Sport-Blog.com

by Melissa Popp

In our last installment, Scott makes up his mind as to whether or not to continue drug therapies to bring him back to the sports body he had in high school.

Day 15
They're at the half-way point, and he's still off the supplements, and now he has to decide if he wants to continue. "I'm kinda nervous about going back," Scott says. Dr. Miles goes over the tests and advises him to back down on the supplements. Timona wants to avoid the testosterone treatment for the week until Monday, when his other tests come back, but Miles insists it's not those therapies causing the problems. "I know you're feeling the pressure," Dr. Miles says, "But you know you're feeling better." Timona eventually agrees after the explanation. "I think you'll be fine," Timona says, "And if things go out of whack again, we'll re-evaluate it again."

In Mexico, anyone can get steroids very easily. While you have to have a prescription, you can go on the black market to get them as many are willing to sell them to make a quick market. Morgan heads to Tijuana, 10 minutes from San Diego, and he talks to some guys on the street to make the deal. They tell him he doesn't need a prescription. He asks for several different types of steroid drugs, and everyone is more than willing to sell them. One Mexican pharmacist tells him it's okay to take them back over the border without a prescription, which is not true, it is illegal to carry steroids across the border back into the United States. He points out the label on one of the medications that says it's illegal to dispense without a prescription.

Day 18
Scott is swimming for the day, back on his program. However, Scott gets very angry at the end of the day. "Now we're locked into the pool area," he slams the door. He's giving himself the shot of his growth hormone, and he gets angry, telling everyone to have a "f*cking good night."

Day 20
They meet with the general doctor and he brings up the mood swings. "My worry would've been that you started popping off at people," Dr. Pullen says. "Any time you take a very radical program, this might have become a real threat."

That night, Scott's blood tests have come back and his liver is still having problems. "It's not dramatically better, I would talk to Dr. Pullen about the lab values before you take another injection," Timona advises, and Scott agrees. "Scott's scared. He doesn't know what it's going to do with his body. It's the first time he's had problems like this with his body."

Day 21
Timona and Scott head back to the sperm bank to find out if the drugs have messed with his sperm count and fertility. "There seemed like there was more in the cup than last time," Scott jokes. "He'll tell us," Timona laughs. The nurse comes out and tells him that it's going to take longer, because the sample is bad. "It's blank?" Scott's jaw drops. They're speechless. Timona holds back tears. "I swear to God, they're going to find something in it. This was my absolute fear that this was going to happen." He laughs it off, and she gets mad, but he wants to wait. He's not taking it seriously, and Timona gets very angry by his lack of caring towards the situation. They then sit there in silence waiting for the results and to see the doctor.

Dr. Jaroslav Marik, a fertility expert, comes out to meet them with the results. "I have bad news," he says. He says they found no live sperm and some dead ones occasionally. He looks at the previous results, where he had more than 80 million sperm in the last sample. Scott asks him what caused it. He says the medication and the hormone therapies is what is causing it. Dr. Marik believes that if he stops the therapy, it's possible it will be reversible. "I was willing to give it a try," Scott says, "But look at what it's done." Scott calls Miles office to have all the medication information sent to Dr. Marik's office for them to analyze it and find out what is causing it.

"It's not worth it for me," Scott says. They sit there, and they can't even talk, because he realizes that everybody had their own agenda. Nobody consults. "Look at her," he points to his wife, "Now I have to put up with that sh*t all night."

Morgan relates stories of steroid-use gone bad. One particular story revolved around a 17 year old high school athlete, Taylor, who killed himself after getting depressed while taking performance-enhancing drugs. His father is now a champion against steroid-use for athletes. His father relates how his son exhibited all the signs of a steroid user and how it was a textbook case. It wasn't until he stopped taking the steroids that he killed himself.

Day 22
Scott and Timona have decided to stop the anti-aging therapy. They go to see Dr. Miles to stop the treatment. "I'm feeling good, we have as a unit decided not to use the testosterone," Scott says, "It's just not worth it." Dr. Miles tries to convince him to keep up a different type of program without the hormone therapies. "I don't want to lose him. If you abuse that life." Timona begins to tear up and cry. "The body, to me, is just not something that's to be experimented with," Scott says. Dr. Miles says he's never had this type of feedback from patients before, and he is clearly moved by the total impact. "Scott, be well," Dr. Miles sees him off.

"No quick fix again," Timona says, "We've realized what that can do to you."

Scott lost 15 pounds during the 22 days on his program, his body fat index dropped by 15%. "I thought I'd be back to where I'd need to be," Scott says, "It doesn't make sense. I can't morally or ethically support the medications I've put in my body. If you don't need it, don't do it. If you're not sick, don't take medicine."