Sub 15 SHBG, high free T, erectile dysfunction

[chriskchris]

Hello everybody,

Have been doing some reading some reading thru archives about SHBG.

Going over my blood results in the past 10 years, I noticed I always had very low SHBG. In my last bloodwork, it was around 14 and that was with a High Free Androgen Index (121.8, ref: 14-95)

Testosterone was 23.7 nmol/L or 683 ng/dl. Estrogen at 117 pmol or 31.8 pg/ml.

I have been taking about 500 miu HCG 3x per week and 100 mg of Cypionate at that time.

This year I have experienced the best results in a decade by only taking HCG with monotherapy (500 x 3) but it only lasted a couple months before subsiding. There were times at the beginning of the year I could have the strongest erections of my life with only HCG (I have had low T since I was 14, I am 40 now so this was unusual)

I find when I mix cypionate and HCG, the two meds often invalidate each other and I get worse symptoms then ever and now it is not possible to get an erection at all.

Hoping anybody can explain some things to me or give me some suggestions. I am really out of tricks. All I know is that HCG is a great drug and that it seems to be required for the cypionate to work but dosing is a challenge as it tends to work or not work based in cycles, usually it works less then it works.

 

[The slice]

I have the exact same problem - The only relief I seem to get is when I run my test higher (210+mg / week), that being said I very rarely have any libido. Low SHBG and troubles dialing in TRT seems to be a common issue. The closest I got to any improvement libido wise was very recently, my test was around the 250 mark and I added 12.5mg of Aromasin - Bang, the next day I was raging hard, horny as hell (for the first time in about 5 years) - It faded over the course of the week. I took another 12.5mg of aromasin and felt no change. A week later I crashed my E2.

I have realised the higher my E2 is, the better I feels. Right at the top of the reference range. The problem I have, like you is my high free test and androgen index is out of balance with E2; if my test is low enough for my free test and Androgen index to be within the reference range, my E2 ends up extremely low.


Couple of strategies I am considering:

Moving to test prop daily injections - I have heard of some people responding better libido wise to a more rapid fluctuation as opppsed to a steady release.

Lowing my test down to 40mg per week to bring my free test and androgen index within the normal range and adding E2 vaterate to make up for the low aromatisation

Adding roloxophine as this apparently increases SHBG

Dropping test all together and running primobolan alongside exogenous E2

I had considered HCH monotherapy however I’ve never heard of anyone having long term success with this approach.

Out of curiosity, what did your SHBG bloodwork look like when you were on monotherapy?

 

[chriskchris]

Out of curiosity, what did your SHBG bloodwork look like when you were on monotherapy?

Thanks for sharing your experience.

I have never had a blood test while only on HCG.

But I find my SHBG goes up to the 30s when I am not on exogenous testosterone with a natural sub 200 ng/dl natural level of testosterone production. I have never had higher then 17 SHBG on cypionate going back 8-years.

Going back a decade my SHBG is always the lowest reference (14-18) range while on T.

In the past couple weeks I switched to testosterone cypionate 80 mg/week (from 100) plus switched to 500 miu every third day (from every other day) and already got my penis sensation back while energy levels have gone up. Morning wood came back which is unusual for me. I feel so much better but it is a short period of time. See if the 'good feeling' holds as my problem is things tend to dissipate after short runs of positives.

Always knew these drugs were about a sweet spot so trying to pay more detail to lab results and pay out of pocket more frequently to get results.

When I get my updated blood labs in the second week of January, I will share the results with the forum and provide further feedback.

Overall I am pretty convinced, like 90% that the negative outcome on hormone therapy is coming from elevated estradiol levels. My past blood test was twice as higher then I ever had for estradiol (at 300 pmol/L or 80 pg/ml two weeks ago) and that was with a modest dose of HCG and Cypionate.

 

[WhiteMale]

I strive to have my Sensitive E2 mirror my shbg number be in close proximity. You can be assured your free E is just as high as your free T, with shbg low. One great bit of knowledge i got once was that a certain Dr stated his low shbg guys, some could tolerate very little Estrogen. Not zero, and not crashed. But you saw what some Aromasin did…figure it out.