Cost is only one factor. In terms of options you have oral, needles, topical, sublingual or pellets. I dislike needles, need steady long term levels and like my liver; so pellet HRT was a good choice but other go with one of the other options.
Currently oral is not an option because the dose needed would cause serious hepatoxicity (this means liver tumors). However Oregnon has recently produced another oral version that they say is safer but the jury is entirely out on that matter. Avoid oral dosing until some longer term studies addressing safety and effectiveness.
Sublingual is better then oral but people have trouble with the tabs adhering or causing irritation and some of the dose is swallowed the jury is out on whether that is dangerous. I haven't done this method and all those I know who tried it have given up this treatment. It may be right for someone though.
Topical is split into gel, cream and patches the difference being gel has alcohol, cream doesn't and patches don't stay on. Avoid the gel because of alcohol and patches because the technology isn't able to provide large enough doses which means multiple patches. The majority of reported allergies or sensitization are to the gel or patches. You can get the cream cheaper by having it compounded. 10% is the highest concentration we can make which means smaller amount to put on (important) and can be applied to the genitals. Topical tend to produce higher serum DHT levels which isn't what you want if you are trying to save your hair. Plus there is a rise in PSA levels for whatever that means. They are easier to apply and cause no trauma however they present a danger to children and pregnant women.
Injections range wildly but there is a lot of information out there on it. At the end of the day you are choosing based on frequency, site, IM/ SubQ, and size of injection, doing it yourself or having someone else do it, stability of dosage, cost and personal preference. I know guys who shoot 12 times a day and others who do it 4 times a year. Swings are huge with this method. You need to do staggered dosing for best effect. Since skin in entered the risks include infection, pain, swelling, tissue damage, blood clots and the dangers thereof.
All methods can work at the right dosage.
It is interesting to note that the dosage isn't convertible for different methods and can effect price. For instance where I needed 28 units of cyp, 5.5 units of pellets and 100 units of 10% cream. This means that the actual costs per unit aren't adding up. The raw powder testosterone is about 20/g and DHT 100/g with my nor-testosterone about 30/g. From a testosterone stand point T-cyp cost about 1.15, cream about 4.60 and alternatively the pellets about 11 cents a day. Now you add in the cost of manufacturing are about the same. So generally speaking T-cyp is 10 times more expensive then pellets and cream is about 4 times more expensive then cyp or 40 times more expensive then pellets.
Next are incidental costs which means needle or implanting. I won't talk about this on the board except to say there are much cheaper ways to get the pellets inside you then your doctor wants to charge and you can do it yourself. This is where if you pay most doctors to do it you the cost will rise. I do it myself and after this batch I will have them compounded.
I am currently on DHT and testosterone about to start my final HRT adjustment and add a nor-testosterone. Adding DHT has meant I could lower my testosterone doses, have better E2 levels and get better effects. The nor-testosterone might return me to pre-hysto mass and strength, will balance out the scales and lower my testosterone dose further. We are hoping to bring it down to 4.5 units with 2 units DHT and 2 units of tren. For me that would mean a cost of about 48 cents a day or 175 dollars a year with a trocar. This is apposed to my cyp which cost me 1.65 a day or 420 dollars a year with needles. So if you pay more then 300 dollar for a years implanting then the IM is cheaper. On the other hand of options without you giving needles the implant sessions could cost you 1500 dollars a year before the cream is cheaper.
Some people like or don't care about the swing in dosage sublingual (2-3X daily), topical (daily), IM/ SubQ (3 days to 3 months depending on ester) or hate it and use pellets (4- 6 months) or really hate it and custom make pellets lasting 3- 5 years between swings. You will have swings so you either go with custom pellets for the longest time between, increase dosing schedule or both. The goal is to have small less noticeable swings. I personally use both by implanting two staggered doses. In addition you must be aware that your bodies physiologically will change your dosage at any given time. Your body can and does toss hormones back and forth depending on need. This is why your E2 rises if you add too much testosterone.
So on that data I personally would use the following products and rate them as the best if not contra-indicated.
Pellets
Topical
Injections
Scarring, Truama and Ease of administration Levels-
Topical
Injections
Pellets
Dosage flexibility-
Topicals
Injections
Pellets
If you might need to cease treatment then I would say.
Pellets (90min)
Saline Injections (4hrs)
Topical (24hrs)
Esterfied Injections (3 days to 3 months)
I would ordered them as a front line, secondary and long term treatments from top to bottom.
Compounded or commercial 10% testosterone cream
Mixed Ester Injection like Sustanon or cypionate
Compounded custom or commercial testosterone pellets
Hope you enjoyed this week's lesson on testosterone. I hope other can chime in on mistake I have made. Take care.
->-bleeped-<-boy
