Hi male 61 5-11 173lbs. started TRT August 2017. I am new to the forum and I wanted to introduce myself. I have been getting a lot of information from this forum since I started TRT about 20 months ago. My journey started weighing 204lbs. and badly out of shape also depression with a bad relationship. I got my blood tested my testosterone was 230 from LabCorp 264-916 ng/dL range. I constantly travel so I got with a clinic that I could do my own injections. I improved my diet started lifting weights with cardio 5 times a week staying with it religiously. The doctor started me with 100 mg Cyp 1 time a week and 500 IU HCG every 3.5 days. All went well the weight started coming off and I added muscle tone. My pant waist size went from a snug 36 to a 32 and my current body fat is 18% using the bod pod. I just got my latest blood work and I have some areas of concern which I will post later. I am happy I went on therapy but I sure I need to make some adjustments so I will post my results a little later and ask for advice. Thanks hope everyone else good luck and good results
Welcome roadgambler,
We would like to see at a minimum Total T, Free T, SHBG and estrogen. Once weekly injections may not be optimal for you, the half life of T-cypionate on average is 7 days, so by 7 days testosterone levels are half what they were in the first few days.
Perhaps consider splitting up your injections to maintain steadier levels and higher troughs at the end of the week. Some guys report feeling unwell be weeks end, usually injecting twice weekly evens things out.
You may just be having problems with elevated estrogen, if so splitting up your injections twice weekly is another way to deal with that little problem. If fertility is of no concern, HCG is not needed unless testicle atrophy bothers you. HCG increases estrogen and some men feel better without it.
Thanks for your reply. I have made the switch to injecting every 3.5 days splitting the dose about 4 months ago by ordering more syringes and needles through Amazon. I picked up on that from one of your replies through the forum and it did make me feel better. My results at the gym also improved as I did feel tired later in the week that was much improved. I wanted to add that I had my first blood work done 90 days after starting therapy and was told everything looked good. I went about a year and with no additional follow up bloodwork. I called the clinic and was told it was to early to recheck but everything I had read suggested I needed to get my numbers. I suspected my clinic was trying to save money by not ordering regular bloodwork as it was included in my monthly payment to the clinic. So 17 months in with no bloodwork I call them and tell them I’m having ED issues and that everything I read says I should be being checked. They agree email me some forms for a physical and bloodwork which I get done at the AFC urgent care. I don’t know how to send you the results so I will just type them out. WBC 4.6 good range 3.4-10.8. RBC 5.92 ( High ) range 4.14-5.80. Hemoglobin 15.6 good range 13.0-17.7. Hematocrit 49.9 range 37.5-51.0. MCV 84 good 79-87. MCH 26.4 ( Low ) 26.6-33.0. MCHC 31.3 ( Low ) 31.5-35.7. RDW 16.8 ( High ) 12.3-15.4. Testosterone 1184 ( High ) 264-916. Estradiol 7.1 ( Low ) 7.6-42.6. I did not see a Free T number or a SHGB number that you requested. Maybe they ordered an incomplete test for me to take. The numbers that stand out as problems are RBC, MCH, MCHC, RDW, Testosterone, Estradiol. I could be responsible for the low Estradiol number as I assumed it would be high because that seems to be a problem while taking T. I started taking 1000mg of Calcium d Glucarate 3 times daily about 4 months ago because I had read it would control estrogen. I got my blood results 2 days ago and I have stopped the Calcium d Glucarate as of yesterday. I also want to add that another doctor put me on Lipitor 20mg 3 months ago and I am on no other medications. High cholesterol runs in my family even with exercise and eating clean. Sorry for the long post I wanted to get everything out in the open.
Those who start TRT without proper testing usually are the ones running into problems. It also sounds like this clinic is doing only what they are required to do and nothing more, they don’t seem to care about managing your levels and making you feel your best, just want to take your money and provide little in the way of care.
We see this all the time and is quite common and is why these forums are so busy. Free T and SHBG are the most important tests for anyone on TRT, Free T is bioavailable and Total T is not bioavailable, Free T is where the rubber meets the road, SHBG is the balance between Total T and Free T.
At this point in time you’re working with a clinic that has no idea what they are doing and are unable to assist you in balancing your hormones so you can function normally. There’s a ton of these clinics out there that have no clue how to manage men on TRT because there isn’t much in the way of training out there to learn how to do TRT well.
There are only a handful of clinics who are knowledgeable enough to play this TRT game well.
Are you on an AI?
I talked to them today they tell me that the Testosterone I’m taking has something that reduces my estrogen mixed into the vial. He told me the next vial they were going to take that out and I would have to take a pill. I was told they wanted to raise my estrogen level that way. You are right about them shorting me on care I had to ask for labs that should have been provided months ago. You are also correct about people being on this site because of this very reason. I am willing to get my own bloodwork done with a full panel and I see I can order it online. I have to be able to self inject as I constantly travel and giving myself injections is not a problem. I just want to make sure I am in balance. The estrogen blocker being in with my testosterone is something I have not heard.
Anastrozole is mixed in with your testosterone cypionate, that’s why your estrogen so low, this is the wrong way to do TRT!
There some new studies out there that showing anastrozole removes minerals from your bones and only does harm and the fact they didn’t even tell you about it, well I wouldn’t want anything to do with them.
I’ll bet your estrogen must have been in a single digits for almost 2 years now. I would probably get a Dexa scan to check your bones.
I am going to agree with @systemlord here. There should not be an AI mixed in. That’s just stupid. You probably do not need an AI at all, and I would hesitate to take it initially, You should consider finding anyone else to supply you. I understand that in the US medicine is just another business, but you can find someone who is willing to make money off of things that help you instead of junk package sales.
Guys I have to thank you. I had no idea that I was on any AI and would have been doing long term damage if I hadn’t gotten worsening ED issues. That is why I started looking for answers on my own. I am going to get the Dexa scan you suggested and hope I haven’t done damage. It looks like it costs about $125 dollars. I am also going to get a more complete blood panel that will include Free Testosterone and SHGB. I will change providers. I won’t name names but the clinic I am using is national and I would think has many patients. Everything is done third party they don’t actually see you. Pretty much taking your money with minimal testing. I’m quite sure some other people that come to this site are on the same protocol from the same clinic.
My sister developed osteoporosis after menopause because of estrogen deprivation for years, the correct treatment ~ estrogen.
Whatever damage if any, estrogen can reverse.
Thanks for your replies and help. Does anyone have some suggestions for any way to get my estrogen up quickly. Supplement suggestions
You cannot increase estrogen for now because anastrozole blocks the aromatase enzymes from converting more testosterone–>estrogen. It’s going to take weeks to recover your estrogen and maybe longer to heal.
Your big problem is you can’t stop taking anastrozole without stopping injecting testosterone, in this case estrogen will not recover if there’s no testosterone to convert to estrogen.
The longer estrogen has been suppressed, usually the longer the recovery. There may even be an estrogen rebound effect which is unique to anastrozole, it was horrible for me but short lived.
This clinic really screwed you good! I would demand testosterone without anastrozole or threaten them with legal action.
I doubt this clinic proved there was a medical need for mixing anastrozole with the testosterone cypionate and were just interesting is selling product without a care in the world for your health.
Get some Test without the AI, and use that. You’ll probably be fine a week or so. Anastrozole has a short half-life, and the test you take will be converted soon enough. And remember, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Do not jump straight to the legal action threats, it just pisses people off and raises costs in the long run. If you are calm, you can usually get what you want with an explanation.
Please name names. That’s helpful