Im 44 yrs old (male), I have been on TRT for about 8 yrs (originally starting with Test Cyp @ 100mg 2xwk (200mg total), no AI.... I got on TRT due to low energy/fatigue feeling and mild depression/low motivation which seemed to start when I was 29/30yrs old.
My pre-TRT natural levels regarding test/free test were always low-mid to low normal, SHBG was in 40% normal range, E2 mid range normal/never an issue, DHEA was in top of range, Thyroid panel always was high normal FT3, mid normal FT4, etc..
I was never a big AAS user prior to TRT.. (had a couple mild cycles)
-When I was 30 I did a 12 wk TBol only cycle in which I gained about 20lbs of pure muscle and my blood labs were perfect (lipid, Test, Thyroid, etc.).. I felt incredible mood wise, strength wise, libido was awesome...
-When I was 31, I did a 4-5 month Test Prop cycle no AI (30mg ed) and proper recovery protocol, and once again blood panels remained perfect throughout.. Once again, I felt incredible mood wise, good strength, good libido, etc...
I basically got on TRT to feel like I did when I was using Tbol and Test Prop... However, since being on TRT I have never come close to feeling good, infact I feel worse than before... My Test/Free Test has increased to top levels, E2 has been good with no issues except for the time I added DHEA and it spiked my E2 (had to use AI), my SHBG has dropped to very bottom of range/sometimes below, my Thryoid panel has worsened.. My Total T4, Free T4 has dropped from mid range to very bottom of range, My Total T3 has dropped a little, Free T3 has remained same top of range... DHEA is now under the bottom of range, I now have bad hypo symptoms and my lipid panels had become out of whack.
about 2-3 months ago I readjusted my TRT protocol and I now inject 3x wk/ Test Cyp 40mg (120mg total) and my lipid panels have become back in normal range, my Total Test is mid-range, Free Test top of range, SHBG has increased from below bottom range to 20-30% of normal range, but my Thyroid panels total/Free T4 remain bottom range, and FT3 remains top of range..... my DHEA increased back into bottom 5-10% of range, My LH/FSH is still under normal range(expected with TRT).... I feel a little bit better but hypo symptoms still remain.
I'm wondering if the longer Esters of the Cyp has some sort of negative effect for me as for when in the past when using Test Prop @ 30mg/ed I felt great, blood panels remained great, did not need an AI and my Thyroid T4/FT4 levels remained the same at mid-range during the 4-5 months of use....Im thinking of changing Test Cyp to Prop since I am already injecting 3xwk... Test Prop 40mg EOD is what I'm thinking...
I have been doing a lot of research all over the net and from what I am reading is that TRT has an effect on lowering Thyroid (especially T4/FT4), and may have negative effect on cortisol (as evidenced by my DHEA drop). I'm thinking I was possibly borderline sub-clinical Hypo and Trt pushed me into full hypo..
PS- I am seeing TRT users report that adding low dose of HCG (150-200iu eod) have had their thyroid panels increase and mood, etc.... could it be that simple as the missing link is HCG... supposedly HCG closely mimics TSH and kicks in other metabolic pathways that get shutdown/deregulated by exogenous test.
thoughts?
My pre-TRT natural levels regarding test/free test were always low-mid to low normal, SHBG was in 40% normal range, E2 mid range normal/never an issue, DHEA was in top of range, Thyroid panel always was high normal FT3, mid normal FT4, etc..
I was never a big AAS user prior to TRT.. (had a couple mild cycles)
-When I was 30 I did a 12 wk TBol only cycle in which I gained about 20lbs of pure muscle and my blood labs were perfect (lipid, Test, Thyroid, etc.).. I felt incredible mood wise, strength wise, libido was awesome...
-When I was 31, I did a 4-5 month Test Prop cycle no AI (30mg ed) and proper recovery protocol, and once again blood panels remained perfect throughout.. Once again, I felt incredible mood wise, good strength, good libido, etc...
I basically got on TRT to feel like I did when I was using Tbol and Test Prop... However, since being on TRT I have never come close to feeling good, infact I feel worse than before... My Test/Free Test has increased to top levels, E2 has been good with no issues except for the time I added DHEA and it spiked my E2 (had to use AI), my SHBG has dropped to very bottom of range/sometimes below, my Thryoid panel has worsened.. My Total T4, Free T4 has dropped from mid range to very bottom of range, My Total T3 has dropped a little, Free T3 has remained same top of range... DHEA is now under the bottom of range, I now have bad hypo symptoms and my lipid panels had become out of whack.
about 2-3 months ago I readjusted my TRT protocol and I now inject 3x wk/ Test Cyp 40mg (120mg total) and my lipid panels have become back in normal range, my Total Test is mid-range, Free Test top of range, SHBG has increased from below bottom range to 20-30% of normal range, but my Thyroid panels total/Free T4 remain bottom range, and FT3 remains top of range..... my DHEA increased back into bottom 5-10% of range, My LH/FSH is still under normal range(expected with TRT).... I feel a little bit better but hypo symptoms still remain.
I'm wondering if the longer Esters of the Cyp has some sort of negative effect for me as for when in the past when using Test Prop @ 30mg/ed I felt great, blood panels remained great, did not need an AI and my Thyroid T4/FT4 levels remained the same at mid-range during the 4-5 months of use....Im thinking of changing Test Cyp to Prop since I am already injecting 3xwk... Test Prop 40mg EOD is what I'm thinking...
I have been doing a lot of research all over the net and from what I am reading is that TRT has an effect on lowering Thyroid (especially T4/FT4), and may have negative effect on cortisol (as evidenced by my DHEA drop). I'm thinking I was possibly borderline sub-clinical Hypo and Trt pushed me into full hypo..
PS- I am seeing TRT users report that adding low dose of HCG (150-200iu eod) have had their thyroid panels increase and mood, etc.... could it be that simple as the missing link is HCG... supposedly HCG closely mimics TSH and kicks in other metabolic pathways that get shutdown/deregulated by exogenous test.
thoughts?
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Thats great to know... 
