follow up lab question

[Rabbit91476]

after 8 weeks of 50mg every 3.5 days
total 6.36ngml 1.75-7.81 isn't this range on the low end
free test calc-arup 171 pgml 47-244 same question is this a low range
I feel fairly good. no I don't have shgb or E2. I would think I would have some room it increase to higher normal as other than a little high blood pressure I have no side effects. but with the hospital ranges being this low I don't know what to expect from primary doctor. I go see him Wednesday.
my insurance will cover up to 1gram every thirty days as ordered. not that I would ever need that much

 

[madman]

after 8 weeks of 50mg every 3.5 days
total 6.36ngml 1.75-7.81 isn't this range on the low end
free test calc-arup 171 pgml 47-244 same question is this a low range
I feel fairly good. no I don't have shgb or E2. I would think I would have some room it increase to higher normal as other than a little high blood pressure I have no side effects. but with the hospital ranges being this low I don't know what to expect from primary doctor. I go see him Wednesday.
my insurance will cover up to 1gram every thirty days as ordered. not that I would ever need that much

*total 6.36ngml 1.75-7.81 isn't this range on the low end

Converted to ng/dL your TT 636 (reference range 175-781).....definitely a tighter reference range (top/bottom ends) as LabCorp top end used to be 1200.

Regardless if theses labs are trough than you definitely have room to bring up your TT/FT levels mind you 2 critical tests SHBG and e2 let alone hemoglobin/hematocrit are missing?

Hard to believe your doctor did not test for SHBG/e2 along with CBC which includes hemoglobin/hematocrit as it needs to be tested when on trt.

If anything regarding your FT levels it would be more beneficial/sensible to use the
TruT Free Testosterone Calculator by FPT if you want to truly know where your FT levels sit.....but you need to know your SHBG!

Although TT is important to know FT is what truly matters as it is the unbound active fraction of testosterone responsible for the positive effects.

Again you need to know your SHBG level as it will dictate ones dose/injection frequency which is critical to the effectiveness of ones protocol.

Do understand that when starting trt one should start low and go slow.

Speak with your doctor and let him know you feel somewhat better but not where you should be and want to increase your dose slightly in order to get your TT/FT levels higher.

If anything since you are injecting 100 mg/week (50 mg every 3.5 days) than bumping your dose up to 120 mg/week (60 mg every 3.5 days) should make a big difference in your levels but most importantly you need to be aware that once you increase the dose of T not only will you see an increase in TT/FT levels but also e2, hemoglobin/hematocrit/RBC and it is critical that you have these health markers tested.

Again do not be so eager to increase T dose too much at once as although you may feel fairly good and are experiencing no side effects things can turn for the worse if you drive your levels too high.

Forget trying to hit a 1000+ TT levels as you may very well not need to go that high and may end up in a good place at 800 but again concentrate on your FT levels and how you feel overall regarding energy/mood/libido/erectile function.

 

[Rabbit91476]

Thanks MadMan
hct ws 47.7 plan was to ask for 120mg. then draw shgb and e sensitive lc ms ms from discount labs if he didn't order them.

 

[Systemlord]

Thanks MadMan
hct ws 47.7 plan was to ask for 120mg. then draw shgb and e sensitive lc ms ms from discount labs if he didn't order them.

I find it amazing that the patient has to order/pay for important lab testing because the doctor is unwilling to do so on his own, the healthcare in this country is abysmal.

 

[Vince Carter]

Even saying "im paying for it" rarely works to get the labs you want and need.

 

[Rabbit91476]

I’m going to call insurance to morrow. See what they will cover. Seems how they sent me a letter saying my insurance will cover max 1 gram 30 days. Mabey then cal send me a letter with max labs

 

[Rabbit91476]

Well. Didn’t want to order labs. Said I could increase to 125mg week

 

[madman]

Well. Didn’t want to order labs. Said I could increase to 125mg week

I would just stick to 120 mg/week (60 mg every 3.5 days).....gauge how you feel overall followed by lab work (TT/FT/e2 (LC/MS-MS)/CBC (which will include hemoglobin/hematocrit) at 6-8 weeks on new T dose and go from there.

Going from 100 mg/week to 120 mg/week is a big jump as a 20 mg increase of T will make a big difference in your levels.

 

[Rabbit91476]

he was planning all that in 3 months said he would order shgb as well.. didn't know if establishing a base line at 100mg on all labs. but not spending 150 on my own labs is always preferred.
wow didn't know that 20 mg would be considered a big jump

thanks as always every one

 

[Vince Carter]

I concur that 20mg can be a large bump, as in taking too big of a swing at it.

 

[Rabbit91476]

interesting like what range of t level bump is possible

 

[Rabbit91476]

ok well decided to say screw it and ordered from discount labs e sensitive shgb and thyroid panel. Thursday am I took 60 mg instead of normal 50. shot is due tonight. was just thinking of no taking tonight's (sunday night) 60mg and get labs in am and inject after labs Monday. Monday would be nice and I would think drawing 12 hours after my normal scheduled injection time would make that much of a difference on e2

or should I just take my 50mg tonight and draw labs Thursday am before injection.

 

[madman]

ok well decided to say screw it and ordered from discount labs e sensitive shgb and thyroid panel. Thursday am I took 60 mg instead of normal 50. shot is due tonight. was just thinking of no taking tonight's (sunday night) 60mg and get labs in am and inject after labs Monday. Monday would be nice and I would think drawing 12 hours after my normal scheduled injection time would make that much of a difference on e2

or should I just take my 50mg tonight and draw labs Thursday am before injection.

As has been stated numerous times whenever tweaking protocol such as increasing/decreasing T dose one needs to stick to the same T dose/injection frequency week in week out as it will take 6 weeks for blood levels to stabilize than blood work is done to see how the new said dose of T (in your situation increase of 50 mg every 3.5 days--->60 mg every 3.5 days) effects your TT/FT/e2 levels let alone other health markers such as hemoglobin/hematocrit.

You were injecting 100 mg/week (50 mg every 3.5 days).....now you have decided to increase your T dose to 120 mg/week (60 mg every 3.5 days).

You are injecting on Thursday am and Sunday night (roughly 84 hrs between injections).

On Thursday morning you did your 1st 60 mg injection.....so tonight (Sunday) you stick to your protocol and inject 60 mg.....follow this for 6 weeks and than have blood work done at trough (Thursday am before your next injection) as labs would not be open on Sunday night before your next injection.....let alone testing in the am is more sensible and most have blood work done in the am before next injection (trough).

Forget this injecting 60 mg Thursday am than skipping Sunday night injection and getting labs Monday am (than injecting after labs) as you will not be getting a true trough let alone you have not even been on the new protocol 120 mg/week (60 mg every 3.5 days for a full 6 weeks as you have only done one 60 mg injection so far).

You finish off by stating....."or should I just take my 50mg tonight and draw labs Thursday am before injection"

Again you just started your 1st 60 mg injection on Thursday morning.....why would you go back to injecting 50 mg tonight.....let alone you need to follow the same protocol T dose/injection frequency for 6 weeks until blood levels have stabilized than have blood work done at trough (Thursday am before injection)!

 

[Rabbit91476]

I just regret starting the 60 mg with out checking the shgb and estrogen. And was wanting to see best way to get a accurate reading. The doctor will check them in three months. But didn’t want to go a total of 6 months of therapy with out checking them. I am aware it takes 6 weeks to stabilize. Plus I already payed for the labs.

Sorry typed that post before finishing my morning coffee

 

[Rabbit91476]

And I have only done one 60mg injection. That was Thursday am. Didn’t know if I could hold Sunday nights injection until after Monday am lab draw and still have a accurate enough lab draw.

 

[Systemlord]

Changing dosages will induce fluctuations, if you change dosages or miss an injection, your labs are going to reflect your inconsistency and not represent what you can expect to see when on a protocol that maintains consistency.

 

[Rabbit91476]

Well crap. I guess I’ll just hold on to lab slip. Lesson learned. I was hoping one shot would of thrown off the shgb and e2 much