Recent test labs below, obviously I don’t think I qualify as having a low-test condition, just on the low-middle end of normal. Age 33 male and I do feel some symptoms - low libido, low energy, occasional depression. I lift regularly and have been finding it hard to make gains and stay consistent, lacking motivation. Am considering trying to find a clinic willing to prescribe or failing that to buy some crapshoot Chinese product online (like “dragon pharma”). Looking for advice on this idea
I started TRT with 560 total test but also my SHBG was around 50
Can’t edit the OP…
Edit: located in US, northeast. Appreciate advice from anyone experienced with TRT on clinics online or in person. Or, advice on my other idea/option
@fs_686
Email in bio. If you are looking for a TRT clinic I can put you in touch with a doc that does telemedicine. It’s around $150/month
As I’m continuing to read some threads here and info online, I see some say TSH should be around 1.0 but my recent blood test put it at 3.57. I’m wondering if I may have an undiagnosed thyroid issue or “sub-clinical hypothyroid” because 1. Mother has hypothyroidism, 2. I also have very sparse facial hair (as does another posted here where I saw thyroid mentioned and he had TSH of 2.29, lower than mine) and fine head hair which began thinning noticeably 4 years ago, 3. Little hair on body and strands are also thin/fine. Thoughts on this ? Should I ask PCP or get 2nd opinion on thyroid?
Doubling, or tripling, your free testosterone should help. However, I’d look further into your thyroid. Get free T3, free T4, at least, to start. Maybe reverse T3 if cost isn’t an issue.
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TRT can increase TSH because demand on other systems is higher. TSH correlates with symptoms poorly, seen guys fully broke at 2.7 and not too bad off at these levels, the free thyroid hormones and antibodies will tell the story.
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Thx - Will report back once I have the test results for free thyroid hormones.
Got my results, little confused what the Test levels are saying…seems to be bad data…
TSH is high again. Phone rep for the clinic told me I would be getting T3, T4 separately measured but appears not to have been true
Anything of value here?
Your SHBG very likely lower, your TT is almost the same as before except FT this time around is higher because SHBG is lower. Those ranges for FT are lame.
Ok I see what is happening…their scale is in pg units but the number they are plotting on it is in ng so showing off the charts.
So free test seems to be slightly lower now - 98 vs 109 ng previously…not higher as you said unless I’m converting units wrong.
No you can’t compare the two lab ranges, that’s why I always say choose a lab company and stick with it.
Why not? Either way they are within measurement error of each other no material difference between tests…
Edit: these are both by same lab
Edit again: sorry I’m mistaken, different labs. One was done in-house at a PCP which is why the change. Not by choice.
Yeah, different labs. However, the second one, Quest, has applied female range levels to you. They provided menstrual cycle E2 ranges for you. Looks as though you may be menopausal.
Shit
Ok not a huge update but had a chat with a couple clinics now. One of them recommended we start now on HCG for I think 10 days and then Test-C and I forget the dose but it was a once weekly shot. They also suggested a B12 shot and some other 3-vitamin cocktail the acronym I forget.
My thinking is that right now before jumping into any potentially unnecessary therapies I will get another lab done this time for free thyroid hormones so I can get a better understanding of my consistently high TSH. Am I right to say it is conceivable that some levothyroxine may address my symptoms AND have the effect of raising my endogenously produced test? I might as well explore this first and reevaluate TRT/HCG following
Also I read here that current state of knowledge holds HCG is not recommended or needed until trying to get pregnant. Wonder why they wanna start me with this…
Appreciate the sage wisdom of this forum
If you search these TRT forums you won’t find many guys feeling good on HCG, most report feeling WAY better after stopping it.
Many clinics will start with hcg for a couple weeks so they can show they tried other avenues before prescribing TRT. The clinic I go to does this. It’s just to save their ass.
Maybe address your symptoms. Doubt test would increase much, but guys feel fine with the levels you have so it might make the difference.
It’s strange since they are planning on giving you testosterone anyway. I could see the need to try it prior to TRT, but that’s if they are hoping to get insurance approval. Your levels are too high for that, however.
MIC?
It was actually three aminos, my bad. Glutamine arginine and carnitine