65 y/o | 165 lbs | 5’6” | ~10–12% BF
Recently transitioned from compounded cream → injectable TRT for first time.
Was on cream for just over 4 mos.
- Reason: no noticeable sides, but DHT spiking and unstable serum levels.
- Current protocol (2 days): Test E in MCT oil, 11 units ED (~21 mg), ~150 mg/week total, subq microdosing (slin pin). Plan: 6 weeks → labs → add nandrolone decanoate in MCT oil, 50 mg/week for joint relief/inflammation.
Androgen-related labs comparison:
June 2025 (on cream; peak; applied 2h prior ):
- TT: 1034 ng/dL
- Free T: 191.6 pg/mL (H)
- SHBG: 52
- DHT: 144 ng/dL (H)
- Estradiol: 46 pg/mL (H)
- LH: 2.4 / FSH: 4.2
- Prolactin: n/a
Sept 2025 (cream; applied 12h prior):
- TT: 318–459 ng/dL (
- Free T: 61.5–70.7 pg/mL (↓)
- SHBG: 36–39
- DHT: 122–145 ng/dL (still high)
- Free DHT: 9.32 pg/mL (H)
- Estradiol (ultrasensitive): 24 pg/mL (normalized)
- LH: 0.6–0.8 (L) / FSH: 1.0 (L) → HPTA suppressed
- Prolactin: 6.7–6.9 ng/mL
CBC / Hematology:
- 6/30/25:
- RBC: 4.32 M/uL (ref 4.20–5.80)
- Hgb: 14.1 g/dL
- Hct: 42.4%
- 9/12/25:
- RBC: 4.22–4.26 M/uL (low end of normal)
- Hgb: 13.6 g/dL
- Hct: 40.5–41.4%
Observations:
- On cream: supraphysiological TT/FT + elevated E2 + high DHT.
- By Sept: TT/FT crashed, gonadotropins suppressed, E2 normalized, but DHT stayed elevated.
- Prolactin baseline looks safe to trial low-dose nandrolone.
Questions for the group:
- Experiences pivoting from transdermal to daily microdosed injections (stability, labs, symptom changes)?
- Anyone add low-dose Deca (50–100 mg/week) for joints — what benefits/downsides did you see?
- Best strategies you’ve used to keep DHT in check post-cream transition?
Its okay to test at peak but labs should always be done at true trough (lowest point) before you apply your next dose of transdermal gel/cream or poke yourself with your next injection.
As you can see it would be expected that there will be a big difference in your TT and more importantly FT as you tested 2 hrs and 12 hrs post dose!
As you would know If you are using transdermal gel/cream once daily true trough would be 24 hrs post-dose and if you are applying 2x daily then true trough would be 12 hrs post-dose.
When it comes to labs you always want to test at the true trough using the same lab/same assay (most accurate) which would be TT (LC-MS/MS) and FT (Equilibrium Dialysis).
Any time you post labs always include the testing method with the reference ranges.
This is critical!
Looking over your labs from June if we calculated your FT using the go to linear law-of-mass action cFTV you are hitting a high TT 1034 ng/dL 2 hrs post-dose and more importantly even with high SHBG 52 nmol/L your cFTV 19 ng/dL would still be high-end.
What really stands out here is your labs from Sept again if we calculate your FT you are hitting a TT 318-419 ng/dL 12 hrs post-dose and more importantly your cFTV 5.99-8.62 ng/dL would be lower-end.
Even if you had tested 2/12 hrs post-dose on the same day which would have been more sensible you would see the. big difference in your TT/FT 2 vs 12 hrs post-dose and your true trough 24 hrs post-dose would be worse.
Keep in mind when it comes to MPB/AGA your chance of accelerating hair loss when using exogenous T comes down to genetics and sensitivity of the AR/hair follice to DHT.
Important point often overlooked here is that high DHT is not always needed as again it comes down to 5AR activity/sensitivity of the hair follice to DHT.
Some men will struggle even when DHT is not that high!
You are making a big mistake here jumping on ~150 mg T/week (~21 mg daily) as such dose can easily have your FT too high and this is at trough let alone steady-state to boot!
The standard starting dose is 100 mg T/week or better yet 50 mg twice-weekly.
Men on TTh are injecting 100-200 mg T/week whether once weekly or split into more frequent injections as in twice-weekly (every 3.5 days), M/W/F, EOD or daily.
The majority of men can easily hit a healthy/high trough FT njecting 100-150 mg T/week especially when injecting more frequently.
Some men can achieve stellar levels injecting <100 mg/week especially when split into more frequent injections.
Yes there will always be those outliers who may need the higher-end dose 200 mg T/week but its far from common as in rare!
Such dose would be OVERKILL for the majority!
Always best to start low and go slow so you can see how your body reacts to said protocol (dose T/injection frequency) and where it has your trough TT and more important FT let alone critical blood markers RBCs, hemoglobin and hematocrit.
There will always be time to increase the dose if need be.
Bum move jumping in head first here!
Also need to pay attention to the addition of ND as it will increase the overall androgen load of your T protocol.
Even though ND is much milder when it comes to androgenic sides it can still drive up the hematocrit and drive down HDL if the dose is too high or you are overly sensitive.
What is concerning here and a red flag is your RBCs, hemoglobin and hematocrit are already on the lower-end which could mean that your ferritin/iron is low/borderline low.
You need to test your iron/ferritin as it is critical to know where is sits pre/post T-therapy!
This is a marker you need to pay attention to when using exogenous T especially if one gets caught up on that donating blood too frequently merry-go-round.
Everyone so caught up on labs for TT/FT yet no one blinks ane eye when it comes to their blood levels of ND as they are clueless acting as if throwing in the ND is a freebie!
Regarding protocols daily vs EOD vs twice-weekly vs M/W/F vs once weekly comes down to trial and error.
No one could tell you what is. best here!
I would rethink your starting T-dose!
