Test result discrepancy

[christopher]

So, I have ben with Defy since late August of this year.

I have been on biweekly (E3.5 Days) doses of 80mg of Testosterone Cypionate.

I had my labs run through discounted labs about 42 days after I started. I had the test run 24 hours before my injection. I only had Total and Free Testosterone run since that test was relatively cheap. Results were:

Total Testosterone: 1064 ng/dL
Free Testosterone: 26.5 pg/mL

I recently got my defy labs back. This test was taken the morning of my injection, prior to my injection.

Total Testosterone: 530 ng/dL
Free Testosterone: 19.3 pg/mL
Sex Hormone Binding Glob, Serum: 20.4 nmol/L
Estradiol Sensitive: 31.5 pg/mL

Obviously there is a 24 hour difference in relation to the injection time, that these tests were taken. Does that explain the discrepancy, or is there some other possible reasons why the results were so different?

I have my follow up consultation on Monday, so hopefully I can get some insight then. Just wondering if anyone on this board might have a possible explanation.

Thank You,

-Chris

 

[ratbag]

Yes it looks odd but 24 hrs is almost 30% of your 3.5 days. So that's a lot. You need to get your labs just before injection, this is how they do it. You always get your labs in the trough, pre injection. So your labs taken at 24hrs off are no good. Also you should post the ranges, it's easier to help you. Your SHBG isn't high, maybe that will rise some. You didn't say how you were feeling. Do you feel good? Are you on TRT only since Aug? Defy is good.

 

[ratbag]

Forgot to say I do E3.5D every monday morning and thurs eve. You always get labs in the morning, laboratories recommend to be there by 8:30am latest for TRT labs. So for me that means I can only get my lab done on Mon mornings

 

[christopher]

I appreciate you taking the time to respond!
In terms of how I feel. I feel much better, everything I expected to improve did. I'm definitely not chasing numbers. I just noticed that some of the positive effects have diminished slightly, and trying to correlate that with the labs. I am very happy with how I feel, but if I could get back to where I was a few weeks ago, that would be a bonus. Perhaps I should stop over thinking it, and just enjoy the better life I have now. I have been on TRT since late August.
In terms of reference ranges they are the labcorp ranges:
SBHG Range: 16.5-55.9 nmol/L
Free T Range: 264-916 ng/dL
Total T Range: 6.8-21.5 pg/mL
Estradiol Range: 8.0-35.0 pg/mL
As far as Defy, I have been extremely happy with them. I am also happy with discounted labs. And I am extremely grateful for this website, which is a great resource.
-Chris

 

[Systemlord]

That always happens in the beginning, your body goes from low T to good levels in a short time and after awhile it tapers down, in the coming months it will improve. You will feel better the longer you're on TRT, I'm still noticing improvements 6 months later and I'm continuing to improve. In the last few weeks I've notice more cognitive and physical energy ever since I went from injections E3.5D to EOD, it was after I did this is when I started noticing faster improvements. My SHBG is only a few points lower than yours, perhaps EOD will work for you the way it worked for me.

 

[Vince]

I think your trough labs are low, are you or are considering using HCG. I believe injecting every 3 1/2 days it a every good way of injecting, I did for over 2 years. I'm how injecting every day and for me things are even better.

 

[christopher]

Vince,
Yes, I take 400 IU HCG Every 3.5 Days.
Thank You,
-Chris

 

[johndoesmith]

I had my levels tested on each day of my injection protocol.

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/showthread.php?9607-Tracking-T-and-E2-Levels-Over-an-Injection-Cycle

 

[FeelingLost]

Just googled half-life of Testosterone Cypionate.

The half-life of Testosterone Cypionate when injected intramuscularly is approximately eight days.
In many tissues the activity of testosterone appears to depend on reduction to dihydrotestosterone, which binds to cytosol receptor proteins.

500 to 1000 sure seems like a huge swing for biweekly (E3.5 Days) doses of 80mg.
What am I not understanding about the eight day half-lifes?


I do know you should really put in an effort to draw blood at the exact time every time and at your trough to try and removes as many variables as possible.
If you don't you really can't compare one test to another our harmone lvl fluxuate too much.

 

[Vince]

I had my levels tested on each day of my injection protocol.

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/showthread.php?9607-Tracking-T-and-E2-Levels-Over-an-Injection-Cycle

I just read over your Thread again, it's really full of great information. It's probably the reason why so many member do better with daily injections of T.
I do have a friend that only injects once every 2 weeks and he's happy with that protocol.

 

[christopher]

I wanted to thank everyone for their responses, this has been a great learning experience for me. It's great to have a community like this with very active and knowledgeable members.

As far as the timing of the first test. That was a mistake on my part. I am new to this and learning. I should have taken the test 24 hours later. I was just curious why the huge difference in 24 hours and the responses have helped inform me of the possible reasons.

-Chris

 

[Vince Carter]

Did both sets come from LabCorp or one from LabCorp and the other from Quest, perhaps? there's nothing that is going to otherwise explain a change like that, 24hrs difference I don't believe is going to account for it either. But know this, if you're going to compare one test to another its almost crucial for your commitment to keeping everything, EVERYTHING, constant. One lab is not the same as the other, inject at the same time on the same days, and on and on and on.

Saying that, labs do make mistakes and as such you should never plot a therapy change when you get an out of the ordinary or suspect test result.

I see around here that most guys *think* that they're compliant and consistent but it usually doesn't stand up to questioning and it all falls apart.

 

[christopher]

I'll add a little detail in case it helps.

I inject Sunday Night and Thursday Morning. The first test was taken 10/4 at 8 AM in the morning. This is a Wednesday, which would be 24 hours before my injection. The second test was taken on November 16(Thursday) at 8 AM, prior to my injection. So, the tests were taken a little more then a month apart. However, like I said in the original post the first test was 24 hours before injecting. And the second test was taken the same day as the injection, prior to injection. That being said since they were a month apart that could account for some of it. I don't have training in medicine so I don't know if the body adapts after a period of time, or if this is normal, or if there is something else going on.

Both tests were done by LapCorp. Both tests were taken at the same LabCorp facility.

As far as possible differences. There could be a few minor differences. I inject the same amount every time. I started with Luer Lock syringes and would draw with a 22g needle and inject with a 25g needle. After a while I discovered that there was a lot of waste in this process. So, I switched to 28g insulin syringes w/ needle attached. The last couple injections prior to the test were done with an insulin needle in the deltoid. All of my previous injections prior to that were done in the gluteus muscle. The injection times are not the same exact time every time. I do however keep it in the same 4 hour window though.

I just want to reiterate that I am happy with my results. They are dramatic despite the short amount of time I have been doing this. I am just trying to better understand what is going on, so that I can know what to expect and to be able to effectively communicate with my physician so that I can optimize my results.

Thank you for taking the time to read this thread and responding.

Thank You,

-Chris

 

[FeelingLost]

I think you are doing great Chris. We are all learning here and sharing what we have learned to try and help each other.