Starting this thread to retain a unified log of my TRT progress.
Initially, I started 2x injections and felt volatility between feeling awesome and shitty, so I decided to go dailies route.
My problems were primarily low energy and brainfog, despite working out 5x a week, whole foods high protein meat diet, sleeping 7-8 hours a day.
Here’s my current bloodwork after injecting 15mg of Testosterone Cypionate intramuscularly every morning for 6-7 weeks. Now I’m at about 8 weeks in and still feeling off.
I feel the same symptoms as before, thinking my thyroid is blunting the benefits of TRT. Also, I feel joint and back aches since this protocol, maybe I need to up my dose from 15mg to 20mg to aromatize more estrogen in my system.
In summary, I’m thinking:
-High TSH/RT3/FT3 are blunting the TRT benefits.
-My E2 may be too low (it’s lower than 1/25th of my TT, thus failing 15-25 T for 1 E range.)
-I could benefit from more FT (22.3 to 30+)
Your testosterone panels is perfect, however your thyroid is suspect. Your TSH is elevated for a reason, the way I see it is your body knows it needs more thyroid hormones, your fT3 is above range (mission accomplished) but I think your body is resistance to thyroid hormones and can’t use it properly.
I wonder are you emptying your bladder when you urinate?
@marcus007
I would give it another 2 weeks and then report back. If no better then up your dose to 18-20mg/day and see how you feel. Small increments. It takes me about 8 weeks to start feeling better (as in end of week 8).
I always love when @systemlord says “Your testosterone panel is perfect.”. When I see this I want to put my fist through my computer monitor.
I’ll repeat, for the 1000th time: Perfect for WHO???
What are “perfect” numbers for anyone when it comes to labs? Why do you insist on continuing to do this? I just don’t get it. There are no perfect numbers. Everyone’s dose will be different.
@marcus007 I would not touch thyroid yet. Give it another week or so. If no improvement, increase to 20mg daily as suggested by @dextermorgan. Post back here in about 6 weeks and tell us how you’re doing.
Get my free T down to 22 like his and my symtoms all return with a vengeance. I know this because I sat there for over two years. Then I got my levels over 30 and they vanished.
You have to stop stating any number is perfect for anyone because it is nonsense. He is symptomatic at 22. I know a ton of guys who are in the same boat.
You’re also failing to realize that a free T of 22 isn’t what it used to be. Get rid of all environmental factors and free T of 22 would be great for most. It’s not the case anymore. This is why so many guys are getting on TRT. Their numbers are ‘great’ but they feel like shit. Therefore, ignore the damn numbers and treat the symptoms. The numbers are meaningless.
@systemlord can you post a pic of yourself one of these for all of us to see? I think it would be helpful for everyone to see who they are getting advice from in this forum.
Anyone that is going argue that @marcus007 has suboptimal levels is ludicrous, I don’t see very many men needing FT 30>, my money is on his thyroid or perhaps he needs more time on this protocol.
Increasing free t above 30 perhaps makes you feel better but could that level be needed to compensate for an underlying issue/disease? Hard to say.
On another note
Op - are you over weight? Strange how your rt3 is in the high end. I would not say your thyroid is in trouble based on a single lab as these numbers can change during the day.
You ever check glucose and a1c?
I also think to increase to 20mg soon if you do not feel better before you mess with thyroid or anything else.
For a great many men, the underlying issue are the endocrine disrupting chemicals that are plaguing the body. ‘Healthy’ levels of testosterone just don’t have the same ‘bang for the buck’ anymore which is why they get symptom resolution when they take more.
Again, for the 1001th time… if you have ‘healthy’ levels, but all the symptoms of low testosterone, increase dose and see. Most men I deal with get resolved once they surpass 30. If you get it up to 40-50 with still no symptom relief then you can rule out testosterone. At 22 you still have a ways to go.
I’m 6’2 190 lbs 15% bodyfat. I was even lower bodyfat during the summer, right now bulking.
I’ve checked thyroid several times the year I’ve been on TRT and always around the same place.
Glucose is consistently at 84 mg/dL from 65-99 and A1C is 5.20% out of 4.8 - 5.6. Not diabetes.
Yeah, will give it another few days. Scheduled to see Dr. Saya per @systemlord’s recommendation. If this doc thinks I need to begin a thyroid protocol and will prescribe something then I’ll try that, otherwise I’ll just do 20mg daily T.