Running into a bit of a logic issue with lab timing and wanted to get some input from guys who’ve been doing this a while.
Current setup:
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132 mg/week test cyp
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M/W/F subq
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Previously tested Monday AM pre-injection (true trough)
Here’s where I’m stuck:
With 3x/week injections, I’m basically never at trough. That Monday morning window is a small fraction of the week. The rest of the time I’m either recently injected or ~24 hours post-injection where levels are more representative of how I actually feel.
So I’m questioning the usefulness of trough testing in this context.
It seems like the trough would be the lowest possible number, but not actually reflective of my normal state across the week.
My concern is that trough labs could at trough could underrepresent actual circulating levels, mask where E2 is actually at most of the time, and even potentially lead to increasing my dose when it’s not necessary. FWIW, I feel great, I found 130mg a week to be a sweet spot for me, so I don’t think labs alone will make me want to increase my dose.
I’m considering switching to mid-cycle testing (Wed/Thurs), or possibly ~24 hours post-injection to better reflect steady-state.
For guys running higher frequency protocols:
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Are you still sticking to trough labs, or testing mid-cycle?
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Have you compared the two and seen meaningful differences?
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Is there a strong reason to prioritize trough beyond standardization?
Not trying to overthink it, just trying to line labs up with reality instead of tradition. Apologies if this has come up before, I’ve tried searching but maybe I’m just not using the right keywords for this topic.
Thanks