Feeling Crappy... 100mg Testosterone Cypionate Shots

4 weeks ago I started weekly 100mg testosterone cypionate shots and I’ve noticed that by the day before or day of my next shot, I just feel crappy. I’m tired, more anxious and I don’t sleep as well. Not sure if levels crash this quickly, or if it’s in my head.

Age: 29
Weight: 210ish fairly muscular, but a little chubby
Height: 5"7
Other meds: none

04/03/2015 - Diagnosed low T
Total T - 179 ng/dL (250 - 1100)
Free T - 24.9 pg/mL (35 - 155)
T3 Reverse - 31 ng/dL (8 - 25)
T4 Free - 1.5 ng/dL (0.8 - 1.
T4 Total - 9 ug/dL (4.5 - 12)
TSH - 1.59 mIU/L (0.40 - 4.50)
T3 Total - 111 ng/dL (76 - 181)
DHEA Sulfate - 198 mcg/dL (85 - 690)
T3 Free - 4 pg/mL (2.3 - 4.2)
SHBG - 29nmol/L (10 - 50)

Started on daily daily 4mg Androderm patches.

05/04/2015
Total T - 520 ng/dL (250 - 1100)
Free T - 118 pg/mL (35 - 155)
LH - 2.5 mIU/mL (1.5 - 9.3)
FSH - 4 mIU/mL (1.6 -
Prolactin - 4.9 ng/mL (2 - 18)
SHBG - 24 nmol/L (10 - 50)

06/02/2015
Estradiol - 23 pg/mL (< or = 39)
Total T - 418 ng/dL (250 - 1100)
Free T - 93.6 ph/mL (35 - 155)
SHBG - 22 nmol/L (10 - 50)

07/06/2015
Estradiol - 34 pg/mL (< or = 39)
Total T - 537 ng/dL (250 - 1100)
Free T - 111.7 ph/mL (35 - 155)
SHBG - 27 nmol/L (10 - 50)

Switched to daily 6mg Androderm patches (4mg + 2mg)

08/28/2015
Free T - 168.8 pg/mL (35 - 155)
Total T - 840 ng/dL (250 - 1100)
Estradiol - 27 pg/mL (< or = 39)
LH - 2.8 mIU/mL (1.5 - 9.3)
FSH - 3.9 mIU/mL (1.6 -
SHBG - 32 nmol/L (10 - 50)

12/30/2015 - Patches started not absorbing as well anymore
Prolactin - 13.7 ng/mL (4 - 15.2)
LH - 1.8 mIU/mL (1.7 - 8.6)
FSH - 2 mIU/mL (1.5 - 12.4)
Vitamin D - 38.3 ng/mL (30 - 100)
SHBG - 27.9 nmol/L (16.5 - 55.9)
Free T - 12.4 pg/mL (9.3 - 26.5)
Total T - 361ng/dL (348 - 1197)

Decided here that patches were no longer a viable option and found a doctor to give me testosterone cypionate injections.

1/13/2016

  • For insurance reasons, I came off all testosterone supplements for 3
    days and got this blood draw to see bottom T levels
    Free T - 5 pg/mL (9.3 - 26.5)
    Total T - 113 ng/dL (348 - 1197)

Started weekly 100mg testosterone cypionate injections.

I go back tomorrow to test my levels 36 hours after yesterday’s shot.
This will be my first blood test since being on shots. Thinking about
asking if we can do bi-weekly shots.

I can tell you your going to have to provide a lot more info if you want an intelligent answer to your question. What other meds are you on for TRT? Adex? If so, what dose? Hcg? Again, dose? Original labs with ranges. Details about you. Age, height, weight, etc. that’s just for starters.

@Nashtide sorry about that, I’m really new to posting here. I’ve updated the post above with my age, height, weight, meds, and pre therapy t levels. Let me know if there’s anything else I can provide that would be helpful! Thanks!

Ok, so no AI or hcg? That’s a potential problem for a young guy. Do you want to have kids?

You need to read the stickies and be sure your bloodwork includes E2 at a minimum.

A simple answer to your original question is yes, a lot of guys feel a crash at the end of the week if they inject once a week. Twice weekly injections are physiologically superior.

Hostile and KSman will add the best advice sometime soon.

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@Nashtide That’s correct, no AI or HCG. My new doctor originally wanted to put me on HCG by itself but my insurance wouldn’t pay for it because I don’t have pre-treatment LH/FSH levels. I would have had to come off all medication for 3 months and get more blood work done to get my insurance to pay for HCG, which I refused to do because of how crappy I feel without testosterone now. I do in fact want to have kids some day, but it’s certainly not a priority right now.

I went back and updated my original post with all the lab work I have and a timeline of my treatment so far to give everyone more information.

I’m getting more blood work done tomorrow, so I’ll post that info when I get it back as well.

If I were 29, I’d pay for the hcg myself. You will see a lot of protocols for hcg. Many will advocate 250iu EOD, but there is evidence that you could inject 500iu twice a week, but just the first week of the month. So if 10,000iu of hcg costs $340. That would last 10 months or a cost of $34/month. You would fill all syringes and freeze them. This may not be ideal, but it’s way better than nothing.

Why no AI? E2 levels can kill the effects of TRT.

@Nashtide The endo that’s prescribing my testosterone didn’t even bring up using an AI, but I just started seeing him and haven’t had any blood work done yet since starting t cyp injections 4 weeks ago. I’m honestly a bit nervous about working with him. The labs he requested for my first blood draw after starting injections only include total/free t and CBC, no LH/FSH/E2/SHBG. I’ll have to talk to him about adding HCG and an AI when I see him next week.

Lol. Pretty typical. Most docs are uninformed. There is a natural process where T is aromatized to Estradiol. This process can be exaggerated when exogenous T is introduced. So some guys will have a lot of the T converted to E. The E levels can have lots of effects. You need some E for good health, but too much in a man can and will cause negative effects. As a general rule, guys taking 100mg of T cyp need 1mg of adex to keep the estradiol in balance. Everyone is different. Just be sure that the bloodwork adds E2. Also be sure the blood is drawn halfway between shots. It is my understanding that LH and FSH levels aren’t necessary once TRT is initiated.

Again, I’m far from an expert. Hopefully the real knowledgable guys will chime in soon.

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@Nashtide Thanks for all the info so far, I really appreciate it! I know that excess T can get converted to E, my last doctor kept a sharp eye on that and taught me all about it. But when I was seeing her, I was using patches which didn’t cause E to spike like shots do. I’ll make sure to get that added to my lab slip before I go tomorrow.

The doctor is having me do my labs 36 hours after I injected…

Good luck. I hope the real experts jump in soon.

I think that you did not absorb transdermal T because of low thyroid function.
rT3 is indicative of adrenal issues, major stress and adrenal fatigue.

Please follow these links in the 2nd post of the 1st forum topic:

  • advice for new guys — you are young/old, need more info
  • things that damage your hormones
  • protocol for injections
  • thyroid basics explained – please check oral body temps as suggested

I cad suggest things for sleep later on.

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@KSman thanks for the links! Will post new labs here soon.

I took my temperature this morning right after getting out of bed and it was 96.9, will do it for a few more days to get an average.

Please post history of [not] using iodized salt.
Others in your household could be affected. check their body temperatures and its also good to verify that someone is hitting 98.6 in the afternoon.

And get mid-afternoon temperatures for yourself.