High T, FSH, SHBG, Low E2 No Libido. My Lab Results (pellets)

You Vit d 25 OH is really probably not an issue. Your D 1,25 might be (that would be where you would have toxicity issues), but probably isn’t either and you didn’t test for that. That you have such a high TIBC is not really surprising either, TRT will increase your RBC production and thus theoretically use up that iron. I’m not sure what you supplement, but I know that B-12, folate and iron are all closely related and have a pronounced effect on each other. And that the transport for iron into your system is the same as calcium, zinc, magnesium and copper - so a large intake of any one will block your absorption of the others.

I don’t remember where you said you are in Asia, but I’m thinking Thailand. My understanding is that they tend to put some form of sugar in everything (I have friends living there a good part of the year). Maybe unrelated, maybe not.

@hardartery
I supplement with low dose iron now and my multi vitamin does have b12, folic acid and the others that you mentioned.

Your reply confuses me, because unless I am reading my results wrong, my iron and ferritin are now under control and in proper range.

Although I am one who is first to say “you can’t always trust the ranges”, everything I have read indicates that there is no worry of iron deficiency/anemia until you have substantially surpassed 425. If you can point me to sources that contradict that, please do, as I would gladly read them. Understanding Iron & Ferritin in the body is still very new to me.

And yes, you are correct that Thai’s put sugar in everything, but most foreigners don’t realize that Ketchup has more sugar than any Thai dish. Well, in today’s world, it is more high fructose corn syrup, but I think you get the point.

In September of 2013, I eliminated 80-90% of the sugar in my diet that I had direct control over. Unless I am misunderstanding your point, I don’t worry about sugar intake because of my lifestyle changes.

Your TIBC indicates how much iron you do not have. Think of it like the trucks that deliver your iron, most of them are currently sitting empty waiting for iron. You should be leery of folic acid, it is the synthetic form of folate and more than 40% of the Caucasian population does not process it well - related to the prevalent MTHFR (methyl-folate reductase) gene mutations. My glucose was high last test too, I had been eating about a dozen mandarin oranges a day because they were in season and dirt cheap where I am in Central America.

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My mind is blown.

My first two blood tests were done outside of the US. Both showed my Estradiol as high, which I found suspicious because I was feeling so good. But the more I read, the more I found where higher Estradiol might not be a problem for me since I was at a virtually undetectable level when I started.

Look at these results! How can they possibly be correct.
69.8
73.5
<15
then 23 on the ultrasensitive.

Two blood tests one month apart indicate I have high E. The final test of this cycle shows I have normal E.

I want to know WHAT my Asian lab is really testing???

Results 12-10-18

.
Results 1-16-19

.
Results 4-22-19 Regular Estradiol Test

.
Results 4-22-19 AT SAME TIME Ultra sensitive Estradiol Test
estradiol%20ultra%20sensitive

12-10-18 SHBG 40.55 nmol/L (range: 20.6 - 76.7)
1-16-19 SHBG 37.38 nmol/L

During this time, I was in Asia and taking 100mg once per day (50mg were not available).

I opined that I wasn’t getting the full benefit of Danazol when taking it once per day, due to the very fast half life. The actual “half-life” is up for dispute - with some medical papers calling it 4.5 hours; and others venturing as far as 9.7 hours. They do agree that multiple doses per day increases the half life.

Again, this was an opinion with no fact to support it - but I believed that taking it once daily wasn’t the most effective way to use this drug.

4-22-19

After the 1-16-19 lab test, I was back in the US, and back on two 50mg Danazol per day.

This is the lowest level of SHBG I have had since I began testing in 2011.

Even though this doesn’t necessarily prove my theory, I will put more effort in bringing enough 50mg tablets with me in order to stay off of the 100’s.

“Let’s talk about T, bay-bee”. [Salt-n-pepa take off]

12-10-18

1-16-19

4-22-19

I made it SIX MONTHS on this pellet cycle without feeling like I want to die! I actually still feel good right now - although I am not pushing it – I scheduled for a pellet insertion May 1.

The lowered continuously-controlled SHBG appears to have stopped my body from eating these pellets like candy. In previous cycles, I could not make it past 3 months!

This has been an exciting 6 months cycle for me. There are two more test results I am waiting for and I will add them once received.

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Today was pellet re-insertion day.

To maintain full disclosure, I previously stated that my doctor had a zero extrusion percentage.

In the last six months that has changed. HE personally had one of HIS pellets be extruded (he is a pellet user also); and had two patients also have one pellet each extrude. He said that in all three instances, the pellets dissolved in the body into an un-natural point which pushed through the skin.

I went over all my blood work for the past six months and made sure he knew how I was feeling.

I have really given him some wacky results over the past year; with certain results that defy logic.

Alkaline Phosphatase going low then returning.
Vitamin B showing 7 times higher than normal - and I don’t supplement with B.
Testosterone levels increasing in the 3rd month of a pellet insertion.
Hematocrit going up and down like a seesaw.
Two Estrogen tests showing high E; the next one showing normal.

This insertion is in my left butt cheek which always hurts more. By tomorrow I will feel it. I will have a sore butt for a week … then I don’t need to do anything for months. I do not plan to take as many blood tests this cycle as it seems I am 90% dialed in.

Still waiting on two additional tests that have not been provided yet.

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Final test results are in. Here are the catecholamines (dopamine) and serotonin test results.

The easy to understand part – my serotonin levels are one click from being considered High. I call that high.

Higher serotonin is like a “brake” on orgasms – it slows them down. That is a possible issue that affects my mild anorgasmia.

Interestingly, most all of the articles on the net talk about how to BOOST serotonin rather than decrease.

A low-carb, high-protein diet, as a result, may help your body reduce its amount of serotonin naturally.

Interesting, but that certainly doesn’t work for me.

I have searched to find any references on whether danazol affects serotonin; or if testosterone affects serotonin. The only mentions are testosterone.

testosterone levels may actually directly affect serotonin levels in the brain.

Ok - so everything so far is about serotonin. The catecholamine results are another story.

It is difficult for me to understand these results are they are marked “neutral”, yet the range of MY tests are confusing.

Look at dopamine. My results were “<80” … the range is “<20”. I agree that “20 is less than 80” … but the overall results are confusing. I expected to find substantially lower numbers for dopamine.

BTW, if you are like me and don’t keep up with this stuff, EPINEPHRINE used to be called “adrenalin” on tests.

Also, the more I read, the more I see that I should take the urine test (a 24-hour catch of urine) rather than the blood test.

However, one site defines the “significance” of this test:

The significance of Catecholamines Blood Test is explained:

  • Increased levels of catecholamines may indicate:
  • Excessive stress
  • Pheochromocytoma
  • Ganglioblastoma
  • Ganglioneuroma
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Long-term manic-depressive disorders
  • Myocardial infarction (MI)
  • Neuroblastoma
    L* Shock
  • Decreased levels of catecholamines may indicate:
  • Autonomic nervous system disorder
  • Orthostatic hypotension
  • Parkinson’s disease

The adrenal glands make large amounts of catecholamines as a reaction to stress. [so if adrenals aren’t working right, there will be decreased levels]

None of that applies to me.

Dopamine is directly affected by testosterone, epinephrine and nor-epi are affected by the dopamine. Incidentally, the urine test tells you what you are excreting - which is not necessarily reflective of what you are not excreting.

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Very interesting. Your original blood results are very very similar to mine (though my SHBG is actually even higher than yours…) but all of the high/lows are the same between us.

Did Boron make any difference for you? I am going to read the whole thread later but don’t have time right this second (at work). That is what Defy has suggested I try first, along with DHEA and ZMA basically.

I was ready to go full blown straight to TRT+HCG but they want to try this for a month or two first. I’m not thrilled about beating around the bush.

What ended up working best for you? Did Boron make any real difference?

Yes, boron made a difference, evidenced by labs. But if you have HIGHER SHBG than me, you are wasting your time IMO. The best boron currently on the market (from my research) is here (Vitamin & Protein Supplements - My Experiences - #35 by traveling-man).

The ONLY thing that worked was Danazol. From what I read on these boards, you won’t hear much of Danazol from Defy. You should also read this post I made (High T, FSH, SHBG, Low E2 No Libido. My Lab Results (pellets) - #63 by traveling-man) … as it gives my opinion about “woulda-shoulda-coulda”.

I’m a lone wolf here … aka devil’s advocate. You won’t find much support for my choices - which is great, because it will give you an opposing opinion.

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Thanks, very good info, I will read the entire thread later.

I’ll go ahead and start with the boron to make them happy but I’m not giving it long to work given how ridiculously high mine is (150!). They were baffled. But since my total test is comparable to yours they didn’t want to add more test just yet.

I hope you are feeling better… I haven’t gotten through enough of the thread to see how you turned out just yet. Hopefully later today I can read it all.

I am completely open to acquiring Danazol on my own if necessary, if that’s the route I need to go. I just want to feel like a normal man again.

@traveling-man

Is Danazol simliar to oxandrolone (Anavar)? Only asking because I already have some of that on hand so it would be easy to try, if I get to that point. I also have test cyp already on hand… so I could do this on my own, but I was trying not to go that route.

@ncsugrad2002, real quick, just use the @ symbol in front of a user’s name to tag them. Linking their profile isn’t necessary.

Will do.

I’m really getting frustrated that it doesn’t show that I replied to a specific post most of the time, despite using the “reply” button on a post and it shows like I’m replying to that post… I have had that issue on all forums that use this layout for the last few weeks. Not sure if it’s on my end of theirs.

Anyways. Back to Anavar.

No, it’s not at all. You should stay away from the Anadrol entirely at the moment.

are you serious??

ambien and benzos affect hormones?

@hardartery

I’m not messing with anadrol. I was looking at anavar though.

Does your opinion remain the same for anavar?

Yes. It’s a class you should be avoiding.