New to site, looking for help

[AH2261]

Hey guys,

After few weeks of reading the site i decided to join. Great content and a lot of knowledgeable memebers on the board. Very glad i found out about this site

I'll keep this high-level, since i'm sure you get these type of questions all the time, but been on doc presribed TRT at 200mg/week since April. Side note, Prior to this i have been taking test for roughly 6-7 years on my own, never going over 300mgs and finally got with a doctor.

So when i first got with the doc i felt great, i have a feeling that is a combination of possible lower dose and more consistent since prior to April all these years i was using UG lab test and i'm sure at times it was overdosed.

Recently, i'd say the past few months i've been feeling extremely tired, no motivations and lack of libido/ED. Over the years i've always felt up and down in the libido/ed department,which i feel is due to E2 and not finding my "sweet spot". Over the years, i've always scored in the 50-65 range, and test levels in the 900-1200 range.

So after feeling like crap past few months and being unable to get labs due to travel, i got my first set of labs since meeting with my doctor and here are the results. Keep in mind, i am taking 1 shot a week, which i know i should move to twice a week which i will, and the doc gave me script for Arimidex at 1mg EOD which i have NOT been taking. In the past 4 months i've taken a half pill (.5) every so often when i feel my skin is a bit oily or get some signs of high estro that i'm familiar with. So nothing consistent with that test. I did however take a .5 tab roughly 5-6 days prior to this lab result, go figure. Labs were taken 4-5 days after last shot

Test total - 858 range 250-1100
Test, Free - 165.1 range 46.0 - 224.0
Test, Bioavailable - 354.0 range 110.0 - 575.0
SHBG - 24 Range 10-50
aLbumin serum - 4.7 - 3.6 - 5.1

Estradiol,Free LC/MS/MS

Estridial - 22 range Adults < OR = 29
Estradiol,FREE 0.55 Range Adults < OR =0.45


So while i know i have a few too many variables with my labs due to the fact that i took .5mg of AI prior to my labs and it's not something i've taken often over the past few months. And i'll do a better job in the future of limiting variables and sticking to a regimen.


I was interested in adding HCG, something i haven't taken much at all over the years, and feel i should due to atrophy of down low and i've read that it helps with libido, but can also affect E2 levels. My only reluctancy is to add it now without getting back to "normal" where i have libido and figure out the ED issues.

While this estro score is low based on the range, i have a feeling my estro is high based on the symptoms, less overall volume and blood flow even in a flacid state, very tired all the time, can literally sleep on drop of a dime if i lay down lol. And just not even thinking of sex at all.

I'm thinking of lowering my test a bit to 150-175, and doing 2 shots per week and take .25mg of arimidex 2 times a week and retest.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Systemlord]

Welcome,

It's a good thing you didn't take 1mg AI EOD, if you had you would have crashed your E2. Standard AI dosing is 1mg per week for every 100mg of test. You would do well on twice weekly injections, perhaps allowing your SHBG to rise a little as large doses drive it lower. HCG is a good idea because there must be consequences for suppressing the LH over decades, there's just no reason not to add HCG. There are some who just can't handle HCG for whatever reason, some feel bad on it. Back when I was on 200mg E14D I had really oily skin and my fingernails looked super shiny, just don't know if it's E2 related. Once my dose was lowered my skin and nails returned to normal.

You might be able to lower your AI dose on a smaller test dose, I've been in the 800's for awhile now and don't show any high E2 symptoms, perhaps if your dose was lowered enough you might be able to do away with the AI. Some guys actually feel better in the middle range or just slightly above it, everyone has a different sweet spot. You really need a consistent AI dosage if you're going to use an AI, otherwise your E2 will fluctuate too often not finding a balance. You wouldn't take 200mg of test one week and 160mg the next, if you did that your levels would be in constant flux and you'd never find a balance.

 

[AH2261]

Thank you for the reply. Few questions if you don't mind.

Is my estro in good range for my t scores? Granted this may not be my actual estro levels daily since i did take a half tab 4-5 days before labs. Also, the free estro is out of range, never seen this on prior labs before...is this one to monitor or just watch the estridiaol score.

I did try hcg 5 days ago I did my first shot at 250iu, on the same day at my t inject of 100mg and wow next day I felt like crap and skin so oily...just felt gross next days. Would this imply I shouldn't be taking them together, as on the same day or is 250 possibly too high.


Haven't taken another hcg shot since I believe it just raised my estro big time which made me feel like crap and I appear to still be recovering from the high estro...waiting for it to come down

I just can't tell if these are high or low estro sides, but based on how I'm feeling these past few days it would tend to be high sides.

I just want to fix this ed/libido asap and don't know should I do hcg, ai or just do test alone for a while

Fyi My doc does not gove me hcg something I had to source on my own. He doed one or the other does not hace patients use both

 

[madman]

Hey guys,

After few weeks of reading the site i decided to join. Great content and a lot of knowledgeable memebers on the board. Very glad i found out about this site

I'll keep this high-level, since i'm sure you get these type of questions all the time, but been on doc presribed TRT at 200mg/week since April. Side note, Prior to this i have been taking test for roughly 6-7 years on my own, never going over 300mgs and finally got with a doctor.

So when i first got with the doc i felt great, i have a feeling that is a combination of possible lower dose and more consistent since prior to April all these years i was using UG lab test and i'm sure at times it was overdosed.

Recently, i'd say the past few months i've been feeling extremely tired, no motivations and lack of libido/ED. Over the years i've always felt up and down in the libido/ed department,which i feel is due to E2 and not finding my "sweet spot". Over the years, i've always scored in the 50-65 range, and test levels in the 900-1200 range.

So after feeling like crap past few months and being unable to get labs due to travel, i got my first set of labs since meeting with my doctor and here are the results. Keep in mind, i am taking 1 shot a week, which i know i should move to twice a week which i will, and the doc gave me script for Arimidex at 1mg EOD which i have NOT been taking. In the past 4 months i've taken a half pill (.5) every so often when i feel my skin is a bit oily or get some signs of high estro that i'm familiar with. So nothing consistent with that test. I did however take a .5 tab roughly 5-6 days prior to this lab result, go figure. Labs were taken 4-5 days after last shot

Test total - 858
Test, Free - 165.1
Test, Bioavailable - 354.0
SHBG - 24
aLbumin serum - 4.7

Estradiol,Free LC/MS/MS
Estridial - 22 range was >30
Estradiol,FREE .55 (this shows high out of range) Not sure what this is actually and if it's of concern.


So while i know i have a few too many variables with my labs due to the fact that i took .5mg of AI prior to my labs and it's not something i've taken often over the past few months. And i'll do a better job in the future of limiting variables and sticking to a regimen.


I was interested in adding HCG, something i haven't taken much at all over the years, and feel i should due to atrophy of down low and i've read that it helps with libido, but can also affect E2 levels. My only reluctancy is to add it now without getting back to "normal" where i have libido and figure out the ED issues.

While this estro score is low based on the range, i have a feeling my estro is high based on the symptoms, less overall volume and blood flow even in a flacid state, very tired all the time, can literally sleep on drop of a dime if i lay down lol. And just not even thinking of sex at all.

I'm thinking of lowering my test a bit to 150-175, and doing 2 shots per week and take .25mg of arimidex 2 times a week and retest.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Testosterones metabolite dht is responsible for stimulating the sebaceous glands to secrete more sebum (oil) which can increase the greasy/oily feel and make the skin appear shiny let alone increase the chances of clogging the pores/trapping bacteria and inducing acne to a certain degree depending on ones genetics. Injecting once weekly especially with larger doses of testosterone will cause higher peaks and lower troughs which can also increase chances of acne flare ups due to high (supra-physiological) testosterone levels. Splitting up your dose 100mg every 3.5 days will result in more consistent (stable) testosterone levels and even out the peaks/troughs. If switching to twice weekly injections and also lowering your dose slightly it may allow you to still attain higher total t numbers and lower e2. Post ranges with your labs. Your shbg seems to be on the lower end which may merit more frequent injections splitting up overall weekly t dose and as far as your estradiol was the sensitive assay used?

 

[AH2261]

Thank you for the response. I'll updated the ranges in my original post. As far as the type of Estro test that was performed, all it says is Estriadiol,FREE, LC/MS/MS in the header of the lab result. i don't see the word "sensitive" anywhere, but i does state "This assay has been validated pursuant to the CLIA regulationsi used for clinical purposes"

not sure if that helps but figured I'd share that

Based on some of the test/e ratios i've seen the 14-20 rule, it would appears that i'm low based on this test, but as i mentioned in my earlier post i did take an AI few days prior, something i haven't done consistently, which is why i believe most of this time i've been on the high side. I need new labs with a consistent regimen, i guess i'm just trying to dial that in and just stick to the plan. I haven't taken HCG in years and i feel like i should, but wonder if that's just adding another variable to the mix. Right now i'm not taking an AI, unless i feel the need.

 

[ZoomyR6]

Standard AI dosing is 1mg per week for every 100mg of test.

I wasn't aware there was a "standard" AI dosage... I thought it was based on blood work.
My E2 on 100mg/wk was 32, optimal. It would have tanked if I had taken an AI.
Please don't toss this dangerous suggestion around.

 

[AH2261]

I'd also like to point out that I appear always be tired. I don't wake up with brain fog and sleep well, but literally at any point if I lay down I can pass out. Feel very sluggish and just out of it. I know I have a minor case of sleep apnea that I've had for years, but this feeling I'm having now is different , being this tired past few months. No motivation , workouts suck and just feel like blaaah!

Appears to keep pointing to high e2

 

[FeelingLost]

I wasn't aware there was a "standard" AI dosage... I thought it was based on blood work.
My E2 on 100mg/wk was 32, optimal. It would have tanked if I had taken an AI.
Please don't toss this dangerous suggestion around.

There isn't.

 

[Systemlord]

I wasn't aware there was a "standard" AI dosage... I thought it was based on blood work.
My E2 on 100mg/wk was 32, optimal. It would have tanked if I had taken an AI.
Please don't toss this dangerous suggestion around.

It is based off blood work, that's when the standard dosing of 1mg AI per 100mg of test is used when labs show high E2 usually split 3 times weekly. A lot of doctors employ this when high E2 is proven through blood work, you never take an AI without blood work.

 

[FeelingLost]

My Defy Medical AI prescription is 0.125mg EOD that is not even close to 1mg/wk.
On my first blood test my E2 sens had dropped to 19 my T dose was increased no other changes to protocol.
1mg/wk is a lot IMO.

 

[ZoomyR6]

My Defy Medical AI prescription is 0.125mg EOD that is not even close to 1mg/wk.
On my first blood test my E2 sens had dropped to 19 my T dose was increased no other changes to protocol.
1mg/wk is a lot IMO.

What was your e2 prior to starting .125mg? Mine is at 105 and am starting at .25mg. The first week it felt like that wasn't enough as I anxiety quickly came back before my next dose. I do know it takes time to come down and id rather do it slowly. Will stay on this dose and get bloods in 5 weeks.