Trouble after switching to SQ injections

[juice2012]

I've been on TRT for just over a year now. I settled on doing IM injections of cyp 2x a week 50mg each injection for a total of 100mg per week.

A typical blood test after being on that routine for over a month looks like this:

Testosterone Total 250 - 1100 ng/dL 846
Testosterone Free 35.0 - 155.0 pg/mL 273.5 H

All my samples are taken right before the next injection so they are in the trough.


I decided to switch it up to SQ injections back earlier this year and after 4 weeks of fat injections here were the results:

Testosterone Total 250 - 1100 ng/dL 596
Testosterone Free 35.0 - 155.0 pg/mL 185.1 H

So these numbers to me didn't look too bad, 600 being the lowest and I imagine the highest was like 900? Also Free T was still higher than the normal range but that's how it's always been for me.

So after staying on SQ for a while, I wanted to hit the gym hardcore, and I did, but I switched back to IM for a few months while I lifted. Also, I've noticed since I started T I always feel bloated and have a gut even though I've never had that before. I'm 5' 10" and 170 - 185lbs, it just feels like i can "push out my gut" way more than before. I don't think it's just fat. I gained 10 lbs the first month I went on TRT.

Anyway, I decided to go back on SQ and then possibly add an AI just to experiment and see if the bloat would go away. But this time around I noticed when I switched back to SQ on the day of my injection i would just feel crushed. No energy at all and dragging all day long. I didn't put a connection together at first because I also have depression and fatigue issues. So I just happened to go see my doctor and he wanted to check T levels just for the hell of it, and look at the results:

Testosterone Total 250 - 1100 ng/dL 438
Testosterone Free 35.0 - 155.0 pg/mL 109.8

This is probably the lowest it's been in a year! I must add that I didnt get the bloodwork until 1pm that day and I should have gone in at like 8am but i was too tired and had errands to run, but i doubt 5 hours would have made that much difference.


At this point I'm a little stumped. Should I injection MORE and stick with SQ? Should I inject less but inject 3x a week? My prescription is for 120mg a week but I only use 100, so i could drop it down to 40mg 3x a week instead of 50mg 2x. Should I go back to IM? Should I just add and AI and see if that increases it?


You guys rock as always so I can't wait to you from everyone!

[SEOINAGE]

I would not add an AI unless you have E2 numbers to show that it is elevated. I would first start injecting more frequently. I do SQ eod. go to something like 30 mg eod and that puts you at 105 a week. I would do this for 6 weeks before blood work, it seems to take longer to normalize. How long were you back on SQ when the doctor pulled blood samples? I would guess it isn't enough time to make your levels stable. I've had times using subq twice a week where I felt awful, but it wasn't the dose, it was the transition. Frequent injections seems to speed things up, as well as keep you a bit more level. Give it a shot, or else talk to your doctor about it.

[Vettester]

Agree with SEO, you need your E2 sensitive number before looking at any AI. How old is your medication? Possibly your medication lost some potency (happened to me once, so it's one thought) ...

[bass]

when I was doing 60mgs twice a week SQ my TT was at 600-700, and when I switched to Two Spot Injections (30mgs in two different places) my TT went over 800, and my free way above normal. something to consider. what's your BF%, and where do you inject SQ?

[juice2012]

I started SQ again on 7/18 so it's been just under 6 weeks since I've been doing it.

[juice2012]

Medication is less than 3 months old. The bottle is still over half full. I'm not really considering and AI, I have a prescription for arimidex and I was taking it a long time ago. I think my E2 has been from 50 - 65 depending on how i'm injecting. Obviously it's higher with IM injections.

[juice2012]

when I was doing 60mgs twice a week SQ my TT was at 600-700, and when I switched to Two Spot Injections (30mgs in two different places) my TT went over 800, and my free way above normal. something to consider. what's your BF%, and where do you inject SQ?

Bass,

I've actually had the opposite happen. That first result of me doing SQ I injected it all at once in to 1 inch from either side of my belly button or into a love handle. Now I've been splitting it and doing 2 spot injections like you and it's lower for some reason. Doesn't make sense.


As far as body fat, I'm not sure. Like i said before I'm 5'10" and 185 lbs at the most. Here is a picture I made to show my friends my progress:



The "before" picture is me in 2011 at 152 lbs, I had been cutting and not working out at all. In fact I hadn't lifted regularly for almost 5 years. I just wanted to be super cut but did 0 cardio so I never got that full 6-pack.

The "after" photo was me being on TRT for over 10 months, taken a few months ago after lifting 4x a week and doing yoga 3x a week for 6 week straight. And injecting 100-120 mg of T IM per week.

Any guess as to my BF %?

[bass]

the reason I asked about BF is because LowT Mike stated that too much fat may not absorb well, but obviously you don't have that problem. how sure are you injecting into fat and not the layer between fat and muscle, because if you dong have enough fat you could be going too far.

you can gauge your BF% from this pic,

[juice2012]

the reason I asked about BF is because LowT Mike stated that too much fat may not absorb well, but obviously you don't have that problem. how sure are you injecting into fat and not the layer between fat and muscle, because if you dong have enough fat you could be going too far.

you can gauge your BF% from this pic,

I use a 29 gauge 1/2" slin pin and shove it all the way in and then some. I feel like i can definitely pinch a good inch+ of fat around my waist and even more on the love handles.

At this point I'm thinking about going back to IM. I have a lot going on in my life and don't feel like I can wait 6 weeks just to see if a different SQ protocol worst :\

[juice2012]

Also, judging by that picture I think I'm in between 15 and 20%, no way am I less than 12%. What do you guys think?

[xcraider37]

Also, judging by that picture I think I'm in between 15 and 20%, no way am I less than 12%. What do you guys think?

Easy just go back to IM injections and get tested in 4 to 6 weeks to make sure the sub-q was the issue, go back to what was working for you. We are always trying to find something better maybe IM was best for you. Keep it simple.

[highpsi]

I've been on subq for 6 weeks and I'm fading, lost the zip almost right after, had a few weeks of good libido probably due to finding out last bw that my estrogen was very elevated and now it's hopefully in control. Gonna try to get blood work this week to see if my suspicions are right.