Help with new EOD protocol

[JJC1989]

Hi guys, new here from the UK after a long time lurker, I have been on TRT for around 13 months now and was on 37.5mg Test E every 3.5 days, after a lot of ups and downs I decided about a week and half ago to switch to EOD as I am low SHBG of 13nmol/L.

I have noticed a massive difference in sex drive, sleep, strength and just in general, i started with 25mg EOD but recently this last week I have noticed some slight sleep issues come back and feeling a bit more like bloated feeling, lack of appetite etc this is what I have learnt over the last year when my E2 goes slightly high and also my HCT gets high i get dehydrated constantly and always need to drink water.

Just wondering that when you switch to EOD do you need to reduce your dose slightly as you are injecting more frequently? Also realise that obviously some of the previous dose/protocol will still be in my system so might be a slight build of test in my system and thus higher E2, obviously this time of year is a bit cray in terms of getting blood test etc but will be ordering one next week and hopefully donating blood next week too.

Also from what i have noticed and observed is i seem to feel best on mid range TT levels of around 550 ng/dL - 670 ng/dL which always keeps my FT at the very top of the range, do you guys think I could get away with possibly reducing to around 20mg EOD instead or possibly say 17.5mg EOD?

I know that this new protocol will take time and I will definitely stick at this as I do feel better with these more frequent injections, just dont want my levels getting too high or any negative sides I get when my levels get too high, loss of appetite, bloated, tiredness, sleep issues etc

This whole dialling in thing is a real pain lol! I seem to find my sweet spot for maybe a week or so at a time then lose it, very frustrating but determined I will get there

Also please guys anyone who has moved from weekly or twice weekly to EOD or daily injections please share with me your experiences, all good or bad and what benefits you have noticed?

 

[Blackhawk]

Your logic is sound, and this is a common adjustment, especially for guys with low SHBG.

Especially that many cases on this forum that guys who have low SHBG do better on more frequent dosing. With SHBG at 13, EOD or even daily dosing may be beneficial.

At just 1.5 weeks, it sounds like you may be feeling the effects of change more than the long term end point from the change, i.e.in a wee honeymoon period. The effect from more frequent dosing is due to raising your trough levels. You may feel a boost since your levels are not dropping as low between doses. Whether this continues remains to be seen until you've been on the protocol for at least 6-8 weeks. While some guys stabilize in 6-8 weeks, for many of us it takes 2-3 months for the body to fully readjust to new dosing. So for the time being, I'd encourage you to not make additional changes.

And yes, it can help to lower dosage to make up for the higher troughs which translates to more consistent high blood level of T from more frequent dosing.

As part of finding optimal levels for myself, I also went to EOD and reduced dosage for some of the same reasons as you, though not because of SHBG, mine is high. Beware dosage reductions in terms of symptoms, the process can be one of withdrawal, and quite unpleasant. I did repeated dose reductions and waited 2-3 months for my body to adjust each time before re-assessing. I kept going until I found the actual low end where I did not feel good after the 2-3 month period, so nudged my dose up a tiny bit back up to what felt OK. In the process, I lost the HCT problem and most of the E2 related symptoms.

And yes, good to focus on free T level as your benchmark, along with how you feel. If at top of range of free T and feeling good, I'd call it good.

 

[gerardo]

My Shbg is short too and has problems with high hematocrit and phlebotomy. I will change my Trt protocol for daily applications. What is the best way to store the rest of the testoran cypionate left over from the vial? Each ampoule can hold 20 applications and when it breaks and opens it cannot be closed anymore. Thank you all.

 

[Paul M]

Fill 20 syringes.

 

[Cataceous]

... I will change my Trt protocol for daily applications. What is the best way to store the rest of the testoran cypionate left over from the vial? Each ampoule can hold 20 applications and when it breaks and opens it cannot be closed anymore. Thank you all.

It's preferable to transfer the excess to a new sterile vial. The draw should be done using a filter needle, which is changed to a normal needle before injecting into the new vial. Regardless, make sure that your product has a preservative, usually benzyl alcohol. If not then there is more risk of bacterial growth. It's possible to add benzyl alcohol yourself, but that makes things more complicated.

 

[gerardo]

Fill 20 syringes.

thank