Bike Forums - FNG from Colorado and Las Vegas

Hi all! A recent thread lured me out of lurker status and etiquette usually requires an introduction. I am a retired paramedic who now splits time between Colorado and Las Vegas depending on where I find the best weather.

I am back to cycling for the 4th volume. My first real bike was a 1986 Cannondale SR500 when I was in my 20's. Rode the hell out of that bike during the first 2 volumes. Then the career started and about 15 years slipped away. The weight started to build and I tried just about everything with limited success. Time demands, stress, and a whole host of other BS excuses kept me off the bike and out of the gym. About 10 years ago I got back into cycling with a new Trek Pilot 5.0. Rode religiously for a couple years until it just faded away again. I quit this time because I was seeing no improvement, no weight loss, and it was getting impossible to drag myself off the couch. This low energy, no drive, and litany of vague medical problems ensued over the next 10 years. And the weight packed on. I had more medical tests than any one man should have but still no explanation. On CPAP, fat, inflammatory issues, constant brain fog, felt like crap all the time all the while feeling like a hypochondriac. I kept telling the doctors I was not right but all they could prescribe was diet and exercise. And, of course pills! Of which I refused because how can you treat what you haven't diagnosed? Last summer with Super Clyde within my sights I found another doc and she finally got it right. SEVERE low T. For those counting I bottomed out at 17! (That is really low, trust me) Officially that is called primary hypogonadism and is badly misunderstood. I can go into exquisite detail about that, but safe to say that the change in my life has been incredible after my first application of testosterone gel. Within 6 hours I noticed a change. The fog lifted and someone put the world back in high def again!! It was so pronounced that it was scary.

A year after that first application here I am back on that Trek, my clothes are loosening up, and I feel great! Quite bitter about being misdiagnosed for more than a decade but I will own that from now on.

So here I am! Riding 10-15 miles 3 or 4 days a week again and looking to build on my new success. Also rabid golfer, SCUBA diver and Harley guy!