Protocol Adjustment

[TLawyer]

These are my numbers on 140 mg of cypionate per week, split into daily injections of 20 mg. No HCG, no AI.

Current numbers (test taken before my daily morning shot so my trough, not that it's going to make much of a difference with daily shots):

Total T: 615 ng/dL
Free T (direct): 19.1 pg/mL
Estradiol (sensitive): 47.4 pg/mL
DHT: 16 ng/dL (I do take finasteride 3 times per week for hair loss)
Prolactin: 13 ng/mL
SHGB: 14.2 nmol/L

I don't feel bad. Libido better than pre-TRT, sensitivity better. Probably feel better mentally. I can tell my Estradiol is high for me because I get yeast rashes on my inner thighs/groin area that started almost immediately after starting this dosage. I had stopped injections for about 3 weeks and they went away, I presume with my Estradiol dropping.

So with that said, I'd like to get my Estradiol lower to see if it makes a difference. I figure that I could try 0.125 mg of Anastrozole once or twice each week and keep the same cypionate dosage or lower the cypionate dosage maybe down to 112 mg per week, split into daily injections of 16 mg (which I would hope lower the Estradiol, but also at the risk of lowering my T levels). Also takes me a bit longer to ejaculate when I'm on TRT, and when I'm off TRT my Prolactin levels are in single digits and don't really have the issue, so hoping that lowering the Estradiol would also help lower the prolactin.

Any recommendations on which path to pursue?

 

[TLR]

I always suggest trying to reduce E2 through dose reduction when necessary, FROM MY EXPERIENCE….I had hell trying to fine tune the dose of AI and ended up on a yo-yo merry go round with it….along the way I found felt better (not perfect) with lower test levels…

 

[TLawyer]

I always suggest trying to reduce E2 through dose reduction when necessary, FROM MY EXPERIENCE….I had hell trying to fine tune the dose of AI and ended up on a yo-yo merry go round with it….along the way I found felt better (not perfect) with lower test levels…

I generally agree, although my concern is that at current dosage my total and free testosterone levels are in a good spot. Concerned about them falling too much, even with the drop in E2.

 

[Vince]

There's a video on this thread I think you should watch. It may help you in your protocol adjustment.

Relation of Testosterone, Dihydrotestosterone, and Estradiol With Changes in Outcomes Measures in the Testosterone Trials - Excel Male TRT Forum

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9016457/ "These analyses were not prespecified and need confirmation in additional studies of other datasets. Our models were modestly predictive, with r-squared values ranging from 0.16 for HDL cholesterol to 0.27 for vBMD, indicating that...

www.excelmale.com

 

[TLawyer]

There's a video on this thread I think you should watch. It may help you in your protocol adjustment.

Relation of Testosterone, Dihydrotestosterone, and Estradiol With Changes in Outcomes Measures in the Testosterone Trials - Excel Male TRT Forum

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9016457/ "These analyses were not prespecified and need confirmation in additional studies of other datasets. Our models were modestly predictive, with r-squared values ranging from 0.16 for HDL cholesterol to 0.27 for vBMD, indicating that...

www.excelmale.com

Thanks, Vince. So are you thinking I should lower my dosage slightly (no AI) or leave alone altogether?

 

[Vince]

Thanks, Vince. So are you thinking I should lower my dosage slightly (no AI) or leave alone altogether?

I believe the issue you're having is because your DHT is so low. It's not blocking the symptoms of your estrogen.

It appears that DHT suppress symptoms of high estradiol.