Danazol not available in Canada?!?!

[bubz24]

My SHBG is crazy (108) and my doctor is trying to prescribe Danazol but I'm having a hell of a time trying to find it. Everywhere I call doesn't have it and they don't have a clue when it will be in. Unfortunately Anavar is not available up here for prescription.

Is there anybody on here currently using Danazol in Canada and has refilled a prescription lately?

 

[Vince Carter]

@CoastWatcher

 

[madman]

My SHBG is crazy (108) and my doctor is trying to prescribe Danazol but I'm having a hell of a time trying to find it. Everywhere I call doesn't have it and they don't have a clue when it will be in. Unfortunately Anavar is not available up here for prescription.

Is there anybody on here currently using Danazol in Canada and has refilled a prescription lately?

Most likely will have a hard time finding a pharmacy that has it in stock as there is an actual shortage due to a supply delay.




Last updated on 2019-04-03

 

[bubz24]

Thanks for the info @madman.

 

[CoastWatcher]

As @madman indicated...it could be a long wait.

 

[madman]

Thanks for the info @madman.

What is your protocol as of now (dose/injection frequency) and where does your TT/FT/e2 sit?

From your most recent lab work were they taken at trough?

How do you feel overall (energy/mood/libido/erectile function/recovery)?

If you only know your TT seeing as we know your SHBG than we can easily figure out where your FT levels sit.

 

[bubz24]

Based on my shbg he upped my dose to .65ml from 0.5ml so 130mg per week. I inject Tuesday mornings. Since the increase in my dose I’ve noticed quite a bit more bloat, some tenderness and a lump under my right nipple. I just went and got labs done on Friday for sensitive e2 and TT. Friday was pretty much peak for me and my TT was at 44.4 nmol/L (Dynacare range 7.6-31.4) I had labs a few months ago at trough and My TT was in around 32nmol/L.

I was going to message you actually on the sensitive e2 test. They charged me $75 so it wasn’t covered. I’ve submitted into my insurance company to see if they cover it. Did you have to pay? Also how long does it take? online says 11 days.

As to how I’m feeling. I feel really good. Mood is awesome most days (90% of the time). Libido is great, morning wood 3/4 days a week. No complaints really other than the blot and nipple stuff going on. I gained about 10 pounds that feels like mostly water to me since starting trt in December.

Thanks for asking.

 

[Dasein88]

Based on my shbg he upped my dose to .65ml from 0.5ml so 130mg per week. I inject Tuesday mornings. Since the increase in my dose I’ve noticed quite a bit more bloat, some tenderness and a lump under my right nipple. I just went and ....

As to how I’m feeling. I feel really good. Mood is awesome most days (90% of the time). Libido is great, morning wood 3/4 days a week. No complaints really other than the blot and nipple stuff going on. I gained about 10 pounds that feels like mostly water to me since starting trt in December.

You don't have e2 labs? Sounds like e2 is creeping up. I wish I could sell you my danazol. I experienced horrible sides, but for your high SHBG it's your only bet.

 

[bubz24]

My E2 results are pending. I should have them this week so I'm curious to see what they're at.

That's what my doctor mentioned as well. I've been taking some Boron (9mg/day) but I don't think it's really doing anything, he said it will lower it but not nearly enough to see a difference.

 

[Dasein88]

My E2 results are pending. I should have them this week so I'm curious to see what they're at.

That's what my doctor mentioned as well. I've been taking some Boron (9mg/day) but I don't think it's really doing anything, he said it will lower it but not nearly enough to see a difference.

My shgb is in the 50-55 area and boron didn't appear to help whatsoever. Just my experience.

 

[fifty]

None of that crap works to any appreciable degree (minerals or herbals). Might get you +/- 5% but bottom line is a bottle of test is the same price as a bottle of boron or any other GNC type bs.

For what it’s worth I’ve never heard of anyone loving Danazol.

 

[madman]

Based on my shbg he upped my dose to .65ml from 0.5ml so 130mg per week. I inject Tuesday mornings. Since the increase in my dose I’ve noticed quite a bit more bloat, some tenderness and a lump under my right nipple. I just went and got labs done on Friday for sensitive e2 and TT. Friday was pretty much peak for me and my TT was at 44.4 nmol/L (Dynacare range 7.6-31.4) I had labs a few months ago at trough and My TT was in around 32nmol/L.

I was going to message you actually on the sensitive e2 test. They charged me $75 so it wasn’t covered. I’ve submitted into my insurance company to see if they cover it. Did you have to pay? Also how long does it take? online says 11 days.

As to how I’m feeling. I feel really good. Mood is awesome most days (90% of the time). Libido is great, morning wood 3/4 days a week. No complaints really other than the blot and nipple stuff going on. I gained about 10 pounds that feels like mostly water to me since starting trt in December.

Thanks for asking.

Most importantly although your SHBG is absurdly high at 108 nmol/L......as long as you hit a high enough TT you will still be able to achieve a healthy FT level.

Seeing as in Canada we do not have access to the most accurate testing for Free Testosterone such as the gold standard Equilibrium Dialysis or Ultrafiltration we had to rely on the direct immunoassay for years which is known to be inaccurate.







Function Promoting Therapies

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current problems with accurate free testosterone determination
Current methods for measuring free testosterone (fT) are technically challenging and not accurate. The widely used direct immunoassay and tracer analog techniques for measuring fT have been shown to be inaccurate. Equilibrium dialysis, the reference method against which other methods are compared, is labor-intensive and cumbersome, and therefore has had limited clinical adoption. As an alternative, free testosterone can be computed from the total testosterone, SHBG, and albumin concentrations. Recently, Endocrine Society’s Expert Panel acknowledged the experimental problems in fT measurements and concluded that

...the calculation of free testosterone is the most useful estimate of free testosterone in plasma...​

However, we have demonstrated that even the calculated fT values derived from the prevailing equations, based on linear law-of-mass action models or empiric equations, differ systematically from free testosterone measured by equilibrium dialysis by as much as 40%.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Canada as of 2014-2015 the 2 main labs Dynacare and Lifelabs dropped the direct immunoassay and replaced it with the linear law-of-mass action Vermeulen calculated method Free & Bioavailable Testosterone calculator.....which was shown at the time to be fairly accurate when compared to the gold standard equilibrium dialysis but that was until the recent discovery of testosterone partitioning.

Client Notice - Change in Methodology for Measurement of Free Testosterone Levels [PDF]




News: Calculated Free Testosterone to Replace the Analog ... - LifeLabs
www.lifelabs.com/Pages/newsarticle.aspx?articleID=55



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Improved TruT Companion Diagnostics
Based on the fundamental discovery of testosterone partitioning, our team has developed an accurate free testosterone determination method. While examining the mechanistic origin of this systematic inaccuracy in free testosterone values using the linear model of SHBG:testosterone association, we discovered that the SHBG dimer exhibits conformational allostery in binding testosterone. Our TruT™ companion diagnostic, incorporating the correct parameters and non-linear dynamics in T:SHBG association has resulted in a framework for accurate determination of free testosterone values.

The TruT algorithm improves the accuracy of fT calculations, reducing the potential for misdiagnosis, and better informing providers when designing treatments.



Our patent protected, novel TruT™ companion diagnostic framework provides accurate determination of free testosterone concentrations. This algorithm is based on experimental data demonstrating that testosterone’s binding to SHBG is a multi-step process involving an allosteric interaction between the two binding sites on the SHBG dimer. Estimates of free testosterone derived incorporating the allosteric coupling of SHBG monomers within the dimer provide accurate determination of free testosterone without systematic deviation from values obtained using equilibrium dialysis.



When testing FT seeing as we do not have access to the gold standard Equilibrium Dialysis or Ultrafiltration and now we know the linear law-of-mass action models or empiric equations are flawed.....we luckily have access to the newer calculated TruT Free Testosterone Calculator by FPT



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why TruT™?
The only FDA-registered free testosterone calculator

• Improved biophysical characterizations have have suggested the importance of models that consider allosteric coupling of testosterone with dimeric SHBG. This model, as implemented by TruT™ provides the most accurate estimates for free testosterone.
• 
  
• Commonly available free testosterone calculators (issam.ch, nebido.com, pctag.uk) use models of testosterone:SHBG binding (proposed by Vermeulen et al. and Sodergard et. al) which were developed before the crystal structure for SHBG:T complexes were available. These models assume that the two SHBG monomers behave identically in binding testosterone. Detailed experimental data show that the "simplified linear model is erroneous." References.
• 
  
• The Endocrine Society has issued position statements which highlights the laboratory- and operator-dependent variability inherent in direct free testosterone measurements. For this reason they advocate for indirect "calculator" based methods References.
• 
  
• The TruT™ calculator provides the ideal solution by using measurements of total testosterone, SHBG, and albumin to calculate free testosterone while taking into account the complex, non-linear allostery in SHBG's association with testosterone. TruT™ is the only calculator available that uses this more complex formulation. References

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Now if we take your TT 44.4 nmol/L (1279.5 ng/dL), SHBG 108 nmol/L and Albumin 4.3 g/dL (mean) than your FT is 37.28 ng/dL (above the top end of the reference range 16-31 ng/dL)

Seeing as you are injecting 130 mg/week and your once weekly injection is Tuesday morning.....since you had blood work done only 3 days later (Friday morning) than your TT/FT levels are high and would be even higher 24-48 hrs post Monday morning injection as T levels will peak 24-48 hrs post injection and I would say closer to 24 hrs.

You stated....."Since the increase in my dose I’ve noticed quite a bit more bloat, some tenderness and a lump under my right nipple" and also stated....."As to how I’m feeling. I feel really good. Mood is awesome most days (90% of the time). Libido is great, morning wood 3/4 days a week. No complaints really other than the blot and nipple stuff going on. I gained about 10 pounds that feels like mostly water to me since starting trt in December"

So I would say that even with your absurdly high SHBG of 108 nmol/L......injecting 130 mg/week is putting your TT/FT levels in a healthy range and although your e2 may be elevated due to the symptoms you are experiencing we will not truly know where your e2 sits until you receive your results from the estradiol sensitive (LC/MS-MS) results come back.

I would say overall your TT/FT levels are robust.....but next set of labs make sure you test at trough as this is the proper way to see where your TT/FT/e2 levels truly sit at your lowest point.

Even though you tested 3 days post injection your TT 1279.5 ng/dL and FT 37.28 ng/dL are robust and by day 7 (trough) levels should still be in a healthy range as you stated....."I feel really good. Mood is awesome most days (90% of the time). Libido is great, morning wood 3/4 days a week. No complaints really"..... which is KEY!

 

[madman]

Regarding the e2 sensitive assay available in Ontario through Dynacare.....yes a doctor has to write the requisition and it is pay out of pocket (not covered by OHIP) and the turnaround time is roughly 2 weeks as your bloods need to be sent to Labcorp where the LC/MS-MS testing is done!

If you ever have any questions pm me.

Small world as there are far and few Canadians on this forum let alone 2 from STEELTOWN.....who knew.....I live right around the corner from Barton Secondary.

My apologies for taking so long to reply back.

Take care man!

 

[bubz24]

@madman
I appreciate all the info and no worries on the delay.

I did test my TT somewhat at trough a few months ago and it was 32.5 nmol/L the day before my injection. The next round of labs though I'll do them again at trough.

Anything else and I'm sure to give you a PM.

Thanks and you take care as well.