4 weeks into TRT with Test Cyp, still not feeling effects. Could it be low SHBG?

[masanarchy]

Hey Guys,

I'm hoping to get some insight here. I have been taking Test Cyp, HCG, and Anastrozole from an anti-aging clinic for 4 weeks. The only effect I have felt nocturnal erections/morning wood on 3 separate occasions. Once the first day I started the therapy, once about 2 weeks later, and once last night. From everything I have read, I really thought I would be feeling a lot better (More energy, more confidence, less anxiety, better mood, etc.) by now. Is it normal to not feel anything 4 weeks into the therapy, or could it be my low SHBG, or maybe something else? The only help I'm getting from the clinic is that I need more therapies, such as Sermorelin, Glutathione, and a bunch of other things.

Some info:

35 years old.
5'8
207 lbs


I have been experiencing the symptoms of low T for most of my adult life, if not all. Symptoms are Fatigue, low sex drive, lack of motivation, anxiety, low self-confidence.


Lab work from 3/25

Chemistries

Glucose, Serum 84 mg/dL 65-99
BUN 16 mg/dL 6-20
Creatine, Serum .90 mg/dL .76-1.27
eGFR 110 mL/min/1.73 greater than 59
BUN/Creatine Ratio 18 8-19
Sodium, Serum 140 mmol/L 134-144
Potassium, Serum 5.1 mmol/L 3.5-5.2
Chloride, Serum 100 mmol/L 97-108
Carbon Dioxide, Total 26 mmol/L 19-28
Calcium, Serum 9.8 mg/dL 8.7.-10.2
Protein, Total, Serum 7.1 g/dL 6-8.5
Albumin, Serum 4.9 g/dL 3.5-5.5
Globulin, Total 2.2 g/dL 1.5-4.5
A/G Ratio 2.2 1.1-2.5
Bilirubin, Total 0.5 mg/dL 0.0-1.2
Alkaline Phosphatase, S 77 IU/L 39-117
AST (SGOT) 20 IU/L 0-40
ALT (SGPT) 14 IU/L 0-44

Lipids

Cholesterol, Total 179 mg/dL 100-199
Triglycerides 118 mg/dL 0-149
HDL Cholesterol 45 mg/dL greater than 39
VLDL Cholesterol 24 mg/dL 5-40
LDL Cholesterol 110 mg/dL 0-99
LDL/HDL Ratio 2.4 0.0-3.6

Thyroid

TSH 3.560 uIu/mL .450-4.500
Triiodothyronine Free, Serum 3.8 pg/mL 2.0-4.4

Immunonassay

Prostate Specific Ag, Serum 0.6 ng/mL 0.0-4.0
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I 253 ng/mL 88-246
Testosterone, Serum 216 ng/dL 348-1197
Free Testosterone (Direct) 10.5 pg/mL 8.7-25.1
LH 6.5 mIU/mL 1.7-8.6
FSH 3.8 mIU/mL 1.5-12.4
Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum 12.8 nmol/L 16.5-55.9
Estradiol 16.8 pg/mL 7.6-42.6
Roche ECLIA methodology

CBC, Platelet Ct, and Diff

WBC 5.7 x10E3/uL 3.4-10.8
RBC 5.10 x10E6/uL 4.14-5.80
Hemoglobin 14.9 g/dL 12.6-17.7
Hematocrit 44.1 % 37.5-51.0
MCV 87 fL 79-97
MCH 29.2 pg 26.6-33.0
MCHC 33.8 g/dL 31.5-35.7
RDW 12.6 % 12.3-15.4
Platelets 268 x10E3/uL 155-379
Neutrophils (Absolute) 3.1 x10E3/uL 1.4-7.0
Lymphs (Absolute) 2.2
Monocytes (Absolute)
Eos (Absolute)
Baso (Absolute)
Immature Granulocytes
Immature Grans (Abs)

Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy 21.8 30.0-100.0

Here is the protocol they started me on:

200mg/mL Testosterone Cypionate - .5mL/every 4 days
HCG - 400IU/EOD
.5 mg Anastrozole/Every other day


Thanks in advance,

Masanarchy

 

[Zyglamail]

Im going to sound like a broken record here for those that read my ramblings but low T is more often than not, especially with younger guys, just another deficiency symptom. Even so many get significant releife from low T symptoms when put on external test but doing so does not fix the problem, it just addresses ONE of the many symptoms of being nutrient deficient. Take a look at the sticky at the top of the focum called "young and low T" for more of my opinions on how you can try and adress this issue and improve the response you get from your TRT as well as overall health.

 

[badguysingh]

Hey MAsan hang in there. Test take a lil bit 2 build up in ur system and then it will do its job. for some guys its takes a lil longer a couple 2-3 months. Alot of ppl think they take a shot and its magic. it dosent work day way bro. jus hang in there and it will get better man. Wats ur doasage on test C nd HCG, anti estogen. taking shot every week?
did u take steroids before this TRT thing ?
anyways i know for me it took a couple of months 2 kick in..

 

[masanarchy]

Hey MAsan hang in there. Test take a lil bit 2 build up in ur system and then it will do its job. for some guys its takes a lil longer a couple 2-3 months. Alot of ppl think they take a shot and its magic. it dosent work day way bro. jus hang in there and it will get better man. Wats ur doasage on test C nd HCG, anti estogen. taking shot every week?
did u take steroids before this TRT thing ?
anyways i know for me it took a couple of months 2 kick in..

Thanks for the replies.

I'm taking .5 mL of 200mg/mL Test Cyp every 4 days, 400iu HCG EOD, and .5 mg anastrozole EOD.

Never took steroids. I think I've had low test my whole life. I've felt this way for so long that I just thought it was normal.

 

[masanarchy]

Just had my T and E2 tested.

T 893 ng/dl range 249-836

E2 <20 range <50

Could my low E2 be preventing me from feeling the benefits of TRT?

Blood was taken 3 days after T injection. Day before next injection.

 

[Zyglamail]

Not sure I understand your E2, level didnt they give you a number? They just said its less than 20? How much Anastrozole are you taking?

Your T levels look good, low E could be having some effect depending on just how low it is.

As I mentioned above if your low T is just another symptom you cant "fix" thing by getting rid of symptoms. If you have the flu, taking something for the bodyaches/headache may get rid o them temporarily but it doesnt get rid of the flu.

 

[masanarchy]

Zygla, When I first started out, I thought that low testosterone was the problem, not just a symptom of something else. The more information I get the more I realize that the low testosterone is most likely just a symptom. I really want to get to the bottom of this. I am now working with an Endocrinologist to find out what is causing the low T. I just got some more lab results back:

Prolactin 4.9 ng/ml Range 0.1-15.2

FT4 1.4 ng/dl Range 0.9-1.8

Iron 90 mcg/dl Range 45-160

TIBC 388 mcg/dl Range 230-404

TSH 2.12 uU/ml Range .40-5.00

Iron Saturation 23% Range 15-50

I'm still waiting on TPO Ab, IGF-1, and Z Score. I will post them when I get them, it will help.

Thanks.

 

[Zyglamail]

An endo is going to be of little help when it comes to identifying your problem. All the labs you showed above mean very little without something to compare them to. The "reference range" applies to the population and not to you personally. If you dont have your own historical data current numbers, unless clearly out of range, mean very little.

Nutrients (all the essential vitamins and minerals) are the building blocks of your body. If your lacking essential nutrients the various minute processes that take place in the body take place at reduced efficiency and provide reduced results. Just a single nutrient can be involved in hundreds of internal bodily processes so a slight reduction in needed intake over weeks, months and years results in a poorly functioning body.

 

[badguysingh]

Bro just wait a few months nd stick with ur program. u will see the difference in sometime.Dont listen to ppl saying do this or do that. Everyones different and everyone reacts to meds/testtosterone differently. I see u said your E2 is 20?
if i was you i would wait a few months and then up the testosterone to like 250 a week or even 300 a week and see how it goes from there. Every one is different and everyones TRT regimn and doseage depends on how they feel. one more very veryyyyyy very important thing dont listen to ppl saying do this do that and dont let them feed you all thing information that they claim is like there gurus. It will only confuse and derail you.

 

[Zyglamail]

Bro just wait a few months nd stick with ur program. u will see the difference in sometime.Dont listen to ppl saying do this or do that.

LOL you tell the guy not to listen to people saying do this or that and then give him advice to double then tripe his test dose? Are you for real??

He doesnt need more test to raise his E levels, he just needs to tweak his adex dose slightly. His T levels are just fine.

Additionally no one told him to stop TRT and no one is trying to derail him, on the contrary, unlike you telling him to triple his test dose and increase all the potential sides, I am simply telling him he needs to look into finding the missing pieces of his nutritional makeup. Doing so, even if it doesnt address his low T will significantly improve his health and well being.

Im really amazed at how many people actually think that proper micro nutrient intake isnt important. I wont go into too much detail because its all clearly beyond you but for other readers here is another simple analogy.

Think of the car you get in and drive to work every day. Its made up of metal, plastic and rubber at the basic level. But there are many types of metals, plastics and rubbers and each of those is made up of various subcomponents.

For metals we have steel, aluminum, copper in wires and likely a whole slew of different alloys throughout the car.

Lets simply take a look at steel, its made up of carbon and various additional elements depending on what the steel is used for. Chromium is added to steel to make it harder and increase its melting point. Think of what would happen if your current car was made with 1/2 the chromium it currently has?

The melting point and hardness of various steel parts throughout the car would be much weaker. The rods/pistons would sustain damage at a much higher rate due to the heat of combustion. Various suspension bolts would bend under the forces of driving and would give out many miles sooner than expected.

Should an accident occur much more structural damage would take place due to the weaker steel.

All of these things would be invisible to the naked eye but the overall quality and longevity of the car would suffer greatly.

Same thing happens to the human body when vital elements are missing from the diet.