Just got my mini blood work results in (drawn before thurs injection), been on this particular protocol Test Cyp 160 mg for 12 weeks now splitting dose every 3.5D (Mon/Thurs) 80 mg IM:
Your libido swings because your E2 levels are probably swinging on weekly dosing. The oily skin is related to DHT and levels needed to decrease and more frequent injections is needed to lower both estrogen and DHT.
ED or EOD dosing will do the trick, but you need to bring the dose down somewhere in the high teens for daily dosing.
Absolutely, no reason why you can’t inject frequently, I’ve heard of high SHBG men finding success in daily dosing. When I was injecting twice weekly I had ache problems, ED and EOD dosing fix it.
When you change schedules that is going to throw off peak and trough measurements so you could actually end up doing a lower dosage and wind up with a higher result.
That’s what I hear, but I’m afraid of lowering my dose because I’ve had some really nice gains in the gym. Guess I’m over thinking it … 140 mg would do more you’re saying if I go EOD or ED?
Well I am saying not sure why you would change the dosing schedule if it is working. If you change the dosing schedule I don’t have any suggestions at this point cause your kind of starting all over, it completely changes the way T is absorbed into the blood stream.
If you stay at the once per week, which I think this lab work got taken with (?), lowering your dosage would bring your trough in and at about 700. You’re free t just over 160.
You might feel even better. You can always go back to the dosage you were on before.
But once you change the dosage schedule, that changes the curve and you may not feel as good.
Labs were taken on 160 mg split into two doses of 80 mg Mon and Thurs. I’m aware of changing dosing or injection frequency will put me in flux and I’ll have to wait another 6-8 weeks to be balanced again. Everyone is trending toward ED injections so I think and I’ve been told that ED/EOD would help me with my acne issue and libido swings. I’ve also been told that to have optimal Free Test it should be around 30+ ng/dl and I’m currently at 20. At the moment I feel good, but I want to feel great … I might be chasing unicorns … but I value your opinion because I’ve read that you’re in the industry. Thanks for your time.
It doesn’t really matter in the end it is a personal preference. I am just saying you are so close to getting dialed in now might be a good idea to stay on whatever injection frequency and reduce dosage 25%.
That would probably reduce half of your problems, the other half is just part of being on T. You’re going to get some acne, especially anywhere new hair follicles are forming.
So really that was my only point, you’re so close, finish dialing in on this schedule, and once you got it you can change your schedule to whatever you want it be and you don’t like it, you have something to fall back on.
I didn’t feel levels fluctuating on a daily protocol, I did on every other protocol. You should use these labs as a goalpost, you feel good, runs labs and see what this looks like on paper. If you increase your dosage and feel worse 6-8 weeks later, run labs to see what numbers to avoid.
Sooner or later you’ll notice what ranges you feel your best. The fact it takes a total weekly dosage of 160mg to get to 950, your dosages is above average so your injectable dosage will also be above average which is how I arrived at 17mg daily.
You could just lower your dosage, but I have no idea where your DHT and E2 sits.
I’d do eod injections. My shbg is similar, and I had some ups and down issues at e3.5 day also. I’ll add that back then used a little ai. That may have been the culprit, but today I do daily injections without any ups and downs. It’s a bit of a pain, but I can’t see changing what works so well.
I was on daily dosing and felt great for a while but decided like an idiot to try EOD and felt not near as good for 8 weeks and just started back on daily dosing and for the last week have felt much better. If you’re going to do one or the other I’d try daily first. It’s smooth. No ups or downs for me. It also keeps my T levels higher than less frequent doses and I put on my best gains while doing daily. I’m on 185mg week.
All signs of T dose is too high. Signs of E2 getting too high. EOD or Ed will just make that worse since your trough with be reduced. Just drop your T dose by 20% weekly and see where that takes you. Don’t over think this dropping your dose.
I never had acne in my life until I started trt and my back looked like an ant pile. It went away after about 6 months on its own. I don’t have any acne now.
Thanks guys … have a lot to think about. Like @dextermorgan I’ve never had issues with acne in my entire life till recently and its not even much to be honest. Will keep you guys posted on my decision and progress. VCD! (Vaya Con Dios)