Thanks for having me!

[Jared P.]

I am 38 year old male, started my therapy 5 weeks ago. I am taking twice a week testosterone cypianate at 75 mg per injection. Also just this week started 500 iu hcg twice weekly on the day before my testosterone shots. My levels were at 340 and 3.4 free testosterone. Just a little background on myself, once again thanks for having me ive heard great things about these forums!

 

[Sean Mosher]

Welcome!
Feel free to post next set of labs and continue the dialogue.

 

[Jared P.]

Hi everyone, finally got my follow up results! I'm actually gonna post my initial results and my new first follow up 8 wk results. Thanks in advance any advice or input greatly appreciated. I'm looking to stay around 1000-1200 range and as you see my follow ups came back at 1340. Whats the opinion on whether I should cut my dose down and if so by how much. I like as many opinions as possible. Thanks again

 

[fifty]

I say if you feel good and your hematocrit is good then change nothing.

 

[Jared P.]

I feel better than I have since I can remember, I'm not even sure I remember feeling this good ever! I am gonna go ahead and do bloodwork one more time at 8 wks. Just to make sure everything still is in target range, then I can probably go 6 months. Any input on that? I appreciate the quick response!

 

[Systemlord]

Those labs actually look pretty good, estrogen is nice!

My jaw hit the floor when I first looked at pre-TRT Free T labs, that's some of the lowest Free T labs I've seen.

 

[Jared P.]

And it was evident for years man! I felt so sluggish and crappy. I really appreciate everyone thanks!

 

[madman]

Hi everyone, finally got my follow up results! I'm actually gonna post my initial results and my new first follow up 8 wk results. Thanks in advance any advice or input greatly appreciated. I'm looking to stay around 1000-1200 range and as you see my follow ups came back at 1340. Whats the opinion on whether I should cut my dose down and if so by how much. I like as many opinions as possible. Thanks again

If you feel good overall and overall blood work is healthy than stay on said protocol.

Just understand you are only 8 weeks in and when you first started your hormones were in flux during the weeks leading up to when blood levels stabilize at 6 weeks.

Although you feel great I would give it 2-3 months to truly gauge how you feel on said protocol.

Although a TT 1342 ng/dL is not absurdly high do understand that you had the wrong test done for FT the direct immunoassay which has been shown to be inaccurate and is no longer recommended.

When testing FT the gold standard Equilibrium Dialysis or Ultrafiltration (next best) would need to be used or use the newer calculated TruT method which is on par with results obtained by the gold standard testing method Equilibrium Dialysis.....if you truly want to know where your FT level sits.

If we use the newer TruT calculated method.....taking your TT 1342 ng/dL, SHBG 48.3 nmol/L and Albumin 4.2 g/dL than your FT is 48.03 ng/dL (well over the top end of the reference range of 16-31 ng/dL).

Now if your blood work was done at trough than do understand that your TT/FT levels will be much higher at peak as you are injecting 2x/week (every 3.5 days).

Most men do well having FT in the 25-30 ng/dL range and others may need/choose to run higher levels in the 30-50 ng/dL range and even than it is highly doubtful one would need to have FT levels in the 50----->50+ ng/dL range to benefit from testosterone replacement therapy.

Again depending on your protocol (injection frequency).....ones TT/FT trough levels need to be kept in mind especially when one is only injecting once weekly or 2x/week (every 3.5 days) as there will be a higher peak----->trough compared to one injecting EOD or daily.

Your FT (trough) is already very high at 48.03 ng/dL so your peak will be much higher.....well over 50 ng/dL.....just something to keep in mind as you may very well be able to run lower levels and feel just as good!

 

[Jared P.]

Thank you for the reply I had no idea that the place I used for blood work used an out-of-date test, where would you recommend me go for my blood work in the future that uses the correct test for free testosterone?

 

[madman]

Thank you for the reply I had no idea that the place I used for blood work used an out-of-date test, where would you recommend me go for my blood work in the future that uses the correct test for free testosterone?

Use Nelson's Discount Labs and order this:Testosterone, Free, Equilibrium Ultrafiltration With Total Testosterone, LC/MS- No Upper Limit

Testosterone, Free, Equilibrium Ultrafiltration With Total Testosterone, LC/MS- No Upper Limit