So here is where I am at. I have been on my 100mg/week of TEST CYP now since April, I feel really good. Over the past month my sex drive especially has been absolutely insatiable. However, I cant get over how many people insist that splitting the dose is much, much better. I know how Systemlord feels about splitting doses, he swears by it and I know lots of others do as well. I am afraid to split them because I do feel good and I do not wanna risk messing it up.
The reason I have been toying with splitting is because when I got my labs back a month ago my TT was 1276(which is fine) but my E2 was 45, I do not feel any symptoms of E2 problems but I am worried about long term side effects elevated E2. My Free T was 124 pg/ml which is middle of the pack. My SHBG went from 77 before TRT to 65. So I am still in the high range with that but it has gone down. Those labs were taken two days after my shot so I am not sure where my trough FT/TT/E2 is. Thus far the only side effect I have noticed is acne and a substantial increase in semen output, I have body and facial acne as well as rapid facial and body hair growth which I have never had really in my life, my orgasms are very intense, lots of random hard ons and as mentioned my semen output has reached near porn star level, which I don’t get.
Anyway, has anyone felt fine with 1 shot per week, then split and felt even better? Any chance I need the once a week shot because my SHBG is on the upper end? I am just trying to think long term and what would be best for me long term, I will be on TRT for life, so I want to make sure I maximize how I feel and avoid any issues with long term elevated E2 ETC. Thanks for any advice fellas.
E2 of 45 IS NOT HIGH! At all. Mine is 73. E2 isn’t a problem. It won’t give you instant boobs. It won’t turn you into a woman. It will give you a whole lot of positive benefits.
Regardless of what you read on here, lots of people in this world are fine on once a week dosing.
My advice would be to try 2-3x a week for a few months and see if you improve even further. If not, then no reason to keep poking yourself so often.
Yeah, I am due for blood work next time I see my doc which will be in January I believe that will be basically 8 month labs, I am going to test toward the end of the week this time to see what my trough is. I still feel pretty good at the end of the week, I can still have sex without issue, I am more tired but I also work three 12 hour days at the end of the week, so I don’t think my levels are trash at trough, although I don’t know for sure.
See I read that long term E2 elevation is bad for prostate health and heart health. I mean, who knows really. I certainly don’t. That’s kinda why I am looking for advice, my biggest fear is having to cut off TRT in 10 years because my body is reacting to long term E2 elevation or something dumb like that.
It’s really the opposite. A lot of the “studies” showing E2 is bad was showing high in E2 in unhealthy people that had heart issues.
I.e. someone is 150lbs over weight, high E2, low T… of course they have heart issues. It isn’t from the high E2, it’s from the extra 150lbs, shitty diet and shitty lifestyle. But, some people try to use those studies to say “look, see, high E2… heart issues, E2 must be the reason”.
E2 is protective to the heart, lots of other positives.
You’re right… new studies could come out, things could change, but right now it seems to be a positive. I would not worry about the level you’re at at all, you aren’t crazy high by any means.
Splitting up the dosage twice weekly will see higher trough levels, FT will not be as low. There is a bell curve to hormones and our averages determine everything, increase your trough levels will mean levels are higher the majority of the time.
Your FT levels are excellent, 42.37 ng/dL (range 16-31). If these labs are trough levels, this weekly protocol may be optimal. If not using the Equilibrium Dialysis or Ultrafiltration laboratory method, FT levels may be inaccurate.
There are problems with directly measured FT, the Tru-T calculator is the most accurate for FT when using TT and SHBG levels. I trust it over any directly measured FT level.
These were the labs I got two days after my shot. Next labs I want to get trough level done so I plan on getting labs done on Friday morning before work, I religiously take my shot Sunday AM when I wake up(usually 6am). My FT was 124 pg/dl. The range was 60-200 I believe. Like I said I am concerned about SHBG, if I split the doses I dunno if it will be enough to overcome SHBG of 65, hopefully it goes down even more next time I get bloods done, would like to see it around 40 and live there.
Are you saying splitting doses should still be enough to overcome SHBG of 65? I just don’t want all my hormones being bound up, my FT like I said at its peak currently sits around 124, which isn’t terrible but it is only in the middle, I would like to see it more toward the higher end, although I feel fine throughout the week. But still.
Man if you’re feeling good I wouldn’t change anything. That’s another symptom of reading on these boards and starting to second guess a working protocol. If it ain’t broke …
“Man if you’re feeling good I wouldn’t change anything. That’s another symptom of reading on these boards and starting to second guess a working protocol. If it ain’t broke”
This is the best advice you could ask for. I felt great on E3D, but listening to all the rhetoric on daily injections I tried it for 6 months. Did not respond well. Went back to E3D and haven’t looked back. Feel great! If it ain’t broke…
my advice would be to take 50mg proviron daily if you can get a hold of it , would release more free T and helps with estrogen , it binds to something …cant remember exactly what but when it binds it keeps estrogen off .
Your E2 could be 50% higher and you’d likely still feel the same as you do now. Don’t worry about it unless it’s an issue. If anything you have room to bring your free T up. There’s a difference between not feeling bad (aka ok) and feeling good. If you aren’t feeling bad and are fine with where you are then don’t change a thing. If you feel ok but think there’s room for better than slowly increase your dose and see how it goes. Being at your current dose for 6 months is a good point of reference to see if an increase feels better. You can always go back.