100mg Cypionate every 2 weeks

[RickB]

Total estrogen isn’t the same as testing estrogen (E2). Whenever I see estrogen and total in the same sentence, it’s a good bet we’re talking about Total estrogen testing.

He specifically wrote "Estradiol Level Total".

I see now that you're purposing referring to estradiol as "estrogen (E2)", and I think that is bound to cause people confusion. Maybe not this OP, but in general.

 

[Systemlord]

I see now that you're purposing referring to estradiol as "estrogen (E2)

Estradiol is estrogen (E2).

Estradiol - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Estradiol is the most potent estrogen (E2) in the human body.

There are four different kinds of estrogen: estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), and estetrol (E4).

 

[RickB]

Estradiol is estrogen (E2).

There are three major forms of estrogen:

• Estrone (E1) is the primary form of estrogen that your body makes after menopause.
• Estradiol (E2) is the primary form of estrogen in your body during your reproductive years. It’s the most potent form of estrogen.
• Estriol (E3) is the primary form of estrogen during pregnancy.

I know that. And see how it's written in bold in your quote right above me?
"Estradiol (E2)", which is what just about everyone refers to it as.

The OP said his doctor wanted "Estradiol Level Total" tested, which is totally correct. You evidently misread that and thought he wanted total estrogen tested, because you quoted him saying "Estradiol Level Total" and under it you commented:

"Total estrogen isn’t as useful as simply checking estrogen. Total estrogens is all forms of estrogen, including weak estrogens.

Estrogen (E2) is a more potent form of estrogen and therefore is more useful.

Your urologist nailed it on everything else!"

If you had said "estradiol (E2) is a more potent form of estrogen and therefore more useful", it would've been obvious to everyone that you had simply not read the OP's post correctly, and it wouldn't have been worth me mentioning. But you used the term "estrogen (E2)", which is hardly ever used and would be very misleading for those readers who don't know that E2 is estradiol. "E2" is not a widely used term (LabCorp and Quest refer to it as "estradiol"), and many newer members may not know they are the same thing.

You made a simple mistake from reading too fast or carelessly, not a knowledge-based error. I only mentioned it because of the difference in terminology that you chose to use to address it. This doesn't mean you aren't more knowledgeable than I; it just means that I caught a mistake that I think can confuse people, so I addressed it. If you want to pretend you made no mistakes, and that you meant to tell someone who was going to get his Estradiol Level Total tested that "total estrogen isn't as useful" and "E2 is a more potent form" and "Your urologist nailed it on everything else!", you can go right along doing that without further comment from me, as there's really nothing more that can be said.

 

[Cali965]

Since I am on 100mg weekly and in the past I split that to 50mg twice a week.
Would there be any advantages to do 3 times a week?

 

[Blackhawk]

1/30 I injected 100mg
2/13 will be my next 100mg
2/27 I will take the T test again

This is a very stupid approach. Why are you doing this? You have already received the message that your doc is out to lunch and you should seek better care.

I think you've already heard it, but dosing every 2 weeks is just utterly stupid. Your T blood level will go very high, then decrease to a low level. This commonly puts a man on a roller coaster of symptoms. There is nothing about this that mimics anything natural in a man's testosterone metabolism. After 2 weeks, the lab test means little because it is so long after the last dose. This is not a functional protocol.

Since I am on 100mg weekly and in the past I split that to 50mg twice a week.
Would there be any advantages to do 3 times a week?

You should have a reason for any protocol change... what is your reason here? It seems like you are just randomly throwing darts and hoping for one to stick.

If you feel symptomatic ups and downs twice weekly, more frequent dosing could even that out. It just depends on your personal case

It is extraodinarily rare for a man to do well on every other week. Some do OK on 1/week, More it seems do well on 2 or more/week. Some of us have even gone to daily (Which works bets for me. I started at every 3 days, then went to every other day, then went to a T cyp/prop blend daily. (I am in no way saying what works for me will for you))

It is also common that when we increase frequency we also decrease dosage slightly. More frequent doses means the trough level comes up a bit, so in effect running higher all the time.

I am concerned about your hematocrit at 53. That is not something to ignore or screw around with. A sensible approach would be phlebotomy and to reduce your dose of T. To me, if 50mg x 2/week put you there, a significant decrease is warranted. I personally would drop to 70 or 75mg/week divided into 2 or more doses. For me more frequent dosing works better, but it might not for you.

Finding out TAKES TIME. Changing protocol repeatedly without giving ample TIME between changes IS FOLLY. After you get out from under high hematocrit, you can find your true balance, but that isn't going to resolve quickly. Changes to dosage and frequency take 6-8 weeks to stabilize in terms of blood levels AND LONGER for the body to actually adapt. For me, 2-3 months after every change. If you keep changing things frequently, you will never learn what actually works.

 

[Cali965]

This is a very stupid approach. Why are you doing this? You have already received the message that your doc is out to lunch and you should seek better care.

I think you've already heard it, but dosing every 2 weeks is just utterly stupid. Your T blood level will go very high, then decrease to a low level. This commonly puts a man on a roller coaster of symptoms. There is nothing about this that mimics anything natural in a man's testosterone metabolism. After 2 weeks, the lab test means little because it is so long after the last dose. This is not a functional protocol.



You should have a reason for any protocol change... what is your reason here? It seems like you are just randomly throwing darts and hoping for one to stick.

If you feel symptomatic ups and downs twice weekly, more frequent dosing could even that out. It just depends on your personal case

It is extraodinarily rare for a man to do well on every other week. Some do OK on 1/week, More it seems do well on 2 or more/week. Some of us have even gone to daily (Which works bets for me. I started at every 3 days, then went to every other day, then went to a T cyp/prop blend daily. (I am in no way saying what works for me will for you))

It is also common that when we increase frequency we also decrease dosage slightly. More frequent doses means the trough level comes up a bit, so in effect running higher all the time.

I am concerned about your hematocrit at 53. That is not something to ignore or screw around with. A sensible approach would be phlebotomy and to reduce your dose of T. To me, if 50mg x 2/week put you there, a significant decrease is warranted. I personally would drop to 70 or 75mg/week divided into 2 or more doses. For me more frequent dosing works better, but it might not for you.

Finding out TAKES TIME. Changing protocol repeatedly without giving ample TIME between changes IS FOLLY. After you get out from under high hematocrit, you can find your true balance, but that isn't going to resolve quickly. Changes to dosage and frequency take 6-8 weeks to stabilize in terms of blood levels AND LONGER for the body to actually adapt. For me, 2-3 months after every change. If you keep changing things frequently, you will never learn what actually works.

I think you skipped over the part that my PCP changed me to 100mg every 2 weeks from 100mg weekly as she was concerned about the T level being 941 and she wouldn't budge until after trying this. I only had about 250mg of cypionate and I would need her to refill.
At that point, by the time I found someone else or start with a T clinic online it would be around the same time as.
In the meantime after the 2nd week my new urologist has me back on 100mg every week and has the right lab work setup in 5 weeks.
As far as how I feel, I felt no change on 100mg a week (50mg 2x weekly)....I still had no motivation, lack of concentration & focus and fatigue, no ups or downs.
I also, didn't get any change in the way I felt on the 2nd week trough....nothing at all, no ups or down either.
I will be sticking to 100mg a week now and plan to have consultation only with Defy and go from there.

 

[Cali965]

I am concerned about your hematocrit at 53. That is not something to ignore or screw around with. A sensible approach would be phlebotomy and to reduce your dose of T. To me, if 50mg x 2/week put you there, a significant decrease is warranted. I personally would drop to 70 or 75mg/week divided into 2 or more doses. For me more frequent dosing works better, but it might not for you.

Finding out TAKES TIME. Changing protocol repeatedly without giving ample TIME between changes IS FOLLY. After you get out from under high hematocrit, you can find your true balance, but that isn't going to resolve quickly. Changes to dosage and frequency take 6-8 weeks to stabilize in terms of blood levels AND LONGER for the body to actually adapt. For me, 2-3 months after every change. If you keep changing things frequently, you will never learn what actually works.

I appreciate this info and will get on it, thanx.

 

[Blackhawk]

I think you skipped over the part that my PCP changed me to 100mg every 2 weeks from 100mg weekly as she was concerned about the T level being 941 and she wouldn't budge until after trying this. I only had about 250mg of cypionate and I would need her to refill.
At that point, by the time I found someone else or start with a T clinic online it would be around the same time as.
In the meantime after the 2nd week my new urologist has me back on 100mg every week and has the right lab work setup in 5 weeks.
As far as how I feel, I felt no change on 100mg a week (50mg 2x weekly)....I still had no motivation, lack of concentration & focus and fatigue, no ups or downs.
I also, didn't get any change in the way I felt on the 2nd week trough....nothing at all, no ups or down either.
I will be sticking to 100mg a week now and plan to have consultation only with Defy and go from there.

I did not miss that your one doctor wants you on 100mg every two weeks. I have not followed your every twist and turn though. It has not been the clearest progression of events.

Good move consulting with Defy. I don't know why you don't just transfer care to them. I know that it is desirable to have someone local to work with, and that getting started with defy has hoop jumping involved, but practically, working with local docs/clinics it can be fraught with trouble. Too many unqualified practitioners with conflicts of interest and fear of liability.

I am lucky enough to have a PCP who orders labs and prescribes my thyroid meds based on Dr Saya's (Defy) recommendations, (and covered by insurance), but he is not knowledgeable to actually manage the hormone therapy, so I access the Testosterone via the defy channels. It is cheap enough, and blessedly easy without insurance mucking it up.