My story: 30-year-old male. After learning about low-T and its effects (all of which fit me perfectly - low libido, moodiness, anxiety, low motivation, difficulty concentrating, inability to put on lean muscle mass, etc.) I saw an endo this past September.
My first visit, he gave me a shot of 350 units of testosterone cypionate, but he took my blood sample before that. He then told me to come back in a month to discuss the blood lab results. Sure enough, my T levels came back 274, out of a 250-850 range. So on my second visit, he proscribed me injectable test cypionate, 100 units a week. Again he took a blood sample. He called me five days later and told me my T level was at freeking 157. Meantime, I injected myself once a week, as per his orders. Then I came back to him in November, about a week ago. Again he took my blood sample. He also gave me a coupon for Androgel (1.62%) and told me I can start taking that when the test cypionate finishes next month. He called me today with the new results, and my T levels are now 739. (My E2 level is 36.)
Yet I feel no difference at all, really. How is that possible, with such a dramatic rise in T-levels?
When you started injecting, the T would have gradually risen to that 739 value and only just more or less stabilized at that level by last week. Once your T levels are stable, it can take several weeks for you to start feeling the effect, so it is still early.
[quote]seekonk wrote:
When you started injecting, the T would have gradually risen to that 739 value and only just more or less stabilized at that level by last week. Once your T levels are stable, it can take several weeks for you to start feeling the effect, so it is still early. [/quote]
I was hoping that’s the case. I’ve been reading anecdotal accounts online and they seem to be all over the place. Some men feel a difference within a week, some take several months. I’m not sure what to make of it.
BTW, I should mention my only known SHBG level, if that’s important. For the first bloodlab in September (before any T shots at all) it was 15, in a 10-57 range. He didn’t test for it in the next two bloodlabs. Any ideas on what the significance is? As I understand it, low SHBG levels are generally a good thing - it means more free testosterone.
It’s all about when you had your blood drawn for that 157 value. If it was before or immediately following the second injection it would be a normal value to expect in your case. It takes several hours for it to begin showing in the plasma and then returns close to normal in about 5-7 days. The 700 value was likely just timed to reflect something closer to the peak following administration. Taking a T test without a plan and consideration of the timing of injections is a waste of time because it’s a momentary look at a highly changing landscape.
[quote]C27 H40 O3 wrote:
It’s all about when you had your blood drawn for that 157 value. If it was before or immediately following the second injection it would be a normal value to expect in your case. It takes several hours for it to begin showing in the plasma and then returns close to normal in about 5-7 days. The 700 value was likely just timed to reflect something closer to the peak following administration. Taking a T test without a plan and consideration of the timing of injections is a waste of time because it’s a momentary look at a highly changing landscape.[/quote]
The timing of the blood draw should be consistent every time with the same length of time from the previous injection.
[quote]C27 H40 O3 wrote:
It’s all about when you had your blood drawn for that 157 value. If it was before or immediately following the second injection it would be a normal value to expect in your case. It takes several hours for it to begin showing in the plasma and then returns close to normal in about 5-7 days. The 700 value was likely just timed to reflect something closer to the peak following administration. Taking a T test without a plan and consideration of the timing of injections is a waste of time because it’s a momentary look at a highly changing landscape.[/quote]
Well the 157 value was not surprising, based on what I understand. That value was based on a blood draw taken exactly one month after he administered the first massive 350 mg dose (with no T injected between that first dose and the draw that showed 157). So from what I understand, I would’ve had a massive spike in T levels during the first week after the injection, and then it would begin to take a nosedive. This is why everyone recommends weekly or twice-weekly injections. (I’m not sure why my doctor thought that giving me a single massive dose was a good idea.)
But since that 157 draw, I’ve been doing weekly injections, as I described above. And I’ve been on those injections for over a month now, and I still don’t feel any effects.
[quote]Desq wrote:
BTW, I should mention my only known SHBG level, if that’s important. For the first bloodlab in September (before any T shots at all) it was 15, in a 10-57 range. He didn’t test for it in the next two bloodlabs. Any ideas on what the significance is? As I understand it, low SHBG levels are generally a good thing - it means more free testosterone.[/quote]
It means that you will probably do better with a lower total T. Check or calculate free or bioavailable testosterone and reduce dose if it is too high, as that can lead to too much aromatization to estrogens.