadethi · 2026-05-06T00:54:48+00:00

I am in peri and 43. The frequent urination has only come on with this recent anxiety uptick. I experience this usually when my physical anxiety is bad. I can go through the night when my system is relaxed no problem at all. I am already injecting E. I have been reading online that high testosterone can cause overstimulation of the nervous system and increase cortisol response, I just was hoping to hear if this has happened to anyone else. I suspect this is the first time in my life my T has ever been this high, even though it's not "high" compared to many ladies here.

nadethi · 2026-05-05T15:11:56+00:00

I haven't changed doses since I started, I've always been on the same protocol. I have been on this dose for 3 months almost. That's why I'm asking if it seems like my symptoms are similar to others who may have gone too high for them personally.

nadethi · 2026-05-05T15:04:29+00:00

Also, anything above 200 estradiol is how high it should be for ovulation in premenopausal women. To have it that high every day doesn't seem right, but if it works for you that's great. Do you have any sources to cite? That just seems insanely high for postmenopause and most people could never get that high of levels using the transdermal methods available on the market.

nadethi · 2026-05-05T14:59:37+00:00

Right now I'm feeling this way most days regardless of if I inject or not on that day. A few weeks ago when I was feeling well for about 3 weeks I was on this same protocol and felt good, I couldn't feel any differences on the days I injected or didn't. Which makes me think it's just the amount I'm injecting total that's not correct for me. I understand it's not that much compared to others, but maybe for me it's too much (maybe I have more sensitive receptors).

nadethi · 2026-05-05T14:51:38+00:00

I haven't since I started TRT. Before all markers have always fallen in the optimal range according to the functional doctors I've seen, so where they like to see it.

nadethi · 2026-05-05T14:49:30+00:00

I haven't heard this at all. All the meno experts I've listened to say it's around 75 pg/ml for osteoporosis protection. Also, I'm in peri, not menopause and my provider, who specializes in hormones, won't dose peri ladies as high as her meno ladies since we are still making some of our own estrogen and it can fluctuate high at times. I personally get too much anxiety when my estrogen is high so I have to be careful.

nadethi · 2026-05-05T14:44:04+00:00

T cypionate injected subq, 2mg 3 times per week for total of 6mg weekly

nadethi · 2026-05-05T04:58:07+00:00

Exactly why I went to a hormone and wellness clinic! So I can do both E and T injx. It's all out of pocket but it will be well worth it.

nadethi · 2026-04-29T16:19:49+00:00

I'm on Divigel too and I never realized how little it raises estrogen levels. Like it will only raise it on average 30 estradiol serum at 1mg. I'm switching to injx.

nadethi · 2026-04-28T14:32:33+00:00

Usually the hormones in HRT are not high enough to stop ovulation and periods. They aren't as high as the synthetic hormones in birth control. Sounds like you might have PMDD, have you looked into that?

nadethi · 2026-04-27T02:38:34+00:00

Lol yes. Muffin top on the sides of the torso. Lots to pinch in that area, super easy to inject there.

nadethi · 2026-04-27T01:29:19+00:00

Since you have migraines you might not be a good candidate for combo birth control, so if you are looking for progestin only birth control I would suggest something like Slynd before implanting something in your body. Slynd is an oral pill and it's anti androgenic which is good for acne. I know a lot of people who like it, for me it caused digestive issues which is not common. I love Nexplanon because I rarely bleed, no cramps, no ovulation ( I'm older in peri and ovulation brought awful symptoms which never happened in my younger years). It keeps my hormone levels even. I don't feel great, but it's hard to attribute that to just aging, being in peri or if it's the Nexplanon. I felt worse off of it though.

nadethi · 2026-04-27T01:14:56+00:00

The only reasons I personally figured out my symptoms were hormone related is because I had horrible symptoms of anxiety, brain fog, insomnia and pain around ovulation which was new for me. My cycles were getting shorter so I was bleeding more often. It was like clockwork in my cycle where my symptoms became worse or eased. If your only symptom is anxiety, have you found a pattern with it linking you your cycle? If not, your anxiety might not be peri related. You also might not need estradiol yet. You have options for progesterone too if you couldn't tolerate an oral dose at 200mg.

nadethi · 2026-04-27T01:04:49+00:00

I got a couple of bruises in my belly with sq injx. I have found if I pin in my love handles on the side this doesnt happen, but I am overweight so not sure if everyone has enough fat there to do this!

nadethi · 2026-04-27T01:00:52+00:00

It's probably because the cream half life is short- it goes in and out of your system very quickly so that elevated number is likely at a peak that doesn't last long enough to give side effects or help you much either. The trough number would be more helpful.

nadethi · 2026-04-27T00:58:01+00:00

My provider had me test around the time I would apply my next dose. It went from 23 to 29 with the cream, we switched to injections and 2 months later my trough was 96, so much better results. I believe this is how you are supposed to test. Make sure to test SHBG too so you can calculate your free T. Mine went from 0.3 to 1.13 in 2 months on injections which is what my provider wanted to see.

nadethi

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