Much higher TT/FT 6 hours post injection on daily subq

[Vman]

I've been on daily subq T cyp injections for years. I always did my labs in the morning because they usually included a lipid panel that my doctors wanted me to be fasting for. My last lab was the first one I did in the afternoon because it did not include a lipid panel. I was shocked because my Total T was 500-550 ng/dL higher and my Free T was 40-50 pg/mL higher than my previous labs that were drawn in the morning. Here are the Total T, Free T and SHBG for my last few labs as well as the dates/times they were drawn:

6/26/2025 @ 9:01am:
Total T: 585 (250-1100 ng/dL)
Free T: 110.4 (35-155 pg/mL)
SHBG: 24

10/2/2025 @ 9:23am:
Total T: 610 (250-1100 ng/dL)
Free T: 121.7 (35-155 pg/mL)
SHBG: 24

1/20/2026 @ 3:10pm:
Total T: 1142 (250-1100 ng/dL)
Free T: 161 (35-155 pg/mL)
SHBG: 26

I have been on the same dose of 10mg T cyp injected subq daily at around 8:30am since 4/18/2025. Prior to that I was on 12mg daily subq for quite some time. I have been gradually reducing my dose and waiting 9-12 months between each reduction to try and get my HCT, HGB, blood donation cycle under control.

I feel pretty dumb for not thinking to try drawing labs at a later time post injection. I had been told by several different doctors that timing shouldn't matter much since I was on daily injections. I didn't realize that the peak/trough on daily injections could vary by such a large amount.

So...

1. Is it normal for TT to be almost 50% lower at trough than peak on daily T cyp subq injections?
2. If yes, how long post injection should I do labs to capture my TT/FT peak on daily T cyp subq injections?

 

[radman]

I've been on daily subq T cyp injections for years. I always did my labs in the morning because they usually included a lipid panel that my doctors wanted me to be fasting for. My last lab was the first one I did in the afternoon because it did not include a lipid panel. I was shocked because my Total T was 500-550 ng/dL higher and my Free T was 40-50 pg/mL higher than my previous labs that were drawn in the morning. Here are the Total T, Free T and SHBG for my last few labs as well as the dates/times they were drawn:

6/26/2025 @ 9:01am:
Total T: 585 (250-1100 ng/dL)
Free T: 110.4 (35-155 pg/mL)
SHBG: 24

10/2/2025 @ 9:23am:
Total T: 610 (250-1100 ng/dL)
Free T: 121.7 (35-155 pg/mL)
SHBG: 24

1/20/2026 @ 3:10pm:
Total T: 1142 (250-1100 ng/dL)
Free T: 161 (35-155 pg/mL)
SHBG: 26

I have been on the same dose of 10mg T cyp injected subq daily at around 8:30am since 4/18/2025. Prior to that I was on 12mg daily subq for quite some time. I have been gradually reducing my dose and waiting 9-12 months between each reduction to try and get my HCT, HGB, blood donation cycle under control.

I feel pretty dumb for not thinking to try drawing labs at a later time post injection. I had been told by several different doctors that timing shouldn't matter much since I was on daily injections. I didn't realize that the peak/trough on daily injections could vary by such a large amount.

So...

1. Is it normal for TT to be almost 50% lower at trough than peak on daily T cyp subq injections?
2. If yes, how long post injection should I do labs to capture my TT/FT peak on daily T cyp subq injections?

Something seems off, I agree. At steady state on daily injections I would not expect that high of a Total T 7 hrs post injection. Daily injections really smooth out the curve and the difference between peak and trough levels should not be very large. I'd repeat the labs again, and probably just keep doing them at 830 am like you always have. It is easier to interpret that way.

 

[WhiteMale]

For someone that tried all the daily injection methods my shit never smoothed it, I think it's flawed concept when you have to consider how your own individual body metabolizes test and other things. For instance, I was when switching to cream from injections I could go in and have a blood draw an hour post and have phenomenal numbers, then do it again four hour's later and my levels be cut in half. You've got to tailor for body. I don't see from what you posted that there's anything to be concerned over.

 

[Vince]

I've been on daily subq T cyp injections for years. I always did my labs in the morning because they usually included a lipid panel that my doctors wanted me to be fasting for. My last lab was the first one I did in the afternoon because it did not include a lipid panel. I was shocked because my Total T was 500-550 ng/dL higher and my Free T was 40-50 pg/mL higher than my previous labs that were drawn in the morning. Here are the Total T, Free T and SHBG for my last few labs as well as the dates/times they were drawn:

6/26/2025 @ 9:01am:
Total T: 585 (250-1100 ng/dL)
Free T: 110.4 (35-155 pg/mL)
SHBG: 24

10/2/2025 @ 9:23am:
Total T: 610 (250-1100 ng/dL)
Free T: 121.7 (35-155 pg/mL)
SHBG: 24

1/20/2026 @ 3:10pm:
Total T: 1142 (250-1100 ng/dL)
Free T: 161 (35-155 pg/mL)
SHBG: 26

I have been on the same dose of 10mg T cyp injected subq daily at around 8:30am since 4/18/2025. Prior to that I was on 12mg daily subq for quite some time. I have been gradually reducing my dose and waiting 9-12 months between each reduction to try and get my HCT, HGB, blood donation cycle under control.

I feel pretty dumb for not thinking to try drawing labs at a later time post injection. I had been told by several different doctors that timing shouldn't matter much since I was on daily injections. I didn't realize that the peak/trough on daily injections could vary by such a large amount.

So...

1. Is it normal for TT to be almost 50% lower at trough than peak on daily T cyp subq injections?
2. If yes, how long post injection should I do labs to capture my TT/FT peak on daily T cyp subq injections?

How do you feel?

 

[Vman]

How do you feel?

I feel amazing and I have felt amazing since I started T cyp injections several years ago.

Unfortunately, my labs don't look as amazing as I feel. My HCT ranges from 52-57 with blood donations every 2 months. My ferritin has hit 0 once and is usually 20-30 every time I do labs. I do the Vorck protocol after every donation for a week which gets my ferritin back up to 40-50.

I've been doing blood donations every 2 months for 2 years now and the Vorck protocol since I discovered it a little over a year ago.

If I could get my HCT to stay under 54 and only have to donate blood maybe 1-3 times a year I'd be super happy.

 

[Vince]

I feel amazing and I have felt amazing since I started T cyp injections several years ago.

Unfortunately, my labs don't look as amazing as I feel. My HCT ranges from 52-57 with blood donations every 2 months. My ferritin has hit 0 once and is usually 20-30 every time I do labs. I do the Vorck protocol after every donation for a week which gets my ferritin back up to 40-50.

I've been doing blood donations every 2 months for 2 years now and the Vorck protocol since I discovered it a little over a year ago.

If I could get my HCT to stay under 54 and only have to donate blood maybe 1-3 times a year I'd be super happy.

The first two years of trt I also had to donate blood every 8 weeks to keep my HCT under control. After that I've never had a donate again. It stays under 50%. I'm so thankful.

 

[Phil Goodman]

The first two years of trt I also had to donate blood every 8 weeks to keep my HCT under control. After that I've never had a donate again. It stays under 50%. I'm so thankful.

Did you do anything differently to bring it down, or did you just stop donating to see if it would level off at a reasonable value?