What To Expect With Injected Testosterone Therapy

If your doctor diagnoses you with low testosterone, they may advise you to begin testosterone therapy. You can take testosterone in different ways, but injection is a popular and effective way to take testosterone. Plus, injections eliminate the worry of your kids or your spouse touching transdermal testosterone on your skin and having bad side effects. Here are some things to know about testosterone injection therapy.

You'll Need To Have Your Levels Checked First

While you might experience many of the symptoms of low testosterone, that may not mean you need testosterone therapy. You could have a different health condition or you might have bad lifestyle habits that drain your energy and cause symptoms that are similar to low T.

The only way to know if you have low T is to have your testosterone level checked by your doctor. This test reveals the amount of testosterone in your body and lets your doctor know the severity of your condition if your testosterone is low.

If your blood test reveals you have low testosterone levels, that doesn't automatically mean you're a good candidate for testosterone therapy. Testosterone supplementation can be dangerous if you have certain medical conditions, so your doctor will first make sure you are healthy enough to take the injections.

You Start Injection Treatments In Your Doctor's Office

There are different types of injectable testosterone, and there are different frequencies for the injections. You might take your injections every one to four weeks. You'll probably start by getting the injections at the doctor's office. The injections may be given in the muscle in your buttocks during a quick office visit.

Depending on the doctor you choose and your health condition, you may need to continue taking testosterone injections at the doctor's office the entire time you undergo testosterone therapy. However, your doctor might transition you to home injections if they're suitable for you. With these, you inject the testosterone yourself in a thigh muscle after you've been trained by your doctor. This makes it more convenient to keep up with your treatments by saving you a visit to your doctor's office just to get a shot of testosterone.

It May Take Weeks To See Results

You might feel some of the effects of testosterone therapy in several days or a few weeks, but it might take several weeks to feel the full effects. Your doctor monitors your testosterone levels so adjustments can be made if necessary to bring your level of testosterone back to the normal range.