TESTOSTERONE 531ng/dL (87-814)
TESTOSTERONE, FREE 8.46 ng/dL (1.74 - 15.20)
TESTOSTERONE FREE 1.59% (0.9-2.8)
SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOBULIN 50.8 nmol/l (10-57)
These are my pre-TRT levels. What does everyone think?
You are perfectly in range, with the exception of your SHBG being higher in the range. That being said, your Free T is still in average ranges.
I donāt know if youāre going to get a ātreatmentā for anything you are showing here, but if going to a TRT lab, you can probably get a boost.
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How you feel? Aby symptomps like weak erection/libido?
The high end SHBG is going to affect the Free T, the problem becomes no one knows what your normal ranges are, therefore itās difficult to say if these levels are good. A guy that for most of his adult life is 850 and later in life is 450, expect symptoms.
A guy that peaks at 550 and later in life is getting 250, thatās his midpoint, everyone is different and the problem is doctors try to put on the same size shoe on everyone. Then you have CAG repeat lengths, receptor sensitivity and things become even more difficulty.
Diagnosing a T deficiency isnāt easy because so many other medical conditions mimic low-T. Dr. Abraham Morgentaler says the normal ranges are all but useless. Dr. Eugene Shippen says these arenāt normal ranges at all.
The Tru-T calculator puts your Free T at 14.47 ng/dL, but is that normal or optimal for you no one can answer with absolute certainty. Only a trial of TRT would be able to answer that.
Itās not that simple.
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I agree with you butā¦. I think this far in range is going to reflect symptoms caused by other issues a strong majority of the time. As inā¦ OP does not need TRT. Iād put money on that.
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I think youāve been on TRT since 2014 and have gotten a ton of advice about your various protocols over the years, so I donāt see why youāre talking about āPre-TRTā anything.
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Looks like lab work. Do you have some symptoms or issues youāre looking to treat?
So, I will explain why I am posting. This was lab work after I came off TRT the first time trying. This was about 1-2 off TRT before I decided to go back on. In fact, these labs are probably the best I have ever had (previous labs had TT ranging from 298-460ng/dL). Albeit, FT always on the lower-end and one reading showed I had low DHT.
Anyways, the reason I ask is because I am an extremely complex case. How I began to experience the symptoms of low testosterone were the result of a chronic illness and then wrongfully treated with antidepressants for 4-5 years.
With all that being said, I have seen benefit from TRT but I do have trouble finding consistency. Yes, without TRT I never have sexual thoughts nor do I ever wake up with morning erections. I am symptomatic which is why I decided to go on TRT despite āsomeā doctors telling me it wasnāt the cause of my problems.
I am also an interesting case where most my symptom resolution ONLY comes with the addition of HCG. HCG has been huge for my libido and mood.
Before TRT & HCG, I would get erections that could get about 60% full and I had premature ejaculation.
Socially, I used to struggle with eye contact that has gone away on TRT.
So, I have benefits but always the creeping doubt that with time off antidepressants and having addressed the root cause of a chronic illness with antibiotics, that perhaps I may be able to do without TRT.
Due to a demanding job and recent relationship, I donāt know if I can risk coming off TRT. Maybe this will clarify why I am trying to get others thoughts about my labs?
I think the confusion, at least for me, is you are asking because you might want to come off TRT but are worried your symptoms will come back if you doā¦?
It sounds like you are doing quite well on TRT and can directly relate symptom resolution to your time on it. If being treated with TRT has resolved a lot of your symptoms, I donāt see why you would want to come off it, is what Iām saying.
Your pre-TRT levels are irrelevant to what they would be now - especially considering that youāve been on it for so long. I think there is a good potential your natural production will have been significantly hampered during this process. IF this hypothetically turns out to be true, I think there is good reason to believe your symptoms will come back stronger than before. But Iām not a doctor.
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According to the OP, he doesnāt have sexual thoughts or morning erections without TRT. This implies he does need TRT and may have other issues beside subpar testosterone.
As far as talking about pre-TRT levels, my advice is move forward.
Morning erections are not indicative of needing TRT. They are a metric of nothing. Nocturnal erections are often not present upon waking even if you have them. Non sexual interestā¦ stress, lifestyle, a million things. Youāre bandwagoning and thatās not what normal level guys need to hear.
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@blshaw @systemlord OP posted this
He has been on TRT and is considering to come off but isnāt sure. I struggled to understand the purpose of the post as well, but if you read up a few of the recent comments, I believe heās currently on TRT and thinks he wants to come off but isnāt sure. All he did was like my comment saying āhe should stay onā but Iām unsure if that means I was correct in my interpretation.
Figured Iād add some context where it was much needed (language barrier, I think)
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