Can't get T up

[Phillies]

49 y/o male, 6'0" 260 lbs, low T symptoms for years, on T cyp (180 mg/wk via daily shots) and HCG 400 mg twice a week.

T was under 300 before I started the protocol, is now almost 500. Not a big change.

My lipds, liver, kideny, CBC are all normal, but my A1C is high normal (5.5). Should I get my insulin checked? What about SHBG?

Why would my T still be so low when taking what I understand is a fairly high dose of T?

Thank you for any thoughts.

 

[Vince Carter]

what time do you inject daily? What time is your blood drawn and how many hours after your last injection? For instance if you're >24hrs post injection its not going to be a fair test.
I shoot daily @ 0500, have been tested at 0830 (>24hrs) my stuff just bottoms out...you really have to hit this almost religiously with timing or it's all ganked up.

 

[Zooka15]

Are you using pharmacy testosterone, compounded?Are you doing IM or subQ?

 

[Phillies]

I inject nightly, when I got bed (around 10 or 11 PM). Lab draw was at 8:30 AM the next day. I have been on this protocol for a few months, so figured with daily shots the peak/trough wouldn't be a big deal with respect to draw times.

 

[Phillies]

It's compounded in grapeseed oil. I think I do half and half IM and subQ. I find that going into fat sometimes causes nodules, so lately have been going into the deltoid or glutes muscles - not shallow IM but definitely IM. But that's only been for the last couple weeks before the draw.

 

[Vince Carter]

You can't shoot and then 8.5hrs later have a blood test, you're doing this wrong. Switch up to shooting @ 8am and then have your test @ 8am the next day right before your injection. Testing @ 8.5hrs isn't time for that 25mg to hit your system, it's still in an upward swing at that time, you have to think of it as an upward curve through the day after your injection, it's not 25mg all at once that you can then measure.

This will never work, shooting and testing like you are.

 

[CoastWatcher]

In addition to the comments above, what about your SHBG? Do you know where it sits?

 

[Phillies]

You can't shoot and then 8.5hrs later have a blood test, you're doing this wrong. Switch up to shooting @ 8am and then have your test @ 8am the next day right before your injection. Testing @ 8.5hrs isn't time for that 25mg to hit your system, it's still in an upward swing at that time, you have to think of it as an upward curve through the day after your injection, it's not 25mg all at once that you can then measure.

This will never work, shooting and testing like you are.

I was going by steroidcalc where it showed that when you shoot daily, the ups and downs are minimized, which is one of the benefits of daily injections (lower estradiol is another, I've read). Just repsonding, not disagreeing, and apppreciate the feedback which is invaluable coming from those more experienced.

 

[Phillies]

In addition to the comments above, what about your SHBG? Do you know where it sits?

No, haven't had that checked. I did mention it in my original post, but I don't know how it would change things. I read there is a relationship between SHBG and T and something about the relationship between metabolism of T that is revealed by SHBG (or something like that). But even so, how would one overcome this?

 

[CoastWatcher]

No, haven't had that checked. I did mention it in my original post, but I don't know how it would change things. I read there is a relationship between SHBG and T and something about fast metabolism of T that is shown by SHBG. But even so, how would one overcome this?

Ironically, one adjusts for low SHBG by going to more frequent injections. Ironic because that's what you are already doing (I, too, am a daily injector and have been for nearly three years).

 

[Phillies]

Ironically, one adjusts for low SHBG by going to more frequent injections. Ironic because that's what you are already doing (I, too, am a daily injector and have been for nearly three years).

I'm screwed. But I am feeling a little better even if I'm not into the 900 zone.

 

[CoastWatcher]

I'm screwed. But I am feeling a little better even if I'm not into the 900 zone.

You are self-directing your protocol? You are absolutely certain you have pharmacy grade testosterone? I ask because I inject 16mg daily and have levels in the upper 900s to slightly over 1000.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Please post a pic of a filled syringe before you inject next. I want to see how you are calculating your 180 divided by 7 dose.

 

[Phillies]

You are self-directing your protocol? You are absolutely certain you have pharmacy grade testosterone? I ask because I inject 16mg daily and have levels in the upper 900s to slightly over 1000.

I'm not sure of the grade, but it's from a compounding pharmacy that sponsors this site.

I inject .13 x 200 mg/cc is 26, isn't it?

 

[Phillies]

Please post a pic of a filled syringe before you inject next. I want to see how you are calculating your 180 divided by 7 dose.

Hi Nelson,

Here is a pic - .13 daily of 200 mg/ml t cyp...

 

[Phillies]

You are self-directing your protocol?

I'm not self-directing, though I've done a lot of research before I chose a doc. I have a follow up appt with her in May. She had increased the dose from 75 mg twice a week to 182/week daily without much change. Running the info by you guys here for any other ideas since I have another 7 weeks till my follow up. Thank you again.

 

[johndoesmith]

I'm not self-directing, though I've done a lot of research before I chose a doc. I have a follow up appt with her in May. She had increased the dose from 75 mg twice a week to 182/week daily without much change. Running the info by you guys here for any other ideas since I have another 7 weeks till my follow up. Thank you again.

Post the rest of your blood tests. It will only help to facilitate discussion because there's very little information.

I'd bet you have low SHBG.

 

[Phillies]

Post the rest of your blood tests. It will only help to facilitate discussion because there's very little information.

I'd bet you have low SHBG.

Thank you, I'll ask my doc about SHBG shots if it's low (she didn't test it yet).

The rest of my labs were normal, that's why I didn't post the number. Tests she ordered included CBC, CHEM 14, A1C, PSA, lipid panel, vit D, TSH, T4, T3, Testosterone free and total, sensitive estradiol, and DHEA.

I'll look up the old labs and post them with the new, though. Thank you again.

 

[finkelet]

That math and fill is correct. I'm new to TRT myself but have been a paramedic for years and teach pharmacology.

 

[johndoesmith]

Thank you, I'll ask my doc about SHBG shots if it's low (she didn't test it yet).

The rest of my labs were normal, that's why I didn't post the number. Tests she ordered included CBC, CHEM 14, A1C, PSA, lipid panel, vit D, TSH, T4, T3, Testosterone free and total, sensitive estradiol, and DHEA.

I'll look up the old labs and post them with the new, though. Thank you again.

Well, I don't understand. You say everything is "normal" but you want us to solve or help with this mystery, and when we ask for information, are told they're normal. We cannot draw any conclusions from "normal".

So, in that case, you must normal, I wouldn't worry. /s