Opinions on my latest BW

[dfwo]

Just looking for some thoughts or opinions on my latest BW. I feel good, but a couple of things look out of whack.

I'm 47 and have been on TRT for a few years now. Last month I increased my Test from 160 to 180 every week, and Arimidex from .25 to .5 mg.

My current routine is as follows;

Tue - 250 iu HCG
Wed - 250 iu HCG
Thu - 180 mg Test Cyp
Fri - .5 mg Arimidex
5mg Cialis daily

I also donate blood every eight weeks or so.

And my bloodwork I did last week; (I'll post the main stuff first, and everything at the bottom)

Testosterone , Serum 607 348-1197 ng/dL
Free Testosterone (Direct) 22.5 HIGH 6.8-21.5 pg/mL
(my free % is always high, and SHBG always low)

Luteinizing Hormone (LH) <0.2 LOW 1.7-8.6 mIU/mL
FSH, Serum (FSH) <0.2 LOW 1.5-12.4 mIU/mL
(obviously concerned about these two)

Estradiol, Sensitive 31.9 8.0-35.0 pg/mL
(a little high?)

Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum 17.6 16.5-55.9 nmol/L

[dfwo]

CBC With Differential/Platelet
WBC 7.3 3.4-10.8 x10E3/uL
RBC 5.80 4.14-5.80 x10E6/uL
Hemoglobin 15.9 12.6-17.7 g/dL
Hematocrit 48.8 37.5-51.0 %
MCV 84 79-97 fL
MCH 27.4 26.6-33.0 pg
MCHC 32.6 31.5-35.7 g/dL
RDW 15.7 HIGH 12.3-15.4 %
Platelets 299 150-379 x10E3/uL
Neutrophils 67 %
Lymphs 22 %
Monocytes 8 %
Eos 3 %
Basos 0 %
Neutrophils (Absolute) 4.8 1.4-7.0 x10E3/uL
Lymphs (Absolute) 1.6 0.7-3.1 x10E3/uL
Monocytes(Absolute) 0.6 0.1-0.9 x10E3/uL
Eos (Absolute) 0.2 0.0-0.4 x10E3/uL
Baso (Absolute) 0.0 0.0-0.2 x10E3/uL
Immature Granulocytes 0 %
Immature Grans (Abs) 0.0 0.0-0.1 x10E3/uL

Comp. Metabolic Panel (14)
Glucose, Serum 86 65-99 mg/dL
BUN 17 6-24 mg/dL
Creatinine, Serum 1.24 0.76-1.27 mg/dL
eGFR If NonAfricn Am 69 >59 mL/min/1.73
eGFR If Africn Am 80 >59 mL/min/1.73
BUN/Creatinine Ratio 14 9-20
Sodium, Serum 138 134-144 mmol/L
Potassium, Serum 4.8 3.5-5.2 mmol/L
Chloride, Serum 98 97-108 mmol/L
Carbon Dioxide, Total 24 18-29 mmol/L
Calcium, Serum 9.5 8.7-10.2 mg/dL
Protein, Total, Serum 7.2 6.0-8.5 g/dL
Albumin, Serum 4.7 3.5-5.5 g/dL
Globulin, Total 2.5 1.5-4.5 g/dL
A/G Ratio 1.9 1.1-2.5
Bilirubin, Total 0.3 0.0-1.2 mg/dL
Alkaline Phosphatase, S 99 39-117 IU/L
AST (SGOT) 21 0-40 IU/L
ALT (SGPT) 21 0-44 IU/L

Lipid Panel
Cholesterol, Total 139 100-199 mg/dL
Triglycerides 148 0-149 mg/dL
HDL Cholesterol 30 LOW >39 mg/dL
VLDL Cholesterol Cal 30 5-40 mg/dL
LDL Cholesterol Calc 79 0-99 mg/dL

Iron and TIBC
Iron Bind.Cap.(TIBC) 377 250-450 ug/dL
UIBC 323 150-375 ug/dL
Iron, Serum 54 40-155 ug/dL
Iron Saturation 14 LOW 15-55 %

Hemoglobin A1c 5.3 4.8-5.6 %

Thyroxine (T4) Free, Direct, S
T4,Free(Direct) 1.15 0.82-1.77 ng/dL
DHEA-Sulfate 204.7 71.6-375.4 ug/dL
TSH 2.140 0.450-4.500 uIU/mL

Prolactin 11.7 4.0-15.2 ng/mL

Prostate Specific Ag, Serum 0.5 0.0-4.0 ng/mL

C-Reactive Protein, Cardiac 4.77 HIGH 0.00-3.00 mg/L

GGT 25 0-65 IU/L

Magnesium, Serum 2.1 1.6-2.6 mg/dL

Insulin 13.3 2.6-24.9 uIU/mL

Ferritin, Serum 18 LOW 30-400 ng/mL

Triiodothyronine,Free,Serum 3.9 2.0-4.4 pg/mL

[thisAngelBites]

I will let someone more experienced with male hormones address your LH and FSH.

It looks like your diet contains a lot of carbs, and not enough good quality fat.

I don't at all like that CRP. It's a marker of inflammation, and it causes even more inflammation. Do you have any inflammatory issues like crohn's or IBD or rheumatoid arthritis? Excess body fat also raises CRP, as does the consumption of trans fats. Do you know your vitamin D levels? I would check the CRP the next time you do bloods - it might be transiently elevated due to some subclinical infection or something, and will hopefully be normal the next time you test.

I'm not sure what to say about the iron situation. You're not the first one to post here who is taking test, and has to donate blood to control hematocrit, but then has depleted iron stores/serum/saturation. I don't think anyone has offered a nice solution to this, but who knows, maybe someone new has some info and will help us all learn about these situations.

[kelkel]

LH & FSH are not worth testing other than the first BW after initiation of TRT. Your endogenous production is shut down thus these levels will bottom out.
Agree with Angel, elevated CRP should be watched. It can be asymptomatic but still needs attention. Next time you pull cholesterol panels get either a VAP or NMR Lipo Profile which breaks down your LDL particles and gives a much better picture of what's going on inside.

Assuming this BW was pulled about a week after your last shot, you should consider splitting your dose in half and injecting twice weekly. Doing this you can probably reduce your dosage slightly as well, still maintain solid levels without the drop at weeks end and help lower your E2 and help to control hemo and hama as well. If you do this you can put your hcg in the same syringe as your test.

When it comes to iron levels, many tend to over donate. Don't fall into that trap that you have to donate every eight weeks. Often times it can lead to anemia.

[dfwo]

Ok, just a couple of questions...

Isn't the HcG supposed to keep my natural testosterone in production? Would the minimal levels of FSH and LH mean that it isn't working?

You're dead on about the carbs and good fats, I have to work on that. And I think the CRP is a function of crappy diet and not enough exercise.

And I'm clueless on the iron. My dad had polycythemia, and I know overproduction of red blood cells can be an issue with testosterone therapy . I guess it's just a matter of finding a balance between the two.

[dfwo]

Oh, I'll also read up on the issue of injecting 2x week. Is it generally done subq or im?

[kelkel]

Ok, just a couple of questions...

Isn't the HcG supposed to keep my natural testosterone in production? Would the minimal levels of FSH and LH mean that it isn't working?

You're dead on about the carbs and good fats, I have to work on that. And I think the CRP is a function of crappy diet and not enough exercise.

And I'm clueless on the iron. My dad had polycythemia, and I know overproduction of red blood cells can be an issue with testosterone therapy. I guess it's just a matter of finding a balance between the two.

HCG keeps your testicals functioning and producing minimally. Your pituitary function is still shut down due to exogenous testosterone and the use of HCG will not read as elevated LH or FSH levels.

Oh, I'll also read up on the issue of injecting 2x week. Is it generally done subq or im?

Either way. Personal preference as they both work fine.