30 replies to this topic

[rxpharm]

A recent warning issued by Health Canada following a study that testosterone increases cardiovascular problems.

 

 

Heart risks from testosterone replacements flagged by Health Canada

Heart attack, stroke, blood clot and heart rate problems identified with use of testosterone replacement

CBC News Posted: Jul 15, 2014 3:00 PM ET| Last Updated: Jul 15, 2014 3:00 PM ET

Testosterone
Heart attack risk increased after testosterone therapy in one study. (Erin Siegal/Reuters)

Testosterone replacements can increase the risk of serious heart and blood vessel problems, Health Canada says.

The regulator said 12 testosterone replacement products are available, such as Androderm, Andriol, Delatestryl, Androgel, Axiroin, Depo-Testosterone, Testim, and their equivalent generics.

■Study shows testosterone therapy doubles the risk of heart attack

Men use the products because their bodies can’t make enough testosterone.

"Health Canada has recently completed a safety review on testosterone replacement products," the department said Tuesday.

"This review found a growing body of evidence (from published scientific literature and case reports received by Health Canada and foreign regulators) for serious and possible life-threatening heart and blood vessel problems such as heart attack, stroke, blood clot in the lungs or legs; and increased or irregular heart rate with the use of testosterone replacement products."

Health Canada said it is working with manufacturers to update the product labels to describe the risk.

It also reminded the public about safety information on the use of testosterone products:

■They should not be used in men for non-specific symptoms if laboratory tests have not been done to confirm a low testosterone level and other possible causes for the symptoms have not been excluded.

■They should not be used in children under the age of 18 as the safety and effectiveness has not been established in these patients.

■They should not be used by women.

Patients should be assessed for cardiovascular risk factors before starting testosterone therapy.

 

It has become quite popular for older men to start using testosterone as a "fountain of youth" drug, but there are risks involved so a complete work up should be done before starting as well as periodic monitoring.

[Surin Nix]

I attend a TRT clinic in my home country. I'm 55. Testosterone was, not surprisingly, quite low. Been taking injections for 4 years. Monthly blood tests to determine safe levels. Very controlled and regulated environment. They make a lot about not giving T at "bodybuilder" levels (which can produce estrogen, then in turn have a feminizing effect....for all you wannabee LB's).

I like it.

[rxpharm]

Surin Nix, - great to hear that it's working for you. In your case you are following the right protocol - work up, dosing and regular monitoring. Many guys either buy it on their own in countries like LOS, and self administer without monitoring. There's a lot on the internet about this, but doing it the proper way will reduce any chance of adverse effects from happening.

[Surin Nix]

You know, i thought it was pretty amazing how testosterone, as much as anybody would care to buy, is so easily purchased over the counter on Phuket. In fact, they showed me catalogues of every steroid i'd imagine one would want. Looking around the island, i'm guessing business is doing well there.

[Spyder Rocket]

Does it work? Any noticeable improvements?

I listened to a segment on NPR that claimed the Low-T diagnosis and the various testosterone replacement therapies aren't on solid ground when it comes to hard data and clinical studies.

[rxpharm]

This is a summary of the study: UCLA News Room . Spyder Rocket - it probably can benefit some - but as I wrote, it could be risky, so going about it properly as Surin Nix has done is the best strategy.

 

Surin Nix, there are a lot of drugs you can buy in Thailand without prescription. One of the issues with testosterone is that if customs checks you on entry back to your home country they could confiscate it or maybe charge you as it is highly regulated in most western countries.

[dixon cox]

I'm certainly no expert on this subject but here are my meagre findings anyway...

 

Starting early last year I consumed 2 boxes of Testoviron Depot (40 ampules) over a period of several months by way of regular injections at a local Buakhao clinic. Yet, after an initial surge, my libido levels seemed to remain unchanged. Maybe I wasn't taking enough in any given time-period or some other frequency versus quantity issue, I'm not sure.

 

There's very little information available on this matter online unless you're a body-builder, which I'm not. But even that information tends to be combined with muscle-gain and training regimens and techniques, not older men with less than ideal libidos. I stopped taking the Testoviron Depot last summer as the overall cost seemed too high for something which was apparently having little or no effect.

 

The price on the box of 20 Testoviron Depot ampules was B3,600, but discounts available for a familiar face or when buying more than one box, plus B100 per injection. All those costs did add up.

 

After a 6-month hiatus towards the end of last year I changed to pump action Testo-Gel and it works a treat. Not only is it cheaper and does not require injection you can easily apply it as and when you want and in what dose. Alongside Zeagra (my favourite sildenafil citrate) I can turn myself on and off within short notice if I feel the need.

 

Using the Testoviron Depot previously I reckon my testosterone production may have hit rock bottom as I believe the injectables took away the need for me to naturally produce any testosterone of my own. Now the gel and Zeagra is an occasional thing for me and the beauty of that is I can readily make my own choice as and when I want. Add that to my normal, if rather weak, testosterone I'm periodically a 'new man' and my wallet appreciates the difference too.

 

Testo-Gel - B1,500 per 100ml pump bottle. I got 2x 100ml pump bottles for B2,600

Zeagra - $2 for a box of 4 in Phnom Penh

 

 

It is always sensible advice to heed that of a trained professional. But I live in Thailand now and although I'm sure there are many trained professionals here in the Kingdom I doubt too many of them are based in clinics along Soi Buakhao. In general I wouldn't trust a doctor's ability here much beyond that of bandaging a scuffed knee-cap or elbow.

 

Having a ladyboy girlfriend these days has radically changed things for me and my libido feels revitalised naturally because of it. The relationship suits my libido-clock too which tends to chime in late afternoons or during the early hours, not ideal mongering times, but she's with me so urges can be acted upon immediately, if needs must.

 

I'll still sneak the odd Testo-Gel application in from time to time with the occasional Zeagra or Kamagra gel to increase the chances of a satisfactory performance. Life's not so bad

[Surin Nix]

Does it work? Any noticeable improvements?
I listened to a segment on NPR that claimed the Low-T diagnosis and the various testosterone replacement therapies aren't on solid ground when it comes to hard data and clinical studies.

My experience. Purely anecdotal:

LIBIDO
I never experienced a "rush" of sexual excitement akin to a 13-year old boy looking at his first porno mag. I didn't notice much difference in the first few months. But after, i'd say, 3 months, i did become aware of a heightened overall libido. As DC mentioned, it didn't help me much late at night, but daytime/morning encounters were noticeably more frequent and vigorous.

Like DC, i also have a supply of T-gel, which i use to "up" my levels near the end of the injection cycle, if need be. I too notice a bit of a surge when i do this.

BODY MASS
It IS easier to maintain musculature and get results in the gym when doing TRT. The hard part for me now is maintaining my interest in going to the gym. I was much more of a regular when younger, but even now i think i maintain a certain above-average (i'd say...could be deluded) musculature. Not sure if this is TRT or "leftovers" from my heavy gym days. My guess: a combination.

HAIR
TRT can stimulate the hormone DHT (if i understand all this correctly). DHT is associated with hair loss, and my hairline has receded considerable in the past few years. I had a very full head of hair until my mid 40's, but it has thinned considerably in the recent past. Unknown if this is genetics, TRT, or both.

ACNE
I had what appeared to be a few pimples along my jawline. The FIRST question my dermatologist asked was "are you taking testosterone therapy"? He acted not at all surprised wheni said yes. Said he's seen a big surge of this with middle aged men he sees. Gave me some acne cream. Cleared it right up.

OVERALL
I like it. The libido is still not what it was in years past. I miss that. But, it is an improvement. I like the way it's easier to achieve and maintain results in the gym. I don't worry about the hair loss, because i figure i was losing it anyway, and it doesn't bother me (btw, "Propecia" is prescribed as a DHT inhibitor should anyone be concerned about this. Propecia is also clinically shown to stimulate hair growth in many men).

TRT is a growth industry here. Sometimes, it seems, half of the firemen and police force in my town are in the waitng area, and i have seen the line snake outside the front door of the clinic with men waiting. So, it must be working for somebody, using the number of clients as an indicator.

[dixon cox]

That's a good read SN.

 

While we're on the subject of libido levels, one thing I'm almost certain has made an improvement to mine is zinc. How much of the improvement is down to either the occasional Testo-Gel application or my daily zinc tablet I would lean towards the zinc every time. But the combination is much better.

 

I purchased a decent quality (sealed) bottle of 'Bio Zinc' (manufactured by Blackmores) for B504 for 90 tablets, 3-month's supply, one per day, from a pharmacy along Soi Buakhao, opposite Soi Made in Thailand about 80 days ago . You can never totally trust the authenticity of every single over the counter purchase from a pharmacy within Thailand so sometimes you just have to take a chance and bite the bullet, so to speak. Call it intuition or just a feeling but I reckon these zinc tabs are playing a very large role in my improved libido. A year or two ago my libido felt like it was at rock bottom, now it feels fine for my age or is certainly a massive improvement on what it was at it's worst. I've taken zinc supplements in the past but with little change, so I'll stick with this brand for the foreseeable.

 

I don't get acne but my hair has never naturally been a strong-point for me with the girls, not until I starting shaving my head several years ago. As it happened the first time I did that I was in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on the day Osama Bin Laden was reported killed, 2nd May 2011 ~ here. The girls like a complete baldie shave

 

I haven't been to a barbers in years, no need. For the last 3½ decades I've used clippers on my hair and over time gradually reduced the length down to the nub. I replaced my clippers about a month or so ago from a store on the corner of 3rd Road and Pattaya Tai for B800, a Wahl set very similar to what I always get. They should last another 8 years or so. I still use it for my beard.

 

Since shaving my head I've found both liberation and additional attention. In fact, my LBGF calls me hooa-lone 99% of the time, which means skinhead. She really likes it. If I didn't shave my head I'd be half bald, I'd prefer to decide what happens up there rather than allow nature to take it's natural course of slowly balding me.

 

I've never had my testosterone counted, it'd probably be in single digits without any help. I also had a vasectomy about 10 years ago and often wondered whether that played a part in my naturally poor (if unattended to) libido.

[Aces Up]

I buy pumpkin seeds out of the 7/11 as a zinc source.  

 

 

[Spyder Rocket]

Thanks for sharing your results and impressions guys. I can't help but to be wary of it, there is a very vocal group of doctors in the US that say the increased risk of heart attack isn't worth it for the majority of men.

http://well.blogs.ny...fits-and-risks/

I'm resigned to eating like a rabbit and and working out to offset the aging process.

[rxpharm]

Spyder Rocket - if you followed Surin Nix's protocol with a proper work up and monitoring - you would likely be pretty safe (unless you have a family history of cardiac problems). Also DC's occasional usage is likely safe as well, and Ace's Up is right about Pumpkin Seeds being a good source of zinc which helps with semen and testosterone production.

 

However, you would need to eat a lot of pumpkin seeds approx 2.9 mg of zinc per ounce (28 grams), to make up your daily recommended intake of 15 mg. If you are low in zinc taking a tablet is a much easier way to meet your body requirements for zinc.

 

Also here's a thread about real pharmacies in Thailand, which are less likely to have counterfeit medications for sale.