I am a 34 y/o on 200 mg of test cyp per week, 100mg every 3.5 days.
I am experiencing low libido, no morning erections, reduced ejaculate volume, and occasional testicular and penile pain.
I have had several test with e2 around high normal, but unfortunately cannot get my total estrogens into range. They have tested multiple times over the normal top-end range.
Can anyone help me with this? I am < 20 percent body fat, lift 4-5 times per week, engange in cardio (tennis) each weekend… So I am not sure how to proceed at this point. I am currently supplementing with Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Multi Vitamin, LTyrosine, and fish oil. I would like to avoid lowering the level of test injections, and have seen that people are moving away from AI treatment. My labs are below, tested at a trough.
Your labs are inadequate, we have no idea how much of the active portion of testosterone is free, no SHBG testing to calculate Free T percentage. T3 is best used for diagnosing hyperthyroidism, Free T3 shows how much thyroid hormone is making it into the cells. No one pays any attention to Total Estrogens. Prolactin is not a concern.
Injecting massive dosages will see high estrogen in some men, in these cases inject smaller doses more frequently, the smaller and more frequent the dose, generally the lower the estrogen and higher your trough levels.
You do not mention how long you have been on this protocol, starting TRT or changing dosages will see levels fluctuate for 6 weeks, then becoming stable at 6 weeks, during this 6 week adjustment period you will experience symptoms on and off.
I have read posts such as this one saying how important it was to test total estrogens, hense providing that lab value.
Is that no longer the general thinking of this forum?
I have been on this protocol for years, however I did blast about 4 months ago which caused these issues. After having symptoms, I returned to my normal protocol (the one listed) but have not returned to normal. I did not use Tren or Deca, which i know can cause these issues.
I will return with free T as soon as possible (it was in range in an earlier test) but do need to have it updated. My doctor, however, most certainly thinks estrogen is a cause for my current issues - I just do not know how to address the issues since they do not seem to relate to e2 but total estrogens.
More than likely, you have lower SHBG. Especially injecting 200 a week and getting a TT of 800.
So, low SHBG, plus 200 mg a week means your free test is really high causing your estrogens to be higher.
Lower your dose, what is the worry here? Your saying you think you have high e2 issues, so lower the dose, and find out dude. Try 150 a week and see what happens. If your issues decrease, Bingo.
thanks alpha. Its been 200mg test cyp a week, divided into two doses per week.
I guess my main concern for lowering the dose is that I am currently at 800 test, and dont want to slip lower. I am satisfied with my muscle mass, etc. and want to retain what I have worked for.
I believe this is your problem as well, your estrogen probably hasn’t come down to where it was previously, E2 is elevated. Some are sensitive to estrogen and even high normal causes problems with libido.
No one uses Total Estrogen, you will not see anyone else using it or get much feedback on it. Whether you’re on T-Nation or other boards, no one will pay attention to Total Estrogens.
It’s hard to recommend anything without knowing your SHBG levels and/or Free T, if in excess this is a reason for high estrogen.
When my Total T is 500, my Free T is at the top of the ranges, because I have low SHBG.
So you need to understand how SHBG and Free testosterone work.
Essentially, your total testosterone number tells us nothing. Only the amount circulating in your blood. Most of it, is bound, to SHBG, and some to albumin, and not available to act on receptors (ie, muscles)
You have a lower SHBG, meaning there is less to grab on to the test, MEANING, you need less testosterone to achieve what you are trying to do. AKA 800 is too much for you.
I believe @charlie12 keeps his TT fairly low, like in the 400-500’s and his Free test is good.
If your free test is mid range to above range, you will build muscle. (youll build it when its lower also, but getting free test to at least mid range is your best bet)
Your Free test is probably VERY high right now, more than you need. So its shunting into excess estrogen.
Hope that helps.
Just as a question: why can some people do a blast with no issues ( even go over 1500 test plus) while others, like myself, run into issues months later? primarily SHGB? I won’t deny my interest in blasting in the future - but only if it is safe and I can manage to avoid these issues.
Blasting increases androgens and lowers SHBG, then increases Free T which creates more estrogen. There is a reason why some can blast without consequences, genetics.
SHBG, and whether or not someone is prone to aromatization (fat, shitty liver, alcohol, poor diet) are big factors.
Some guys use Nolvadex on cycle, instead of AI, so that it doesn’t lower e2, it only blocks it at certain receptors, you can check into Pharma if you have more of those type of questions.
How much were you using on your blast? Honestly those symptoms seems pretty mild, pretty easily managed. You can also look into broccoli, warm lemon water, DIM/CDG (don’t recommend really) to help lower e2. Be careful.
Making sure your vitamin D is in good range will also help.
We are so individual. The same dosage am taking now used to get my total t on trough to 600s free t high normal. Now same dosage gets me just under 500 barely mid range free t. We need to adjust dosage as things move along.
I gather the metformin I took recently , plus me losing 4-5% body fat, change stuff. Perhaps the metformin affected my insulin resistance and that affects shbg. If we were Natty then we adjust automatically usually , we are using exogenous t so we need to do periodic labs , asses feeling and adj as appropriate.
Then how come when my e2 gets too high I can’t get erections? But then I lower my dose to decrease it, and I begin to
Lose the feeling of being on trt
