5 months into TRT, Low SHBG, Very high Free T, Struggling to find a solution.

[Testosterone9]

Hello respected members,
My age is 31 years and i have just completed 5 months of my TRT. Its been a struggle from the very start because i am a low SHBG guy(14.5 nmol/l). Previously I have tried different protocols like,

50 mg E 3.5 D
Labwork
T =721, E2 =42(non sensitive)

60 mg E 3.5 D
Arimudex 0.25 twice weekly.
Labwork
T= 790,E2= 22( non sensutive)

BUT NONE HAS WORKED OUT FOR ME. I had no benefits of TRT at this point. I was about to lose my confidence on TRT but i did not because one of the senior members of this kind forum suggested me to test EOD( Every other day) protocol because of my low SHBG. So i have started 2 months back

17.5 mg EOD protocol

And after just a few days something started to happen. I was suddenly having more energy, decent libido, better mood and all the expected benefits of TRT.

Its been 2 months since i am running this protocol and i had started to believe that i have got the " Dialed in" badge.

Lab work after 8 weeks

T =979 ng/dl

Free T = 54 pg/ml ( 1- 28 pg/ml)

E2= 55 pg/ml

But just a week back, i have hit a speed breaker and now i am really confused and paranoid what to do. Too much scared and worried for losing the hard earned positives.

Problem:
I have this strange feeling of throbbing heart and i can hear and feel my heart beat. Its like there is a load on my heart or its beating hard so my whole body is beating with it. If i sit on the ground my whole body is pulsating and beating. The heart rate is not too much in real just 80-95 beats per minute. Also i have elevated blood pressure 145/95 previously it was 130/90. I do have more anger than normal with a touch of anxiety as well. I can feel something is being high and extra in my body either FreeT or E2 causing this disruption. But i dont know what it is.

Questions.

1)Is it due to too much Free T because of my low SHBG ( But i have also seen professional body builders running very high numbers both total T and free T)?

2) Is it due to E2 being too high?

3) Have you ever seen these high Total T and Free T numbers on such a low dose 17.5 mg EOD, like mine?


What should i do now?

1)Assume my throbbing and irritating heartbeat/pulse is due to very high free T and lower my dose to 10 mg EOD instead of 17.5 mg EOD.


2)Assume its due to high E2 and add 0.25 mg Arimidex accordingly?

3)Any different approach?

Thank you very much for reading this far. Please do help me as i am at the verge of being dialed in and i dont want to ruin my hard work with one wrong move.

Bundles of Thanks in advance.

I highly apreciate your support as ever.

Best regards.

 

[Blackhawk]

It is likely your have elevated hematocrit, and along with it elevated blood pressure. If so, this is dangerous at the level of your symptoms.

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/sho...t)-Caused-by-Testosterone-Replacement-Therapy

Your free T is very high, and you also likely have high free E2. See Vince Carter's posts about this: https://www.excelmale.com/threadloom/threadloom.php?do=process

The anxiety can be related to high E2 and the fear of your heart symptoms

 

[Vince]

The only way to know what your E2 levels are is by getting the Estradiol, Sensitive LC/MS test. The woman's estradiol test wouldn't tell you.

 

[Testosterone9]

My hematocrit is fine. Its 47.5.

 

[Testosterone9]

I wish i had that facility. The E2 sensitive test is not available in my country. What about the high Free T issue?

 

[Testosterone9]

@blackhawk i have low SHBG. I am on 17.5 mg EOD. How much should i reduce my dosage to get rid of the sides?

 

[Blackhawk]

@blackhawk i have low SHBG. I am on 17.5 mg EOD. How much should i reduce my dosage to get rid of the sides?

Glad to hear Hematocrit is in good range!

I don't have the expertise to determine dosage reduction level. And, reductions in dosage do not cause linearly proportional reductions in blood chemistry.

My case is different than yours. Due to high Hematocrit, I've been directed to reduce by about 10-12% each time. I have reduced dosage about 4 times now, starting last November. things are getting better for me, but I still have an E2 problem. Anyway, my Dr wants to change things slowly, incrementally.

 

[ratbag]

Due to being low shbg your free T is exceptionally high. I agree that you should reduce your dose and go with it for 6 weeks and get some new labs. I suspect you do not need arimidex judging by the standard estradiol test you are using. You say your E2 is at 55 without arimidex? What is the range for your E2 test? You have to go at this slowly but I think you'd be wise dropping the 17.5mg EOD dose to 15 EOD. I believe whats working for you is the frequent dosing. Moving to 15 is a 15% reduction. You may have to lower it more but start slowly. Lots of people on TRT have hypertension and get treated for it including myself. I was put on Losartan... it works great and doesn't have sexual side effects. You need to get that sorted out asap as that is likely part of the sides you are experiencing.

 

[HealthMan]

Your symptoms are probably because of your high FT. You are a low SHBG person. Try to aim a FT of 20-25 and I think you might feel much better. You are in an already low dosage protocol so you respond really well. Do you take HCG?
If I were you I would try 10-12.5mg EOD. Given you have not been feeling great (for sure your FT has been off the chats this whole time and your symptoms point to excessive dosage) I would try to bring your FT levels down to low 20s and see how you feel. Slow small reduction in my opinion is not the right strategy here. I dropped my dosage from 180mg to 110mg and that was the best decision i have ever made. You will experience high normal FT. Right now you have only experienced supra physiological levels. A slow reduction will still keep you in supra physiological territory. Try the other side of the coin.

 

[Vince Carter]

I concur with all above that you need to target your dosing to get your Free T down. Ignore the Total T. I wouldn't make such a drastic change though as has been recommended, you just upset the entire cart and basically start over with such a change; 180 > 110 in this example.

Try 12mg EOD and test again for your Free T. With low SHBG your E is going to have to be much lower than is typically advised but I don't know a number there since you don't have the testing we have in the US but look in to after getting your Free T down to getting your Estrogen to the lower part of that lab range youre using, assuming it doesn't come down on it's own the dose reduction.