Are you interested in a live discussion of TRT after Prostate Cancer Treatment? I have set up a ZOOM call for next Saturday, March 4th at 2PM CST. If you are on TRT or interested in this subject join in this ZOOM call.
I wish it had been available to me after the disastrous side effect I had with my first, and only, ADT (Lupron) injection. I suffered this side effect for 11 months after the supposed 3-month shot. I would have gladly had an acceleration of my PCa to lessen the effects I had. It destroyed my life (QOL) for that time and has left a lasting scar for me emotionally and mentally. Some things are worse than the PCa.
I'll try to do that. It too late for me now though. My T is back to normal since I am not on any ADT or other therapies. If ADT is stopped because of side effects, and not from castration resistance, SOC only allows DNA therapy (if possible) or chemo.
This isn't the traditional TRT--this is old school. If one still has one's testicles and allows them to do "breathing back squats" it is surprising how muchone'sT will increase in three months and six months. I had my T tested at three-month intervals and in six months my oncologist asked me if I was "taking anything". My reply was, "Yes, back squats". We discussed this along with the other weight training. I originally thought my T would be even higher if I wasn't a vegan but vegans tend to have higher T than omnivores--go figure!
A uro used a combination of six, 500 mg Cipro pills over three days combined with what a nurse described as a "humongous syringe of Levaquin" via an intramuscular needle as a sepsis prophylactic. Old injuries that had been long forgotten to both shoulders and a SI ligament in my back recured badly but all three came back. I was nearly crippled and the pain from these old injuries would wake me at least every hour. I had to find a new position to sleep again.
If anyone thinks they can't do this I had to start with just the bar, 45lbs. The fluoroquinolones had destroyed me physically and the one on one personal training business I was about to start. I was surprised that after a couple months I was able to bend over long enough to scoop my cat's litter box without a break because of the pain. My shoulders felt better and I added a few light upper body exercises.
The damage which began in August of 2014, is, to quite an extant irreversible. A chiropractor had diagnosed my first shoulder shredding as an adverse reaction to the fluoroquinolones. She began her practice when this family of drugs first were approved. She noted over the decades that these drugs really went for old, long healed injuries to ligaments, tendons and joints. She told me to call my uro and tell him --which I did. He dismissed the fluoros as a cause and suggested doing rehab as he did for his shoulder and combined the Cipro and Levaquin again! I lost the other shoulder, not as dramatically as the first but about two months after that combo of the fluoros all I did was get out of bed and the SI ligament ripped again!
I went into detail about the fluoro damage because I feel that in addition to increasing one's T other hormones, healing hormones, are produced by these types of exercises. Another benefit would be increasing bone density by bearing weight. Cefdinir or Rocephin would not have caused the damage to my old, well healed, long forgotten, injuries.
I never squatted with more than 140 lbs. during this rehab but did 30 reps and two sets. My SI ligament doesn't feel capable of more than the 140 lbs. I added some cleans to overhead presses and deadlifts wearing a belt--again, high reps but a lighter weight. Other exercises --done carefully--followed.
Do not think you can't do this. I had to start with just the 45 lb. bar for squats. Yes, it was challenging. I soon was able to do a full range of motion and started adding a little weight at a time. If it hurt too much, I stopped for the day. After about six weeks my shoulders felt better. I pushed it a little too soon, adding weight. I took a little time off and was more careful.
If you need TRT fine. It seems that if you start TRT, your body's ability to manufacture it's own in the future may be harmed. A very interesting video by someone who has experienced low T and had access to experts on TRT because of his fame as a bodybuilder. Dorian Yates talks very openly about his experience after stopping testosterone injections. There is some good info in the short video.
Below is a history of my T results at that time. I started in maybe --late February of 2020. I noticed that the extensive fluoro damage, likely the result of a urologist combining Cipro and Levaquin, was less severe. The first test was on May 22, 2020, about three months after I began the back squats. The graph, which I would like to include, doesn't copy and paste but the trajectory of the rise was already well underway when I first tested for T.
Results below. Normal range of T according to Lifepsan Lab is 270 to 1,070 NG/DL. Note that when I stopped lifting, the 7/15/21 and 1/14/22 numbers, my T decreased.
5/22/20 8/14/20 11/23/20 7/15/21 1/14/22 7/29/22
975 1,240 H 1,252 H 1,008 1,054 1,158 H
As for the video, I think if you click on, "Watch on YouTube" you will access it. If not, this should take you to it. "TESTOSTERONE & AGEING - Dorian Yates on Steroids". YouTube. Of course someone like Yates will have the doctors that are considered at the top of their specialty overseeing their health. These men balance the risks and benefits. I wouldn't.
I was rather detailed in my response. I hope that will be helpful.
If I can, I will try to join you in the Zoom meeting. Breathing back squats are done with a weight that can be repped at least 20X. That is the standard rep number usually accepted. Learning proper form and using equipment that has safeties is important to prevent injury. I would suggest just learning form in the first week doing the exercise every other day. Once form is established when doing the squats, one takes an extra breath at the top of each rep. To get to twenty it is fine if one takes several breaths at the top of the reps near the end of the set if needed. That is normal. One needs a good heart. This exercise and other multi-joint exercises such as deadlifts and overhead presses are beneficial for overall health. It isn't so much about the amount of weight but proper form to prevent injury, learning to breath while lifting and getting the reps in. As always, if it hurts, stop. Is one's form correct? Lower the weight. Start with a weight that can be easily used and increase as one's fitness level increases. This isn't a competition and shouldn't be viewed as such. The amount of weight isn't the important part of this. The reps and work will stimulate one's body to manufacture the highest amount of hormones possible--diet helps. Again, I was surprised that vegans tend to have higher T levels.
No, I didn't record it. We had a good discussion with some men on T and others asking how we got a prescription. If you have been PSA undetectable for many months and off ADT you should be able to have a Urologist prescribe T for you.
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