#s 3.5 hrs after putting on Gel. Comments

[SinginHawk]

So then what do you make of these levels. 3.5 hrs after putting gel on?

Total T 810 range 241-827

Free T, Bioavailable and Total T Test

Total T 1209 range 250-1100

Free T 261 range 46-224

Bioavailable 1828 range 110-575


Am I using too much? Are these number a little too high.

[pcgizzmo]

Looks like a tad to much. How many g's are you using? How are you feeling??? How long have you been on the gel? It may take 3-4 days to get a steady state.


Paul

[masterpp]

Originally Posted by pcgizzmo

Looks like a tad to much. How many g's are you using? How are you feeling??? How long have you been on the gel? It may take 3-4 days to get a steady state.


Paul

yeah how much gel do you use, and also do you think there was any chance the needle drew residue t from the skin

[SinginHawk]

This test was clean. No T on the draw spot. Made sure.

I was using 1 1/2 tubes of Testim for about 10 months.

This was AFTER putting on the gel. I can say my CBC was off. RBC was over the range. Hands get some puffyness. Don't know if that is connected.

[pcgizzmo]

Originally Posted by SinginHawk

This test was clean. No T on the draw spot. Made sure.

I was using 1 1/2 tubes of Testim for about 10 months.

This was AFTER putting on the gel. I can say my CBC was off. RBC was over the range. Hands get some puffyness. Don't know if that is connected.

You might cut back to 1 tube and see how you feel and how your blood levels are on that. Talk to your Dr. and see what he says.

To much T will raise Hemoglobin and Hematocrit.

T also causes water retention.

I would cut back and see what happens.



Paul

[SinginHawk]

I am going to do that. I have this one annoying symptom and that is my hands get puffy and red. Thinking maybe the high T is causing that. I went back to my logs and it started after I went up from 1 tube to 1 1/2 tube.

[Ruper]

Originally Posted by SinginHawk

So then what do you make of these levels. 3.5 hrs after putting gel on?

Total T 810 range 241-827

Free T, Bioavailable and Total T Test

Total T 1209 range 250-1100

Free T 261 range 46-224

Bioavailable 1828 range 110-575


Am I using too much? Are these number a little too high.

Sorry to be a bit off topic, but this could answer a question about lab ranges that some of us have.

Were these 2 tests (total only and total, free, bio) done with the same lab at the same time/blood draw? Once I ordered both by mistake and Quest only did the Free T, Bio, Total test.. I then thought how interesting a comparison would be.

If so, are these both Quest labs and can you tell if there were done at the same location?

If this is the same blood draw it also suggests even in relation to the lab range, errors of 10% of more can be expected.

[SinginHawk]

Yep same day same blood draw. The Tot by itself is done in the local Quest lab and the Tot, Bio and Free are done in Chantilly, VA.

[Ruper]

Originally Posted by SinginHawk

Yep same day same blood draw. The Tot by itself is done in the local Quest lab and the Tot, Bio and Free are done in Chantilly, VA.

Thanks. I think quite a few people here would be interested in that, since there have been a few discussions on the meaning of lab ranges. Clearly the methodology used in a particular lab does have a significant impact on the actual number. In addition one can easily say that variations of 10% in Total T should be expected.

[SailorJim]

Originally Posted by SinginHawk

So then what do you make of these levels. 3.5 hrs after putting gel on?

Total T 810 range 241-827

Free T, Bioavailable and Total T Test

Total T 1209 range 250-1100

Free T 261 range 46-224

Bioavailable 1828 range 110-575


Am I using too much? Are these number a little too high.

I would not give any credence to a blood test with the draw that soon after application. I am not familiar with Testim, but I would expect it to behave similarly to Androgel. Androgel T levels peak about 4 hours after application.

I have since switched to injections, but when I was on 5 gm Androgel, if I had blood drawn within 2 - 7 hours after application I would test at around 900. If I had blood drawn 26 hours after application, I would test around 200. Yet the prescribing info for Androgel claims that blood levels are stable for 24 to 48 hours.

I believe there are two mechanisms which affect blood levels. One is the rate of absorption through the skin. The second is the effect of SHBG to bind testosterone and prevent it from being metabolized. In another post, Marianco said, I believe, that the life of unbound testosterone in the blood is 10 to 100 minutes.

Do you know your SHBG levels? If SHBG is low, and this might be the case given your high free T reading, you may be absorbing quickly, achieving a very high spike, but your levels near the end of 24 hours could be quite low.

Jim

[pmgamer18]

Originally Posted by SailorJim

I would not give any credence to a blood test with the draw that soon after application. I am not familiar with Testim, but I would expect it to behave similarly to Androgel. Androgel T levels peak about 4 hours after application.

I have since switched to injections, but when I was on 5 gm Androgel, if I had blood drawn within 2 - 7 hours after application I would test at around 900. If I had blood drawn 26 hours after application, I would test around 200. Yet the prescribing info for Androgel claims that blood levels are stable for 24 to 48 hours.

I believe there are two mechanisms which affect blood levels. One is the rate of absorption through the skin. The second is the effect of SHBG to bind testosterone and prevent it from being metabolized. In another post, Marianco said, I believe, that the life of unbound testosterone in the blood is 10 to 100 minutes.

Do you know your SHBG levels? If SHBG is low, and this might be the case given your high free T reading, you may be absorbing quickly, achieving a very high spike, but your levels near the end of 24 hours could be quite low.

Jim

There is no need to check SHBG when Free T is this high because in most cases SHBG will be low when Free T is high or in the upper range.