Lab timing affects results. If nothing else changes, changes to timing will create different results because your levels change during the week.
Injecting twice a week really helps keep levels steadier.
Subq absorbs slower and levels are steadier again.
Suggest twice a week and always do labs halfway between injections. Get lab order and do labs two weeks before you see your doc then discuss labs, target levels and game plan.
With your weight, we expect that you might have higher T–>E2 and your problems can easily be E2 related. Most need ~ 1mg anastrozole per 100mg T to get near target 22pg/ml where most guys do well. Anastrozole need is driven by actual FT or Bio-T levels and amount of aromatase that itself will be higher because of your greater fat.
Estradiol was 55: Should be near 22pg/ml or 80 pmol/L
55pg/ml would be horrible and that can increase SHBG that messes with free testosterone.
You need 250iu hCG subq EOD to prevent sterility. If your testes are quite small now, could be too late. Get semen analysis.
Post all labs in list format with ranges.
TT
FT
E2
CBC
SHBG
fasting glucose
A1C
AM cortisol - at 8AM or 1 hour after waking up
Thyroid: May be able to skip these if iodine intake and body temperatures are good.
- TSH
- fT3 - not indirect indexes, be clear about what you want.
- fT4
See “oral body temperatures” below and post both sets of temperatures and discuss your history of using iodized salt.
With TRT, LH/FSH–>zero, testing was a waste of time+$
Zinc 50mg may be too much. Try 25mg. And use anastrozole to manage E2.
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.