I got things started with Defy yesterday, went to LabCorp this morning to give some blood for bloodwork.
Now I’m just waiting to see what the results come back at. Assuming they aren’t hugely improved from what I already had done 4-5 months ago then I’ll go ahead with a consultation and see what they say.
I’m probably getting ahead of myself considering lab work isn’t even back yet, but…
What’s the general consensus on subcutaneous test injections vs IM? I think I’d feel a lot better about doing that if it’s an option
I prefer sub Q, but it’s really 6 of one, half-dozen of the other.
Good deal. I’d rather do it that way if it’s all the same regardless
Blood tests are back. I’ll post more later, but what’s the highest shbg you guys have seen? Mine is 151
Estradiol is 13.1. Low end of normal.
Total test 862
Free test 6.3. Low.
Shbg 151. High.
TSH 2.64. “Normal” but higher than I’d like
Sorry about the lack of units and ranges.
Damn you’ve got problems, problems a sick care doctors cannot fix. The insurance companies via guidelines restrict total testosterone to <800, if you sail past >800, doctors pull your scripted and you are forced to stop TRT for a couple of months while you are hypogonadal.
You are more than likely going to require supraphysiological doses of testosterone (>1200) to suppress extremely high SHBG to increase free testosterone to optimal levels and only a private doctor can help you.
These guidelines were written in a time when hormone knowledge is at an all time low, so you are a victim of the ignorance of western medicine.
TSH is a poor indicator of thyroid status, it’s not even a thyroid hormone. Free T3 is the master thyroid hormones and needs to be midrange or better and reverse T3 <15 ng/dL. TRT will either improve upon TSH or will take the thyroid past the brink and show its got more problems than a guy tied to railroad tracks.
You hold on second place trophy for the highest SHBG I’ve seen in awhile, the highest I’ve seen is 246 and this guys natural total testosterone was 1995 ng/dL (very high LH) and free testosterone was lower than yours.
Your SHBG doesn’t seem overly sticky, free testosterone is not as bad as I would expect to see for someone scoring these SHBG levels, you’ll just need more testosterone to compete with this SHBG level.
For reference my SHBG fluctuates between 16-22, normally higher SHBG is healthier, just not in your case.
You need to figure out why the SHBG is so high, and get something prescribed to lower it. You have a great test level, just no free T because of the SHBG
What causes shbg to be high like that? Hopefully nothing terrible like cancer or something.
What lowers shbg? Or is it more a matter or adding more testosterone?
I’m going to call my old doc Monday and see if the blood work I had done before my libido issues started included test or not so I can compare
Yes but it seems bigger because it was already so low.
If it went from 19 to 16 or 15 we would not see it as such a big drop. 7 to 4 yes
Regrdless it’s low. I would get started and move on with it. You have symptoms and there no need to waste money on blood until after another 6 weeks of trt.
High SHBG can be:
An excess amount of testosterone lowers SHBG, not much else will. Your problem is you’re not making enough to matter and you likely will never produce enough testosterone.
As for what causes high SHBG, genetics, food and environmental contamination all play a role. My SHBG is on the lower end, that has got to be genetic for the fact mine isn’t on the higher end.
Thanks for the response
Hepatitis, no, been tested
HIV, no, been tested
No seizure drugs
I guess that leaves thyroid issues and liver disease… or just some weird genetic thing I guess?
Guess we’ll see. I’m going to try to get my physical done this weekend so I can get an appt scheduled with the doc at Defy to see what they think
His total test is 862.
Thanks, lots of good info. Sounds like my SHBG is pretty extreme. I had some blood work done in December 2017 so I hope it at least had test/free test included because I felt awesome then. Libido was as high as it’s ever been. All this started around April 2018. I don’t have a copy of the December 2017 results but I am going to call Monday and try to get them.
I’ve had 3 total/free testosterone tests done over the last year or so but this is the first one that had SHBG included:
Aug 2018:
Total test 1000
Free test 7.2
Feb 2019:
Total test 448
Free test 4.1
Free T3 was 3.2 [2.0 to 4.4]. I don’t know if that’s good or bad
Free T4 was 1.51 [0.82 to 1.77]. I don’t know if that’s good or bad
NOTE: I briefly tried HCG on my own and stopped a few weeks before these tests, so I believe that’s the reason my total test levels dropped so much. I actually felt good towards the end of week 3/4 on it but was worried about doing it without doc supervision so I stopped. Sounds like I might should have continued.
May 2019:
Total test 862
Free test 6.3
That’s all I’ve got. I wish I wasn’t getting a silver trophy for this one, haha.
The good news is there’s a huge sense of relief that maybe I finally actually know why my libido has sucked so bad lately. It’s been painful mentally having sexual issues.
SHBG is made in the liver, so I’d start there. Hopefully it’s no big deal.,
I sure hope so. I’m probably being paranoid but for the last year or so I’ve felt like it takes forever to sober up after drinking so I hope that isn’t some sort of liver issue going on. I just assumed I was getting old and was out of practice, haha
Testosterone increases metabolic rates so having lower testosterone slows metabolic rates and affects the liver. When men start TRT, lipids and liver enzymes improve.
I stopped TRT recently due to severe edema, liver enzymes increased and liver function decreased. The edema was causing secondary bloodflow issues which made gave me symptoms of liver disease.
I looked through the report and everything I can find for liver tests look fine. Hopefully I’m fine there.
We’ll see.
Had my physical this morning. Sending results to defy soon this afternoon then I’ll get my appt scheduled