Need advice on initial blood testing

[golf]

A little background. I'm 37 and around 18% bodyfat. I work out 4 days a week weight training. I eat pretty healthy throughout the week and keep track of my macros. I take creatine, multi vitamin, fish oil, claritin, and one prescription of buspar for general anxiety. Only started this about 1.5 months ago. Only real bad habit I have is drink about 6-8 beers a week on the weekends. I get about 7 hours of sleep a night, getting up at 4:00 am to work out.

I've been trying to shed about 15 pounds and having trouble losing fat (and gaining muscle when in a calorie surplus). The past year or so I've had the blah's, no motivation, hard to focus, low energy, increasing anxiety, memory issues. I have a desk job, but I've always had one and used to have tons of energy when I would get home. Went to the doctor to just get a physical and do some blood work to see if anything would stand out. Doctor didn't notice anything, but I thought my test was low. Checked online and found this place for my symptoms. Decided to get some more blood work based on Defy Medical. I've attached both my initial test from about 1.5 months ago and the other test from a week ago. I was hoping you guys could take a look and see if anything stands out. My 2nd test had my total test come in a little higher so not sure what to think about that. Any help would be appreciated. I haven't scheduled an appt with Defy doctor yet.

 

[Vince Carter]

The only thing that stood out to me was your Thyroid testing was incomplete, TSH and T4 only give a small picture, a TSH of 2.5X would indicate that there's some shortage of Thyroid hormone and the body is trying to make more, would have liked to see TSH/Free T3/Free T4/Reverse T3, and antibodies.

 

[golf]

Are you saying that nothing appears out of the ordinary other than the TSH? Should I be worried with my test numbers? Just wondering if I need to make an appointment with Defy or go down a different path.

 

[CoastWatcher]

Your total testosterone is anemic. What is the quality of your sleep? Apnea hammers hormones and it is frequently undiagnosed.

 

[Deleted member 16042]

Your total and free T are pretty low.

Defy will assess thyroid as well.

 

[golf]

Your total testosterone is anemic. What is the quality of your sleep? Apnea hammers hormones and it is frequently undiagnosed.

I feel like my sleep is fine. I'd like to get a little more sleep each night, but with two young kids the only time I can work out is at 4:00 am. So I get about 7 hours of sleep.

 

[CoastWatcher]

I feel like my sleep is fine. I'd like to get a little more sleep each night, but with two young kids the only time I can work out is at 4:00 am. So I get about 7 hours of sleep.

What is your snoring (if any) like? I don't mean to annoy you with these questions, I'm just going down a path a lot of patients don't get questioned about.

 

[golf]

I snore a little, but it doesn't bother the Mrs. Some nights I sleep all night. Others, get up a couple times to use the bathroom if I drink too much liquids before bed. I just asked my wife about it and she said the snoring isn't bad at all.

 

[Vince Carter]

Are you saying that nothing appears out of the ordinary other than the TSH? Should I be worried with my test numbers? Just wondering if I need to make an appointment with Defy or go down a different path.

Def low T candidate for a discussion with your Dr it's more obvious on your tests than the Thyroid so I just stayed in that area.

 

[golf]

Gotcha, thanks. I just don't want to rush into TRT knowing it's a life long thing without making sure I can't change/adjust something in my life that would help me feel better. Honestly, I read these horror stories on here about how guys feel terrible, but I'm not to that point. Yes, I'm down in the dumps a little bit and my anxiety is getting worse, but it isn't debilitating. I just want to feel like my old self with the least amount of outside medicine.

 

[golf]

I have my consultation with a Defy PA later this week. Do you think they are going to recommend injections, Clomid or try something else? I want to make sure I have all of my questions ready and if you guys have an idea based on my labs what they will probably start off with it would be helpful.

 

[CoastWatcher]

I have my consultation with a Defy PA later this week. Do you think they are going to recommend injections, Clomid or try something else? I want to make sure I have all of my questions ready and if you guys have an idea based on my labs what they will probably start off with it would be helpful.

Nobody at Defy is going to push or rush you into a course of treatment (I am not a Defy patient, but respect their work). I can understand your anxiety, but you don't have to go into the conversation feeling as if you have to be on guard. I would take some time and write down any/all questions that you have and take notes during your call.

 

[Vince Carter]

Nobody at Defy is going to push or rush you into a course of treatment (I am not a Defy patient, but respect their work). I can understand your anxiety, but you don't have to go into the conversation feeling as if you have to be on guard. I would take some time and write down any/all questions that you have and take notes during your call.

Absolutely. To add, if you have a course of treatment that is more favorable to you, something less invasive or committed to like injections, by all means bring it up, I am certain that your desires will drive the treatment option made available to you. If that's Clomid, by all means put that front and center.

 

[golf]

On another forum that I posted my labs someone mentioned missing FSH. I don't know why that wasn't requested on the Defy order, but do you think I should go and get this done? He seems to think that this needs to be looked at before starting TRT (which he eluded that I wasn't low T). Sorry for all of the questions, but trying to decipher all of the numbers and what they mean makes my head spin.

 

[Vince Carter]

I wouldn't see anything in to FHS being left off.

 

[TheDude]

On another forum that I posted my labs someone mentioned missing FSH. I don't know why that wasn't requested on the Defy order, but do you think I should go and get this done? He seems to think that this needs to be looked at before starting TRT (which he eluded that I wasn't low T). Sorry for all of the questions, but trying to decipher all of the numbers and what they mean makes my head spin.

You're right. It isn't part of the Defy order.

 

[CoastWatcher]

Your LH was tested, I presume?

 

[golf]

Your LH was tested, I presume?

Yes, 2.2 on a range of 1.7-8.6

 

[golf]

Just a quick follow up. I started TRT at the beginning of October and had my first follow up labs done this past Monday so about 9 weeks on. I've attached the labs and wanted to see what you guys thought of it. Since starting I do feel much better, especially with the brain fog and concentrating. My energy levels are definitely up, but I also feel some fatigue at times like before. It appears my total T is much better, but not quite at the top of the range. My free T on the other hand is much higher. Any thoughts or see anything that I should bring up with the doctor when I have my follow up phone call next week?

One thing is I've kind of gone back and forth with subq and IM. I've tried subq with the test in my stomach, but it will always leave a bump so I've pretty much gone with outer thigh for the most part. It will sometimes leave a bump, but it doesn't seem to bother me as much as the bump on my stomach.

Here is my protocol:
test cyp 50 mg MWF
HCG 300iu MWF
Anastrozole 0.15 mg Monday & Friday

 

[golf]

I posted my latest labs as an image. Didn't know if it was easier to read vs a PDF.

Anyone have any thoughts on my current labs compared to my initial labs before starting TRT?