@systemlord checked my blood pressure today came back 140/73 so it’s high. You think TRT burning away my stubborn fat would help with that?
Also for the sake of the thread got my prolactin back it’s mid range so not a concern. Next batch of bloods coming back in a week or so will be LH, FSH, free testosterone, progesterone, T3, free T4, and TSH, doctor didn’t wanna do reverse T3.
There are many things that can cause palpitations, water retention being one. Being overweight can increase water retention, too much T via the kidneys or high estrogen could cause water retention, in these cases injecting smaller doses more often will fix it in most cases.
If this doesn’t work, then hydrochlorothiazide (diuretics) used for edema can work well, but be careful as these medications can deplete potassium forcing you to need to supplement moderate doses to keep potassium from being crushed.
T3 is obsolete, Free T3 testing shows how many thyroid hormone are making it into the cells. I’ve seen men with normal T3 levels on the bottom end and very low Free T3 levels.
In range is not normal if you have symptoms and levels are on the bottom end, this is difficult for some doctors to comprehend.
This is because it’s more expensive than any other thyroid testing, by as much 3x the cost.
@systemlord not sure if I’m having palpitations, moreso just know that my blood pressure is borderline high. I’m slightly overweight but like we’ve said before losing weight while also borderline low T can be a challenge. Still considering jumping on self prescribed TRT as it seems my legal options will not help and in my province in Canada there’s nothing private.
I’ve read people having low T and high blood pressure, and TRT+excercise solving the problem.
I had slightly elevated blood pressure and had a paralyzed gut which caused edema then causing water retention, then causing high blood pressure. There are many different ways to get water retention, excess T and E2 and being overweight are all factors.
I started TRT with a 32% body fat and TRT eliminated high blood pressure and elevated heart rates pretty quickly, until I became deficient in multiple minerals.
No, actually. That might be deemed “mildly elevated” diastolic,but that’s not high.
Another question if anyone can answer: So I’ve been looking at other lab ranges for bioavailable T online and am seeing that in some of them I’d be considered under range. For example a guy posted his labs for bioavailable T on Reddit and the range listed was something like 150-575 ng/DL. Well my bioT works out to 135 ng/dl so for that lab I’d be low. But in my results the BioT can go as low as 72ng/DL.
Could this be due to different testing procedures? I’d like to think bioT is measured the same way but I’m no expert.
Also, most people’s labs I see posted they’re total T is much lower than mine, like say compared to my 594 they have 300, but they’re bioavailable T is 50% higher than mine or around that. My SHGB isn’t overly high at 35.3nmol/l. Any idea why my total is relatively high but my bioavailable is much lower than average?
@systemlord any words of wisdom for me?
Dangerous is a over statement, you can become quite knowledgable on TRT and self prescribe, as long as you know what your doing and run regular quarterly bloods you’ll be fine
@davidibz1 Yes man but the human body is so complex that you cannot state that you know enough
Do you know that dr John Crisler was not managing himself and had another doctor for that?
@vonko1988
Plenty of guys manage their own TRT. In fact most doctors are less informed on TRT than your average steroid user. You can have enough knowledge. It is proper practice for a doctor not to be able to manage themself because it not that would give doctors the power to prescribe themselves anything they want and that would be a problem.
You have an attitude where you think you’re always right.
Perhaps they are using the direct immunoassay which overestimates Free T levels by as much as 40%, most are using inaccurate testing which overestimates Free T levels. The Total T is the more reliable test. You can’t compare labs with other lab companies, they are not compatible.
In this scenario I would say your SHBG binds up more androgens v.s the next guy.
Well in most of the time you can manage it alone, if you have been correctly optimized at the beginning, but from time to time you need to be seen by a qualified doctor who knows what’s doing so he can monitor the different systems in your body, thyroid function, mineral deficiences and other.
TRT is a very complicated process, I don’t give a fuck how simple some people claim it to be. It’s simple on the surface, but the consequences on the different body systems are numerous. And if some odd side effect happens you really want to be around an experienced and knowledgeable doctor.
And by the way do you know who dr John Crisler was? When he didn’t dare to manage his own TRT, what thinks you are capable of managing all by yourself the side effects and nuances a hormonal replacement therapy can cause in the body? Make no mistake, I dont advocate working with the average stupid endocrinologist or calling the doctor every week
Consequences on the body systems? You mean benefits right? And honestly it’s not that complicated getting bloods done and tracking your health. It’s far from rocket science
And Crisler probably was just being legal about it and not treating himself, since ya know, doctors aren’t supposed to do that here. He couldnt exactly write himself a prescription. That doesn’t mean he couldn’t have managed himself or didn’t behind the scenes.
How are you feeling now? You really sound like me, with a different T level and radically different SHBG…
My T was ultra low, my BP was OFF THE CHARTS high, SHBG was ultra low…
sugars crazy, 80 pounds overweight… etc… (actually a lot more when i started)
Here we call it metabolic syndrome. I believe this is responsible for most age related major illnesses… heart attacks, strokes, etc.
Hope your well.
MS
Ok, new labs are in with some more thyroid labs and some bad T levels.
Total T 9.36nmol/l. (8-32)
BioT 2.21nmol/l (2.5-10)
LH 1.4 IU/L (0.6-12)
FSH 2.7 IU/L (1-12)
T3 Free 4.59 pmol/L (2.89-4.88)
T4 Free 13.7 pmol/l (9-19)
Progesterone 1nmol/l (.6-2)
So, my doctor was a little surprised by the low T levels, asked me if I changed anything lifestyle wise since last time which is no. I was surprised to see LH being on the lower side as I suspected primary hypogonadism.
I suggested pituitary MRI and he said he’s gonna send me to a specialist. Funny thing is here in Canada that specialist appointment will likely take a few months to get. And if they order the MRI, that will take at least a few more months.
So, in the end, I may need to wait several more months feeling this way and I won’t even know if I’m going to be offered treatment in the end. Very tempted to just go on self prescribed now, but I almost have no choice but to wait because I don’t know what sort of things the specialist will be looking for and if I start treating myself I may tamper with what they will have planned.
I suppose I could self prescribe then pct at the time of the appointment. I don’t know, this f’in sucks, can barely even work and all my relationships are struggling, depression the whole lot.
Anyways figured I’d just throw all this in here for the thread update
I think in 10 more years doctors will no longer be surprised by the volume of men they are seeing with low testosterone.
@systemlord
No doubt on that. Reference ranges will be down to 150 by that time. What do you think of my thyroid numbers?
I think fT3 is great, fT4 is good.
You keep saying this, because you don’t actually know what you’re talking about. In the US it would be illegal for him to write prescriptions for himself, he HAD to use another doc to receive treatment. It is indicative only of the fact that he was following the law to avoid problems with his medical license.
I’ve said this multiple times as well. Seems to go unheard.