So I had my consultation for HRT on Thursday (6/30), which went well. I have the paperwork to get all the necessary blood tests done, but I need to try to come up with the funds ($194!) for that before I can get it done. My follow-up is toward the end of the month, which should be when I get my actual prescription for testosterone.
The only question I ended up being able to think of to ask the doctor was if she would prescribe IM injections instead of the topical gel, simply because the gel is very expensive. She then told me she doesn't recommend injections because of the risks of hitting nerves or blood vessels, and infection risks. Personally I'm not too worried because it seems commonplace enough and there's tons of information on how to properly inject yourself. But she then said she recommended testosterone cream from a local compound pharmacy. I had never heard of an actual T cream before. She said it absorbs better than the gel and that once it's dry you don't have to worry about skin contact with other people or your pets.
Once I got home I did a little bit of reading and saw that absorption varies greatly by person and that you still have to be super careful about skin contact. The only benefit I'm seeing is that, because it's a daily dose, the supply of T is constant (she said it basically mimics having testes). It's also more expensive than injections, but less than the gel. I don't know how long a tube is supposed to last.

Does anyone have experience with T cream? Would T injections still be a better bet?
I'm hoping that she will actually make the choice myself, but I just wanted to get some input from anyone who may be on the cream or switched from the cream to injections to see which works better.

Haven't done cream but having to do it every day would be a pain. Injections you do once a week or every two weeks and forget about it. If you are taught properly then you aren't very likely to hit something when doing a shot. Even if you do hit something then you monitor it like any other wound and it will be fine in a few days.

I started on gel and switched to injections. When I originally went in, the price of gel was super low. It cost me about $30 for a 3 month supply of Testim. Great, great deal. Unfortunately by the next quarter when I went back for follow up labs and an appointment to discuss dosing with my doctor, the price had gone up to around $600 for the same amount of gel. I had a huge needle phobia, but switched immediately to injections because there was no way I could afford even one month's worth of gel at that price point.

I believe cream does have a lower rate of transfer in instances of skin contact than gel, but it is something I probably wouldn't mess around with. No skin on skin contact, no sharing of towels, no letting any women in your life wear your shirts, etc. It's good practice, even if it isn't entirely necessary because you never know. I did contact a compounding pharmacy about the price of a cream or gel, but it was actually around the same price at the time. Not sure if it's improved since.

Speaking from experience, topical T was a pain. When I switched to injections, even though I had this huge needle fear, I was super stoked to just be able to do a shot and then forget about it for another week. With the topicals, I had to re-do my whole morning routine to make sure that I was showering before applying (to maximize absorption), and then not doing anything that would be sweat inducing for at least 2 hours after the fact.

It was doable, and I do think it helped to get me into a routine. I'd never had to take any kind of medication on a schedule before so it definitely got me in the right frame of mind to start off. But after that initial period, I'm so glad I switched to injections just from a convenience standpoint.

From a medical standpoint, I felt no different on gel or injections. My T levels have stayed very stable on both, and the only side effect I've experienced (acne) was present with both delivery methods. I haven't seen any medical studies that would support the idea that one is more effective than the other.

I think applying a cream on a daily basis would be difficult for me. I don't even wash my face on a daily basis. I feel like I might forget.
I also worry about my dog because she always licks lotion off of me, even if it's "absorbed." If I did use the cream, I'd put it on my face, since the doctor said it could help with facial hair growth, and my dog is always climbing on me and trying to lick my face.
I looked on the "goodrx.com" site to find out local prices (and coupons) and the 30ml tube is $50 USD. No idea how long that's supposed to last, but a 1ml 200mg/ml vial (which I'm guessing is a month's supply?) of generic depo-T would be significantly cheaper (between $11-$25 depending on the pharmacy).

Pretty much the only concerns with injections is, the obvious, needle fear, which people make fun of me for since I have tattoos and piercings. I've always hated shots, but I think I could psych myself up for self-injections. The other thing would be how T kind of "wears off" until the next due shot, which I've read can causes some slight mental/emotional side effects. I suffer from chronic depression and anxiety, so I'm just concerned how I might end up feeling towards the end of the week. I have no interest in the shot every 2 weeks since I've heard other guys say the longer stretch negatively affects their moods more compared to a shot every week.

I'll definitely express my concerns over the cream at my next appointment and that I would prefer injections. She seems like she would rather do what ultimately makes me the most comfortable.
However, I welcome any further insight from anyone who does have experience with the cream (routines, mental/emotional effects, costs, how long a tube lasts, etc).

A 1ml vial for most people is a one month supply, but it ultimately depends on your dosage. Similarly, how long a tube would last would depend on your dosage. Especially at the start, where things are a little more variable, you may go through it more slowly or more quickly based on your doctor's approach.

The gel I used came in individual tubes and were purchased as a box of 30, but the larger tubes and pumps work the same way. What you are looking at would be a 1 month supply for most people, but again, YMMV based on your particular dosage. I've known guys to be at what would be considered half or even double doses just based on how all their lab work is coming back.

I checked GoodRx and looked up the product you mentioned. If you go the topical route, do not apply to your face. When you get the stuff, it should come with a booklet that tells you where it is best to apply it. I'm looking at the specific product on that pharmacy's website right now and they list the inside of the wrists or thighs as application sites.

Quote from: BrotinnI think applying a cream on a daily basis would be difficult for me. I don't even wash my face on a daily basis. I feel like I might forget.

You'll very likely find yourself washing your face a lot more often after you start T. Most guys' skin gets much oilier, and many have problems with acne. 

That said, I do a weekly injection, and I'd far rather do that than have to apply cream every day. I was also pretty phobic about needles when I started, but I got over it fairly quickly by using some mindfulness meditation techniques. A couple of years later, I don't think about it much -- I inject on Sunday mornings (mainly because I usually know when it's Sunday ), and it's just do the prep, jab it in, and done -- no big deal at all. With a weekly schedule I don't notice any shift in my mood at the end of the cycle -- the level is consistent enough so that doesn't happen, at least for me.

Quote from: Tysilio on July 03, 2016, 10:40:46 PM
You'll very likely find yourself washing your face a lot more often after you start T. Most guys' skin gets much oilier, and many have problems with acne. 

That's the main thing I worry about. I've never had clear skin (I just turned 30). It's never been super horrible, but I have a lot of stubborn blackheads and I get some breakouts on my chest and back already. I also breakout more during my man-struation time. I feel like bad acne will hit me like a brick on T. I just hate washing my face in the sink because water always gets everywhere from running down my arms/elbows and the scrub I use gets all in my hair. It's just much easier to do in the shower, but I'm not a daily showerer (I don't really do anything that causes me to get sweaty or anything). Honestly if I could get away with taking some kind of supplements to help with it, I would prefer that since it's easy for me to keep a pill schedule.