Back on TRT after 8 month baby making break here are first bloods

[Stoak]

80mg test cyp, 300iu HCG, .25 adex E3.5D

I use Actavis test cyp and Pregnyl. My urologist treats me, not a clinic.

Trough #s

TT 1006
FT 30.7
E2 22

Hemoglobin 15.7
Hematocrit 47.9

DHEA-S 271
Pregnenolone 32

This is the second time I have had my DHEA-S tested and it is constant. This is the first time my Pregnenolone LC/MS/MS has been tested and the number is quite low but I accidentally had my DHEA NON SULFATED number tested once and it was rock bottom as well so I am not sure if this Pregnenolone number is subject to wild fluctuations or if it doesn't matter. This is ONLY after 7 weeks back on TRT so either preg tanks really quick, is highly variable, or I'm chronically low. I'm 41. I will say that on of the big differences I have noticed is my sleep suffers when starting TRT. It happened in the past. I don't recall dreams well these past couple months. When I was off TRT for 8 months my dreams were vivid and memorable. Other than that everything is good again. I have regained 17 pounds in 7 weeks 176 - 193, my sex drive is back (it was literally near zero during the 8 month downtime), and my joint pains have lessened. I have 25 DHEA tabs and 10 Preg capsules. I may give these a go and see if it helps with sleep. I know Preg is a "mystery" and discussed frequently on these boards... based on my numbers I feel like boosting DHEA is probably optimal for me as well given where my TT is.

 

[FunkOdyssey]

This is the first time my Pregnenolone LC/MS/MS has been tested and the number is quite low but I accidentally had my DHEA NON SULFATED number tested once and it was rock bottom as well so I am not sure if this Pregnenolone number is subject to wild fluctuations or if it doesn't matter. This is ONLY after 7 weeks back on TRT so either preg tanks really quick, is highly variable, or I'm chronically low.

Good questions about the stability of non-sulfated pregnenolone. I just tested pregnenolone before starting TRT and had a value of 146 ng/dL which dropped to 29 ng/dL when I tested a couple months later. Depending on whether pregnenolone is relatively stable, that would indicate a dramatic impact from TRT on my values.

I will say that on of the big differences I have noticed is my sleep suffers when starting TRT. It happened in the past. I don't recall dreams well these past couple months. When I was off TRT for 8 months my dreams were vivid and memorable.

I'm not sure how reliable dream recall is as an indicator of sleep quality. It may be that lighter, more restless sleep increases dream recall because you wake up directly from REM more often. If there's a legitimate concern though, you should be able to improve your sleep with less free T or the addition of progesterone, either supplemented directly or via pregnenolone.