Optimal Estrogen Levels

Got some labs done yesterday to make sure I hadn’t crashed estradiol

Estradiol: 19 pmol/L (was 31pmol/L last time)
Total Testosterone: 25.9 nmol/L (7.6 - 31.4) – translates to 747 ng/dl
SHBG: 28 nmol/L (12 - 60)
Bioavailable Test: 12.8 nmol/L (1.6 - 13.2)
Prolactin: 15 ug/l (<18)

Still no morning wood and weak erections.

Numbers look great, but symptoms not any better. It has only been about 2 weeks, so will wait for closer to 5 or 6 weeks before jumping the gun. My doc said it takes about this long for the enzymes, etc. to change…but I am surprised I’m not seeing much difference yet.

What do you guys think about that test / estrogen ratio Nelson Vergel was throwing around. He said you should aim for 14 - 20…which would mean my estradiol might need to be between 37 - 53 pmol/L.

I can definitely see how a ratio between T and E2 could be more important than the absolute E2 number. However, my last TT was 873. So my E2 would need to be above 45 according to this calculation. I feel high E2 symptoms in the 30’s. I would think the best ratio would be between FT and E2.

Please watch your units.

Libido and energy/mood may be affected by your thyroid hormones. Please see your original thread where I replied today.

SHBG is good. You might do better with more T. Note that an increase in T will create a proportionate increase in E2.

Are you injecting T ED for those labs?

Thanks - will read your reply on my original post.

Yes I am injected ED for these labs.

I ordered an oral thermometer and will begin taking morning and afternoon body temp readings tomorrow.

I also ordered Dr. Wilson’s Adrenal Fatigue supplements (i did the test and definitely have all the symptoms of adrenal fatigue)

Also ordered Integrative Therapeutics Cortisol Manager (figured it can’t hurt).

Oral thermometer arrived this morning:

Took 3 measurements so far:

12pm: 96.4F
1pm: 96.7F
3pm: 96.9F

Will post back with results tomorrow morning and afternoon as well

Keep watching them for a week - I would call 96ish degrees in the afternoon way too cold.

I’m going to go back to get labs for Reverse T3, TSH, FT3 and FT4 tomorrow.

Any others I should get?

My doctor thinks my thyroid is fine but we did not test for Reverse T3 last time.

We really need you discuss your history of using iodized salt and/or vitamins listing iodine+selenium.

Labs re adrenals:
DHEA-S
AM cortisol - do lab at 8AM or one hour after waking up.

Ok, will try to fill this out later today

The more I think about it, the more I think targeting the testosterone-to-estrogen ratio of 14 - 20 might make sense for me.

The only brief period where I felt really good so far was when I was pinning 14mg / day without an AI. That great feeling lasted for only 4-5 days as my estradiol shot up rapidly, but I imagine there was a point when it was in the sweet spot.

Since taking Arimidex, I have never hit that point again. I am hoping it is as subtle as a change to 0.0625mg 2x / week which should take my estradiol closer to 40. This would put me at a ratio of around 19.

I just hate having to wait a full 6 weeks when I know this higher AI dose is not working, but I don’t want to push my doctor as TRT is very hard to come by in Canada. Guess I will just have to wait patiently for 2 more weeks.

@310717970 Im in the same boat as you. The only difference is I’m on HCG mono therapy. I started out with out a A.I. But the first 3 weeks were great had great morning wood and great libido by the 4th week everything started to diminish. So I’m guessing that was my sweet spot and Im trying to figure out how to get back to that spot. My lab results came back with with Estradiol=62 and Estradiol Ultra sensitive=74. Now I’m on 0.5 mg of Arimidex once a week. But for some reason it makes me feel really week and it defiantly drains what ever morning wood i might get. I was wondering how long were you on the 0.25 mg 2x week before your levels crashed?

hey zsub

I tested after 4 weeks on the 0.25mg 2x / week. At that point my levels were undetectable and I had crashed so all I can say with certainty is that it was within 4 weeks.

i then changed to 0.125mg 2x / week and after 6 weeks retested with my e2 levels back up to 31

it has now been approximately 3 weeks at 0.125mg 3x / week and my levels are down to 19

will be very keen to hear what my doctor says next. my whole reason for getting on trt was ed and libido so as you can imagine this is super frustrating. I’m nearing in on 6 months now.

@310717970 Im 29 and I can defiantly relate to your frustration. I think I’m gonna try the 0.125mg 2x/ week and see how that works for me. Im on HCG mono for the same exact reason for libido and ED. I have no idea why my testosterone was low. Just out of know where I started to have ED issues and then came the rest of the symptoms of Low T following rite behind.

I wanted to tell you that you don’t have to wait for your doctor to run labs if you don’t want to. I like to run my own labs along with my doctor running his labs too. You can run your own labs at this online lab called Request a Test. Its pretty simple and easy and If you call them they are very helpful. Sometimes waiting on the doctors can be frustrating so I’m learning you gotta take some of it into your own hands to speed up the process. Because just like you I have been dealing with this for 7 months already and I’m sick of it.

I think I mite want to switch to TRT from HCG mono its just I’m a little scared cause of hearing so many people with thyroid and other problems while being on TRT but I’m starting to think with the rite management I mite not necessarily run into those same problems

Thanks…unfortunately I’m in Canada so that site won’t work for me. Luckily, we have walk-in clinics here where they pretty much have to give you labs if you request them

Just spoke with my doc…he didn’t have much to say other than agreeing to take down the arimidex to 0.0625 mg @ 3x / week.

As a reminder, I was running 0.125 mg @ 3x / week which knocked me down too low.

I’m also going to just experiment and increase my test dosage to 14 mg / day from 10 mg / day currently…

Really seems like it’s all a guessing game at this point so will give this a shot for 3 weeks and see what happens…

You guys have any thoughts on the above changes?

I could also just leave the test dosage the same…but I feel like the only time I briefly felt good was at the beginning of TRT @ 14 mg / day.

Have been pinning 14 mg / day for the past 7 days
Morning wood and spontaneous boners have returned
Libido is still mild but better than last week
Aggression has been up
I’ve only taken arimidex once @ 0.125mg during this period

My compounding pharmacy sent me arimidex at 0.0625 mg…will try taking it 3x / week starting tomorrow and continue using the test at 14 mg / day

Will aim to take labs sometime next week to get bloodwork

But definite improvements at the 14 mg / day and limited AI use so far…hope this is the start of something

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@310717970 Hey man just checking back in on you. Its great to see that your doing well. So what do you think it was that is helping you get back on track a little bit???

Also I had a question if you don’t mind me asking how did you end up on trt to begin with?The reason why I ask is because no one has even found why I have Low T in the first place.

Hey guy just wondering how you’re doing and if you’ve been able to make any headway in getting dialed in. Been a while since we heard anything from you.

You mean enthusiasm and initiative? Aggression implies rage to some people.

I’m on 140mg week TE and was put on 0.25mg Arimidex 2 x per week. Complete drop in libido and some mild depression, and joints began to really hurt - most notably knees. Also developed some early medial epicondylitis that I had never experienced before. Dropped it to 0.125 mg 2 x per week, feel a little better but joints still really hurt. I’m debating just dropping Arimidex entirely as I appear to be very sensitive to it.