Bizarre Follow Up Labs. Lab Error? (was dif lab). Advice?

[Xerxes]

So I need a little help with some lab numbers I just got back today. First off, my primary pulled the following labs from a blood draw on Aug 6 when I went in complaining of high e2 symptoms:
e2 42 on a range of <40 HIGH
total t = 693 range 160-853
free t = 18.2 range 3.5-15.5 HIGH
shbg = 20.7 range 10-57



He wanted me back in to do an afternoon blood draw for test. levels. He collected it on Aug 13. Got results today (he also pulled Estradiol and Progesterone). As an aside this week I've been doing .25mg arimidex with my shots MWF and have been feeling some relief. Sleeping better, less anxiety, still low libido and only minor REM wood. Haven't taken arimidex today (Friday) b/c of the following numbers literally drawn a week later than the above numbers when I was feeling even worse (but they from a different lab for some reason):


Estradiol = 22 range 0-47
Progesterone = 0.21 range 0.14-2.06
Testosterone = 74 range 199-1587 LOW

H ow is it possible to drop more than 600 pts in one week! Can this be a lab mistake? Maybe it's 740 and it's a typo? I hadn't started taking the arimidex yet (was using DIM and Calcium D- Glucarate) and was still on my 2x weekly 80 mg at that point. Switched to MWF 40mg to combat high E2. I am so confused. This must be in error, right? Since about Sunday of last week (3 days after this blood draw), I have been feeling a bit better. I am utterly confused.


On another note, I am seriously considering getting off TRT and trying to deal with my anxiety and ED issues another way. On my Aug 6 blood work FSH was <0.3 range 1.4-18.1 and LH was <0.1 range 1.5-9.3. This obviously means I'm shut down right? If I just stop will I start to produce my own again? If so how soon? I've only been doing shots since June 16. I did Testim from May 5-June 16. So everything together about 3.5 months in. I am 35. 165 5'8''. I have an endo appt on Monday morning but I am a new patient and am not sure she has much expertise in TRT. Will ask her about a restart or about any underlying metabolic issues. I was never diagnosed as primary or secondary. Uro just put me on gels from a total T number.



Any insight?

 

[CoastWatcher]

So I need a little help with some lab numbers I just got back today. First off, my primary pulled the following labs from a blood draw on Aug 6 when I went in complaining of high e2 symptoms:
e2 42 on a range of <40 HIGH
total t = 693 range 160-853
free t = 18.2 range 3.5-15.5 HIGH
shbg = 20.7 range 10-57



He wanted me back in to do an afternoon blood draw for test. levels. He collected it on Aug 13. Got results today (he also pulled Estradiol and Progesterone). As an aside this week I've been doing .25mg arimidex with my shots MWF and have been feeling some relief. Sleeping better, less anxiety, still low libido and only minor REM wood. Haven't taken arimidex today (Friday) b/c of the following numbers literally drawn a week later than the above numbers when I was feeling even worse (but they from a different lab for some reason):


Estradiol = 22 range 0-47
Progesterone = 0.21 range 0.14-2.06
Testosterone = 74 range 199-1587 LOW

H ow is it possible to drop more than 600 pts in one week! Can this be a lab mistake? Maybe it's 740 and it's a typo? I hadn't started taking the arimidex yet (was using DIM and Calcium D- Glucarate) and was still on my 2x weekly 80 mg at that point. Switched to MWF 40mg to combat high E2. I am so confused. This must be in error, right? Since about Sunday of last week (3 days after this blood draw), I have been feeling a bit better. I am utterly confused.


On another note, I am seriously considering getting off TRT and trying to deal with my anxiety and ED issues another way. On my Aug 6 blood work FSH was <0.3 range 1.4-18.1 and LH was <0.1 range 1.5-9.3. This obviously means I'm shut down right? If I just stop will I start to produce my own again? If so how soon? I've only been doing shots since June 16. I did Testim from May 5-June 16. So everything together about 3.5 months in. I am 35. 165 5'8''. I have an endo appt on Monday morning but I am a new patient and am not sure she has much expertise in TRT. Will ask her about a restart or about any underlying metabolic issues. I was never diagnosed as primary or secondary. Uro just put me on gels from a total T number.



Any insight?

There are so many moving parts in this picture. Since May you have gone from topicals to injections; you changed your injection protocol, lowered dose administered more frequently, and - at the same time -you added Anastrozole to your regimen. On top of all of that, you present an absurdly out of range lab report. Let's deal with the lab first - arrange for a retest. Every so often labs make mistakes -all labs can (and most, on occasion, do). Get a retest as soon as you can.


But why you'd consider jumping off TRT after only been administering it for a few weeks is beyond me. Yet, your entire involvement with it reflects a terrific sense of impatience. Simply put, this isn't a therapy that can be balanced quickly and never thought of again. Most of us work for weeks/months/years to line everything up and achieve a sense of physical well-being. By making as many simultaneous changes as you have it has become more difficult to determine what it is that is working and what it is that isn't.

If you are serious, and you wish to abandon TRT, you need to work with someone experienced in restart protocols. There is excellent material on the Forum outlining the various steps necessary to achieve decent, natural hormonal levels. However, I would urge you to be calm and see what your retest tells you. Give your system time to respond to the adjusted levels of medications in your system. Leave the AI alone and wait.

 

[Xerxes]

I know patience is not one of my virtues, obviously. I am just so frustrated by feeling so bad (maybe even worse than before starting the TRT). I guess I'm figuring the shorter amount of time you'r on it the easier is to bounce back? Could just be utter ignorance on my part. I think leaving the AI along might make more sense until I get more testing. Primary said I could go in on Monday to retest in PM, so I'll try to do that. Thanks for the response. I'm just at the end of my ability to cope sometimes. It's also becoming increasingly difficult on my wife as well. Before TRT I tried zoloft and didn't work well, did Wellbutrin and it seemed to work, them pooped out, upped does, same thing, upped does one more time and by the time I was on that dose it was keeping me up at night and really messing with my mental clarity and anxiety. I am wondering if I should start considering concomitant SSRI treatment along with TRT to deal with my anxiety/depressive episodes? Or this could just be another addition to the puzzle that makes the equation even bigger. I difficult dealing with this and raising my two young daughters and not overwhelming my wife with my issues all the time. Thanks again. I'll keep you updated. I guess the most frustrating thing is the utter lack of medical guidance or knowledge I've gotten from any of the people overseeing my care. Maybe the endo on Monday will give some clarity but I'm not really hopeful. It seems most are just diabetes experts.

 

[CoastWatcher]

A overview of the restart process.

https://www.excelmale.com/?s=56-How...-Safely-and-Possibly-Reset-Your-Hormonal-Axis

 

[Xerxes]

Thanks for the link. I really should just bite the bullet and work with Defy on either getting dialed in properly or on a proper restart. None of my doctor's knows anything about this stuff. It's crazy. I literally gave Dr. Crisler's book to my primary to read...not sure he read it all, but maybe at least he'll have some info. I'm really starting to think that the 74 reading is a lab error or a typo. I just cannot figure how that drop could be possible in one week. It was same day in my injection cycle and same dosing.

Does anyone make make anything of my borderline progesterone? I know Nelson is very ANTI progesterone b/c it's feminizing and could lead to all sorts of bad sides, but I've read other places it could be good for sleep, anxiety and ED, which are my major symptoms right now. Has anyone every supplemented with it with success?

There is a part of me that thinks much of this stuff is from not having my mental health in order. I know I can't shouldn't add anything else until I get to a stable place, but is there anyone who uses things like SSRIs while on TRT? I tried zoloft an wellbutrin in the year before going on TRT but neither really worked for me and gave pretty bad sides. Just thinking/writing outloud here..Sorry for all my impatient, rambling craziness...I just have to be disciplined and stick to my protocol now and find some expert medical supervision of this process...

Again, I really do know how insane my approach seems right now. I just want to feel better in the worst way for me and my family.

 

[CoastWatcher]

Thanks for the link. I really should just bite the bullet and work with Defy on either getting dialed in properly or on a proper restart. None of my doctor's knows anything about this stuff. It's crazy. I literally gave Dr. Crisler's book to my primary to read...not sure he read it all, but maybe at least he'll have some info. I'm really starting to think that the 74 reading is a lab error or a typo. I just cannot figure how that drop could be possible in one week. It was same day in my injection cycle and same dosing.

Many, probably most, of the members here have seen multiple doctors before we found one who we could work with - someone who understood TRT, respected our opinion, was open to ideas. If there is no such physician available to you locally, I don't know why you wouldn't contact Defy (I am not a patient). Have you spoken to their office?

 

[Xerxes]

I have contacted them. I have an email from Chelsea with the paper work. I am a bit nervous about the telemedical thing and that I could end up spending tons and tons of money...but I guess you get what you pay for.

 

[ERO]

Thanks for the link. I really should just bite the bullet and work with Defy on either getting dialed in properly or on a proper restart. None of my doctor's knows anything about this stuff. It's crazy. I literally gave Dr. Crisler's book to my primary to read...not sure he read it all, but maybe at least he'll have some info. I'm really starting to think that the 74 reading is a lab error or a typo. I just cannot figure how that drop could be possible in one week. It was same day in my injection cycle and same dosing.

Does anyone make make anything of my borderline progesterone? I know Nelson is very ANTI progesterone b/c it's feminizing and could lead to all sorts of bad sides, but I've read other places it could be good for sleep, anxiety and ED, which are my major symptoms right now. Has anyone every supplemented with it with success?

There is a part of me that thinks much of this stuff is from not having my mental health in order. I know I can't shouldn't add anything else until I get to a stable place, but is there anyone who uses things like SSRIs while on TRT? I tried zoloft an wellbutrin in the year before going on TRT but neither really worked for me and gave pretty bad sides. Just thinking/writing outloud here..Sorry for all my impatient, rambling craziness...I just have to be disciplined and stick to my protocol now and find some expert medical supervision of this process...

Again, I really do know how insane my approach seems right now. I just want to feel better in the worst way for me and my family.

I have had good luck with Progestrone helping me sleep. I rub a 10mg dose on topically before bed and sleep very well. I don't do it every night, but when I do it, I do sleep great. I have not had any bad issues with it, but as I said, I don't use it every day and everybody is different in how they respond to different things.