Hi guys. I’ve been on TRT for the past 2 months. Started with total T 170 and I don’t need to explain how bad I was feeling. Just miserable. Then I started at a clinic which shipped me 4 100mg syringes a month and I injected 50mg subq 2x week. the syringes were not completely filled due to air bubbles, and with leftover T in the tip of the syringe I was definitely not getting the full amount, so probably maybe 90 or so a week. I definitely feel better as I going anywhere from 170 is an improvement, but I’m not where I want to end up. I am no longer with the clinic and now will be getting vials of cypionate which I will be starting this weekend. I want to increase my dose but am torn between going to 150 or 200. Am I better off jumping to 200 a week (100MG e3.5) and riding that out for a few months and see how I do then dropping down if needed, or going the other way, starting at 150 then upping it if needed? Thanks for any advice.
Probably shouldn’t do anything without blood work first. That will drive your dose and protocol.
Blood work is needed in order to direct treatment, I’m willing to bet this clinic only did minimal testing. A TT of 170 doesn’t really tell us much at all, like how much testosterone is inactive and active. Some of these clinics are bad news putting every man on a cookie cutter protocol and expecting good result.
SHBG is probably the most important and is the centerpiece of every hormone evaluation. Men with high SHBG can get away with 1-2x injections per week, men with lower SHBG may need more frequent smaller injections.
SHBG binds androgens, testosterone, estrogen and when low you bind less testosterone and the majority is bioavailable for tissues and you do not need a high TT level to have sufficient free hormones in circulation.
My SHBG was 14 pre-TRT, I do very well injecting 7-10mg daily, as I space out my injections further apart needing slightly bigger doses, it degrades how I feel.
- Total T
- Free T
- estrogen
- SHBG
Yeah getting bloods seems to be the smart thing to do, no sense rushing and hoping for the best. I’m feeling good now and don’t want to screw that feeling up. I really don’t want to feel the way i used to. Thanks for the replies!
@alwaystired
Start with 150mg and after a good 8 weeks get bloods again and compare how you feel. If you think there’s room for improvement go up in increments of 20mg with at least 8 weeks at each increment. I did this starting from 100mg until I got to the 200mg I’m at today. It gave me peace of mind that I know what each dose did for me and can be pretty sure the one I’m at is the right one. If you just jump to 200mg you’ll never know if you may have felt better at 170mg (or wherever). As much as I wanted that pot of gold right then I’m glad I forced myself to take the time to do it. Half the people will tell you you’re too high of a dose the others will say too low but you’ll know for a fact you are exactly where you need to be. Once you’re there you’ll wish you would have chosen a different screen name.
@dextermorgan Thanks, that makes sense. Work up not down…best way to pinpoint your sweet spot. And my screen name…already want to change it to “sometimestired”, at least I’m going in the right direction 
I’d go ahead and go to 150mg. You’ll feel better than you are now. I wouldn’t worry about labs either, though they’d be nice to see. Given as low as your total test was, it doesn’t really matter, you’re not going to have a lot of free test anyway. Once a week injections are used by 85-90% of guys on TRT, and the dose is 150-200mg, so get to 150mg. You’re already at two per week and it seems to be working for you. You should get follow labs this after six to eight weeks.
I have a SHBG in the low 60’s which is high. I do twice a week injections of 80mg each time. At my lowest level before my next shot my total test is 1100 or so… and free t in the 30’s. that with 160mg. I do not know your SHBG but depending on what it is you may have to change your dosing up as System has stated.
Thanks guys. My SHBG was 17 (range 10-50). I’ve been doing about 50 e3.5 and haven’t noticed any highs or lows…its been pretty even keeled each week, and no negative sides whatsoever. Overall I literally feel like a new person…a “normal” person again. I cant even begin to describe the ways my life changed for the better.