New labs: high TT, FT, low SHBG

[trt reznor]

Well this is frustrating, I gusss when the site was updated my original thread was deleted somehow. I had originally gotten a three page blood work report. One thing that troubles me on the followup lab is they didn’t check my HT, which was on the high normal side to begin with.

Protocol-
20mg test cyp ED, IM or SubQ, using a 31ga insulin needle

500iu hCG EOD subQ

Got a call from the Dr’s office and they want to see me in the morning, which is more than a week sooner than they had originally scheduled me.

Since I’ve been on this protocol, I’ve slowly felt better and better. Erections are rock hard. My overall energy and mood is much better and also stable. My libido has still not totally recovered since starting TRT, though. It’s still there, just about half as strong. While my erections are strong, they aren’t as sensitive.

I haven’t been in the gym for over 3 weeks because I’ve been working out of state, but I was making good progress there before. I imagine it would be even better now. What little progress I had made in the month id been in the gym, I have mostly kept on, though my out of town work is pretty physical.

So the main question- am I in the danger zone with any of these numbers?

 

[trt reznor]

First post, bloodwork, first protocol, opinions welcome..

Found my original thread

 

[Vince Carter]

Free T is way to high, cut your dose of Cyp, with that SHBG your Free T needs to be no more than the lab range. Obvious wrong E2 test being used, too but nonetheless E2 is way too high. For low SHBG your E2 using the correct sensitive LC/MS/MS test should be around 20. With all that Free T comes Free E, most likely, and that's going to kill this for you.

 

[Vince]

Your Labs don't look bad, it mainly depends on how you feel. I know your estrogen levels look high but like Vince Carter said you have the wrong estradiol test.

 

[Systemlord]

High estrogen can kill libido and penile sensitivity. Your daily TRT protocol is too high of a dosage, more like 12mg daily. Consider naturally men produce between 7-10mg of testosterone daily.

Lower SHBG men shouldn't target a high Total T. A TRT protocol of 20mg EOD sees me with a Total T of 500, Free T is at the top of the range (20.8) with 21.5 at the very top of the range.

Even if you have the wrong estrogen test, looking at Free T and estrogen is expected to be high.

 

[trt reznor]

Thanks for the input guys. I did go back and forth with the Dr about using the sensitive E2 test, several times, but I was ignored. Tomorrow it’ll be face to face and I’ll make a better case for it. Any way, great info. I’ll post an update tomorrow.

 

[trt reznor]

That being said, aside from libido, I feel great. I don’t get tired during the day anymore. Even my social anxiety seems to be gone. I have better conversations with random strangers. I feel like I’m being my real self lately.

 

[lenny]

Yeah, I would say lower your dosage a tad, but not too much.

I totally relate to the joy of social anxiety relief… you don't want to mess with a good thing. I wasted way too much time early on trying to make lower, mid-range T numbers work for me. My body just wasn't having it.

 

[blackebob]

Please update, I am running about the same as you, except no HCG. The Hcg spikes my T, which spikes my E, which packs on the water weight. Are you retaining alot of water?
After getting advice on here(props VC,V), I started backing mine off, was 26mg, now 20mg. Hopefully I can reintroduce HCG , after I get back in range. I also had to introduce an AI with my E at your levels.

 

[trt reznor]

Please update, I am running about the same as you, except no HCG. The Hcg spikes my T, which spikes my E, which packs on the water weight. Are you retaining alot of water?
After getting advice on here(props VC,V), I started backing mine off, was 26mg, now 20mg. Hopefully I can reintroduce HCG , after I get back in range. I also had to introduce an AI with my E at your levels.

Well I haven’t had many of the typical high e symptoms, although I’ve always retained some water, and had anxiety. But no issues like sensitive nipples.

I’m going to try going back to DIM again for E2 control. I’ve used it in the past but I felt that I kept bringing it too low. So I’ll try 125mg ED for the rest of this week. I respond to it pretty quickly, like 24/48 hrs. I may look into getting the 50mg doses so I can make it easy and just take one a day for maintenance. Then I’ll try lowering the test cyp dose gradually. 16mg ED, unless I feel amazing after a week of DIM, then I’ll just stay on course.

 

[trt reznor]

Update: I decided to stick with the 22mg/day test cyp, and 375iu HCG EOD protocol for awhile, and asked if I could try arimidex. So I tried my first .25mg dose the other day and must say i didn’t like it. My whole mood changed for a few days. Had a weird feeling on the second day, like a cold feet type of sensation. Libido went down to zero. Constipation, bloating. Maybe safe to say I over responded to it. Haven’t taken it again and now am back to where I was before the AI.

Now I’m going to try taking the advice given here (which I should’ve probably tried first), and cut down on my test. I’m going to try going from 22mg to 16mg/day.

My question is: should I expect to feel off for awhile after stepping down, and if so what should I expect and for how long? And is 16mg a good place to start?

Thanks in advance, guys.

 

[Vince]

Update: I decided to stick with the 22mg/day test cyp, and 375iu HCG EOD protocol for awhile, and asked if I could try arimidex. So I tried my first .25mg dose the other day and must say i didn’t like it. My whole mood changed for a few days. Had a weird feeling on the second day, like a cold feet type of sensation. Libido went down to zero. Constipation, bloating. Maybe safe to say I over responded to it. Haven’t taken it again and now am back to where I was before the AI.

Now I’m going to try taking the advice given here (which I should’ve probably tried first), and cut down on my test. I’m going to try going from 22mg to 16mg/day.

My question is: should I expect to feel off for awhile after stepping down, and if so what should I expect and for how long? And is 16mg a good place to start?

Thanks in advance, guys.

I was injecting 20 mg of testosterone cypionate daily and switch to 16 mg daily, it took me about 12 week before I felt the difference. I did originally feel better at 20 mg daily, but now that I've been on it so long and I'm getting my thyroid levels in a good range, I feel great at 16 mg daily.

 

[trt reznor]

It’s been about six weeks. My positive effects were slowly diminishing and new negative ones were manifesting- serious loss of libido, return of some anxiety, slight bloating. Had I continued to feel good or improve, I wouldn’t have changed anything.