New Test Results...

[ASaxon]

Thought I’d just post my last test results.

Pre TRT:

TT: 126 (400-800)
FT: 36.3 (47-244)
SHBG: 10 (13-70)

After 1 month on 5g Andogel QD

TT: 270 (400-800)
BioT: 221.7 (130.5-681.7)
FT: 76.2 (47-244)
SHBG: 8 (13-70)

Symptoms:
I’ve seen some moderate relief of the anxiety and very mild relief of the mental fog.

Conclusion:
I need to step it up to 10g of Androgel QD which is where I think my doc will put me on my next visit on Oct. 6th. I expect that I will end up on IM injects as I was hoping for a better response from Androgel.

I don’t understand why my SHBG is so low so I guess I need to research that a bit. Any ideas?

[Weatherlite]

SHBG is low because the body is trying to get your free T up. Simple as that. Less SHBG=more free T.

As for your numbers....that's abysmally low even for 5g of gel. Are you spreading it around enough? Make sure you are maximizing the area you apply it to. Also, the front abdominal area has been known to have more of the aromatase enzyme than other areas so that may be an issue as well. Maybe get E and E2 checked out?

[pmgamer18]

Originally Posted by ASaxon

Thought I’d just post my last test results.

Pre TRT:

TT: 126 (400-800)
FT: 36.3 (47-244)
SHBG: 10 (13-70)

After 1 month on 5g Andogel QD

TT: 270 (400-800)
BioT: 221.7 (130.5-681.7)
FT: 76.2 (47-244)
SHBG: 8 (13-70)

Symptoms:
I’ve seen some moderate relief of the anxiety and very mild relief of the mental fog.

Conclusion:
I need to step it up to 10g of Androgel QD which is where I think my doc will put me on my next visit on Oct. 6th. I expect that I will end up on IM injects as I was hoping for a better response from Androgel.

I don’t understand why my SHBG is so low so I guess I need to research that a bit. Any ideas?

Go to shots and keep an eye on E2 if it is high your Free T will stay low.

[ASaxon]

I'm applying the gel to my upper arms and shoulders only. I would think that that is enough area for 5g. I'm also concerned that when you spread gel around too much area, E2 rises. I saw a study that showed this as an outcome to larger surface area application of gels. Plus, I have a lot of fat distribution on my abdomen and legs and was thinking that if I were to apply the T there that I’d get higher aromatase conversion because of the fat cells.

Am I wrong about the larger surface area application raising E2 higher?

Am I wrong about the aromatase conversion and application on skin?

Shouldn't the shoulders and upper arms be enough area for 5g (2.5g on each side)?

[ASaxon]

Oh, and one other thing…

So you’re saying that when I get my free T up to appropriate levels my liver will produce more SHBG bring up my T? I don’t know much about how SHBG production feedback mechanisms work.

[Weatherlite]

SHBG will not cause total T to go up or down. No matter where total T is the body will still try to keep Free and Bio T within the norms. If you have too little total T then it will naturally lower SHBG to compensate. If your T is too high it will raise SHBG....to a point, I do believe there is a point at which it can't keep up but that's only for AAS doses.

So to answer your question, no your total T will not go up once your Free T is normalized. Sorry.

As for the E2 and aromatase, I can't say for sure. Everyone is different. I just know for sure that the skin can only absorb X amount of gel. Any more than X and the rest is not absorbed and remains on the outside of the skin and gets wasted. If you are worried about the leaness of the area then try adding in the next leanest body part and just be aware of any adverse changes you may have. I'd recommend trying the upper back or lat areas for additional application sites.

[pmgamer18]

When I was on 5 grams of Androgel I put in on both sides of my upper arms and shoulders. The E2 is going to be a problem if your one of them guys that has that problem no matter how you put on the gel.

[ASaxon]

I think what I was trying to say was that SHBG goes up when free T reaches a certain level. I actually know that total T doesn’t go up as it is what it is and includes all protein bound T as well as free T. I knew that. :-) But I didn’t write that, lol, mental fog still in effect.

I guess what I’m seeing is that my total T is still low and I’m getting a higher free T partially because my SHBG production is down. I can guess that when my total T gets higher and my free T is higher my liver will start producing more SHBG to keep my free T in check. That’s really what I was trying to say, I just wasn’t thinking.

I could be that Gels just don’t work well for me for some reason. I could try to spread it around to a larger area but I’m concerned about E2 production. But then again, I could just do it and see what happens.

Thanks for the insights.

[Weatherlite]

You're right. As total goes up SHBG will go up to compensate to keep Free T in check.

As for the application area....no one can predict what will happen. Only way to find out is to try it.

[pmgamer18]

I feel if one is over weight like I am your going to have high E2 on TRT.

[Axl]

Originally Posted by pmgamer18

I feel if one is over weight like I am your going to have high E2 on TRT.

That's true: visceral fattissue is notorious for producing the aromatase enzyme (if I remember this correctly). My doc has put me on a stringent diet to lose fat. He really stressed the fact that a balanced TRT does also mean good eating habbits and low bodyfatpercentage (lower than 19% for men).

By the way Asaxon: I was put on T injections because my natural testosterone was too low to be corrected by T cream (Androgel) according to my doc. My levels were about 220 ng/dl. Your levels are even lower than mine...so I guess you'd be better of with T injections...

[ASaxon]

Yea, I think I’m probably going to end up on injections. Unfortunately I have a lot of weight to loose so it’s going to be a long process and I don’t know what I’m going to do about E2 in the meantime. I guess I’ll have to go on an aromatase inhibitor at some point.