Looking for advice concerning labs.

[Mrfrieze]

I was finally able to get my labs from my pre TRT blood work. I am unclear exactly what to focus on in order to help dial in my protocol and also what to look at to under stand what my initial problems were. I have been on TRT for right at 3 months now and I do my 90 day labs next Monday. I am pretty excited to have this information finally so I can understand better how to optimize my treatment. The labs seem pretty extensive so I will post up what I recall others posting please let me know what else would be helpful. Any advice and thoughts on my labs would be great.

Total Test: 232
PSA: .51
SHGB: 40.1 (16.5-55.9)
Estradiol: 12.0 (7.6-42.6)
LH: 2.6 (1.7-8.6)
FSH: 3.1 (1.5-12.4)

After 30 days of 140mg per week and tested on the 9th day after injection my TT was 349.

 

[Systemlord]

That seems awfully low! 140mg weekly would send me over the limit pretty fast, I'll bet your a hyper T metabolizer.

 

[Mrfrieze]

Yes , the PA Said I was burning through it. I'm definitely a fast metabolizer. And very active. Martial arts 4 days a week and some weight training thrown in.

 

[madman]

I was finally able to get my labs from my pre TRT blood work. I am unclear exactly what to focus on in order to help dial in my protocol and also what to look at to under stand what my initial problems were. I have been on TRT for right at 3 months now and I do my 90 day labs next Monday. I am pretty excited to have this information finally so I can understand better how to optimize my treatment. The labs seem pretty extensive so I will post up what I recall others posting please let me know what else would be helpful. Any advice and thoughts on my labs would be great.

Total Test: 232
PSA: .51
SHGB: 40.1 (16.5-55.9)
Estradiol: 12.0 (7.6-42.6)
LH: 2.6 (1.7-8.6)
FSH: 3.1 (1.5-12.4)

After 30 days of 140mg per week and tested on the 9th day after injection my TT was 349.

Doubt you are a hyper metabolizer as your shbg is just above mid/normal as the range is 16.5-55.9 so the mean is 36.2 and you are just above at 40.1. Your levels are so low because you waited 9 days to have your trough tested instead of just before your next injection 7 days later so if you are injecting 140mg on Monday morning you want to have blood work done the following Monday morning just before your next 140mg injection. More than likely your trough will still be some what low 7 days after your injection if your total t was only 349 on the 9th day after your injection. I would say split your dose and start new protocol at 70mg every 3.5 days before you try increasing dose. Most importantly how do you feel overall? Any improvements in your low t symptoms and are you experiencing any type of crash later in the week?

 

[Mrfrieze]

At 140 I was experiencing a crash on Friday or Saturday. I hyper metabolize most things so I would expect this to be no different, however I could be wrong. I am currently at 200 a week and I feel pretty good. Please explain how SHGB levels dictate how fast you metabolize. As I am ignorant to how this all works.

 

[madman]

At 140 I was experiencing a crash on Friday or Saturday. I hyper metabolize most things so I would expect this to be no different, however I could be wrong. I am currently at 200 a week and I feel pretty good. Please explain how SHGB levels dictate how fast you metabolize. As I am ignorant to how this all works.

Not sure if I misunderstood but you are injecting 140 mg/week and 9 days after your 140mg injection seems confusing as if it was 9 days after your 140mg injection and you are injecting every 7 days than the 9th day would really be 2 days after your second 140mg/week injection so your levels should be at their peak and 349 would be a extremely low peak? SHBG buffers serum t levels and also reduces the rate of hepatic degradation so people with low shbg metabolize/excrete the testosterone a lot quicker and your shbg is by no means low.

 

[Mrfrieze]

Sorry if I was unclear. The 349 was my 6 week TT labs. I was on 140 for 6 weeks. I was unable to make it on time so I was 2 days late and the trough was taken on day 9 instead of day 7. The PA estimated my TT to have been in low to mid 500's on day 7 based on the number for day 9. However my main concern is my overall lab work and what it may tell me about what is going on. I know absolutely nothing about this subject and I am just trying to learn. It is absolutely possible I am not a fast metabolizer of test however I do metabolize most things very quickly. Based on other medications and what the PA said I just assumed I was metabolizing this medication very quickly as well.

 

[lexer]

Your labs are irrelevent since you waited til day 9.
get test again and this time go the morning of your next shot on day 7 just before your injection. I woukd bet you woukd be over 500.
also, why isnt your Free T levels shown? Thats the most important number..
what is your age ?

 

[TheDude]

At 140 I was experiencing a crash on Friday or Saturday. I hyper metabolize most things so I would expect this to be no different, however I could be wrong. I am currently at 200 a week and I feel pretty good. Please explain how SHGB levels dictate how fast you metabolize. As I am ignorant to how this all works.

Low SHBG levels means you need to do more frequent injections. With your SHBG levels, I would bet once a week is fine. The reason you are experiencing a crash on the last two days may be due to 140mg not being enough. Are you still experiencing the crash on 200mg?

 

[Saul]

A bit off topic, but if you stick with weekly, you might inject on Wednesday or Thursday. Then you are feeling your best for the weekend, when you really want to feel your best. Also, as others have said, you could probably bump up a bit. Also, there is no rule that says you can not inject every 5 days or every 4 days, or every 6 days. Just adjust the amount of each injection to tailor it to what works best for you.

 

[madman]

Sorry if I was unclear. The 349 was my 6 week TT labs. I was on 140 for 6 weeks. I was unable to make it on time so I was 2 days late and the trough was taken on day 9 instead of day 7. The PA estimated my TT to have been in low to mid 500's on day 7 based on the number for day 9. However my main concern is my overall lab work and what it may tell me about what is going on. I know absolutely nothing about this subject and I am just trying to learn. It is absolutely possible I am not a fast metabolizer of test however I do metabolize most things very quickly. Based on other medications and what the PA said I just assumed I was metabolizing this medication very quickly as well.

You should have switched from weekly and split your weekly dose into 70mg every 3.5 days or maybe increased dose to 80mg every 3.5 days (160mg/week) as injecting every 3.5 days (twice weekly) your blood levels will be more stable and it will help even out the peaks/troughs and you may end up attaining higher total t levels using the same weekly dose as increasing dose from 140mg/week to 200 is a drastic jump. It is always better to start low and go slow to see how your body responds to testosterone and to use the lowest amount needed to experience relief from low t symptoms/keep blood markers in a healthy range. Some require total t levels to be mid/normal where as others need levels to be high/normal in the physiological range to experience relief from low t symptoms with of course free t/estradiol levels in a healthy range.

 

[Mrfrieze]

Your labs are irrelevent since you waited til day 9.
get test again and this time go the morning of your next shot on day 7 just before your injection. I woukd bet you woukd be over 500.
also, why isnt your Free T levels shown? Thats the most important number..
what is your age ?

I am more inquiring about my initial labs in the original post. They calculated my day 7 Total to be around 550 based on being tested on day 9. She also did a calculation to come up with my free T based on total t and SHGB. She said it was very low. But I wish it was included in the labs for sure. I am 39.

 

[Mrfrieze]

Low SHBG levels means you need to do more frequent injections. With your SHBG levels, I would bet once a week is fine. The reason you are experiencing a crash on the last two days may be due to 140mg not being enough. Are you still experiencing the crash on 200mg?

No I am not really experiencing a crash so to speak. I am noticeably weaker and have a little less energy but I wouldn't call it a crash really. I do notice though that I feel a little more affectionate and less stressed or keyed up on day 5 and 6.

 

[Mrfrieze]

A bit off topic, but if you stick with weekly, you might inject on Wednesday or Thursday. Then you are feeling your best for the weekend, when you really want to feel your best. Also, as others have said, you could probably bump up a bit. Also, there is no rule that says you can not inject every 5 days or every 4 days, or every 6 days. Just adjust the amount of each injection to tailor it to what works best for you.

I train martial arts 4 days a week. I train Monday through Thursday. I have debated though what was more important and since I am relaxing more on the weekends I chose Monday. But I may change it up just to see what I like more. At this time I am having to go to the clinic for injections so that's why I am doing it every 7 days. I wish I could experiment with various schedules though.

 

[Mrfrieze]

You should have switched from weekly and split your weekly dose into 70mg every 3.5 days or maybe increased dose to 80mg every 3.5 days (160mg/week) as injecting every 3.5 days (twice weekly) your blood levels will be more stable and it will help even out the peaks/troughs and you may end up attaining higher total t levels using the same weekly dose as increasing dose from 140mg/week to 200 is a drastic jump. It is always better to start low and go slow to see how your body responds to testosterone and to use the lowest amount needed to experience relief from low t symptoms/keep blood markers in a healthy range. Some require total t levels to be mid/normal where as others need levels to be high/normal in the physiological range to experience relief from low t symptoms with of course free t/estradiol levels in a healthy range.

I went from 140 to 180 to 200 with approximately 6 weeks between. I hear conflicting advice on the frequency of injection. I have high SHGB so I am under the impression this binds more T so it is better to do one larger dose as this forces more free T due to the larger spike. Again I am learning but I have seen it said both ways and not sure what is actually correct. If low SHGB should inject more frequently or high SHGB more frequently.

 

[madman]

I went from 140 to 180 to 200 with approximately 6 weeks between. I hear conflicting advice on the frequency of injection. I have high SHGB so I am under the impression this binds more T so it is better to do one larger dose as this forces more free T due to the larger spike. Again I am learning but I have seen it said both ways and not sure what is actually correct. If low SHGB should inject more frequently or high SHGB more frequently.

If your shbg is high than once weekly injections with a higher dose would be more effective and if your shbg was low than more frequent injections (minimum every 3.5 days but most end up using EOD(every other day) or daily injections with lower doses. What is the range for shbg. As I stated in earlier post your shbg is by no means high your number is just above the mid/normal range so you have a descent shbg number.

 

[Mrfrieze]

Hey everyone, I was hoping to get some thoughts and some general advice on my pre TRT labs. I started the post out with a few of the labs that seem to be the most relevant. If I didn't include enough info could you guys lemme know what else I can include. It seems a few people thought I was unclear on my labs so if there is anything else to include I would be happy to.

 

[FeelingLost]

Hey everyone, I was hoping to get some thoughts and some general advice on my pre TRT labs. I started the post out with a few of the labs that seem to be the most relevant. If I didn't include enough info could you guys lemme know what else I can include. It seems a few people thought I was unclear on my labs so if there is anything else to include I would be happy to.

Hi Mrfrieze, not sure what you are asking for. You have your preblood numbers. You have been on a protocol for a period of time.

Now you/we need to see where you are.
Your E2 will be a biggy and HCT either might warrent action on your part.
Free T as well. TT not as much since Free is what you feel.
Your LH: 2.6 (1.7-8.6) and FSH: 3.1 (1.5-12.4) should pretty much go to 0 or dam close.
It will be interesting to see which way your SHGB goes.
DHEA would be nice to know. You might need to supplement that.

How are your balls feeling? Any sharp pains or do they feel smaller?

HTH or were you looking for something else?

 

[Mrfrieze]

I guess mainly I was looking for info regarding why I may have had low T symptoms. I have heard of primary and secondary but don't really understand what all it means. I apologize I assumed the pre TRT labs would indicate overall health and various hormonal issues I may be experiencing that goes along with low T. I had my 3 month blood work done this morning after 7 days. They mentioned Free T, Estradiol, RBC, and total T. I don't know how extensive the labs will be for sure but I will update with those as soon as I get them. thanks

 

[FeelingLost]

OK well you really didn't give us much to work with on your first post. Since you are looking for overall health you should do screen shots of your entire blood test report and post them. Just blockout your personnal info. like this.


I am very surprised the doctor that gave you T did not determine if you were primary or secondary.
There are other treatments if your ball still work that are not as complex or $$$ to balance like a TRT protocol.

To get smart on what blood tests you need and a general 101 course on this subject spend some time here.

https://www.discountedlabs.com/blog...ment-blood-test-targets-and-their-management/