I've been on a twice weekly testosterone cypionate IM injection protocol for over 10 years. Latest protocol was 100mg (0.5ml) twice a week. My TT, FT and Estradiol, Sensitive numbers are great with this protocol, but eventually I need to donate blood when my Hematocrit gets too high.
My Doctor wants me to switch to reduced dose - daily SQ injections 20mg (0.1ml) for more stable Hematocrit and similar testosterone levels.
Has anyone switched to a daily injection protocol, and improved Hematocrit?
Can TT and FT levels stay the same by reducing dose and injecting daily?
How high of a hematocrit are we talking here?
The cutoff is 54%.
If one is injecting the same weekly dose then switching to more frequent injections will clip the peak-->trough as in soften the peak and bring up the trough so one can get away with injecting a slightly lower weekly dose of T while still maintaining similar levels.
Even if you switched over from a whopping weekly dose 200 mg T/week split (100 mg twice-weekly) to more frequent injections as in daily which will have a huge impact on clipping the peak--->trough which would be minimal on dailies and blood levels will be more stable throughout the week there is no way you are going to be hitting the same FT level going from 200--->140 mg T/week as that is a drastic reduction in your weekly dose of T.
Keep in mind the majority of men can easily achieve a healthy/high trough FT injecting. 100-150 mg T/week especially when split into more frequent injections.
The most effective way to bring down the hematocrit would be lowering your weekly dose and bringing down your trough/steady-state FT.
Chances are your trough FT is very high on your current protocol 200 mg T/week split (100 mg every 3.5 days) which is overkill for the majority of men on therapy.
Yes you could very well be one of those outliers who may need the higher-end dose but those men are far and few as in rare.
Where does your trough TT and more importantly trough FT sit on your current protocol?
Yes switching to dailies can help with bringing down the hematocrit but keep in mind this is not a given as it is not only the supra-physiological peaks or peak--->trough that has an impact here as running too high a trough/steady-state FT can easily drive up the hematocrit.
Even when injecting daily where the peak--->trough would be minimal and blood levels will be the most stable throughout the week if you end up running too high a steady-state FT as in 24/7 this can easily drive up the hematocrit.
Look over the thread I posted below!
How often should men on TRT check their hematocrit?
The standard monitoring schedule includes a baseline CBC before starting TRT, a recheck at 3 to 6 weeks, another at 3 months, and then at 6 and 12 months once stable. Any dose or formulation change resets the monitoring clock, requiring a recheck 4 to 6 weeks later. Men with risk factors for elevated hematocrit (sleep apnea, smoking, COPD, or a history of clotting) should check more frequently: every 3 months until the trend is stable.
* The monitoring schedule, the intervention ladder, and the attention...
