My new 5 week labs results....Comments please!

[Vforcer2]

I started HRT with a 200mg front load and then did 100mg per week and have raised it to 150mg per week which feels pretty good. I do the 250 cc of HCG two days before my weekly cyp shot. Initially I had nipple issues that concerned me quite a bit, but then I started taking Indoplex DIMM (320 mg per day) and have not had any nipple issues since.

Blood was drawn on the day before the 5th injection in the morning, fasting, before my HCG injection. I will only list items of interest and "out of range". I have included comments comparing the new 4/7/05 resluts to the 2/05/05 results. The reference ranges are different since I used Quest for the initial baseline results and then LabCorp for the most recent follow up results. FYI, I found LabCorp to be much more expedient with the results.

4/7/05

Bilirubin......2.1.........<0.1-2.1>High (high on baseline test also)

Iron, serum........201........<40-155>High (new test)

HDL..........27...........<40-59>Low (high on baseline test also)

T Chol/HDL Level..........5.1...........<0.0-5.0>High (high on baseline test also)

Thyroid............0.287..........<0.350-5.0>Low (prev. low end of range)

Hemoglobin........17.6...........<12.5-17>High (high on baseline test also)

Hematocrit.........51.4........<36-50>High (high on baseline test also)

Testosterone, Serum......884.............<241-827>High
(baseline was referred to "total" and was 321........<260-1000>

Testosterone, Free.........30.6............<8.7-25.1>High
(baseline was 83.......<34-194>

DHEA Sulfate...........151.............<120-520> (no baseline taken)

Estradiol...........59...........<0-53>High
(baseline was 32......no ref range available on this test)

DHT...........49..........<30-85> (no baseline taken)

IFG-1...........320.........<109-284>High
(baseline was 312..........<260-1000>

I am a little concerned about the consistently high Bilirubin, Hemoglobin, and Hematocrit levels and am wondering why I have this problem. My Thyroid is still low despite taking 1 grain of Armour thyroid per day at the start of HRT in February. It appears I am one of the fortunate folks that have naturally high HGH (IGF-1 levels.....go figure).

I think I will try doubling my dose of DIMM to see what kind of impact that has on reducing my Estradiol levels. I am not big on pharmacuticals, when an alternative natural product is available.

I don't know if my DHT is at a good level or not. I certainly want it to be in the right range to prevent any premature balding.

Comments and suggestions appreciated!! Thanks!

[mranak]

You testosterone is too high, which may be why your estradiol is too high as well. However, your DHT is in range. I would back off on the testosterone dosages.

The order to do things is generally as follows:
1) Get thyroid issues resolved
2) Get TRT dosages apprpriately adjusted
3) Manage estradiol if necessary
4) Add in hCG

My 2 cents at this point: give 120mg/week a try for 5+ weeks.

[peewee327]

BRO,YOUR Thyroid is actually hyper. that thyroid test looks like a TSH reading which when low shows a hyperactive thyroid, so do not increase the dose of you armour medication. very easy to remember when TSH# is low thyroid function is high(fast/hyper). when TSH# is high thyroid function is low(slow/hypo). so brother your TSH is low which shows hyper/fast thyroid. if you increase armour meds your TSH will actually go lower and thyroid faster/more hyper. causes lots of problems in the long run. steer clear messing with the thyroid unless you have thyroid problems like myself. hope this helps some brother. actually you can lower your dosage of armour thyroid to bring you into normal range

[earthdog]

I agree, lower your T dosage. Your levels are pretty high even the day before your shot. E2 is high too.

Your hemocrit is high. It may in fact be over the point where Swale would withhold TRT; if not, it's very close. Another reason to lower the dosage.

[cpeil2]

What did your doc say about the bili, Hgb and Hct before you started the HRT? It doesn't seem like they've changed much. In fact, as I remember, you bili was frankly elevated and now it's borderline. So it looks like it's headed in the right direction.

What do you think about the jump in your iron level? You might ask your doc about getting an iron panel done: serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, transferrin saturation and serum ferritin. You definitely don't need any supplements that contain iron.

[Vforcer2]

Pewee, thanks for that insight on the thyroid. I am really confused now. I have always felt I had somewhat of a sluggish metabolism. A Dr. a few years ago prescribed Armour at about half the dose and I could feel nor see any noticable difference in metabolism or energy levels.

The new Dr. prescribed double the dosage based on my previous experience. The baseline test back in February was on the low end of the range (but not "out of range") as well, and I assumed she was diligent enough to review those previouse blood test results before giving me the script. I will need to speak with her about this. I was under the impression the Hyperthyroid folks were these people who were skinny and always bursting with energy........which has never been me. Do you think I should cut back from my 120 mg per day(1 60mg pill/twice per day) to 1 pill of 60 mg once per day, and then re-test in a month?

Where do you guys think my T levels should be approx. the day before my shot? As I indicated I have felt pretty darn good at the current dosage, and what do you think that dosage should be dropped down to? I tried 100mg at about week three and felt very tired and sluggish so I increased the dosage, but that could be because that is about when the nads start shutting down thier own T production.

I would like to know what, if anything can I do to drop my Hematocrit levels. Interesting, but not at all funny, is that after starting HRT, I gave birth to a hemorrhoid, which I am wondering might be due to my increased blood cell production creating vascular pressure. I know a guy in his late 60's that has Polycythemia vera and he has to give a pint of blood on somewhat of a regular basis after testing. I hope that is not the road I am headed down.....

Cpeil2, actually I brought Bili, hgb , and hct to the Dr. attention and she had
no comment on them at all. Also I did make an error on the bili range that I posted. The top of the range is 1.2 not 2.1, so I am about double the top of the range. I have no idea why my iron levels are so elevated or what the ramifications are of that, but will I be doing some research on it. Perhaps Swale or others can comment on that. I will look at my supplements and see which might have iron in them.

Thanks for the help guys!

[Vforcer2]

Pewee,

Here is the rest of my Thyroid results, I acutally messed up earlier and put the word thyroid where the TSB should have been. Maybe this changes the story a little bit, give me your thoughts.

TSB........0.287..........<0.350-5.0> Low
Thyroxine(T-4)............6.3...........<4.5-12>
T-3 Uptake.............34............<24-39>
Free Thyroxine Index.............2.2............<1.2-4.9>

[pmgamer18]

Originally Posted by Vforcer2

Pewee, thanks for that insight on the thyroid. I am really confused now. I have always felt I had somewhat of a sluggish metabolism. A Dr. a few years ago prescribed Armour at about half the dose and I could feel nor see any noticable difference in metabolism or energy levels.

The new Dr. prescribed double the dosage based on my previous experience. The baseline test back in February was on the low end of the range (but not "out of range") as well, and I assumed she was diligent enough to review those previouse blood test results before giving me the script. I will need to speak with her about this. I was under the impression the Hyperthyroid folks were these people who were skinny and always bursting with energy........which has never been me. Do you think I should cut back from my 120 mg per day(1 60mg pill/twice per day) to 1 pill of 60 mg once per day, and then re-test in a month?

Where do you guys think my T levels should be approx. the day before my shot? As I indicated I have felt pretty darn good at the current dosage, and what do you think that dosage should be dropped down to? I tried 100mg at about week three and felt very tired and sluggish so I increased the dosage, but that could be because that is about when the nads start shutting down thier own T production.

I would like to know what, if anything can I do to drop my Hematocrit levels. Interesting, but not at all funny, is that after starting HRT, I gave birth to a hemorrhoid, which I am wondering might be due to my increased blood cell production creating vascular pressure. I know a guy in his late 60's that has Polycythemia vera and he has to give a pint of blood on somewhat of a regular basis after testing. I hope that is not the road I am headed down.....

Cpeil2, actually I brought Bili, hgb , and hct to the Dr. attention and she had
no comment on them at all. Also I did make an error on the bili range that I posted. The top of the range is 1.2 not 2.1, so I am about double the top of the range. I have no idea why my iron levels are so elevated or what the ramifications are of that, but will I be doing some research on it. Perhaps Swale or others can comment on that. I will look at my supplements and see which might have iron in them.

Thanks for the help guys!

Hi here is my take on this keep your T meds right were they are. My labs give rangs by age if yours dose the same you should be in the upper 1/3 of the range for a young man for both Total and Free T. How old are you. As for blood give blood once a month the red cross needs it anyway. I do have a problem with E2 but the idea of lowing your T levels to keep E2 down does not work for me. I am 61 and have been on TRT for over 21 yrs. Here is what my Dr. has me doing for E2 I take a 1/2 of a Indolplex/DIM everyday and 1/4 of an one mg. pill of Arimidex when needed I can tell when my E2 is to high. I am not to take more the 3 1/4 pills a week. I can't see how you can take 320 mgs. a day of Indolplex/DIM it gives me a bad headache and makes me constipated. With your E2 this high you may need to stop the DIM and take a one half of an Arimidex pill everyday for 4 weeks then get tested to see where you are. If this works then go back on the DIM but at the does I told you about it is a bitch going to low. If you feel good at the levels you are on 150 mgs. per week that stay with it. I am on this my Dr. just bumped me up to this dose. I am one of the kind of men that makes E2 fast no matter what dose of T I am on. I feel for most men on TRT and that are older need to control there E2 no matter what there T levels are.
Phil
Phil

[greatgro]

Your Test levels are definitely too high. That's where you should be the day or two after the shot, not 5 days later. That MAY explain the high Estrogen, Hemoglobin and Hematocrit. You shouldn't have gone past 100mg per week unless you did bloodwork first. But definitely lower the Test to the 100-120mg range and test again in 5 weeks.

[greatgro]

Originally Posted by pmgamer18

Hi here is my take on this keep your T meds right were they are. My labs give rangs by age if yours dose the same you should be in the upper 1/3 of the range for a young man for both Total and Free T.

I definitely don't agree. You want your Test in the upper end of the range for most of the week, but if it's that high 5 days after the injection then it's probably WAY out of range one or two days after the injection. The high Test is probably causing a number of other tests to be out of range also.