TRT Blood Work - Bigger Dosage, Worse Labs! (Low SHBG Guy)

Pharma / TRT Testosterone Replacement
1

I started TRT 23rd July - 105 mg CYP/week, no HCG, no AI, ED Injections
After 8 weeks upped dosage to 140mg CYP/week - after 6 weeks from adjusting dosage no difference in symptoms, went to check the labs, and my results are more that surprising for me.

Results after 8 weeks 105 Cyp/week (16th September):

TESTOSTERONE 649 ng/dl r: 249 - 836

FREE TESTOSTERONE 25,93 pg/ml r: 9,1 - 32,2

ESTRADIOL 38,80 pg/ml r: 11,3 - 43,2
SHBG 18,80 nmol/l r: 18,3 - 54,1
PROLACTIN 206 mIU/l r: 86 - 324
PROGESTERONE 0,21 ng/ml r: <0,05 - 0,149 ng/ml

Labs after another 6 weeks 140 cyp/week

TESTOSTERONE 628,00 ng/dl r: 249 - 836

FREE TESTOSTERONE STILL WAITING - gonna edit

ESTRADIOL 47,30 pg/ml too high r: 11,3 - 43,2
SHBG 18,10 nmol/l too low r: 18,3 - 54,1
PROLACTIN 340 mIU/l too high r: 86 - 324
PROGESTERONE 0,42 ng/ml 2x from last labs r: <0,05 - 0,149 ng/ml

Please help, I have big troubles dialing in, dunno what’s going on. I am trying to repair SSRI damage that I have since stopping in 2015. Why after upping dosage all of the hormones went up but not Testosterone?

2

Time of lab testing, greatly determines the result. Even if you test at the same time, you can still see differences. Also, going from one vial to another you can also see a difference in hormone levels as the FDA allows for a deviation in concentration vial to vial.

TRT can’t work very well if there are thyroid problems, and or mineral and vitamin deficiencies. If iron or vitamin D deficient, no amount of testosterone is going to make you feel better, and if the former TRT can actually make your situation worse.

3

There is something called post SSRI sexual dysfunction that can persist for years by altering your brain chemistry and change the way the brain functions.

What did your hormone panel look like pre-TRT?

4

1st Lab done 9:33 AM, 2nd Lab done 9:39 AM. In both I used same vial.
Isn’t it suspicious that all of my hormones went up despite Testosterone which is lower? Shouldn’t be like that, SHBG went down only slightly.

I am well aware of SSRI sexual dysfunction, but my hormones were well researched and I was qualified for testosterone replacement ( my TEST was in low 300), also I responded super well in terms of SSRI SD during PCT i did before i started TRT.

Regarding to my thyroid and Iron here are labs Pre - TRT:

IRON 117,1 r: 33 - 193
TSH 3,30 r: 0,27 - 4,2
FT3 3,3 r: 2 - 4,4
FT4 1,31 r: 0,93 - 1,7

My questions were more towards why results are not better with the new dosage i took. Thanks so much for the reply!

5

I know it is frustrating. However, this is common. Guys change dosing and see little or minimal change. I take an average dose, so I see hundreds taking the same dose, with levels significantly above or below mine. Timing of the draw, lab inconsistency (sure they would push back on that), individual differences in metabolism, etc.

I would have expected you’d see some change six weeks after the increase. You have not, so does it really matter what the levels are? Maybe you need more time, maybe a dose frequency change, maybe an increased dose?

6

Interesting. I am already on Every Day dose so hmm…

Also isn’t it interesting that every other hormone went up but not T.
I will wait for Free T result maybe it will came higher.
IDK. How long u usually advise to wait before adjusting changes in protocol?

8

Testosterone sensitivity at the androgen receptor (Gene CAG repeats) differs in men, you have men with a high sensitivity and men with a low sensitivity.

9

Okay thank you…

10

Maybe you need to decrease the frequency? Almost every guy I see that went tried daily injections went back to once or twice weekly. They did not notice a difference. Talked with one this week who has experienced dramatic improvement with acne though.

Everyone’s level of patience is different, but I’m usually ok with changing after six weeks. Bottom line, if what you are doing is not working, you’ll need to consider other options and I imagine your doctor would go along with something reasonable. Good luck.