The Perimenopause Symptom Checklist — What to Track Before Your First Appointment
A clinician-written guide to perimenopause symptoms — what to track, what they signal, and how to prepare for a hormone evaluation.
Most men with low testosterone are told they have two options: do nothing, or jump on a generic protocol with no real follow-up. Neither one fits how I practice. Injection therapy works for a specific kind of patient — the one who wants tight dose control, fast titration, and the option to manage their own delivery between visits. Done right, it produces stable energy, recovery, and body composition without the swings men hear about. Done wrong, it produces the same swings, plus elevated hematocrit, suppressed natural production, and side effects nobody warned about. The difference is the protocol and the monitoring.
Testosterone injection therapy uses bioidentical testosterone esters — cypionate or enanthate — administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously on a defined schedule. The two esters behave very similarly in most patients; the choice often comes down to availability, half-life nuance, and patient preference. Weekly dosing produces tighter levels and is what I typically recommend; bi-weekly is acceptable for some patients but produces a more pronounced peak-and-trough pattern. Self-injection training is part of the program. Once you understand the technique, the maintenance is fifteen seconds a week.
We start the same way every TRT conversation should start: a comprehensive hormone panel and an honest clinical conversation. Total testosterone, free testosterone, SHBG, estradiol, DHEA, PSA, CBC, and a full metabolic panel. We talk through your symptoms, your history, your goals, and the specific tradeoffs between pellets and injections so you can make an informed choice. Once we initiate, the first follow-up labs run at 8-12 weeks. Dose is calibrated based on the data and how you actually feel — not based on what is convenient for the protocol.
Comprehensive consultation: We review your symptoms, history, medications, and goals. We discuss pellet vs injection in detail so you can choose the delivery method that actually fits your situation.
Lab work: Full hormone panel — total and free testosterone, SHBG, estradiol, DHEA, PSA, CBC, metabolic panel. We review every value with you, not just the testosterone number.
Treatment plan: Specific ester (cypionate vs enanthate), specific dose, specific frequency. We discuss why each choice was made for your physiology.
Self-injection training: In-office, hands-on. Most patients are comfortable doing it themselves by the end of the first visit. Subcutaneous and intramuscular techniques are both taught.
8-12 week reassessment: Labs are repeated. Dose is calibrated based on the data and your symptom response. This is where the precision happens.
Ongoing monitoring: Labs at intervals appropriate to your protocol. We track testosterone, hematocrit, estradiol, PSA. We adjust as needed. This is a long-term clinical relationship, not a prescription handoff.
If clinic visits are not the full picture for you, the Rebuild Metabolic Health Institute is the structured coaching layer Travis built for patients who want more depth than a single appointment can give.
Learn About the Institute →Testosterone replacement therapy requires comprehensive lab work, in-person clinical evaluation, and ongoing monitoring. Individual responses vary. Not all patients are candidates. Testosterone therapy is contraindicated in active prostate cancer and certain cardiovascular conditions; specific patient situations require specialist coordination. This page is educational and does not substitute for clinical evaluation.
Professional-grade supplements curated by the Revitalize clinical team — the same formulations recommended in the clinic, available directly.
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