Bloodwork & TRT Cheatsheet

Pharma TRT
141

I talked briefly to HAN last night, and he says its ok that LH and FSH are still elevated, as they have actually dropped considerably since prior to starting TRT, and may take longer to fall to zero since they were so highly elevated before…I agree, but it still doesn’t feel right…

I will be pushing for a pituitary MRI just to rule out a tumor secreting these things, and if that comes negative give it some time…

SCJ mentioned that maybe I just am meant to have a spartan like T-level…that would be pretty sweet!

142

Awesome thread read it once will read it again. There are some similarities with my results especially the LH/FSH,DHEA-S,Cholesterol… I’ll be taking some information from here onboard and try everything applicable.

Sounds like you are on the right track VT, good shit!

143

Got in the rest of my bloodwork…well, not all of it as I am still missing some things like pregnenolone and a couple others, but for all practical purposes, I can move forward with what I got. Since I posted my last update, I got in my Lipids, DHT, and Cortisol:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Akmuyi4-pdXKdDl1Qk1PYmYyVnRsbTlxZ2VOTHQ2VFE&hl=en_US&authkey=CN6whbYE

Lipids are still pretty fucked up.

DHT is still on the low side.

Cortisol is fine.

Current symptoms are:
-Very spotty erectile function. Libido is good, but dick is just not cooperating. Have some ideas about what to do for this below
-Get very fatigued around 5-6 pm most days. If I can power through this, I am good until bedtime, but that hour is overwhelming and I have to fight to not go take a nap as soon as I get home from work. Maybe coffee would help?

My concerns, aside from symptoms, are:
-FSH still double top of range with exogenous T. LH is still mid range despite same. This is not good, IMO.
-Lipids are still screwed up. Overall and LDL aren’t bad, but my HDL needs to improve.
-DHEA on low side, will start supplementing this to bring it up
-Ferritin is still lower, and I am still having some hypo symptoms (mostly low body temp) despite perfect thyroid hormones–could low iron/ferritin be contributing? Will probably start supplementing iron.
-ACTH is abysmal, but appears to be getting the job done as my Cortisol is good. Any need to be concerned about this?
-Hemoglobin and Hematocrit are still at the top of the range.
-Couple fatty acids were out of whack, mostly on the low side, but have no clue how to interpret this.

Addressing the ED issue ideas, in order that I plan to try them:
Step 1: Increase DHT by using proviron or applying androgel directly to nutsack
Step 2: Use of dopamine antagonist
Step 3: Therapeutic phlebotomy to decrease hematocrit levels, resulting in less viscous blood, promotoing better blood flow (this is very theoretical in nature, and I have no idea if it will work, but it makes sense in my head)

In the interim, I plan to run Cialis as a bandaid at 17.5 mg/week in 5 mg EOD doses.

I will also be switching from Arimidex to Aromasin–this should also help with lipids.

If none of these genius ideas work, then I am going to see out a urologist with a fellowship in andrology to really get down to business.

Still baffled by LH/FSH =/= Zero. I am going to get this retested very soon to see if it was just a timing issue (not waiting long enough after starting TRT for it to go to 0). I do not think it is a timing issue though, as 5 weeks or so should be plenty of time. I will also be pushing for a pituitary MRI to rule out an andemona. If MRI is fine, and time still has not adjusted it to 0, then I will be pushing for an increase in Test dose until they fall to 0.

Thoughts appreciated.

144

First off, a caveat: IMO you are starting to put a little too much importance on bloodwork and not enough on symptoms. No one is ever going to be in the perfect spot of the lab range for every blood value. Symptom-wise, it sounds like you are getting a lot better, as you are down to two non-debilitating symptoms.

-ED - Strongly suspect this is DHT-related, which I’m sure you suspect as well. I’m curious how your DHT was so high in your first lab, perhaps a lab error? Other than that, your T values are the highest they’ve ever been and your DHT hasn’t gone up significantly, meaning your 5a-r reaction probably isn’t looking good.

-brief fatigue- This confuses me because you have good lab values… what time was your cortisol drawn? I think I remember you saying 10am is usual for you, just double checking to help me interpret it. That said, maybe you have like 85% functioning adrenals and it is enough just to get you mostly through the day.

Another idea is increased RT3. My reasoning is that your FT3 has stayed the same while FT4 has gone up from mid-range to top-range, which might signify increased FT4->RT3 conversion (unfortunately, you only have one other lab with all of FT4, FT3, and RT3 done at once, so this is largely random speculation).

Other random thoughts:
FSH/LH - at least they are trending in the right direction. I can’t help but wonder if they are higher than most TRT-users because of your surgery. I don’t know why this would happen but that’s the main disconnect between you and the average TRTer. Also, (repeating myself) you might just normally want high T… it’s not like those FSH/LH values aren’t moving. They are moving in the right direction, they just aren’t zero yet.

Low ferritin can cause your hypothyroid sypmtoms - Iron and hypothyroidism - Stop The Thyroid Madness

145

The only reason I’m emphasizing some of the bloodwork is because it doesn’t make sense…Like why LH/FSH are still elevated, when they should be at 0. We are retesting this week, so that should shed some light on whether they are still moving, but I suspect they will still be high.

Good point about Rt3, I will keep that in mind…that is one of the ones still outstanding from this round of blood tests actually–it should be in at some point

This bloodwork was done at about 9 am, the rest were around 10 am.

Had my follow up consultation today. HAN spent about an hour with me going over all my issues and discussing them in depth–we pretty much addressed everything. The following is germane:

I am going to get the following blood tests done this week:
-LH
-FSH
-Total T
-Free T
-DHT
-SHBG
-E2
-Methyl Melonic Acid (B-12 test)
-MTHFR (rule out genetic mutation)
-CD57 STicker Panel (Inflammation markers, also a Lyme test??)
-ANA Complete Panel (Auto Immune markers)

The last 4 tests are way outside my realm of knowledge.

We are going to make the following changes to my protocol/supplements:
-Increase weekly T dose to 120 mg/week–hesitant to push it too high because of RBC, hematocrit, & hemoglobin
-Switch from Arimidex to Aromasin @ 12.5 mg MWF to help with lipids, more androgenic effects
-DHEA @ 25 mg/day to get DHEA-S up & backfill progesterone pathways (retest in 4 weeks: DHEA + CBC + Androgen Hormones)
-Glutamine @ 25-30 g/day (4 divided doses) for gut health
-1-2 Super Digestive Enzyme Capsules at each meal for digestive help
-1-2 Beta Hydrochloride Capsules at each meal for digestive help
-Niacin @ 500 mg before bed for HDL levels
-Reserveratrol (Biotest brand at bottle recommended dosage)
-5 Methyl Folates to increase Nitric Oxide for E.D. (LEF brand)
-Possible N-Acetyl Tyrosine at 500-1000 mg between 5-6 pm if I feel like I’m crashing

The glutamine & digestive enzymes/BHCL are a result of my fatty acid and amino acid tests, which show that I’m not really absorbing nutrients very well. He was baffled by the fact that I eat so much red meat (at least a pound a day) and supplement with a ton of healthy fats (fish oil @ 6 g minimum, coconut oil, butter, guac, olive oil, etc.) that my fatty acids were so low. This will help me start absorbing better.

Niacin should help with HDL levels.

I am not fully convinced yet on the last 3 supplements, and will likely hold off on them for now just to avoid making so many drastic changes at once. They were essentially band-aids for the real issues anyway, so its possible once the root causes are addressed, they won’t be necessary.

HAN also mentioned something called a Penis Doppler test, which sounds funny, but apparently measures the muscles and blood flow associated with your johnson…I need to do more research into that…

He shot down my idea of getting therapeutic phlebotomy in order to lower hematocrit levels so blood flows more freely, to possibly help with the E.D. issues. Apparently this can sink your iron/ferritin levels. I may still pursue this if the other options don’t work.

He said they would be open to prescribing androgel if symptoms don’t improve, but he is optimistic that these changes will improve symptoms by optimizing everything in the chain without putting on a band aid.

Also was told the doctor can’t script me an MRI for the pituitary and that would have to be done by my primary doctor. I don’t have a primary doctor, so that will make things a little more challenging. Going to wait for this week’s blood tests to come back and track LH/FSH before pursuing that option.

146

Bloodwork for 9/2/11 is in:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Akmuyi4-pdXKdDl1Qk1PYmYyVnRsbTlxZ2VOTHQ2VFE&authkey=CN6whbYE&hl=en_US&authkey=CN6whbYE

-LH/FSH still elevated, though FSH has come down considerably.
-Test has fallen to 550, with Free and Bio T actually lower than they were when I first started down this path in June 2010.
-E2 only rose from 28->29, despite cutting out Arimidex 10 days prior to test.

Blood was drawn at Noon on Friday after Wednesday morning injection of 30 mg/test and no Arimidex for 10-11 days prior.

I theorize the drop in T is attributable to the timing of the test. Since my own natural production is not shutdown as indicated by LH/FSH values, I am able to make a bit which was reflected in my previous labwork in August.

I am still concerned that LH/FSH are still > 0. FSH has fallen considerably, but could be a timing of the test. LH remains relatively unchanged.

No clue why my doctor won’t do an MRI of the pituitary just to rule that out. I will be pushing for that harder, and if it comes back negative, then an increase in T dose.

I had stopped taking Arimidex as a test to see if it was causing the ED issues…I started seeing immediate improvement in a few days, but by Day 16 or so (after the blood test), the improvements reversed and it was back to ED…I began taking Arimidex at 0.25 mg 2x/week with my shots (which I also moved to 2x/week @ 60 mg/each) and this has made a good difference.

Started Niacin and DHEA immediately following the blood test on 9/2.

The 500 mg Niacin prior to bed (along with ZMA I was taking before), along with the 50 mg/day DHEA (I accidentally bought 50 instead of 25) seem to be working synergistically and I am noticing improvement in overall mood and erection quality…

Began taking Digestive Enzymes (2 caps per meal) on 9/12. These seem to be creating some response as I stay hungry after eating, which is a somewhat strange feeling. Have not started taking the Beta HCL yet–will probably start that at the first of October when I get back from vacation. Same deal with the glutamine.

I also tested positive for the MTHFR Gene Mutation. The report says I am positive for one copy (heterozygous) of the A1298C Mutation and negative/normal for the C677T mutation.

I have no idea what this means. A quick online search indicates that those with the C677T mutation with accompanying Erectile Dysfunction were able to treat it successfully with B6 and Folic Acid. Not sure if this is applicable to my mutation or not, but worth looking into if symptoms don’t improve.

ANA Screen, IFA was Negative

All the tests associated with CD57 were in range, but no idea how to interpret any of that.

They have not yet returned my test for Methymelonic Acid and DHT. I’m highly considering switching from Quest to Labcorp for future bloodwork once I get everything better lined out.

Ordering Aromasin this week. Have not been using Cialis.

147

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
Bloodwork for 9/2/11 is in:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Akmuyi4-pdXKdDl1Qk1PYmYyVnRsbTlxZ2VOTHQ2VFE&authkey=CN6whbYE&hl=en_US&authkey=CN6whbYE

-LH/FSH still elevated, though FSH has come down considerably.
-Test has fallen to 550, with Free and Bio T actually lower than they were when I first started down this path in June 2010.
-E2 only rose from 28->29, despite cutting out Arimidex 10 days prior to test.

Blood was drawn at Noon on Friday after Wednesday morning injection of 30 mg/test and no Arimidex for 10-11 days prior.

I theorize the drop in T is attributable to the timing of the test. Since my own natural production is not shutdown as indicated by LH/FSH values, I am able to make a bit which was reflected in my previous labwork in August.

I am still concerned that LH/FSH are still > 0. FSH has fallen considerably, but could be a timing of the test. LH remains relatively unchanged.

No clue why my doctor won’t do an MRI of the pituitary just to rule that out. I will be pushing for that harder, and if it comes back negative, then an increase in T dose.

I had stopped taking Arimidex as a test to see if it was causing the ED issues…I started seeing immediate improvement in a few days, but by Day 16 or so (after the blood test), the improvements reversed and it was back to ED…I began taking Arimidex at 0.25 mg 2x/week with my shots (which I also moved to 2x/week @ 60 mg/each) and this has made a good difference.

Started Niacin and DHEA immediately following the blood test on 9/2.

The 500 mg Niacin prior to bed (along with ZMA I was taking before), along with the 50 mg/day DHEA (I accidentally bought 50 instead of 25) seem to be working synergistically and I am noticing improvement in overall mood and erection quality…

Began taking Digestive Enzymes (2 caps per meal) on 9/12. These seem to be creating some response as I stay hungry after eating, which is a somewhat strange feeling. Have not started taking the Beta HCL yet–will probably start that at the first of October when I get back from vacation. Same deal with the glutamine.

I also tested positive for the MTHFR Gene Mutation. The report says I am positive for one copy (heterozygous) of the A1298C Mutation and negative/normal for the C677T mutation.

I have no idea what this means. A quick online search indicates that those with the C677T mutation with accompanying Erectile Dysfunction were able to treat it successfully with B6 and Folic Acid. Not sure if this is applicable to my mutation or not, but worth looking into if symptoms don’t improve.

ANA Screen, IFA was Negative

All the tests associated with CD57 were in range, but no idea how to interpret any of that.

They have not yet returned my test for Methymelonic Acid and DHT. I’m highly considering switching from Quest to Labcorp for future bloodwork once I get everything better lined out.

Ordering Aromasin this week. Have not been using Cialis.
[/quote]

Having pre existing medical condition and taking higher then normal DHEA may be putting your self into a potential dangerous position. Lowering it to 25 mgs a day will make a major effect on e2. When people have altered methylation then one has to be super caution with DHEA because they may be setting them selves up for possible complication of having altered estrogen metabolism (which may have put them in their position in the first place.). Dr agreed on MRI and will commence this being faxed to the hospital as indicated. No medical professional in a million years would have picked up on your mutation which could increase your chances of cancer, diabetes, and other heart issues later on in life. Lab corp reports come in quick and are easy to gain access on line in so they can be passed on to the patient in a timely matter. For dealing with e2 issue I am find a huge alteration in methylation due to altered gene. I had major estrogen issues, but it was not until I balanced my methylation and liver pathways till I was able to discontinue my AI. Boosting the level to 60 mgs 2 times a week will allow for compensating for not having HCG. Again fining the least amount of T to get the most benefit is the overall goal with least side effects. Current the digestion will help alot of symptoms which are not corrected by HRT. Lowering the DHEA will also help to control the e2 lowering the need for AI, but getting enough DHEA to get biological benefit.

148

We are upping my weekly T dose to 160 mg in two divided shots of 80 mg (Mon morning/Thurs night). Goal is to increase DHT (which came back at 27 on a 25 range last lab).

Aromasin is in the mail and I should have it today. Plan to start at 12.5 mg/week in two divided doses (with injections). Been taking 0.25 mg/week of Adex but crash if I take more than that.

Beginning “gut repair” protocol with glutamine, digestive enzymes, and Beta HCL on Monday.

Plan to have pituitary MRI performed on Friday.

149

Just a quick update. Been on the 160 mg/week (80 mg 2x/week) protocol now for over a month and have felt awesome. Part of that is probably due to switching from adex to aromasin–it does not crash my libido like the adex was. In fact, it seems to help it.

I was taking 12.5 mg Aromasin with my 2x weekly shots on Monday/Thursday, but by the time I was taking it I would see some drop off in libido and get a little bit of nipple sensitivity, so I have moved it to 3x weekly on MWF at 12.5 mg each time (37.5 mg/week total). Along with that I’m taking 10 mg Cialis. Things are going pretty well in the sexual department with insane libido and good quality erections–the only problem is that I’m having trouble ejaculating when I’m with my girl. Not so much solo so this could just be a mental thing since sexual function was all jacked up for so long. Hoping to come through that very soon.

Overall, I can’t complain about anything and feel like I’m finally dialed in pretty well. Strength has been good–I actually hit a 1488 raw total in my PL meet a couple weeks ago which was pretty exciting. Just started a 3 month conditioning/fat loss program tonight and am hoping to lean out a bit going into the new year before getting back into PL training.

Also got the results back from my pituitary MRI tonight–it was clean, so there is no andenoma secreting LH/FSH or prolactin or anything up there…everything is good in that department…so depending on my LH/FSH this next blood draw (which I intend to get in the next couple weeks) I may be pushing for more T if they are both still elevated.

Starting to develop a new theory based on my own unique case that maybe its best to find the T dosage that lets LH/FSH = 0, then back off that a bit to retain LH/FSH secretion naturally and thus avoid the need for hcg? May not hold water, but seems to be rather applicable to me since I still have not needed hcg with my active LH/FSH and rather high (in TRT standards) Test dosage.

Have not begun gut repair protocol yet. Life got in the way. Will work out the details for that this week and start sometime soon.

150

About time to give this thread an update. Blood collected on 5 December came back with mostly good news:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Akmuyi4-pdXKdDl1Qk1PYmYyVnRsbTlxZ2VOTHQ2VFE&authkey=CN6whbYE

Good:
-Total T/Free/Bio T look good
-E2 is perfect
-Pretty good thyroid
-DHT is rising
-LH/FSH have finally bottomed out, for the most part

[somewhat] Bad:
-DHEA still low despite supplement
-Cortisol could be better
-Vitamin D needs to be higher

Ugly:
-Cholesterol (ugh)
-Hemoglobin/Hematocrit

Protocol for test was:
-160 mg Test-C (80 mg M-Th)
-37.5 mg Aromasin (12.5 mg MWF)
-30 mg Cialis (10 mg MWF)
-Vitamin D (6000 iu/day)
-Vitamin B12 (1000 ug/day)
-DHEA (50 mg/day)
-Other health supplements

Overall feeling great. No longer getting the midday crash that I was. Still some lingering sexual issues which is very frustrating. Hard for 10 minutes or so, then nothing. No clue what’s going on there but the cialis seems to be doing very little in that department now.

Also some soreness in my testicle due to the LH shutdown. We are going to use HCG at 150 iu twice a week (day before injections). Goal is to just restore testicle fullness and not as big of a dose since I only have one testicle.

Doc thinks my DHEA wasn’t being absorbed properly since I wasn’t taking it with fats as it is fat soluble. Going to add fats with it going forward and retest–if no improvement then we will move to sublingual drops which are more expensive.

To address cholesterol:
-add some steady state cardio 2-3x/week to improve aerobic conditioning
-apple cider vinegar @ 2-3 tbsp/day [Note: this was also to address high blood pressure issues, which turned out to not be high…the cuff they were using at my doctor was too small and they took it on my forearm which is retarded…Red Cross measured it at 122/84 the other day, which is fine]
-CoQ10 with ubiquotal @ 100 mg/day

Going to kick my Vitamin D up to 8,000 iu/day for the winter. Front loaded it at 15k iu/day for a few days.

To address hemoglobin:
-Regular blood donations

I gave blood at the Red Cross yesterday and just feel beat up today. Didn’t really seem to do anything positive for me, so not really sure what effect this is going to have.

Can’t complain really.

151

Forgot to mention that on the next round of tests we will include FT3/FT4/RT3 as a precaution but nothing to worry about IMO.

152

Have you tried Niacin for your CHOL?
Pregnenolone can help with DHEA (depending on how your system handles conversions).

153

[quote]PureChance wrote:
Have you tried Niacin for your CHOL?
Pregnenolone can help with DHEA (depending on how your system handles conversions).[/quote]

Oops forgot to mention that. I was taking 500 mg Niacin before bed every night. It raised my HDL a little, but that could also just be lab variation. Moved it up to 1 g/night now so we’ll see if that improves at all.

I was using an expensive compounded preg for a while and it didn’t do anything for me, so I discontinued it.

Thanks man.

154

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:

Ugly:
-Cholesterol (ugh)
[/quote]

Both Adex and Aromasin have deleterious effects on CHOL. However, don’t focus on total CHOL. You really want to keep an eye on the relationship between HDL which is inversely correlated with CHD and TRIG which are directly correlated with CHD. Your TRIG’s are down and HDL is steady, so things aren’t as ugly as they appear.

What kind of diet do you follow?

155

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:

[quote]PureChance wrote:
Have you tried Niacin for your CHOL?
Pregnenolone can help with DHEA (depending on how your system handles conversions).[/quote]

Oops forgot to mention that. I was taking 500 mg Niacin before bed every night. It raised my HDL a little, but that could also just be lab variation. Moved it up to 1 g/night now so we’ll see if that improves at all.

I was using an expensive compounded preg for a while and it didn’t do anything for me, so I discontinued it.

Thanks man.[/quote]

Seems like you have dialed it down pretty well according to numbers. How do you feel compared to the way you felt in September? Just curious if the better numbers have actually made you feel better in real life?

Was there any major change in diet supplementation in the 5.6.11 blood test? Your trigs (92) were under control then compared to the other blood tests.

I suffer from the same, abysmal HDL, higher LDL, with total Cholesterol very similar to yours. Be interesting to see if the raise in Niacin will improve HDL levels.

156

Pan: Very true–these were the ones that I was mostly concerned about. I don’t give a damn about total CHOL (ranges are monkeyed about by the drug companies) and I don’t understand LDL well enough to worry about it, but I do undersatnd the benefits of having good HDL and low TRIG. I’m hoping the Niacin will raise HDL and a better diet will help with TRIG.

I follow mostly a powerlifter diet. Meat makes up the bulk of my calories, but I eat pretty shitty a couple days a week, but definitely not as bad as the average American. Carbs are mostly rice, potatoes, oats. Don’t drink a lot of soda, indulge in one every now and again. Dont really pass on dessert if its there.

iroc: I feel tons better now than in September. Aside from my seasonal depression, things are bang on. Libido is much improved and general drive is better. Sense of well being is excellent.

In May, I was working with Shelby Starnes on dieting and following a very clean diet which would likely explain the low TRIG at that point. I’m starting back up with him next week, so perhaps that will help.

I’m also hopeful the CoQ10 and Apple Cider Vinegar will bring about positive changes

157

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
Pan: Very true–these were the ones that I was mostly concerned about. I don’t give a damn about total CHOL (ranges are monkeyed about by the drug companies) and I don’t understand LDL well enough to worry about it, but I do undersatnd the benefits of having good HDL and low TRIG. I’m hoping the Niacin will raise HDL and a better diet will help with TRIG.

I follow mostly a powerlifter diet. Meat makes up the bulk of my calories, but I eat pretty shitty a couple days a week, but definitely not as bad as the average American. Carbs are mostly rice, potatoes, oats. Don’t drink a lot of soda, indulge in one every now and again. Dont really pass on dessert if its there.

iroc: I feel tons better now than in September. Aside from my seasonal depression, things are bang on. Libido is much improved and general drive is better. Sense of well being is excellent.

In May, I was working with Shelby Starnes on dieting and following a very clean diet which would likely explain the low TRIG at that point. I’m starting back up with him next week, so perhaps that will help.

I’m also hopeful the CoQ10 and Apple Cider Vinegar will bring about positive changes[/quote]

Awesome news man! In regards to CoQ10 I hear that a lot of people have issues with absorption. So apparently CoQH is on the market and is supposed to be a lot better. Just thought I would make mention of this if you might not have been aware. I guess if you find out that regular CoQ10 is not helping as much you can look into CoQH.

158

Absorption issues are going to be next investigation, just a good once over to see how things are healing at the GI level.

159

Time to dust this old thread off and give an update.

Overall things are going great. I’m competing at a moderate level in powerlifting again (1543 total in my meet a couple weeks ago in the 275 pound weight class, 562 squat, 380 bench, 601 deadlift) after spending most of the first part of the year shedding some unwanted bodyfat and leaning out. Things have gone great in that regard–got stronger while getting leaner. Gettin ready to start a mass gaining program & diet to push the weight up while maintaining as much leanness as possible.

Energy is good, life outlook is good. Somewhat short tempered (as anyone who has seen me post regularly can tell you!) but that’s mainly just with stupid people. I’m thinking clearly and things are going well at work.

Sexually, lots of improvement. Good erections but somewhat spotty desire. Just could take it or leave it a lot of the time.

I went and got bloodwork done this Thursday and I will post results when they’re ready. Have a meeting set up with my doctor in Philly on the 13th of July. Hopefully Quest won’t dick around this time and will get my results in by then. If not, I will switch to Labcorp.

This is the protocol I have been following:
-Test Cyp: 200 mg/week (100x Mon-Thu)
-Aromasin: 25 mg/week (12.5 mg Mon-Thu)
-No HCG

Supplement wise:
-Vitamin D: 6-8k iu/day (I have been forgetting to take this consistently)
-Fish Oils: at least 5 g/day, sometimes more
-Biotest Superfood
-Biotest Elite Pro Mineral Support
-Niacin: 1 g/night
-Multi-vitamin
-lots and lots of protein

I have been doing the “Gut-Repair Protocol” I mentioned a few pages ago for the past week. Goal is to repair the lining of the stomach in case it was damaged by the cancer cortisol response and hormone crash. This will only last a couple more weeks:
-Glutamine: 10g 3x/day
-Digestive Enzymes: 2/meal (4 meals daily)
-Beta HCL: 2/meal (4 meals daily)
-CoQ10

Will post results when they arrive.

160

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
Time to dust this old thread off and give an update.

Overall things are going great. I’m competing at a moderate level in powerlifting again (1543 total in my meet a couple weeks ago in the 275 pound weight class, 562 squat, 380 bench, 601 deadlift) after spending most of the first part of the year shedding some unwanted bodyfat and leaning out. Things have gone great in that regard–got stronger while getting leaner. Gettin ready to start a mass gaining program & diet to push the weight up while maintaining as much leanness as possible.

Energy is good, life outlook is good. Somewhat short tempered (as anyone who has seen me post regularly can tell you!) but that’s mainly just with stupid people. I’m thinking clearly and things are going well at work.

Sexually, lots of improvement. Good erections but somewhat spotty desire. Just could take it or leave it a lot of the time.

I went and got bloodwork done this Thursday and I will post results when they’re ready. Have a meeting set up with my doctor in Philly on the 13th of July. Hopefully Quest won’t dick around this time and will get my results in by then. If not, I will switch to Labcorp.

This is the protocol I have been following:
-Test Cyp: 200 mg/week (100x Mon-Thu)
-Aromasin: 25 mg/week (12.5 mg Mon-Thu)
-No HCG

Supplement wise:
-Vitamin D: 6-8k iu/day (I have been forgetting to take this consistently)
-Fish Oils: at least 5 g/day, sometimes more
-Biotest Superfood
-Biotest Elite Pro Mineral Support
-Niacin: 1 g/night
-Multi-vitamin
-lots and lots of protein

I have been doing the “Gut-Repair Protocol” I mentioned a few pages ago for the past week. Goal is to repair the lining of the stomach in case it was damaged by the cancer cortisol response and hormone crash. This will only last a couple more weeks:
-Glutamine: 10g 3x/day
-Digestive Enzymes: 2/meal (4 meals daily)
-Beta HCL: 2/meal (4 meals daily)
-CoQ10

Will post results when they arrive.
[/quote]

Congrats on those numbers very impressive! They are raw numbers right?

Sounds like you are well on your way to a nice recovery. I think you have been supplementing with CoQ 10 for a while now? Are you by chance getting the CoQ 10 profile blood test to measure your levels? I would be interested to hear your result if you are absorbing it? Did you ever get baseline values measured before supplementing?

The reason why I am interested is that I read many people have issues with absorbtion and if so CoQH is a much better alternative as far as absorbtion is concerned. It does cost a bit more and I wonder if it is worth it. Or if this is just another marketing gimmick.