We need all of your labs in list format, not prose, with lab ranges. Do not skip “normal” results. You may need to get these from your doctor.
There is a false conception that all of these are/were safe. Some guys are vulnerable while others are not.
Some oral hair loss drugs can have devastating effects for a few men.
Some guys in their early 20’s have unexplainable hormone problems.
Without hCG testes can get very small and some also have a dull ache 24x7.
There is no known disadvantage to lower prolactin. Might improve mood. Describe mood/depression. Do you feel joy and satisfaction? That suggests ample dopamine reward system.
If T levels are low, FT–>DHT is low. I have never seen a DHT lab report that had any real value.
Mood issues are from elevated E2.
Target level E2=22pg/ml needs to be achieved with anastrozole.
E2 can kill libido and so can low thyroid function where thyroid labs are almost always “normal” and doctors are complacent.
There is a sticky below for finding a New TRT Doc.
Never test DHEA, use DHEA-S to eval DHEA status!
- You need to inject T subq, not IM, to get steady levels. Then FT–>E2 will be steady and with steady E2 levels the labs will represent where you are all of the time.
Injecting every two weeks spikes T that drives up E2 then as T levels drop you sink into a cesspool of E2. Also often bad for elevation if RBC and hematocrit. That protocol is ancient predating disposable syringes and every two weeks was driven by the impracticality of weekly office visits.
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Self inject 50mg T twice a week subq with #29 1/2" 0.5ml insulin syringes. No scrip required in many jurisdictions. Cost ~$14 at Sam’s Club or Walmart USA with their house brand Relion.
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Take 0.5mg anastrozole at time of injections. Further reading required, see below. Then do E2 labs in 3 weeks and we can calculate a dose refinement from that.
Anastrozole cannot work properly with your your current T protocol! It is a competitive drug VS T at aromatase enzyme reaction sites and needs to match T levels, so changing T levels is not viable.
- Option: 250iu hCG subq EOD, GF might not approve of tiny balls. Use #31 5/16" 0.5ml [0.3ml too small to hand].
Low thyroid function has most of the same symptoms as low-T, so that can wreck quality of life and libido. If TRT levels are perfect, thyroid can make you suffer. Most guys who come here have some degree of thyroid problems. Most of the time that is caused by not using iodized salt. You can eval your overall thyroid function via oral body temperatures - see below.
Thyroid lab ranges are mostly useless.
Post oral body temperatures and history of using iodized salt.
Please read the stickies found here: About the T Replacement Category - #2 by KSman
- advice for new guys - need more info about you
- things that damage your hormones
- protocol for injections
- finding a TRT doc
Evaluate your overall thyroid function by checking oral body temperatures as per the thyroid basics sticky. Thyroid hormone fT3 is what gets the job done and it regulates mitochondrial activity, the source of ATP which is the universal currency of cellular energy. This is part of the body’s temperature control loop. This can get messed up if you are iodine deficient. In many countries, you need to be using iodized salt. Other countries add iodine to dairy or bread.
KSman is simply a regular member on this site. Nothing more other than highly active.
I can be a bit abrupt in my replies and recommendations. I have a lot of ground to cover as this forum has become much more active in the last two years. I can’t follow threads that go deep over time. You need to respond to all of my points and requests as soon as possible before you fall off of my radar. The worse problems are guys who ignore issues re thyroid, body temperatures, history of iodized salt. Please do not piss people off saying that lab results are normal, we need lab number and ranges.
The value that you get out of this process and forum depends on your effort and performance. The bulk of your learning is reading/studying the suggested stickies.