Samguy19's TRT Log

Pharma TRT
1

Hi All,

I have not updated in a while since things have been super great, but I think I need just a little help dialing in here.

TLDR from other threads: I took finasteride and got the full range of persistent symptoms, this ended up being because it elevated my SHBG so high that my body could not keep up and it ultimately shut down. I have gone through a full recovery by only getting on TRT.

Here was my labwork prior to TRT but post finasteride:

10/2019 (No TRT)

TSH: 1.13 (.4-4.50 miU/L)

T4 Free: 1.3 (.8-1.8 ng/DL)

T3 Free: 3.2 (2.3-4.2 pg/ML)

T3 Reverse: 10 (8-25 ng/DL)

FSH: 6.7 (1.6-8 miU/L)

LH: 3.9 (1.5-9.3 miU/L)

ESTROGEN, TOTAL, SERUM: 99.1 (60-190 (pg/mL))

DIHYDROTESTOSTERON,LCMSMS: 61 (16-79 (ng/dL))

TESTOSTERONE,TOT,LC/MS/MS: 856 (250-1100 ng/dL)

TESTOSTERONE,FREE: 71 (35-155 pg/mL)

TESTOSTERONE, Bioavailable: 142 (110-575 ng/dL)

ESTRADIOL Sensitive: 24 (<OR = 29 pg/mL)

FERRITIN: 112 (20-345 (ng/mL))

IRON,TOTAL: 148 (50-195 (mcg/dL))

IRON BINDING CAPACITY: 319 (250-425 (mcg/dL (calc))

VITAMIN D: 37 (30-100 (ng/mL))

THYROID PEROXIDASE AB: <1 (<9 (IU/mL))

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODIES: <1 (< OR = 1 (IU/mL))

SHBG: 67 (10-50 nmol/L) HIGH

I went on 120mg/week of testosterone, split into 2x weekly doses of 60mg. I ran this for 3 months and had follow up bloods. During this time I also went to Defy medical instead of Dr. Alan Jacobs. Here was my initial tests after 2 months:

1/2019 (120mg testosterone)

TOTAL TESTOSTERONE: 684 ng/dL (264 - 916)

FREE TESTOSTERONE 11.7 pg/mL (9.3 - 26.5)

DHT: 101 (30 - 85) HIGH

DHEA-Sulfate 450.0 ug/dL (138.5 - 475.2)

TSH: 0.753 uIU/mL (0.450 - 4.500)

PROLACTIN: 9.6 ng/mL (4.0 - 15.2)

ESTRADIOL, Sensitive 10.6 pg/mL (8.0 - 35.0)

SHBG: Serum 95.3 nmol/L (16.5 - 55.9) HIGH

After that they bumped me up to 180mg a week test and added 500UI HCG 2x a week (pretty sure that’s what it was). I gave it another 4 months and here was the followup:

4/2019 (180mg testosterone and 500iu x2 HCG)

TESTOSTERONE TOTAL: 990 ng/dL (264 - 916)

TESTOSTERONE FREE: 21.1 pg/mL (9.3 - 26.5)

DHEA-Sulfate: 437.2 ug/dL (138.5 - 475.2)

TSH: 0.777 uIU/mL (0.450 - 4.500)

ESTRADIOL 45.7 pg/mL (8.0 - 35.0) HIGH

SHBG 68.1 nmol/L (16.5 - 55.9) HIGH

I felt better, but still not 100% I tried Arimidex at .125mg and was an over-responder with horrible clicking joints and low E symptoms so after 2 weeks to recover E2 I tried dropping the HCG and felt much better. I felt amazing right after dropping it, and then not as great but still better than when I was on it. I have a feeling that my perfect range was somewhere when my T/E levels were falling from the HCG usage. I think I confirmed that with the followup tests I had returned today:

9/2019 (No HCG and raised to 190mg testosterone a week)

TESTOSTERONE TOTAL: 1152 ng/dL (264 - 916)

TESTOSTERONE FREE: 16.5 pg/mL (8.7 - 25.1)

PROLACTIN: 14.6 ng/ml (4.0-15.2)

PROGESTERONE: 0.1 ng/ml (0-0.5)

ESTRADIOL 18.7 pg/mL (8.0 - 35.0)

SHBG 83.9 nmol/L (16.5 - 55.9) HIGH

I can feel a little bit of the clicking back so I plan to raise my dosage from 190mg to 220mg and see how I feel. Should I raise it more? Any trends here worth noting? Again, I feel awesome just maybe not as great as the initial comedown off of HCG which makes me think I need a bump in my dosage to feel that way again.

1 Like
2

In my opinion I would want E2 higher (<35) and your FT is not optimal which needs to be at the top of the ranges. Stay off the HCG, this will derail everything because you need a lot more FT and not a ton of estrogen, just a little.

Get FT to at least 20 and E2 to at least 30.

3

I completely agree with you. Suggestions on how much to bump it up? Go from 190mg to?..

Funny enough, my natural free T was 16 before I damaged myself with Fin. I always figured I was lower. Maybe I always needed some help with it.

4

You could do 210-220mg, anything more and you could overshoot your mark. Remember dosing isn’t linear, there comes a point where once levels reach a tipping point, levels climb very quickly.

My tipping point is somewhere between 430-500 where thing get out of control quickly. I go from a FT of 15–>20 going from the low 400’s to 496 ng/dL.

5

Good call. I have to meet with Saya at the end of the month, but I will pop up to 220mg and see how it goes.

I’m close to getting it in the goldilocks zone.

6

Popped up to 220mg a week, here’s my results as of this week. Feel pretty much the same just without popping joints. Not sure I am feeling high E2 since my SHBG is still fucked up:

TESTOSTERONE TOTAL: >1500 ng/dL (264 - 916)

TESTOSTERONE FREE: 30.8 pg/mL (8.7 - 25.1)

DHEA: 368.0 ug/dL (138.5-475.2)

TSH: 0.716 (0.450 - 4.50)

ESTRADIOL 39.8 pg/mL (8.0 - 35.0)

DHT: 152 (30 - 85) HIGH

SHBG 50.6 nmol/L (16.5 - 55.9)

Thoughts?

7

Your SHBG is a non-issue so long as FT is high enough, no natural man has SHBG this high with these testosterone numbers, you have the best of both worlds. Now the healing process can begin and hopefully these PFS symptoms subside in time. Your body seems to be processing the estrogen just fine if your joints have anything to say about it, so the healing process has already begun.

8

Awesome, thanks for your feedback.

Any risk of the E2 and free t being run at the higher end of things? Long term health issues from those levels?

9

We are in uncharted territory with regards to high E2 over the long term in men on TRT, but high testosterone isn’t a risk as long as other biomarkers are good.

Your estrogen levels are barely high.

10

Your E2 is low for that Testosterone level so don’t even think about it. In the future get the LC/MS testosterone test. It doesn’t cap out at 1500.

1 Like
11

My e2 was 73 when I was >1500 on total T. So yeah, yours isn’t high.