Test levels LOWER after switching to injections?!

[Vithat]

Alright yeah, title sums it up. Switched to 200 mg/ml a week in July along with HCG. Was formerly doing half a pill of Clomid every day. I stopped as I believed it was worsening my depression. I have 1mg of Arimidex as well was taking once a week but was informed it might be crashing estrogen too low so I stopped about 2 weeks ago. However my labs from when taking the clomid and now have me very confused. Here they are.

This was back in late May. Still doing clomid.

TESTOSTERONE LEVEL 957 NG/DL 300 - 1080 NG/DL
SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOBULIN 21.2 NMOL/L 16.5 - 55.9 NMOL/L
CALC FREE TESTOSTERONE 279.9 PG/ML 47.0 - 244.0 PG/ML

Now here is the results I just got from my visit this month.

TESTOSTERONE LEVEL 669 NG/DL 300 - 1080 NG/DL
SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOBULIN 20.0 NMOL/L 16.5 - 55.9 NMOL/L
CALC FREE TESTOSTERONE 188.3 PG/ML47.0 - 244.0 PG/ML

This is very frustrating as I believed the current method would better my results. What can I do? Is this something to worry about? Should I have stayed on Clomid?

Additionally, I would like to petition help in interpreting these more in-depth Thyroid labs I requested.

T3 UPTAKE 33.1 % 24.3 - 39.0 %
THYROXINE BINDING CAPACITY 1.0 0.8 - 1.3
T4 TOTAL 4.1 UG/DL 4.5 - 10.5 UG/DL
FTI 4.1 UG/DL 4.2 - 11.6 UG/DL
THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE 2.200 UIU/ML 0.400 - 4.100 UIU/ML

 

[HealthMan]

Alright yeah, title sums it up. Switched to 200 mg/ml a week in July along with HCG. Was formerly doing half a pill of Clomid every day. I stopped as I believed it was worsening my depression. I have 1mg of Arimidex as well was taking once a week but was informed it might be crashing estrogen too low so I stopped about 2 weeks ago. However my labs from when taking the clomid and now have me very confused. Here they are.

This was back in late May. Still doing clomid.

TESTOSTERONE LEVEL 957 NG/DL 300 - 1080 NG/DL
SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOBULIN 21.2 NMOL/L 16.5 - 55.9 NMOL/L
CALC FREE TESTOSTERONE 279.9 PG/ML 47.0 - 244.0 PG/ML

Now here is the results I just got from my visit this month.

TESTOSTERONE LEVEL 669 NG/DL 300 - 1080 NG/DL
SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOBULIN 20.0 NMOL/L 16.5 - 55.9 NMOL/L
CALC FREE TESTOSTERONE 188.3 PG/ML47.0 - 244.0 PG/ML

This is very frustrating as I believed the current method would better my results. What can I do? Is this something to worry about? Should I have stayed on Clomid?

Additionally, I would like to petition help in interpreting these more in-depth Thyroid labs I requested.

T3 UPTAKE 33.1 % 24.3 - 39.0 %
THYROXINE BINDING CAPACITY 1.0 0.8 - 1.3
T4 TOTAL 4.1 UG/DL 4.5 - 10.5 UG/DL
FTI 4.1 UG/DL 4.2 - 11.6 UG/DL
THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE 2.200 UIU/ML 0.400 - 4.100 UIU/ML

How long have you been injecting testosterone? You inject once a week? Your SHBG is lowish and after stopping clomid (which usually raises SHBG) it must be even lower. When did you draw blood in relation to your injection? If you had blood work done at trough and you are in an once a week injection protocol that would probably be the reason. Also if you just started injections it takes 6-8 weeks to achieve stable levels. If you had bloodwork done before that your levels will still rise.
With that SHBG you should consider asking your doctor to try injecting twice a week and see how you feel and how numbers look. You might need to maybe inject EOD given your SHBG but I would try E3.5D first

 

[MarkM]

The thyroid labs you requested are not what one needs to test thyroid function. Whoever told you those were the proper tests to run mislead you. You cant tell anything about your thyroid from those tests.

If you want to test your thyroid you need to test the following:

TSH
Free T3
Free T4
Reverse T3
BOth Thyroid antibodies (TPOab and TgAB)
Iron
Ferritin

 

[Vince]

What's your complete protocol and how do you feel.

 

[Vithat]

What's your complete protocol and how do you feel.

My current protocol is 200 mg a week split between 2 doses. .75 of HCG I take on Mondays and also 1mg of Arimidex. I recently stopped the Arimidex to see how I feel as I was suggested that 1 whole pill a week might be crashing estrogen levels too low making me feel bad. So far I feel neutral for the most part, nothing really energizing or invigorating.

 

[maxadvance]

You might be crashing e2??? You think you might want to check? 1mg of arimidex is a big dose, when I took it my dose was .125 mg and I had to stop. The fact that you're free T is over 188 and in the upper zone looks positive. The fact that you're upset over #'s and more worried about that than your overall feeling, and that you have no clue what your e2 is is pretty telling.

 

[Vithat]

You might be crashing e2??? You think you might want to check? 1mg of arimidex is a big dose, when I took it my dose was .125 mg and I had to stop. The fact that you're free T is over 188 and in the upper zone looks positive. The fact that you're upset over #'s and more worried about that than your overall feeling, and that you have no clue what your e2 is is pretty telling.

I am pretty new to this. I dont know what Im supposed to feel so I look at the numbers. Overall im still pretty tired a lot though so maybe something needs to be changed. As for when the test was done, my blood was drawn on an injection day but I hadnt injected yet until later that day. I dont know what my e2 levels are really or what im supposed to do. Here are my results from that test. I think I was just starting to cut out the arimidex.

ESTRADIOL LEVEL​

58.1 PG/ML​

<=60.7 PG/ML​

 

[MarkM]

Looking at the range it is obvious that you took the wrong Estradiol test. You really need the Estradiol Sensitive LC/MS/MS assay.

 

[Vithat]

Looking at the range it is obvious that you took the wrong Estradiol test. You really need the Estradiol Sensitive LC/MS/MS assay.

I kept asking for that method for Thyroid last time. Doctor kept insisting that I didnt need it and that the extra test he would run this time would be enough. I was already there waiting at the office for hours so I didnt feel like arguing.