Lab Results After 2 Years On TRT

Hello All, I’ve been reading the threads for quite some time and only now registered as I would like some opinions on my labs below specifically my Free T, E2, and RBC Hematocrit levels.

I’m 55 and been on TRT for about two years now in reasonable health and not terribly overweight, although I could stand to lose 15lbs or so… I had a TRT provider out of OK when I first started but costs drove me a UGL which is where I am now. My current regular PCP is at the VA so they’re not very friendly towards TRT.

As far as my current protocol goes I pin 92 MG of Test Cyp sub-q twice per week on Sunday Mornings and Wednesday evenings, the labs below were taken on a Wednesday afternoon at Quest. I had some labwork done recently at the VA and my Total T was 1096 (a day after I pinned…), Hematocrit and RBC were very similar to below.

Any insight on what these numbers mean is appreciated.

TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL, MS (2986-8) 834 Reference Range: 250-1100 ng/dL
TESTOSTERONE, FREE (2991-8) 316.4 Reference Range: 35.0-155.0 pg/mL
ESTRADIOL,ULTRASENSITIVE, LC/MS (35384-7) 60 Reference Range: < OR = 29 pg/mL
RED BLOOD CELL COUNT (789-8) 6.71 Reference Range: 4.20-5.80 Million/uL
HEMOGLOBIN (718-7) 19.1 Reference Range: 13.2-17.1 g/dL
HEMATOCRIT (4544-3) 58.1 Reference Range: 38.5-50.0 %
PLATELET COUNT (777-3) 213 Reference Range: 140-400 Thousand/uL

You left out a very big piece of information, how you feel. You certainly have room to decrease your dosage and you might not even notice the decrease since your Free T levels are well above the reference ranges.

The international recognized top end of the ranges for hematocrit is 54%. Hematocrit is one component to increasing blood thickness, high by itself isn’t very informative, now increase the platelet count and things start to change.

Polycythemia Vera is a blood disorder where there is a increase in all blood components, this condition causes an increase in platelets which clot. TRT causes a physiologic erythrocytosis just like what occurs at high altitude where olympians train to take advantage of increased oxygen carrying capacity.

So yeah your levels are high and might cause symptoms for some, but not for everyone and how you feel is more important than a lab number.

Speaking to your estradiol, mine is 62 pg/mL and I feel fine, but not everyone will feel ok. My hematocrit is 52+ and red blood cell is 6.1, hemoglobin 18 and again I feel fine.

So my next question is how do you feel and do you feel there is need for improvement?

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Quest range is notoriously low. If you feel good (as system said) then don’t change a thing

Thank you for the insight, to answer your question I feel mostly fine. I would expect I would be ‘up’ quickly and at random with these levels of Free T however it’s not at all like that. I don’t really have trouble getting up or performing but just not what I would expect…

So yes, for the most part I feel well. Thank you.

As systemlord noted I am going to reduce the dosage to 75 mg or so and see how if there’s any change in how I feel. I would like to see a bit more ‘balance’ in the RBC so if there is little to no change in how I feel at the lower dosage I will get some new labs in a few months and see if there is any difference. Meanwhile I’ll have to put off the doc at the VA… Thanks for the input…

Note that dosing changes induce hormonal fluctuations for 4-6 weeks at which time hormones stabilize and only then will labs have value.

As hormones are in flux you may notice a return of low-T symptoms on and off during this 4-6 week period.

You need to donate blood. Your hematocrit is high.