Lost some weight. Free, Total, E2 are now high. Options?

[BradWI]

I've been on a fairly standard Defy protocol that hasn't changed much in 2.5 years. M-W-F injections 50 cypionate, 300 HCG, 50 mg DHEA, .25 Arimidex (not now). As I've lost weight, my levels have all shot up.

01-2017 242 lbs
283 Total
Start TRT

08-2017 (240 lbs)
Total - 646
Free - 22.22 (Tru-T.org calc)
E2 - 27
SHBG - 14
DHEA - 324

08-2018 (235 lbs)
Total - 688
Free - 22.57 (Tru-T.org calc)
E2 - 35.2
SHGB - 21.5
DHEA - 226 (had stopped taking, added back)
Added 500 mg Metformin 2X daily for Insulin resistance.

01-2019 (230 lbs)
Start lifting 6 days a week.

04-2019
Stop taking AI (on my own)

08-2019 (188 lbs)
Total - 1051
Free - 33.69 (Tru-T.org calc)
E2 - 49.6
SHGB - 54.4
DHEA - 384 (high)

Red blood cell stuff running a tiny bit hot now. RBC, Hemoglobin, RDW barely above range. Donate double reds every 16 weeks. Coming up.

How do you decide between choosing every day injections vs lower test dosage vs lower HCG vs add back AI? I felt better in late June and all of July. Literally every day was a 9.5 or 10 on my, "Do you feel like Superman today?" scale. August has been 6.5-10 daily and I've actually gained some belly fat.

Maybe even consider stopping completely? I did have severe insulin resistance when I started and now am slightly insulin sensitive. A1C is 4.7.

My next consultation is soon, I'd like to hear how others have made protocol change decisions.

 

[BradWI]

We decided to lower HCG to 250 . Will get an E2 test again in 4 weeks. If I feel great I've found my E2 sweet spot. If I feel not great know that's not my sweet spot and then try more frequent doses.

 

[Gman86]

We decided to lower HCG to 250 . Will get an E2 test again in 4 weeks. If I feel great I've found my E2 sweet spot. If I feel not great know that's not my sweet spot and then try more frequent doses.

Could it be the DHEA that’s causing issues? Or were you taking DHEA while you felt great in June and July?

 

[BradWI]

I was taking it then also.

My vitamin D did plummet to 30.6 (30-100) because I stopped taking it thinking walking 30-45 minutes in the sunshine would be enough but apparently not. Taking 10,000 IU a day now for 2 weeks then back to 5,000. Previously 5000 a day had me at pretty good levels so hopefully that returns to over 75+.

Also spent time in Vegas in June walking the strip 4-6 hours getting a ton of sun too....now back to Wisconsin.