Lab Results and Dialing In My Sweet Spot

[junk2222yard]

Been on HRT for 4 months... for the last 6 weeks I did this protocol:

Monday morning 50 mg of Test E & 250 iu HCG
Tuesday morning .25 mg AI
Wednesday morning 250 iu HCG
Thursday night 50mg of Test E
Friday morning 250 iu HCG and .25 mg AI
Weekends off.

I had blood work done recently for Free T and Estradiol. My doc only wants to do these two things until I am dialed in.

BLOOD DRAWN ON TUESDAY (before AI taken)

	Result	Range	Unit
Free T	119.2	15.6-146	PMOL/L
Estradiol	130	0-172	PMOL/L

BLOOD DRAWN ON SATURDAY

	Result	Range	Unit
Free T	65.9	15.6-146	PMOL/L
Estradiol	159	0-172	PMOL/L

Couple points... I am in Canada, and cannot specify "sensitive assay" for E2. Doc is suggesting I take the hCG a day ahead (Sun, Tue and Thur) and move the AI to the same time that I inject the T. Also says go to 60mg Test E, meaning 120mg/wk instead of 100, as my Free T is still too low.

My E2 seems high now, though he didn't say to increase the Arimidex dose? (6 weeks ago my E2 was too low to count, according to the labs.)

Thoughts?

[steroid.com 1]

What your Doc is suggesting isn't going to amount to a hill of beans with maybe the additional 20 mg of Test a week. But with such higher E2 it's going to be converted anyways...more fuel on the fire it you will.

You need to get your E2 down first and foremost.

The days your blood was drawn relative to your Test injection is one day different but that shouldn't account for such a difference in both assays.

None of this make sense to me; you started on an AI 50mg a week and your E2 is higher than before you started and Free is not quite half of what is was before the AI...this should be the other way around!

What type of AI did he prescribe?

I need to see more blood work...something is amiss here.

[junk2222yard]

None of this make sense to me; you started on an AI 50mg a week and your E2 is higher than before you started and Free is not quite half of what is was before the AI...this should be the other way around!

Maybe my E2 is spkining because of rebound from earlier E2 crash?

What type of AI did he prescribe?

Initially Femara, but my E2 was reduced to numbers that couldn't be measured, so we switched to Arimidex .

You need to get your E2 down first and foremost.

Do you think I am in danger of developing Gynecomastia ? (My doc said my E2 would have to be more elevated, and for some time, before this happened.) Perhaps when I measured my E2 was rebounding from being crashed, as I have read some people experience when their E2 has crashed? Is it not as simple as simply increasing my AI dose or frequency? (Although my doctor did not say to do this.)

I need to see more blood work...something is amiss here.

Do you mean I should ask my doctor to get me more tests? Or do you mean you need more previous results? The only time I had a lot of results was to establish a baseline back in June. I could post everything I have, but it is a lot. And complicated. My doc picks and chooses what to test each time. Here is all of the Free T, E2 and Total T from the past several "dial in" draws:

	Free T	E2	Total T
JUN 08 (pre HRT)	48.6	88	-
AUG 28 (TRT begins, T only)	112.5	202	-
SEPT 09 (AI added [Femara])	65.7	96	18.0
OCT 03 (T and AI)	158.7	<37	32
OCT 05 (T and AI)	115.2	<73	18.5
NOV 20 (T, hCG added, and AI switched to Arimidex)	119.2	130	-
NOV 24 (T, hCG added, and AI switched to Arimidex)	65.9	159	-

[junk2222yard]

Couple quick points:
1. In the dates close together (2 in OCT, 2 in NOV), that is because my doc likes a peak and a valley, to see how the regimen is playing out
2. Since I am dropping off T-wise so quick, could I be a so-called "hyper excreter"?
3. I should note for the first month I was taking a DHEA/pregnalone supp, which I stopped, and
4. For the past month I have been taking Saw Palmetto for BPH

[junk2222yard]

Bump. Could use some help... anyone want to chime in?

[kelkel]

Got your PM Junkyard. Totally agree with GD here.

Question. What are your stats? Height, weight, app BF%.

Your doctor should not have to test you a couple days apart to make a competent decision on your T levels. He should be able to extrapolate your levels out based on one test. He does not seem to trust himself. When it comes to your HCG I would do it the day before your T injections, not after.

And GD is referring to current BW to examine further...

kel

[junk2222yard]

Thanks for the response, kelkel. Yes, I think I will move the hCG to the day ahead; my doc also suggested that.

I am 42 years old, 6'3, 253 lbs with 30.5% body fat (according to my body fat scale). A year ago I was 25 lbs lighter, yet stronger. The fat gain/strength loss is what got me to get blood tests (and ultimately on HRT) in the first place.

Regarding 2 tests (peak and valley), yes, perhaps my doctor does not trust himself? I do believe I can usually get him to support what I want, though there have been exceptions. But here in Canada there are less options when it comes to getting treatment.

I am thinking because my E2 is high:
1. use slightly more Arimidex , maybe .5 instead of .25 doses, for 1mg/wk
2. use less hCG (smaller dose, 2x/wk instead of 3x), and move it a day ahead of T (as suggested by kelkel)

This is what I am thinking now, but I welcome any feedback:
Sunday morning 150 iu hCG
Monday morning 60 mg of Test E
Tuesday morning .5 mg AI
Wednesday night 150 iu HCG
Thursday night 60mg of Test E
Friday night .5 mg AI
Sat nothing

[kelkel]

Sounds like a plan. I'm assuming your working your ars off to lose the BF which will help to turn your situation around, right?

[junk2222yard]

Working my ass off would be an exaggeration, but I do lift weights 3x/wk and get a lot of cardio. (No car, so I bike or walk everywhere, including 2+ hours of brisk walking 2x/week.) My major effort to lose the BF is in tweaking my diet. Tweaks are here: http://forums.steroid.com/showthread...-Nutrtion-Help

I am a little concerned if doing 150 iu hCG twice a week will be enough to stave off testicular atrophy, but I will know pretty quickly if it is working.

I also am reading up on injecting T E3D instead of twice a week, or even EOD. I am going to give my new plan 6 weeks, but because it hasn't been smooth sailing I am reading some more exotic stuff in the meanwhile.

[kelkel]

250 IU HCG two or three times per week is about the norm. I do 250 x 3 per week. Remember, consistency is a big part of this. It allows your body to find balance. Try not to over-think or over-complicate things.

[junk2222yard]

You know what? I do overcomplicate things. I am already changing a lot of variables, so I will heed your words and do a more normal .250 iu hCG twice per week.

I will report back in 6 weeks. Also once again I want to say thanks to you and the other vets.

[junk2222yard]

Ok, my latest plan looked good on paper but was unworkable. Dropping my hCG to 2x week at .250 iu meant my balls would start aching several hours before the next hCG injection. It was even more uncomfortable than I remembered it being before I added hCG to begin with. So I was like either I must increase the hCG dose, or frequency of injections.

Here is my new plan. I am throwing out the `7 Day Week` framework. Now it is T every three days, repeat:

Day 1 at 1pm inject .250iu of hCG
Day 2 at 1pm inject 60mg of Test E
Day 3 at 1pm orally take .5mg of Arimidex

Then begin same thing all over again. Seems much simpler than the other plans. We`ll see...

[junk2222yard]

Saw my doc and he is ok with the new 3 day plan. I am going to have a ton of bloodwork done in 3 weeks and will post results here. hCG every 3 days avoids ball ache and this protocol of hCg then T then AI then repeat is a helluva lot easier to implement.