First Blood Test 2018 T followup and Thyriod panel

[FeelingLost]

8 weeks ago Defy changed my protocol from Compounded cream 3 clicks ED, AI .125 EOD, HCG 400iu Monday and Thursday to
150 T cyp/wk .25 M/W/F, AI .125 EOD (could take one extra per week if needed) HCG 300iu M/W/F.

Had the flu on my 6 week followup so called and was told to wait 10 day post fever breaking. Since this was just a followup I also did a Throid panel. I've never looked there before. I am not sure what the numbers mean.

I think they guessed pretty dam close TT might be a bit high. Donating blood this afternoon for the HCT. the AI is perfect with an E2 of 28.

I know the question will pop up how do you feel. To be honest no different than when my TT was 630 and FT18. I have read it can take several months at a therapeutic lvl for things to start happening. We will see. Off to donate blood. Comments suggestions questions welcome and thanks in advance for looking.

 

[Vince]

I'm guessing you'll labs were done a Monday prior to injection. I think your testosterone panel looks great, except for the HCT. Your fasting glucose is high I wonder what your A1C looks like. Need some work on your lipid panel. I won't comment on your thyroid.

 

[FeelingLost]

I'm guessing you'll labs were done a Monday prior to injection. I think your testosterone panel looks great, except for the HCT. Your fasting glucose is high I wonder what your A1C looks like. Need some work on your lipid panel. I won't comment on your thyroid.

Hi Vince thank you for the comments. This was a simple protocol followup so no A1C was run. 2 Months ago it was 5.3 a year ago it was 6.4

I am surprised the Defy simple TRT quick protocol check has so many blood test not really associated with TRT.
You would think they could save us a little money on these protocol tune-ups and just test the basics.

 

[ratbag]

Your free T is really high and you stated before you feel just as good as when your levels were lower. Interesting. I don't see ferritin. This is important because your RT3 is getting close to the top of range. If ferritin was low that would explain it. Also if your ferritin is low and you donate for your HCT then you could crash your ferritin and that would make you feel much worse. Knowing your ferritin level before donating is quite important. Do you know your cortisol levels? Have you ever had saliva tests? Off the cuff you may need higher FT3 than you have at present but it's one of those things that you would have to try to see if there's an improvement. Many people do not convert well and once their FT3 is raised they feel much better.

 

[FeelingLost]

Your free T is really high and you stated before you feel just as good as when your levels were lower. Interesting. I don't see ferritin. This is important because your RT3 is getting close to the top of range. If ferritin was low that would explain it. Also if your ferritin is low and you donate for your HCT then you could crash your ferritin and that would make you feel much worse. Knowing your ferritin level before donating is quite important. Do you know your cortisol levels? Have you ever had saliva tests? Off the cuff you may need higher FT3 than you have at present but it's one of those things that you would have to try to see if there's an improvement. Many people do not convert well and once their FT3 is raised they feel much better.

Hi Ratbag, Thank you for taking the time to look and comment on my bloodtest.

I do not know my cortisol levels or my ferritin. I have been with Defy since Jun they have run 4 sets of blood tests. I can look at them to see if ferritin was ever tested. In 2017 I only donated blood twice when my HCT hit 50.1 both times. I went down to donate today but they were closed on Wednesdays, go figure.

I am just starting down this road of Thyroid and cortisol. My first step was to ask Defy for a thyroid panel and what you see above is what they tested me for.
Based on my next consult I was planing to persue everything they are willing to look at and treat.

I also thought with a super high Free T I'd be dancing a jig or bouncing off the walls. However I don't really feel different. Which ,to me, supports looking else where now that my TRT is sorted.

 

[ratbag]

I was in the same situation... really high TT and FT, actually way over the top and when I lowered it substantially and got my TT to 680 and FT just inside of top of range I still felt the same. But I no longer needed an AI. Not everyone is the same as we know so it's always worth trying. Yes you should look for ferritin in your older labs to see where it was.

 

[FeelingLost]

I was in the same situation... really high TT and FT, actually way over the top and when I lowered it substantially and got my TT to 680 and FT just inside of top of range I still felt the same. But I no longer needed an AI. Not everyone is the same as we know so it's always worth trying. Yes you should look for ferritin in your older labs to see where it was.

Since Dec 2016 I have had 8 blood tests between my PCP/TRT and Defy. I have had to donate blood twice in that time do to HCT being 50.1 my blood test just before this one HCT was 43.0 so I did not donate. I looked thru all 8 blood tests and not once was my ferritin checked by either doctor. I will ask at the blood donation clinic tomorrow if they can check it. If not I am going to fix the known high HCT and take my chances on the ferritin. Ill add it on my next blood test. I've had so many fricking blood tests I don't know why I need to donate. They always seem to take 8-10 vials. haha

 

[FeelingLost]

I'm guessing you'll labs were done a Monday prior to injection. I think your testosterone panel looks great, except for the HCT. Your fasting glucose is high I wonder what your A1C looks like. Need some work on your lipid panel. I won't comment on your thyroid.

Monday was MLK day so I moved my protocol 10 days before my blood draw to T/T/S and drew blood 7:30am Tuesday before Tuesdays shot.

You know I still have problems getting my head wrapped around this trough thingy. It works for peeps doing once a week or maybe twice but no more than that.
If T cyp peaks at 48 hours well hell that is Monday morning after Fridays shot. So how is that a trough?
Then we have this [Testosterone Cyp (Half life 8 days) - Steady state in 40 days] to add to the mix when trying to figure out a trough.

This whole trough thing needs to be rethought out since so many are injecting more frequent during the week.

 

[Vince Carter]

Think of the trough like this if it helps you, there is still a trough the up and down are just much less pronounced but there is a trough there and that's when you pull blood.

IF your free T remains over range or you continue with 120mg/w total, I would really recommend that you in addition to UltraSensitive E that you include Estrogen, Free if finances allow the added testing. With high Free T such as you have here at nearly twice the lab range that you'll find your Free Estrogen over range as well. This isn't something that is being tested and probably should and be used with the LC/MS/MS testing. You may find that you need to run your LC/MS/MS much lower like closer to 20 to get the Free Estrogens down, too.

 

[FeelingLost]

Think of the trough like this if it helps you, there is still a trough the up and down are just much less pronounced but there is a trough there and that's when you pull blood.

IF your free T remains over range or you continue with 120mg/w total, I would really recommend that you in addition to UltraSensitive E that you include Estrogen, Free if finances allow the added testing. With high Free T such as you have here at nearly twice the lab range that you'll find your Free Estrogen over range as well. This isn't something that is being tested and probably should and be used with the LC/MS/MS testing. You may find that you need to run your LC/MS/MS much lower like closer to 20 to get the Free Estrogens down, too.

Thank you for looking over my numbers and the suggestions.

I was curious what a TT of 1000 and FT at the top of the scale felt like. Now I know. It's nothing special. No boners for days, no incredible sex, no 3 sets of 10 reps and you look like Arnold.

I am not sure what my doc will tell me to do in my consult.
I would hope they keep my prescriptions where it is and I will drop the dose on my own and order simple checkup blood test on my own. Over time droping it until I feel a difference. Much like RatBag did.

Over time this will allow me to have a little T buffer when reordering meds. We all know how much fun that has been this year with huricanes, snow storms and a new computer software ordering system.

 

[Vince Carter]

You can def cut the dose and target your Free T but as it stands now, I'm bet a Coke you would find your Free Estrogens way over lab range and than an LC/MS/MS of 29 is too high, for you. Like you I get the astronomical free T values and I'm no little guy in the gym, but in some respect with the amounts of Free T I'm running I should be seeing more success and more gains so I tie that up in to my E still being too high. I still get strong libido and desire, less physical ability to act of the libido, overly warm in bed at night/minor sweats, minor body acne if I'm not real careful with showering twice per day.

 

[FeelingLost]

So the Free T calculator comes up with a different number than LabCorp did. Which would you trust?

 

[FeelingLost]

Just an update on my HCT. I donated blood to get my 51.7 down and sent a picture in to Defy to ad to my record.
I was told I now needed to redo the CBC's before I can schedule a consult. I'm OK with that but I thought it was kind of weird.
In my first consult I was told(Dr Calkins) since I live at 6000ft and playhard (mtn bike) at 8000ft 3 days a week they would
have no issues with my HCT until it hit 54-56. My pre TRT HCT over the years ran between 47.0-50.1

NOTE to Mods: This is just a report to my fello EM members I am not asking for any kind of customer service out of Defy.

 

[Vince]

Who told you that, I find it very hard to be true. Whoever you told you that must be ill informed.

 

[FeelingLost]

Who told you that, I find it very hard to be true. Whoever you told you that must be ill informed.

Hi Vince thank you for commenting on my post. It doesn't seem to be very interesting forsome reason. I haven't got a lot of comments.

Which part don't you believe that HCT is higher for those of us who live and play at altitude or that I have to retest before I can get a consult, or that HCT is not a real issue until 54-56 for folks living at altitude?

 

[Vince]

Hi Vince thank you for commenting on my post. It doesn't seem to be very interesting forsome reason. I haven't got a lot of comments.

Which part don't you believe that HCT is higher for those of us who live and play at altitude or that I have to retest before I can get a consult, or that HCT is not a real issue until 54-56 for folks living at altitude?

I find it hard to believe that they want you to retest your CBC just because you donated blood and making you wait for a consultation.

 

[FeelingLost]

I find it hard to believe that they want you to retest your CBC just because you donated blood and making you wait for a consultation.

Thank you for confirming. I also thought it was strange and that was why I posted about it.
It's not a big deal I will do the test right away I have already donated blood.

Here's the answer I got back after sending in a picture of the donation record.

 

[ratbag]

That is unusual, I would have requested ferritin just to rule out that it's staying in range with all your blood donations.

 

[FeelingLost]

That is unusual, I would have requested ferritin just to rule out that it's staying in range with all your blood donations.

HaHa I thought about you and when I ordered the HCT I also ordered the ferritin just for you ratbag.
I am chomping at the bit to hear your comments once I get all the right thyroid measurements.

I would like to be as smart as I can for my next consult in 3-4 weeks from now.

 

[ratbag]

LOL that is funny.