Where to go from here?

[17chester6]

My 18 week blood work (only T, free T and E done, in another 6 weeks I do the full profile again) are in and I have a couple of queries.

Treatment started on December 1, 2013 with T cypionate 50 mg X2/week and DHEA 25mg daily.
After the January tests 250 IU HCG subQ X2/week was added and DHEA upped to 50 mg daily.
After February blood work Arimidex 0.125 mg X2/week orally added.


Test April 2 February 19 January 9 November 11 2013
Total T
(nmol/L) 32.6 (8.4-28.8), 33.5, 31.9, 12.9 (8.4-28.8),
Free T
(pmol/L 69.4 (25- 80), 72.8, 65.9, 20.5 (25- 80)
Esrtradiol
(pmol/L) 97 (<150), 167, 83, <70 (<150)

Sensitive Estradiol is not available in Ontario, Canada to my knowledge. The doc wants my E to be between 90 and 130 pmol/L.

Overall I feel great but the progression in the gym is not that great, but OK. Joints and muscles in lower limbs do ache after a workout and I walk like a cowboy for a couple of days after a good gym as I am so stiff and sore. Getting in and out of a chair can be bad. Then that wears off till the next big session at the gym. The other muscle groups don't bother me. Libido is 8/10. Testicles grew back after the HCG was started.

The doc was thinking of lowering the Adex to 0.1 mg (using a compounding pharmacy) or increasing the T to 60 mg twice weekly to get the E up a little higher as it was 97 and he likes 90 to 130. I suggested spacing the Adex to every five days for a few weeks to see how I felt and then deciding. An opinion here?

Also I am still using the same bottle of HCG since January and as it is aging I have increased the dose to 350 IU from the 250 IU. Might the HCG not be as effective as before as my total and free T are a little lower (though that might be just normal day to day variation)?

I know "less is more" is the mantra, but I can't help wondering if I upped the T so my free and total T were higher then the gym progression might be enhanced and perhaps the msucle aches might not be as bad. But then acne and other issues could start. Am I asking for too much from TRT and I should be happy with what I have.

The muscle aches in my legs is an issue and I can't blame low or high Estradiol as it is in the lower but good range my doc wants. Might higher T help?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[2Sox]

My 18 week blood work (only T, free T and E done, in another 6 weeks I do the full profile again) are in and I have a couple of queries.

Treatment started on December 1, 2013 with T cypionate 50 mg X2/week and DHEA 25mg daily.
After the January tests 250 IU HCG subQ X2/week was added and DHEA upped to 50 mg daily.
After February blood work Arimidex 0.125 mg X2/week orally added.


Test April 2 February 19 January 9 November 11 2013
Total T
(nmol/L) 32.6 (8.4-28.8), 33.5, 31.9, 12.9 (8.4-28.8),
Free T
(pmol/L 69.4 (25- 80), 72.8, 65.9, 20.5 (25- 80)
Esrtradiol
(pmol/L) 97 (<150), 167, 83, <70 (<150)

Sensitive Estradiol is not available in Ontario, Canada to my knowledge. The doc wants my E to be between 90 and 130 pmol/L.

Overall I feel great but the progression in the gym is not that great, but OK. Joints and muscles in lower limbs do ache after a workout and I walk like a cowboy for a couple of days after a good gym as I am so stiff and sore. Getting in and out of a chair can be bad. Then that wears off till the next big session at the gym. The other muscle groups don't bother me. Libido is 8/10. Testicles grew back after the HCG was started.

The doc was thinking of lowering the Adex to 0.1 mg (using a compounding pharmacy) or increasing the T to 60 mg twice weekly to get the E up a little higher as it was 97 and he likes 90 to 130. I suggested spacing the Adex to every five days for a few weeks to see how I felt and then deciding. An opinion here?

Also I am still using the same bottle of HCG since January and as it is aging I have increased the dose to 350 IU from the 250 IU. Might the HCG not be as effective as before as my total and free T are a little lower (though that might be just normal day to day variation)?

I know "less is more" is the mantra, but I can't help wondering if I upped the T so my free and total T were higher then the gym progression might be enhanced and perhaps the msucle aches might not be as bad. But then acne and other issues could start. Am I asking for too much from TRT and I should be happy with what I have.

The muscle aches in my legs is an issue and I can't blame low or high Estradiol as it is in the lower but good range my doc wants. Might higher T help?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I'd say that unless someone on this forum knows how to interpret you estradiol readings - for men - you've got to find out how yourself so we can make sense of this. Without knowing this, lots of us (like myself) are left scratching our heads. The E2 level your doc is comfortable with may not be good for you - IF - and that's a big IF - you are still having symptoms of low E2 - the aches you describe. At 59, these just might come with the territory. (I speak from experience. I'm one of the "senior" members of the forum.)

I would also like to offer you this regarding E2 control: After considerable thought and experimentation with Adex/Anastrozole, I feel I would only recommend it for people who cannot get or afford Aromasin/Exemestane. IMO, Aromasin is a more effective and more forgiving drug than Adex, and what I like particularly is that there is no rebound effect with Aromasin; you don't feel worse once it wears off. You just go down to your baseline. I've just started using it and I like it very much. You might want to speak to your doctor about this.

Regarding DIM: From my experience, it's not for serious E2 control. But that's me.