TRT Water Retention

I’m currently on TRT and have been ever since I turned in my late 20s and I’m 30 next year. Had low T in my late 20s and went to a doc to check my levels

These days I’m only running 200mg a week of test cyp. I’ve noticed some water retention even though I am still losing weight but have been retaining a bit of water every few days

I’m guessing this is actually estrogen and I need to add in dex or asin soon. Any thoughts?

I’m aware 200mg is kind of up there for replacement levels etc but so far it works for me

Also, are we allowed to post blood work on Tnation?

Of course, I would black out names and such though. how long you been on 200mg? I tried 200mg every 10 days once and it was way too much, talk about your blood pressure and BPM skyrocketing! So far 75mg weekly seems like a safe bet.

What are your stats?

I’m at 2x injections a week = 200mg test cyp

I’ve had no blood pressure issues or heart rate problems. Also the injections are separated by 4 days

Cyp stays in the body a long time and I like injection half ml twice a week for rough total of about 200mg a week,.

I’m on the same protocol for now. I’m only a month in though. I had my first blood test yesterday so we shall see. I’ve had some water retention as well so I’ll probably need more anastrozole. I’m currently taking .25 mg the day after injection. Dosing 100mg twice weekly. So yes, I would say you need some sort of AI.

1 Like

You need labs for anybody to actually give you a validated response. Otherwise its a guess, but a very educated guess. You are taking way too much test… all of you unless you have labs dictating otherwise. For 95% of the population that’s going to put you well above normal ranges of test levels. TRT is meant to be optimal not low dose cycling. With that much T and no AI your E2 levels have got to be sky high. Take some tests for TT, Free T, E2, SHBG at a minimum. We can see whats going on from there.

1 Like

Need lab ranges with lab results.
Please post all lab work, not just T and E2

Most guys need 1mg anastrozole for every 100mg T. However, some are anastrozole over-responders who need 1/4th that amount. No way to know in advance.

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.

I have new blood work in a few days

Also, I might need to consider dropping my dosage anyway.

I thought I was ready for b/c :slight_smile:
I’ll see what I can do about starting AI and adding in HCG eod

Lucky for me I have both dex and asin. I’m not a fan of letro so I stay away from letrozole

These are my levels pre - trt

I have some new bloods coming in soon, just wanted to review these levels.

Estradiol (E2) 16.9 Spectrum is 7.6-42.6
Total Testosterone 219 Spectrum 280-1100ng/dl
Sex hormone bind globulin 11 Spectrum 10-80
Free testosterone 5.96 Spectrum 1.9-27ng/dl

T3 -free 4.0 1.8-4.6 normal
T4- total 9.1 5-14 normal
TSH- 1.3 0.27 - 4.2 normal
thyroid peroisdase 12.6

Do you have a range for this?

LH/FSH not tested, so you do not know primary vs secondary and cannot test now.

SHBG is very low. Sometimes this goes along with diabetes, but often simply is low. This is why TT was low and FT still in range.

I noticed your protocol is the same as mine, 100mg twice weekly with the .25 anastrazole. I too am retaining water like a mother, in my feet horribly and up to my knees. There rest of my body has some, but very minor. I can hardly put shoes on! I was wondering if you have figured out what the issue is in the last year. My doctor is prescribing me more AI, but this is only my third month. I’ve had this swelling for almost the whole time, so i think if it was gonna go away it would have by now. My estradiol level is only 29.1 so I’m worried more AI won’t help. But I’ve had bloodwork done, saw my PCP, and i now drink almost a gallon of water daily, and everyone is clueless why I’m so swollen. I feel great on TRT, but if i can’t get the swelling to stop, I guess I will be returning to tired, weak, sleepy old me and giving up the TRT. Thank you for your time.

Google → Water Retention Caused by Testosterone May Have Nothing to Do with Estradiol

Thank you for replying. Do you have any ideas what could it be? I’ve had cardiovascular check up, and bloodwork done, and everyone’s clueless.

Unfortunately most doctors are clueless. The only doctors who excel at all thing thyroid and TRT are private, they don’t take insurance. Insurance doctors don’t have time to figure it out, they have 30 patients to see in a day. The doctors that can figure it out are below. The do advice only consults as well as full time patients.

Dr. Crisler
Dr. Robert Kominiarek
Dr. Saya

1 Like

Oh thank you so much for your time and advice. I was getting desperate because I really don’t want to stop TRT. I actually have energy again for the first time in a decade!

@ddeemie Drinking a large amount of water is a symptom of well developed diabetes. [Low SHBG is also possibly related to diabetes.]

With E2=29 and a target of E2=22, modify anastrozole dose by a factor of 29/22. So 0.25mg X 29/22 = 0.33mg

To get arbitrary doses of anastrozole, dissolve in vodka, 1mg/ml and dispense by volume or by the drop. Dropper bottle suggested.

This should be in your own thread so you do not loose it.

Please create a thread for your case and post all available lab work with ranges as well as whatever TRT protocol you are on.

Thank you so much KSman! I have only been drinking that much because I’ve read it is supposed to help with water retention. I will learn how to create a thread and state my case and issue as soon as I’m back home, where I have access to my labwork. I just saw this and had to thank you for your advice. I guess I should have believed the doctor about upping my Anastrozole dose. I was just nervous because I really don’t want to stop TRT because I was miserable before I started. Again, thank you so much KSman, you’ve put my mind at ease!

There was a study that showed a decrease in Aldosterone in mice when injected with Test. I also read another study that was talking about how it affected human aldosterone.

There is a thread in another forum, where the gentleman is describing being bloated, and retaining water. He thinks his aldosterone is out of whack. Might be something to look into.

Thank you alphagunner, I appreciate your time. I will look into that. Is that a bloodtest, like a T test, that I request?

Yes. There are probably some other ones they will order as well.

Most these threads come empty, either these people find solutions and disappear or give up. I am dealing with the same, trying to keep it tight but whatever I do. i am bloated with test, without test I am not bloated but damn terrible feeling.

I am trying 0.5 mg Arimidex ED now lets see in about a week or so… damn it, how the hell in 2018 we still did not figure this shit out.