Taking 200 mg a week, high test and some side effects. Should I keep the dose, or lower it?

[hamplition]

So after being on androgel for years, I switched to shots and was started on 100 mg weekly. My testosterone levels came back on through with a 378 and a free of 10.4. hematocrit was 50.60. I was also getting tired after five days and had started getting joint pain and dehydration issues. My doctor didn't check for estrogen, or sbhg and I never knew it was important at the time. He then prescribed me 200 a week. I slowly went up to it, 135 one week, then 150, 175 then did 200 for about four weeks. As I got toward the 150 range, I noticed I started to gain bloating, get irritated easily and had even more joint pain. Fast forward to last week, I was on my fourth week of 200 and felt like my levels stabilized, as I no longer had joint pain, no longer am moody and I'm not really bloated anymore, maybe just a little bit more than I was at 100 mg.

The only symptoms I have now is mild brain fog, a little more anxiety and a bit more shaky in the first part of the day, like I'm getting blood sugar issues. After reading up and realizing I need to get my estrogen and shbg checked, I went to my general practitioner for a health visit, since I'm not due to draw blood for my endocrinologist for another few weeks. I went in, and apparently he wouldn't check for estrogen or shbg. So I decided to get everything else checked. I guess I'm going to have to privately get them checked and drive to Pennsylvania since I live In NJ. :/

Anyway, after being on the 200 mg a week my results were

Hematocrit: 50.10 out of 34.60-51.50 it went down I'm guessing because of my recent blood drawns

Cholesterol: 148 Triglycerides: 50 HDL: 50 LDL: 88 VLDL: 10.00

Total test: 1187 (259-816) Free test: 34.9 (9.3-26.5) Taken on through day

So now clearly my test is very high, is that honestly a problem if my cholesterol and hematocrit are fine? I will be getting my estrogen levels and shbg checked very soon. However, I'm debating on either lowering the dose down to 180 and see where my levels are at for my endocrinologist visit, or split the dose in half, 90 twice a week and see how that goes. I prefer once a week injections however. The only complaints I'm having at this dose is mild anxiety, mild brain fog, and shakiness I sometimes get in the morning and after a meal like I'm having blood sugar issues, or something. Any advice?

Im going to ask my doctor to check for estrogen at my next visit and go out of state to see where my shbg is at.

Also, I have kallman syndrome. Not sure if that means I'm more prone to certain harmone, like estrogen, or not

Hematocrit, cholesterol, PSA, blood sugar, vitamin D, vitamin B and thyroid are all good.

 

[CoastWatcher]

So after being on androgel for years, I switched to shots and was started on 100 mg weekly. My testosterone levels came back on through with a 378 and a free of 10.4. hematocrit was 50.60. I was also getting tired after five days and had started getting joint pain and dehydration issues. My doctor didn't check for estrogen, or sbhg and I never knew it was important at the time. He then prescribed me 200 a week. I slowly went up to it, 135 one week, then 150, 175 then did 200 for about four weeks. As I got toward the 150 range, I noticed I started to gain bloating, get irritated easily and had even more joint pain. Fast forward to last week, I was on my fourth week of 200 and felt like my levels stabilized, as I no longer had joint pain, no longer am moody and I'm not really bloated anymore, maybe just a little bit more than I was at 100 mg.

The only symptoms I have now is mild brain fog, a little more anxiety and a bit more shaky in the first part of the day, like I'm getting blood sugar issues. After reading up and realizing I need to get my estrogen and shbg checked, I went to my general practitioner for a health visit, since I'm not due to draw blood for my endocrinologist for another few weeks. I went in, and apparently he wouldn't check for estrogen or shbg. So I decided to get everything else checked. I guess I'm going to have to privately get them checked and drive to Pennsylvania since I live In NJ. :/

Anyway, after being on the 200 mg a week my results were

Hematocrit: 50.10 out of 34.60-51.50 it went down I'm guessing because of my recent blood drawns

Cholesterol: 148 Triglycerides: 50 HDL: 50 LDL: 88 VLDL: 10.00

Total test: 1187 (259-816) Free test: 34.9 (9.3-26.5) Taken on through day

So now clearly my test is very high, is that honestly a problem if my cholesterol and hematocrit are fine? I will be getting my estrogen levels and shbg checked very soon. However, I'm debating on either lowering the dose down to 180 and see where my levels are at for my endocrinologist visit, or split the dose in half, 90 twice a week and see how that goes. I prefer once a week injections however. The only complaints I'm having at this dose is mild anxiety, mild brain fog, and shakiness I sometimes get in the morning and after a meal like I'm having blood sugar issues, or something. Any advice?

Im going to ask my doctor to check for estrogen at my next visit and go out of state to see where my shbg is at.

Also, I have kallman syndrome. Not sure if that means I'm more prone to certain harmone, like estrogen, or not

Hematocrit, cholesterol, PSA, blood sugar, vitamin D, vitamin B and thyroid are all good.

You're still ill being ill-served by your protocol. Your doctor may have all the good will in the world, but handing you a vial of testosterone in the absence of a serious battery of tests, and then revisiting them on an ongoing basis, is poor, poor medical practice. To start a protocol in the absence of SHBG levels means he guessed at how much testosterone you need. How did he arrive at the total dose and the frequency you inject? SHBG is a key variable in that equation. No estradiol sensitive testing? Walking blindly on the estrogen highway.

I'm glad you realize that more testing is in order and that you are pursuing it. I do hope you realize you deserve a better, more informed doctor.

 

[Vince Carter]

I agree with everything CW says, if you can parlay in your own set of testing especially for (ultra) sensitive Estradiol, you could do very well with some guidance. You can obtain just about any test you want thru discountedlabs.com...its cash of course but has the lowest out-of-pocket to be found and can give you more control, and knowledge.