Christmas 2010 i was bought an ipod that could track times/distances and so on, so started to record my times over a set 5.5km route I run.
In March 2011 (3 months later) I was diagnosed with a pituitary adenoma (a tumour), which was operated at the end of July. The effects of this before the operation was amongst other things a low testosterone count, and post-op was not producing any.
Therefore as I was prescribed various steroids to raise levels, I realised this would make a very interesting study of the effect these things actually have.
So, given I run the same 5.5km course, this has led to the following:
So notes for explanation:
- I am currently 32, so started recording when 31. I have never smoked and drink maybe 1 unit per month
- Pre-op my body wa sproducing a little testosterone, but not much. Post-op the gland was damaged as such that it now produces none.
- Testim was a gel like substance used to absorb the hormone through the skin which I used pre-op
- Nebido was injected on a 3 monthly basis post-op as I was not producing any myself
- Ovitelle is an injection I have started to get my body to work naturally i.e. make it's own hormones and eventually matbe have kids - i go back no the nebido afterwards
- I had a further operation to rmeove some Gynecomastia as a result of the tumour
So what conclusions can I draw? First, the Testim had an effect on performance (although given my increasingly ill state not much). The test period was probably too short to draw any conclusions.
The Nebido accelerated recovery timem, made me much less injury prone and also a lot more consistant in run times. There was also a marked increase in energy, muscle mass and willingness to exercise and so on.
Currently being on the Ovitrelle (and relying on my body working naturally) has made me much less consistant in run times, and has led to a noticeable increase in aches/pains, pulled muscles and general effort required to improve/maintain the speed.
It's interesting therefore to see the marked increase in performance from the steroids (over and above not having a tumour) has had on a relatively average person like myself, and I thought the people of PH would be interested to see the powerful effects it can have, based on my own personal experience.
Obviously it goes without saying that I would like to stress that I have been in the hands of a professional Endochrine team at the Hospital and thus do not suggest in the slightest that people should take this stuff unless prescribed by a medical professional.
