Starting Shots Every 3.5 Days. When to Get Bloodwork?

I’m already on Androgel which isn’t working. Thanks to advice on here I’m starting sub q testosterone shots every 3 1/2 days tomorrow. I am going to have my TT, FT, and Estradiol tested before. When should I test it next. Would it be good to have a test before my 2nd shot? As I go along in the beginning how often should I test?

It seems I should have found these answers somewhere but I have been reading a lot and can’t find anything direct

I’m not the expert around here, but from what i’ve seen the first re-test after beginning protocol is at 6 weeks unless there is an issue. I’m going to be like KSMan and tell you to read the stickies for injection protocol. If you are just injecting T, and have not been put on an inhibitor, watch for mood swings as a sign of estrogen increase. When I began treatment after my initial blood tests, I received the standard T, HCG, and inhibitor with orders to come back in 6 weeks.

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You can test in 4 weeks. Try to always do lab work halfway between injections and avoid lab result changes driven by lab timing.

Please read the stickies found here: About the T Replacement Category - #2 by KSman

  • advice for new guys - need more info about you
  • things that damage your hormones
  • protocol for injections
  • finding a TRT doc

Evaluate your overall thyroid function by checking oral body temperatures as per the thyroid basics sticky. Thyroid hormone fT3 is what gets the job done and it regulates mitochondrial activity, the source of ATP which is the universal currency of cellular energy. This is part of the body’s temperature control loop. This can get messed up if you are iodine deficient. In many countries, you need to be using iodized salt. Other countries add iodine to dairy or bread.

KSman is simply a regular member on this site. Nothing more other than highly active.

I can be a bit abrupt in my replies and recommendations. I have a lot of ground to cover as this forum has become much more active in the last two years. I can’t follow threads that go deep over time. You need to respond to all of my points and requests as soon as possible before you fall off of my radar. The worse problems are guys who ignore issues re thyroid, body temperatures, history of iodized salt. Please do not piss people off saying that lab results are normal, we need lab number and ranges.

The value that you get out of this process and forum depends on your effort and performance. The bulk of your learning is reading/studying the suggested stickies.

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Does it matter what time of day to do Testosterone or Estrogen blood tests for someone who is on TRT shots?

What language do you use with insurance to get blood tests covered? My BCBS keeps telling me its classified as infertility and its covered but there’s limits on my tests and my doctor is having trouble finding the right diagnosis codes. So far none of my TT, FT, or E tests have gotten covered for one reason or another the past couple months! Tomorrow I want to test before I up the dose. To be safe I’m looking to find my own tests and pay up front so it doesn’t cost so much, any advice?

I’m upping my 25mg dose tomorrow to 40mg/3.5 days because I feel very weak. But the side effects I was feeling from Androgel are going away and I’m feeling nicer. Nurses who helped me with 1st shot said I should get a bigger syringe because the oil is so thick they didn’t understand why I wanted to use the insulin syringe. KS recommended #29. I got #30 cause that’s all they had. Why is it that we use such a small needle?

Just got blood results from my last day of using 3 pumps Androgel ea day and before starting with T Cyp shots. I didn’t put Androgel on that morning and got tested just a few hours after I normally would have put it on. After the blood tests I took my 1st shot. I can’t believe how low it was. In the past Androgel gave me higher readings like over 500TT.

TT 250-1100…185
E Sensitive <OR=29…40
FT 46 - 224…32.8