Axiron or TRT feedback in general

The short version: Does anyone have any experience with Axiron? The long version: I am 34, recently diagnosed with low testosterone after months of exhaustion, weight gain, low libido, et cetera. My doctor gave me Axiron gel, with a few caveats, but she felt pretty confident about prescribing it to me despite my sleep apnea (for which I am getting surgery next month). I did some research online, which talked of some undesirable side effects, I asked the pharmacist who told me there are none and treated it like I was asking about the risks involved in taking vitamin C, and called my doctor back about my concerns, mainly being:

1. Will this replace the missing testosterone, or replace it altogether, i.e. if I am, say, 30mg short on testosterone, will this product replace that 30 mg, or will my boys shut down completely and I will have to replace all of my testosterone?

2. What about testicular atrophy? How likely is this? She is staring me off on the lowest dosage, but it is still a concern of mine.

3. Realistically how common is gynecomastia?

4. Finally, do I have alternatives to TRT, such as lifestyle changes (lose weight, eat better, reduce stress, exercise)?

My doctor's nurse called and told me that, using my above example, only that missing 30mg will be coming from TRT, and my boys will continue to crank out the rest. The nurse sidestepped the following two concerns, and told me that I am welcome to try lifestyle change, I probably won't see any results for 2-3 months, if at all. For as shitty as I feel, that's a bit of a long time.

This leaves me on the fence about the Axiron. Once I start TRT, my doctor says I can never stop. I'm only 34, that's a long time for me to be using this stuff. On the other hand, I am noticing the effects of my condition on my relationship with my wife, who is awesome and being very supportive, especially about trying the natural route first, but I am trained in NLP and notice behavioral patterns that are indicating that she misses the old me. My relationship isn't in danger, I just want her to be happy.

My apologies for the novel, and my decision making processes are based largely on information, not impulse. Clearly there is a lot on my mind about this. Maybe I am being over-analytical, I don't know. Feedback from anyone who is familiar with this or any form of TRT would be greatly appreciated.

1. 30mg of transdermal testosterone is what you were prescribed. However, your question is a little off-base. Testosterone levels are normally measured by ng/dl, not in mg's. Either way, 30mg is a very low dose, extremely. As a transdermal form of testosterone, you'll only absorb about 10% of the testosterone in a usable way....maybe a little more but not much. How often you're Dr. prescribes you to administer the hormone, by using a 10-15% range of absorption this will give you a good idea of how much actual testosterone you're receiving. Yes, your natural testosterone production will be suppressed to a degree. With such a low dose it shouldn't be a complete shutdown of production, but some suppression will occur. With this added exogenous testosterone, plus what you're body will still be making naturally, hopefully it will be enough to cover the spread and get you to an optimal level. Knowing your actual natural testosterone levels would be helpful when answering this question. WIthout that information it's a shot in the dark. However, if your levels are truly low I don't think the odds of this 30mg dosing remedying your condition fully are in your favor.

2. When natural testosterone production is suppressed, this will cause testicular atrophy. It is guaranteed to occur. Keep in mind, atrophy is merely a loss of fullness, your testicles will not vanish. Further, a little atrophy is a lot better than low testosterone.

3. With TRT doses it is possible but it is not common. You're merely replacing the testosterone your body is no longer making. You're not introducing testosterone levels your body is unaccustomed to. There has to be a large estrogen buildup for gyno to occur when using testosterone. This occurs through a process known as aromatization which simply stated is a conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Estrogen in simplistic terms is a by-product of testosterone. The odds are strong gyno WILL NOT be a concern in your case. If for some reason symptoms to begin to show, this is a very easy situation to fix if you take action at the onset of symptoms.

4. Introducing specific high fat foods such as nuts, legumes, salmon, red meat and whole eggs can all have a positive impact on natural testosterone production. Making sure you get at least 8hrs of sleep every night will also help a great deal. Our testosterone levels peak in the morning, but if adequate rest is not had they won't peak as high as they could. Losing weight will also help, weight training is also a good way to promote stronger testosterone levels to a degree. However, if your levels are truly low, even with proper diet and exercise it can be extremely difficult to lose body fat...often nearly impossible. You could make all these changes to your life, ensuring you're eating plenty of omega fatty acids and simply a well balanced diet will help. However, if your levels really are low it's not going to make that much of a difference.