Advice on best protocol for me

[Deleted member 25692]

Forum,

Looking for advice on what to try next to get my labs in order. I've used E2 ECLIA and Sensitive testings (last one both out of interest) so I'm posting both with a note if it's calculated or measured. All labs are Labcorp and taken 2018 with corresponding ranges.

I'm having hard time understanding how 1.43mg decrease in T injections lowered the Total T (and Free in correlation) by 30% while SHBG stayed the same? The E levels could be explained by HCG, right?

My end goal would be to find a T + HCG protocol that keeps the E levels within ranges without the need of AI, even with lower than ideal T levels. What I've thought as the next steps would be to do EOD 20mg T injections, get new set of tests and if E has decreased bring the HCG back with very small doses at first. Does this make sense?

Baseline before starting TRT
Test Tot 360-370
Test Free 6-7
SHBG 30-38
E2 (ECLIA, measured) 14-18
E2 (Sensitive, calc) 12-15
E Tot 116 (range 40-115) (High)
E1 57 (range 12-72)


Protocol 1: 5g Test Cyp cream ED
Test Tot 537
Test Free 8.1 (1.55%)
SHBG 53
E2 (ECLIA, measured) 24.1
E2 (Sensitive, calc) 20.3
E Tot 124 (range 40-115) (High)
E1 55 (range 12-72)

Protocol 2: 75mg E3.5D Test Cyp injection
Test Tot 985
Test Free 23.2 (2.4%)
SHBG 31.5
E2 (ECLIA, calc) 53 (High)
E2 (Sensitive, measured) 44.6 (High)
E Tot NA
E1 NA

Protocol 3: 60mg E3D Test Cyp injection + 500IU HCG
Test Tot 693
Test Free 15 (2.2%)
SHBG 33.5
E2 (ECLIA, measured) 48.4 (High)
E2 (Sensitive, measured) 40.7 (High)
E Tot 168(range 40-115) (High)
E1 90 (range 12-72) (High)

 

[fifty]

Sounds like a tough task. What you propose sounds logical. For hcg benefits...the lowest I would probably go is 250 eod. Low hcg doses give low hcg benefits.

Any reason you want e2 to be in range? I feel good with E2 sensitive in the mid 40s.

 

[Systemlord]

You're thinking about this all wrong, it seems you're trying to get numbers in range, if this is what you think it takes to feel good, you're going to by at this for a long time. Not once have I heard to talk about how you're feeling on this different protocols.

You need to start thinking about how you feel and compare that with your numbers.

 

[Deleted member 25692]

Sounds like a tough task. What you propose sounds logical. For hcg benefits...the lowest I would probably go is 250 eod. Low hcg doses give low hcg benefits.

Any reason you want e2 to be in range? I feel good with E2 sensitive in the mid 40s.

Mainly the fact that I’m prone to Gyno - already have a little bit going on from what I developed on my teenage years and every time I get breast tenderness it messes up with my head and I want to drop the whole thing. On the other hand I’m reading that low Total T/E2 levels may also cause that - so I’m not sure what to do with that either.

What comes to how I feel: I felt better with the Cream and even better with injections 75mg E3.5D - with HCG and lowered dose T I noticed a slight decrease in well-being which then got better as I dropped the HCG. If I didn’t have to worry abour the gyno/E2, I’d probably go pretty high dose-wise.

HCG, even with small doses would be preferred since I need to keep my fertility for now.