So 12 weeks into 85mg TRT I got labs back, protocol is E3D pin of 34mg and labs were taken on pin day morning before pin. I’m 215lbs 6ft and roughly 18% body fat.
Total T: 600 ng/dl
E2: 48 pg/ml
Free T: 173 pg/ml
Prolactin: 12 ug/L
TSH: 2.44 miu/L
RBC: 6.45 (4.5-6)
Hematocrit: 0.53 (0.4-0.5)
MCH: 26.7 (27.5-33)
B12: 940 pmol/L (138-652)
Ferritin: 27 ug/L (22-275)
Doc says she’s concerned over e2 and wants to add an AI at 0.25mg x2 weekly plus hcg to raise SHBG. The hcg I could entertain but I really would like to avoid the AI and I don’t want to increase pin frequency anymore than E3D as it would become too tedious. I’ve also added Ferris fumarate iron supplement to try and raise ferritin levels.
What are your thoughts on the labs? I feel pretty flat and lacking the energy and motivation I’ve experienced in the past plus feel kinda anxious and brain fog still.
HCG doesn’t increase SHBG. TRT doesn’t cause instant results, testosterone effects tissue over time and isn’t like medication where the effects are more immediate.
It would also help if you provided reference ranges for the Free T and included SHBG.
TRT drives my iron down until I become anemic and can tell you without enough iron I feel nothing from TRT until my ferritin is at least 80. Low iron will cause all sorts of metabolic abnormalities.
Your testosterone levels are most likely fine and all you need to do is get your ferritin and iron up.
The iron supplements will increase the hematocrit and hemoglobin and your hematocrit already at 0.53, but wait HCG will drive the hematocrit and hemoglobin higher by increasing intratesticular testosterone and estrogen.
Your doctor seems to be not a good fit for managing men on TRT.