TRT Timeframe

[LVJR]

Nelson,Gene,Chris and the rest.

Thanks for taking the time to help your fellow brothers...great site.


I've been on TRT for about 8 weeks. I started at 100 per week (Test C) and then after 6 weeks moved to 120 per week. After the 6 weeks, my blood was drawn and my Total Test had gone up from 419 to 450...Free Test went up from 9.2 to 11.1.

After 2 more weeks, my blood will be drawn again and the dose will be reviewed and adjusted.

My question is whether it takes a while for the Test to build up in the system to start seeing decent results in overall health and well being. While my strength and recovery has improved, I still feel like I'm not at the proper dose. My DR mentioned that I may be a fast metabolizer of Test thus my dose will probably need to be higher than others with Low T.

Also...is there always a nipple sensitivity situation with pending Gyno? While I haven't experienced any side effects, I want to be aware of any potential issues as my dose will more than likely be moved upward.

Thanks for your support and guidance.

LV

 

[Nelson Vergel]

LVJR

Welcome to ExcelMale.com

You may need to go up to 200 mg per week

Gynecomastia is rare. Guys who had it when they were young are more prone to getting it on TRT. I would not worry about it unless the underside of your nipple area starts hurting. Some guys get more sensitivity in their nipple are and also may have more protruding nipples on TRT but that has nothing to do with gynecomastia.

 

[Vettester Chris]

LV, sorry for the belated welcome! Glad you joined! Yes, maybe metabolizing at a fast rate, it's hard to tell for sure. Also look at 2x/wk injections to keep serum levels more stable and consistent. Also make sure storage of medication is correct. If the diagnosis is secondary, incorporating some HCG could be just the ticket to get some added serum in the mix.

Do you have your baseline E2 numbers?

 

[LVJR]

Chris,

Thanks for the reply. My baseline Estradiol is 20.5 with a range of 7.6-42.6

I'll be getting complete blood work done tomorrow am and in hopes to get my dose bumped up...I'm currently at 120mg per week.

 

[Gene Devine]

When you get that blood work post it here in this thread complete with ranges.

You may be a hyper excreter but you would need to be tested for that and the test is very expensive as it needs to use radioactive hormones and frequent urine tests and is a pain in the ass to boot.

You can't tell if you are a hyper excreter by just looking at Total Testosterone serum levels because a hyper-excreter's hormones hang around in serum in the bound state just fine...but once they are cut loose they are metabolized very quickly so you need to look at Free and Bio Available as well.

You may have to increase your dosage and inject more frequently like E3D.

Post your BW and lets see where you stand.

 

[LVJR]

Guys,

Quick update...blood work taken today...I'll get the detailed results back in a few days but my Test and PSA was reported as follows:

Test 450...interestingly...this was the same number as 6 weeks before....even adjusting the dose from 100 to 120mg per week.
Free 11.5...this is up from 11.1
PSA .04... this is down from .03

The doc approved my increase from 120mg per week to 140mg per week.

After 6 weeks, we will review again and probably have to adjust the dose. His ideal range is for me to be around 700 total with 15.0 free.

I will say....as crazy as it seems...I've gained 15 pounds in over 2 months of heavy lifting since I began TRT. While some is fat...the majority is muscle.

The good point is that my dose is still somewhat modest as I continue to find my sweet spot.

Thanks

 

[Gene Devine]

Hmmm....that Total serum level seems very low for the dose you are injecting.

What was you estrogen levels? I wonder if you are converting to E2?

You could be a hyperexcreter as well but need to rule other things out first.

 

[LVJR]

Gene,

I'm waiting on the detailed results from my latest labs but 6 weeks ago my E2 was 20.5.

 

[LVJR]

Guys

Everything came back good with the exception of the E2 which was 46.9....this was not the ultra sensitive test...so I can assume that 46.9 is not 100% correct.

I'm seeing the doc tomorrow to get the E2 under control. What is the general consensus on the best AI and dose?

Thanks

 

[LVJR]

Here is the other data. After doing more research, I'm going to hold off on the AI. I have no side effects at this point so I'm holding off.

Test 445(Not 450 as stated above) Range 350-758
Free 11.1
E2 46.9 Range 7.6-42.6
SHBG 17.4 Range 13.2-89.6
Hematocrit 45.6 Range 37.5-51.0

 

[Nelson Vergel]

LVJR

Yes, I would hold off the AI. That estradiol done by the regular test may have come back at about half of that if the ultrasensitive test had been performed instead.

It is really strange to me that you are now injecting 140 mg per week (per your last post on April 24 and your TT number is about the same as when you were at 100-120 mg per week. I would go to 200 mg per week as I stated previously.

 

[LVJR]

Nelson

I agree with your opinion on the 200mg per week dose. Unfortunately, they typically only increase in increments of 20mg. I wish there was a way to convince the Doc to get to at least 175mg.....and I will hold off on an AI. Thank God for this site and all the data concerning E2 and the testing discrepancies.

 

[LVJR]

Just left appt and doc agreed to bump me from 140mg per week to 150mg.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

I have no idea how accurately anyone can increase a dose by 10 mg

 

[LVJR]

Nelson,

I understand and share in the frustration. The doc is very willing to increase the dose but wants to do it slowly. To recap the last 3 months, my dose has moved from 100mg to 120mg to 140mg and now 150mg. I think I was successful in educating him on the 2 tests for Estradiol....he is going to possibly start using the ultra-sensitive test for his patients. Funny... at my appt today...he had a script already written for an AI and I told him to hold off based on my research on the variance in the testing process. Again, your site(as well as contributions from Gene, Chris and others) made the difference.