Blood work dilema...any thoughts?

[Frank White]

Greetings...i'm sure this has been discussed at length, however I don't have a lot of time to research. I have been on TRT for several years, and for the last 3 months I have been taking 200mgs a week. My usual dosage is 100mgs a week. My dilema is this: my doctor today said he wants blood work done. How long will it take if I lower to my usual dose to get my T level back to where they should be, as to not raise any red flags so to speak...2-3 weeks? I know everyone's different, but what do you guys think?

 

[Havasu]

From what I have read 4-6 weeks.

 

[halfwit]

From what I have read 4-6 weeks.

Yeah, that's the usual - although given the smaller dose, I'd just get a private blood test done in 3 to be sure. Pretty sure you'll be fine at that point, but better safe than sorry.

 

[Megatron28]

This is purely anecdotal.

Just stop pinning altogether and your TT should drop about 100 points per day. Do you know where your TT is currently at on 200mg/week? And where does 100mg/week place you?

 

[Frank White]

100 mgs a week had me around 800, and 200 mgs approx 2000. As always, it's great to see good people still on this site giving solid advice!

 

[Mprtz]

With the half-life around one week, I'd skip a single week altogether and make sure there is at least one, preferably two weeks at the correct dose before the test.

 

[halfwit]

100 mgs a week had me around 800, and 200 mgs approx 2000. As always, it's great to see good people still on this site giving solid advice!

Good grief, I truly am envious of you guys that can get by with so little. It'd save me a small fortune as I require twice those doses for the same results.

 

[swilk]

yep ... Im still experimenting but 170mg a week put me in the mid 800's.

 

[Frank White]

Thanks again for the input guys, and here's an update. For approx a month I dropped down to my therap. dose and just got my results back, which were drawn 3 days after my last pin. It came in a little "low" at 685, but hey, glad it wasn't off the chart which was my initial concern! So essentially, you all were right in the 30 day timeline. Everyone take care and be safe!

 

[Albiedamned]

Useful info, thanks for updating this

 

[TRTnooby]

Thanks again for the input guys, and here's an update. For approx a month I dropped down to my therap. dose and just got my results back, which were drawn 3 days after my last pin. It came in a little "low" at 685, but hey, glad it wasn't off the chart which was my initial concern! So essentially, you all were right in the 30 day timeline. Everyone take care and be safe!

How did you feel for that month you were at 100 vs the 200? I'm in a similar spot, not as drastic, I'm supposed to be taking 50 E3D and instead I'm taking 60. My last blood came in a little high at 1017, the doctor raised an eyebrow but nothing major, I want to give him something in the 600s next time but I dont' want to feel crappy for a month to do it, and I definitely notice the difference between 60 and 50.

 

[Chiefy]

How did you feel for that month you were at 100 vs the 200? I'm in a similar spot, not as drastic, I'm supposed to be taking 50 E3D and instead I'm taking 60. My last blood came in a little high at 1017, the doctor raised an eyebrow but nothing major, I want to give him something in the 600s next time but I dont' want to feel crappy for a month to do it, and I definitely notice the difference between 60 and 50.

Don't focus so much on total T. As long as your free T is in the range where you feel good, you'll be totally fine.

Unsure of your SHBG situation, but it's very possible to have total T in the 600-700 range but a free T that's near the top of the range.

 

[Jimstigator]

Don't focus so much on total T. As long as your free T is in the range where you feel good, you'll be totally fine.

Unsure of your SHBG situation, but it's very possible to have total T in the 600-700 range but a free T that's near the top of the range.

Amen. This concept gets lost in TRT forums...

 

[TRTnooby]

Don't focus so much on total T. As long as your free T is in the range where you feel good, you'll be totally fine.

Unsure of your SHBG situation, but it's very possible to have total T in the 600-700 range but a free T that's near the top of the range.

I wish that was the case for me. In November at 500TT my Free T was 14.4 (8.7- 25.1 pg/ml), Last month at 1017 TT my Free T was 25.3 on the same reference range. I like the way I feel now much better then how I felt in November lol. My doctor didn't make me change anything cause everything else was in line, but I think I want to be safe and give him something a bit more moderate next time so he lets me go to every six months blood work instead of every 3. I don't want to feel like crap for a month though so I'll probably do what Mega suggested and just not do any T or HCG injections for an extra 3 days. If my reading was 1000 72 hours from the last pin and I go another 72 hours past that I should come in somewhere in the 6-700 range.

 

[halfwit]

Don't focus so much on total T. As long as your free T is in the range where you feel good, you'll be totally fine.

Unsure of your SHBG situation, but it's very possible to have total T in the 600-700 range but a free T that's near the top of the range.

Or, don't worry about free T if you feel great with a healthy TT. Heck, if I were focused on free, there'd be problems as most of us on TRT are out of range due to how exogenous androgens and AIs impact SHBG.

It's all about how you feel anyway. Numbers just tell part of the story.

 

[Chiefy]

I wish that was the case for me. In November at 500TT my Free T was 14.4 (8.7- 25.1 pg/ml), Last month at 1017 TT my Free T was 25.3 on the same reference range. I like the way I feel now much better then how I felt in November lol. My doctor didn't make me change anything cause everything else was in line, but I think I want to be safe and give him something a bit more moderate next time so he lets me go to every six months blood work instead of every 3. I don't want to feel like crap for a month though so I'll probably do what Mega suggested and just not do any T or HCG injections for an extra 3 days. If my reading was 1000 72 hours from the last pin and I go another 72 hours past that I should come in somewhere in the 6-700 range.

How often are you injecting?

When I first started I was on a once per week protocol. By day 5 my total T was ~750 but my free T was ~14 (same ranges as yours).

Once I switched to more frequent injections, my total T was ~800 but my free T was maxing out the reference range.

Just something to think about, your mileage may vary.

Or, don't worry about free T if you feel great with a healthy TT. Heck, if I were focused on free, there'd be problems as most of us on TRT are out of range due to how exogenous androgens and AIs impact SHBG.

It's all about how you feel anyway. Numbers just tell part of the story.

Response #1:

Completely agree. How we feel > lab values.

But let's be honest, many of us are going to use our numbers to guide us at least a little bit. Especially when trying to get dialed in.


Response #2: