So I got my 6 week labs and it shows TT at 330, Estradiol at 43, SHBG 16.8 (started at 29 pre TRT) and Free T at just under 10 (they want me at 25 but I would take 15 to be honest). They have me dosed at 140mg Test Cyp weekly however after this lab they bumped me to 200mg weekly. I am doing much better since starting however I notice a pretty big drop on the last 2 days prior to injection since the 3rd week of treatment. Maybe someone can chime in with some perspective on why I need more time and dose to get my levels up and if this will change over time?
Im not panicking since this is a trough however I would like my levels to trough above 400-500 and thats what the clinic assures me will happen in time. Their really looking at the free levels as an indicator for successful treatment. I have no doubt my SHBG is playing a part in this and I am already looking into some lifestyle changes to increase insulin sensitivity and some upcoming appointments to rule out thyroid conditions as a factor. I am also working on sleep apnea (possible SHBG lowering factor) since for some reason my CPAP is inducing insomnia and anxiety. I am considering some changes to the mask before dropping it completely and pursuing the dental appliance route for sleep apnea. I have PTSD and CPAP therapy seems to be drawing out some hyper vigilance which is what started me down this Low Testosterone path over 2 years ago following the traumatic event.
They also started me on HCG this week which I am looking at more for restoring pathways than for fertility, semen volume, etc. Will this possibly help a bit with the trough levels and help me ride out those last two days before injection? They have me self injecting the 3rd and 5th day out. Am I wrong to think HCG can give me a small bump in testicularly produced SHBG?
The clinic is also ok with me trying DIM to lower my estradiol. I hyper respond to Arimidex and Calcium D-Glucarate(to a lesser degree) however DIM seems to treat me better. Im not too concerned with the e2 numbers for now since I have spent so long with joint paint and popping joints and I am not experiencing high e2 symptoms yet.
If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it.
Im not panicking since this is a trough however I would like my levels to trough above 400-500 and thats what the clinic assures me will happen in time. Their really looking at the free levels as an indicator for successful treatment. I have no doubt my SHBG is playing a part in this and I am already looking into some lifestyle changes to increase insulin sensitivity and some upcoming appointments to rule out thyroid conditions as a factor. I am also working on sleep apnea (possible SHBG lowering factor) since for some reason my CPAP is inducing insomnia and anxiety. I am considering some changes to the mask before dropping it completely and pursuing the dental appliance route for sleep apnea. I have PTSD and CPAP therapy seems to be drawing out some hyper vigilance which is what started me down this Low Testosterone path over 2 years ago following the traumatic event.
They also started me on HCG this week which I am looking at more for restoring pathways than for fertility, semen volume, etc. Will this possibly help a bit with the trough levels and help me ride out those last two days before injection? They have me self injecting the 3rd and 5th day out. Am I wrong to think HCG can give me a small bump in testicularly produced SHBG?
The clinic is also ok with me trying DIM to lower my estradiol. I hyper respond to Arimidex and Calcium D-Glucarate(to a lesser degree) however DIM seems to treat me better. Im not too concerned with the e2 numbers for now since I have spent so long with joint paint and popping joints and I am not experiencing high e2 symptoms yet.
If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it.
