Estradiol question

wesley_tinker · Dec 16, 2014

I'm trying to recover from adrenal fatigue and have been on TRT since late August 100 mg twice a week. About a month after I started TRT I experienced an E2 crash from too much arimidex. So I haven't been on the AI since. I had my E2 checked about 3 weeks ago on the sensitive test and came back as 15. The last 2 weeks i've been experiencing what seems to be water retention, I can definitely tell in my face by the end of the day it's puffy. Also i've experienced depression kind of throughout this experience, but it's been pretty intense lately. I'm on a turd pile of herbal supplements for the adrenal fatigue along with DHEA because my lab showed it as low.

My question is, should I be thinking my symptoms are from high E2 or the adrenal issues?

I was always told to just go off of the sensitive estradiol test not the regular. I am doing another saliva test tomorrow, hopefully my dr will have a better idea of my cortisol issues.

Gene Devine · Dec 16, 2014

The water retention is mostly likely due to your E2 serum levels rebounding...which would be a good sign.

200 mg of Test IM a week is at the top of the TRT dosage range so you will need to keep an eye on other elevated E2 symptoms.

Depression can be caused by any host number of things; I would doubt due to E2 since you only tested at 15 pg/ml just 3 weeks ago.

Adrenal fatigue may be the culprit but only BW would point to that.

BTW, the Sensitive E2 assay is the only accurate lab for men so you got the correct lab.

Nelson Vergel · Dec 16, 2014

I am very concerned about the anastrozole craze and the fact that most doctors are unaware that estradiol is being overestimated in men due to the use of the wrong test. Tanking estradiol is as bad as low testosterone.

Low blood level of estradiol was associated with significant increases in the percentage of body fat (P<0.001), subcutaneous fat area (P<0.001), and intra abdominal fat area (P = 0.002), and relative less improvement in sexual desire (P<0.001) and erectile function (P = 0.022). These findings provide additional evidence of an independent effect of estradiol on these variables.Role of Estradiol in Men and Its Management