Lowered TT and FT went Higher! Now What?

[Init2winit]

I don't want to go deep into my 10 year history on TRT. I have been reading these forums for a long time and finally decided to post. I have been on most all forms of T and Protocols, AI's, frequent Blood donations etc. Dealt with a lot of Dr. Quacks' in it for the money unfortunately. Needless to say I keep striving to get dialed in for a longer periods of time. I am a fast metabolizer and sensitive to most everything.

So over the last several months, I have eliminated AI's and blood donations. Which is pretty good for me as I would get caught up in that roller coaster. I have a super clean diet, exercise, take, mag, zinc, boron, Vit D and multi etc. BP is always around 112/70. Below was/is my protocol over the last several years/months

Nov 24, 2021 - Felt like crap - like Low T/E symptoms - Crashed my E
TT 759 (264-916)
FT 12.2 (7.2-24.0)
Estradiol 5.4 (7.6 - 42.6) Crashed it on crumbs of AI's
SHBG 44.6 (19.3-76.4)
Ferritin - 46 (30-400)
Iron - 208
Hemoglobin 16.9
Hematocrit - 50.8
Protocol EOD 26mg Test Cyp and crumbs (yes crumbs) of AI as needed for bloating, low mood (been on this for 3 years)
*labcorp

***Changed Protocol to bring back E****

Jan 18th, 2022 - Felt Great - almost best I have felt except the 24/7 anxiety and insomnia
TT 1167 (250-1100)
FT 173.9 (46-224.0)
Estradiol 40 (< or = 29)
SHBG 36.6 (22-77)
Ferritin 26 (38-380)
Hemoglobin 16.4
Hematocrit - 48.7
Protocol ED 16mg Cyp, no AI's. Added 6mg Boron, 10,000IU Vit D3 5 days per week, and curcumin 250mg daily
*Quest

****Doc told me to back down the T (wasn't quite the full 30 days on this dose)***

Present Day - Tired/lethargic, no motivation, don't feel strong, mood so so... Figured T was high but didn't expect this!
TT 897 (250-1100)
FT 196.7 (35 -155)
Estradiol 31 (< or = 29)
SHBG 33 (22-77)
Ferritin 22 (38-380)
Iron 197 (50-180)
Hemoglobin 17.3
Hematocrit - 33
Protocol ED 13mg Cyp, no AI's. Same as above except dropped curcumin. (on this for 30 days)
*Quest


So how did my TT drop yet my FT increase? Everything for me remained the same. Diet, exercise and supplements except the curcumin. So this begs the question, where do I go from here, up or down? I do better on higher T/E and midrange/upper FT. How do I get there?? I know I can somewhat change my SHeeBanG by eating animal proteins. When I tried to be a vegetarian, my SHeeBanG was in the mid to upper 40's. Once I started eating chicken again, it came down - and the more eat (maybe 8 0z breasts a day) the lower it goes and higher my FT goes. I am not going to lower my meat intake, I only eat about 10 different foods I can tolerate anyway lol.

Any thoughts, comments appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Systemlord]

Do you think the High FT will subside in the next couple of weeks or that I could stabilize with the Higher FT?

As madman already stated, you are probably seeing an inaccurate overestimated (immunoassay) FT result.

I would wager that had you used the LC/MS-MS method, it would closely match up with your other testing.

 

[Init2winit]

I just got the labs back from the 6 week point in my protocol change. Nothing seems to make sense of this at all. My bloods skyrocketed and my T/FT/E went way down. Never had bloods this high before. Now I know why I feel nauseated, dizzy, flush, head fullness, libido down, achiness like I had with crashed E. I just don't get this. Only thing that changed from last labs was that i stopped 6mg of Boron. That's it! When I stopped working out for 3 days due to slight injury is when I felt my Bloods go up (with all the symptoms mentioned above). I am concerned now about taking a rest day and bloods going higher! I am going to go donate but 1 time may not be enough now - ugh! so frustrating...


RBC 5.92 (4.14-5.80)
Hemo 18.7
Hema 54
T 677
FT 20 (tru FT)
E 19.6
SHBG 34.7
Iron 197
Ferritin 49 up from 26 a few months ago
D 96.3

 

[Systemlord]

Ferritin 49 up from 26 a few months ago

I have always notice a correlation between iron status and T mileage on TRT, the higher the iron status, the higher my numbers on TRT.

That's because with low iron there are all sorts of metabolic abnormalities.

Also your HCT went up because your ferritin went up.

 

[Init2winit]

I have always notice a correlation between iron status and T mileage on TRT, the higher the iron status, the higher my numbers on TRT.

That's because with low iron there are all sorts of metabolic abnormalities.

Also your HCT went up because your ferritin went up.

Thanks. Interesting as my Ferritin was at the same range last November but HCT was only 50 but I guess Iron was only 108 not 198.

One heck of a rollercoaster on the stuff. Hard to get dialed in. Just donated blood and feel better but I know the bloods are still high. I would have thought they would have subsided with the level of TT going down. May take another donation to get it down a bit to around normal range - at least I am hoping. Can't go any lower on the dosage as my E is pretty low and get side effects. Too sensitive to things... similar to yourself.