New lab work, thoughts?

Pharma / TRT
1

Been on TRT for 6+ years, have had 2 kids since, I stop for 4-6m and was able to conceive each time. Recently started HCG due to testicle size, semen volume, and wanting to keep fertility, we would like one more kid.

Im usally in the 200-300’s in my total test labs on 200mg test bimonthly, thyroid, and all other labs are normal. Recently I started my journey on HCG, I do 500iu’s QOD and increased my test to 200mg weekly. Doing this for almost 2 months and redid my labs.

Currently, w/ 200mg test weekly, and 500iu HCG QOD, my labs are such
Total test - 892
Free test - 275
SHBG - 17.4
e2 - 52

Things I feel different are, gained about 4-5lbs water(I do Keto for years, I know when I hold water) acne has increased, enough for my wife to mention it. Im more emotional with music, movies, etc. My paranoia has increased which is the most worrying part for me. Energy is good, sex life great(minus minimal ejaculate volume which is a huge deal for me).

Is my e2/t ratio ok? Is my e2 too high? I have an aromitase inhib if needed but I dont want to use it unless needed.

2

Do you have any problems? Is there a reason to use ai?

3

Context is needed, when are labs drawn in relation to your injections. If labs are drawn at midpoint, versus trough, this matters a lot.

Maybe it is for you, you’ll not get definitive answers here on this. You have to find out what works for you and what doesn’t, experimentation is the only way to find out.

I purpose maybe the large T injection may be what’s causing your symptoms, and or the combination of hCG.

You could lower the T injection to see if that brings about positive changes. You may not need testosterone this high to relieve symptoms of low-T.

Whatever you do, change one variable at a time.

4

What he said⬆️ Everyone is different. You have to find the right mix for YOU through modification of one variable at a time, seeing how you feel, re-doing bloods etc.

I feel great on E2 in the 50’s…Any AI use for me gives me crunchy joints which I have determined is caused by artificially reducing E2 much below what my body naturally produces in response to higher Test.

5

I pin every Friday and I had the labs taken Monday. My last Hcg pin was Sunday as well for that week.

6

You doubled your T dose, changed nothing else, and you have new symptoms you don’t like.

Just go back to your old protocol.

7

Yeah, that’s wrong, you’re supposed to run labs right before your injections, because day 7 right before your injection is your lowest point or trough level. You testing right after peak which isn’t very useful.

So if you pin Friday, check labs Friday, before your injection. The reason for this is because on day 7, right before your injection, your levels could be <300 or close to it and you would never know it.

You ideally want to keep trough levels in the mid normal ranges.

Your acne and water retention is likely being caused by the hCG.

8

I noticed water gain when on 210mg Tprop weekly (daily 30mg). not taking AI’s typically, but been experimenting taking 0.25mg on couple occasions and by next day I pee a lot. feel very edgy on that dose as well. AI dampens it for sure, but I switched recently to 20mg daily Tprop and feel much more leveled with higher libido. I think high e2 (mine tends to go into 60) can cause issues, for me mostly mental + water weight. AI is a bad idea, its better to adjust injection frequency/dosing. I take 3x600IU HCG as well.
As i’m looking for a mild anabolic boost, adding a non-aromatizing steroid might be a better option while keeping the T in the 140-160mg range