My TRT / HRT Blog

[bass]

huge difference bro, congratulations and keep up the good work. i look forward to seeing your blood work, make sure you post it here in this thread. BF% I'd guess about 15%...

[kelkel]

Max, make sure your E2 test is a sensitive assay. Based on what I've read in this thread my guess is your E2 level is getting low, hence the erection issue. I don't think you need that much AI. Maybe half that amount. Remember it has a 72hr half life. BW will tell. You've made great progress. Keep up the good work and update us when your BW comes in please.

[BigMax88]

Max, make sure your E2 test is a sensitive assay. Based on what I've read in this thread my guess is your E2 level is getting low, hence the erection issue. I don't think you need that much AI. Maybe half that amount. Remember it has a 72hr half life. BW will tell. You've made great progress. Keep up the good work and update us when your BW comes in please.

thanks! I'm getting BW at Quest Diagnostics and it just says Estradiol on the lab sheet. Here's what's checked off:

Comp Metabolic Panel w/eGFR
CBC w/Diff (Hgb, Hct, RBC, WBC, Plt, Diff)
DHEA Sulfate, Immunoassay
Estradiol
FSH
LH
PSA, Total
Testosterone , Total, Male
TSH
T-3, Free
T-4 (Thyroxine), Free
and additional tests: Free Testosterone, SHGB Cortisol.

There's no option for ultrasensitive. Would it be a possibility to add it as an additional test?

Also, erections seem to be decent on my Test shot day (morning wood is crazy). Def. room for improvement!

[bass]

i could be wrong but when i asked my clinic for the ultra sensitive they said its not necessary, the only difference between the ultra sensitive and Estradiol is the resolution, USensitive is more precise, but why does it have to be that precise?! i guess you might be fine with this test but if you can change it go for it since its the more accurate test.

[BigMax88]

Finally! I have follow up bloodwork that was conducted on 03/23/2012. Wow, my levels are through the roof! The bold values are of some concern. Everything else is within range. By the way, I had this bloodwork done on the 3rd day on a 6 day protocol. Imagine what my levels are day of the shot! Here it is:

Day 1: 200mg test, 1mg anastrozole
Day 2: nothing
Day 3: 0.5mg anastrozole (Day of the test @ 10:30am fasted)
Day 4: nothing
Day 5: 250IU HCG , 0.5mg anastrozole
Day 6: 250IU HCG

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel:
Glucose = 83 (65-99 mg/dL)
Urea Nitrogen (BUN) = 22 (7-25 mg/dL)
Creatinine = 1.2 (0.60-1.35 mg/dL)
eGFR Non-Afr. American = 84 (> or = 60 mL/min/1.73m2)
eGFR African American = 98 (> or = 60 mL/min/1.73m2)
Bun/Creatinine Ratio = Not Applicable
Sodium = 141 (135-146 mmol/L)
Potassium = 4.4 (3.5-5.3 mmol/L)
Chloride = 102 (98-110 mmol/L)
Carbon Dioxide = 32 (21-33 mmol/L)
Calcium = 9.8 (8.6-10.3 mg/dL)
Protein, Total = 6.5 (6.2-8.3 g/dL)
Albumin = 4.4 (3.6-5.1 g/dL)
Globulin = 2.1 (2.1-3.7 g/dL (calc))
Albumin/Globulin Ratio = 2.1 (1.0-2.1 (calc))
Bilirubin, Total = 1.2 (0.2-1.2 mg/dL)
Alkaline Phosphatase = 65 (40-115 U/L)
AST = 35 (10-40 U/L)
ALT = 39 (9-60 U/L)
~~~~~~
TSH = 0.91 (was 2.64) (0.40-4.50 mIU/L)
T4, Free = 1.0 (was 1.3) (0.8-1.8 ng/dL)
T3, Free = 2.7 (was 3.3) (2.3-4.2 pg/mL)
~~~~~~
CBC (includes diff/plt):
White Blood Cell Count = 5.2 (3.8-10.8 Thousand/uL)
Red Blood Cell Count = 5.01 (4.20-5.80 Million/uL)
Hemoglobin = 15.6 (13.2-17.1 g/dL)
Hematocrit = 46.0 (38.5-50.0 %)
MCV = 91.8 (80.0-100.0 fL)
MCH = 31.2 (27.0-33.0 pg)
MCHC = 34.0 (32.0-36.0 g/dL)
RDW = 14.4 (11.0-15.0 %)
Platelet Count = 192 (140-400 Thousand/uL)
Absolute Neutrophils = 3474 (1500-***0 cells/uL)
Absolute Lymphocytes = 1232 (850-3900 cells/uL)
Absolute Monocytes = 390 (200-950 cells/uL)
Absolute Eosinophils = 78 (15-500 cells/uL)
Absolute Basophils = 26 (0-200 cells/uL)
Neutrophils = 66.8 (%)
Lymphocytes = 23.7 (%)
Monocytes = 7.5 (%)
Eosinophils = 1.5 (%)
Basophils = 0.5 (%)
~~~~~
Cortisol, Total = 11.9 (was 5.7) (4.0-22.0 mcg/dL)
DHEA Sulfate = 258 (110-510 mcg/dL)
Estradiol = 29 (< or - 39 pg/mL)
PSA, Total = 0.4 (< or = 4.0 ng/mL)
Testosterone , Total, LC/MS/MS = 2009 (250-1100 ng/dL)
Free Testosterone = 522.3 (35.0-155.0 pg/mL)
FSH = <0.7 L (out of range)
LH = <0.2 L (out of range)

The doc never mentioned anything about the FSH or LH.

Whatcha guys think?

I asked to keep the test the same. My cortisol is way high and it's probably due to me having exams in a few weeks. Doc wants to put me on DHEA and something else to reduce cortisol (forgot name). I think my estradiol is a little high. I asked to increase my anastrozole by 0.5 mg. Also, I'm going to split up my protocol like so:

Day 1: 100mg test, 0.5 mg anastrozole
Day 2: 0.5mg anastrozole
Day 3: 250IU HCG (add 0.5mg anastrozole??)
repeat

I just don't know how to include the extra 0.5mg anastrozole pill (an extra pill every 6 days, so I can't split it). Will splitting my protocol like this affect my A.I. dosage? What do you think of this protocol?

Thanks!

[Brohim]

E2 in the 20's is not bad. You don't want it to low. You pretty much tested on the peak values. I would like to see what it was on day 6. However you will have more stable level's if you split the shot like you are going to do. I would keep AI at 2mg. Your e2 level's will be lower when you split the dose. You won't have a spike.

[bass]

i agree with Brohim regarding AI and your e2 level.

[BigMax88]

E2 in the 20's is not bad. You don't want it to low. You pretty much tested on the peak values. I would like to see what it was on day 6. However you will have more stable level's if you split the shot like you are going to do. I would keep AI at 2mg. Your e2 level's will be lower when you split the dose. You won't have a spike.

Ok. For the 3 day protocol, should I be taking the 0.5mg Anastrozole the 2nd day or the 3rd day with the hcg ? I started the protocol yesterday. Also, i'm assuming my levels will be the same, just leveled out more (averaged?). More consistent test levels and e2 levels? Also, looking at my bloodwork, seems like my free test is almost 4x the maximum. And it's free test that matters right? That's insane.

[bass]

like Brohim noted, you did your blood draw at peak day, of course your levels will be through the roof, a better more accurate blood test is to give blood the same day prior to your next injection. AI is usually taken 12-24 hours after injection, hCG take it the next day after T injection.

[Brohim]

I would split your protocol for every 3.5 day's. That way you are still on 200mg of test a week. If you do a 3 days you will be at 233mg of test per week. And next blood test get your blood drawn right before your next injection so you can see what your trough level's are. You also may be able to lower your AI amount since you are now splitting your injection's. You might keep it at 2mg and see where your level's are next draw.

[BigMax88]

like Brohim noted, you did your blood draw at peak day, of course your levels will be through the roof, a better more accurate blood test is to give blood the same day prior to your next injection. AI is usually taken 12-24 hours after injection, hCG take it the next day after T injection.

I understand. I just thought levels peak that day of test injection. From what you said, it sounds like I should be doing my protocol as follows:

Day 1: 100mg Test (in the morning), 0.5mg Anastrozole 12 hours later.
Day 2: 250IU hcg , 0.5mg Anastrozole
Day 3: nothing
repeat

Is this the case??

Also, my doc has me on a 6-day cycle, not a 7-day weekly schedule. So, 3.5 days wouldn't work out (I was never @ 200mg per week, it was per 6 days.)

[bass]

yes but i would be cautious taking that much AI, you don't want to crash your E2.

[socalfun64]

nevermind

[BigMax88]

yes but i would be cautious taking that much AI, you don't want to crash your E2.

How does crashing work? If my e2 was 29 during peak time... how much would it lower on day 3(peak) of my new protocol? The A.I. are capsule form so no splitting.... what should I do?

[Brohim]

I think what Bass meant was to keep the same amount of AI you were taking before. 29 is a decent e2 profile. If you take more than you were before you could crash your e2 and cause problem's. So keep AI the same and just split your test dose.

[BigMax88]

I think what Bass meant was to keep the same amount of AI you were taking before. 29 is a decent e2 profile. If you take more than you were before you could crash your e2 and cause problem's. So keep AI the same and just split your test dose.

Gotcha. I wouldn't change it until I did follow up blood work any how. I hear crashing e2 is a bitch. You say 29 is a "decent" e2 level. Is there any consensus on the optimal e2? I remember I was horny all day long. It was so bad (in a good way) that I would get woodies while walking everywhere. I don't know what has changed. It's probably the stress and/or lack of consistent sleep (finals are next week for school). I just want that libido back.

[Brohim]

20-30. When were you a walking erection? When you first got on?

[kelkel]

Hell, my goal in life anymore is to be a walking erection, quite honestly.

[Viking13]

Lmaoooo x2!!!!

[BigMax88]

20-30. When were you a walking erection? When you first got on?

Honestly I don't recall. I just remember being ridiculously horny. I just need a break from all this stress(and more sleep) to really find out where I stand. I don't want to say it's because of this or that until I'm maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Right now it's junk food, late nights and high stress.