My doc introduced 100mg Test Cyp every week for the last 9 months for TRT. Everything is great, except at about the 4 month mark i started getting spots on my shoulders and triceps.
Looking at stereotypical side effects, that seems to suggest high estrogen levels. Yet my estrogen levels are low.
My doc thinks its the skin just sensitive and has given me vitamin B oil to rub in, 4 months later and that’s not working.
Regardless of whether any of the above theories are wrong. What else should I be looking at?
[quote]KSman wrote:
This is not unusual. Some of this might be transient to some degree. Estrogen is not the cause, mostly T and DHT.
Did you get any of this with your use of MGF and hGH?
Can you post lab work: See the advice for new guys sticky.
[/quote]
thanks for the response KSman.
I didn’t use MGF, but used the HGH with no ill effect.
I went along to the clinic this morning to collect my last labs taken in September. The acne started before then. I’m not due for more tests for another 3/4 months.
These figures are based on 100mg Test Cyp per week. The doc wasn’t happy with these figures so increased it to 140mg per week.
T-Test - 19.26 range 9.9-27.8 nmol/l
SHBG - 38.3 range 14.5-48.4 nmol/l
Free Test - 375.6 range 174-729 pmol/l
E2 <75 range 75-175 pmol/l - E2 rated as Low
DHEAS - 2.98 range 4.34-12.2 umol/l
Cortisol - 301 range 184-618 nmol/l
PSA - 0.75 range 0.01-2.50 ug/l
Vit D3 - 55.4 range >30ng/ml is Optimal
What are you doing about DHEA?
How often were you injecting and when were labs done relative to prior injection?
The lower cut-off point for E2 is leaving you blind.
[quote]KSman wrote:
What are you doing about DHEA?
How often were you injecting and when were labs done relative to prior injection?
The lower cut-off point for E2 is leaving you blind.[/quote]
The doc didn’t mention the DHEA and so nothing is being done about it.
Injecting once per week and these results were taken 1 day prior to next injection.
I’m not sure what I can do about the low cut off point for E2. I will try and speak to the labs directly and see if they can give me an exact figure.
Your increased T dose may take E2 into the resolution range of the lab test.
*** Read the protocol for injections sticky. ***
Try injecting twice a week and do labs half way between injections. Changes in lab timing will affect the results and create uncertainty.
Injecting once a week and testing after 6-7 days is not good practice, even if doctors think it is.
Can you get DHEA there? It is sold like vitamins here, cheap and available. TRT can lower pregnenolone production in the testes and that lowers DHEA as preg is used to make that in the adrenals. And low DHEA can also suggest weak adrenals.
[quote]KSman wrote:
Your increased T dose may take E2 into the resolution range of the lab test.
*** Read the protocol for injections sticky. ***
Try injecting twice a week and do labs half way between injections. Changes in lab timing will affect the results and create uncertainty.
Injecting once a week and testing after 6-7 days is not good practice, even if doctors think it is.
Can you get DHEA there? It is sold like vitamins here, cheap and available. TRT can lower pregnenolone production in the testes and that lowers DHEA as preg is used to make that in the adrenals. And low DHEA can also suggest weak adrenals.
[/quote]
I will re-read the injection stickies. Originally my doc told me to do 200mg every 2 weeks, and it was only through reading more on blood plasma levels etc that I changed to 100mg every week.
I can get DHEA suppplements, how good they are I don’t know and there are very few who sell it. Is there anything specific I should look out for with regards to DHEA supps - dosing/quality etc?
I spoke to the Chemical Pathologist at the company which performed the blood tests. Unfortunately due to the prevalence of high estrogen in the majority of those tested, the labs testing protocol is very unreliable for low estrogen. He said that one of my readings was picked up at 45, but because the test is so unreliable at the low end, it could be 15 or it could be 69!
I will maybe look at having some blood tests done on a long distance basis, depending on cost, and send to somewhere with outside of SA with a better testing procedure.