my latest labs 6 months into new protocol

[Vitamin_C]

Hey guys, I like to update you all on my protocol. I am currently a Doctorate Nurse Practioner student who wants to specialize in mental health and hormones. I am currently on TRT, unable to break out of the 400's since my late 20's, I am currently 33 years old. I started on topicals, highest dose was 100mg daily and that wasn't taking my TT over baseline. Switched to Cypionate and I do shallow IM or sub Q at 120mg per week in divided doses and 250IU of HCG on the same day (early Mon AM and Thurs evening).

This lab draw was on Monday evening, with my last shot being on Thursday evening so I could get a good trough of the medication. I was surprised to see my trough was really high for both free T, TT, and sensitive E2.

Pertinent labs as follows:

RBC 5.52 (4.30-6)
Hemoglobin 16.8 (13-18)
Hematocrit 51.8(40-53)

Estradiol, Ultra-sensitive LC/MS/MS: 68 (< or =29)
Free Testosterone 240.7 (35-155)
Total Testosterone 1061 (250-1100)

As you can see, these numbers are pretty high for a trough and higher than past numbers I have had in the past under similar protocol. The only change I made was I switched to Defy's pharmacy for my HCG which perhaps looks to be pushing my TT much higher than I anticipated. I was previously doing a compounded HCG from a pharmacy near me, but switched to Defy's pharmacy and constituted the HCG myself.

I have only been taking DIM and Calcium DG for estrogen and overall health but its obviously not working to bring my E2 numbers down. My last sensitive E2 was in the low 40's. Where do I go from here? Estrogen management. Libido and erections are currently not an issue but never have been for myself, even at low TT (I tend to run high in DHEA naturally, not sure if that is the reason). Mood is pretty good, anxiety is good (have struggled with anxiety in the past periodically) but I am definitely holding water and I am having some nagging muscle/joint injuries that do not seem to be healing. I am being see by a local TRT doctor and also by Defy. I see my local TRT doc here in about a week, I am going to suggest a low dose Arimidex and maybe bump my HCG down to 150 IU twice per week and perhaps try splitting the 120mg to 3x per week at 40/40/40. I was under the impression that high E2 would reduce my Free T, but my free T is very high. Any other suggestions would be appreciate, thanks guys.

 

[Vince]

To me your numbers look good, except for the estrogen. What are ways to lower estrogen, get rid of your spare tire, if you have one. Supplement with jarrow zinc balanced and Cialis but it sounds like you don't need C.
If you're not having any symptoms of high E2, maybe you don't need to worry about it.

 

[CoastWatcher]

In order to reduce my own elevated estradiol I went to more frequent, smaller injections. In my case, I adopted a regimen of daily shots, not a protocol that everyone will be interested in, but many, many members here achieve success with an EOD schedule.

As for your free testosterone, are you, perhaps, thinking of SHBG and its impact as opposed to estradiol? What is your SHBG?

 

[Vitamin_C]

I may try 40/40/40 M/W/F and bump down my HCG to 200IU. My doc did not check my SHBG but last time it was checked it was in the high 20's and early 30's and this was about 4 months ago. I am about 16-17% BF with a decent amount of muscle mass. I am trying to cut down to about 10% BF but I feel with my E2 this high, it is making it harder to lose weight. I am definitely bloated in my mid section and a little in my face, and I have some nagging joint injuries that will not go heal very well. While libido and morning wood are still there, they have decreased slightly.

I am going to ask my doc for a low dose Arimidex at .25 or .5 biweekly to start and then trim down a bit so that I can come off of the AI eventually. Also, my hematocrit is starting to rise up a bit.

 

[CoastWatcher]

I may try 40/40/40 M/W/F and bump down my HCG to 200IU. My doc did not check my SHBG but last time it was checked it was in the high 20's and early 30's and this was about 4 months ago. I am about 16-17% BF with a decent amount of muscle mass. I am trying to cut down to about 10% BF but I feel with my E2 this high, it is making it harder to lose weight. I am definitely bloated in my mid section and a little in my face, and I have some nagging joint injuries that will not go heal very well. While libido and morning wood are still there, they have decreased slightly.

I am going to ask my doc for a low dose Arimidex at .25 or .5 biweekly to start and then trim down a bit so that I can come off of the AI eventually. Also, my hematocrit is starting to rise up a bit.

That is a rational approach. Just remember that a tiny bit of Anastrozole goes a long way. All the best.

 

[Vitamin_C]

That is a rational approach. Just remember that a tiny bit of Anastrozole goes a long way. All the best.

yeah, im thinking of trying .25 twice weekly on M/F injection days.

 

[Vitamin_C]

I did my first 40/40/40mg M/W/F to try and further control E2. I meet with my doctor on Monday, I really don't want to start Adex, personally the less medications I am on the better, but I may give .25 twice a week a try and get this E2 down and lose some weight, then get off the Adex once my bodyfat % is lower(I am about 16-18% BF currently, decent amount of muscle mass, some fat.) My hematocrit crept up from 48% to 51%, does this have to do with elevated E2?