TRT Numbers - Weigh gain + water. Help!

[jfd.lew]

Hey all. First a litte info-
Age 33
Height 5'11
Waist 34
Weight 248
BF - ~18-20%

I was diagnosed with low T about 4 months back. Initial numbers were ~300 total, 4 Free. Doc put me on 100mg Cyp every week, no AI or HCG.

We have been working on dialing it in, and right now I am on 50mg IM every monday night and friday morning. Obvious benefits aside (libido, strength, well-being) I've gained what I would consider a startling amount of weight. I'm a fit/strong individual, I do crossfit 5x per week and knew that I would gain some weight. When I started TRT I was right at 230. Last check I was closer to 250. I hadn't anticipated the amount of LBM i would gain in such a short amount of time. I don't feel 'athletic' anymore, just bulky. I took advantage of my new found vigor and went to work on gaining Oly lifts and did less metcons. I added 50# to my snatch and 35# to my clean and jerk. I think that is a lot of the cause for the added bulk. I've also noticed water retention, which I thought might be due to high E2.

Here are my results from my last blood work 2 weeks ago-

Total - 502.6 (morning before injection) range 175-781
Free - 10.1 (Range 4.3-30.4)
TSH - 0.72 (Range 0.34-5.60)
FSH - <0.2 (Range 1.3-19.3)
LH - 0.3 (Range 1.2-8.6)
HCG <1
Estrone - 55
Estradiol - 26
Total E - 81

Hows it look? I feel great, but I am really concerned about the weight gain and the added bulk/water. I would rather be closer to 200! Any thoughts on the water retention or the weight gain? My diet is in check, but feel I may need to drop the calories down to closer to 2,000 so as not to gain as much?

 

[Megatron28]

Are these peak or trough blood work results? If trough, it could be possible that your estradiol is elevated at the peak and causing water gain.

 

[jfd.lew]

Those are trough levels, a few hours before my next injection.

 

[hiram1st]

That's the regular e2 essay or sensitive?

 

[jfd.lew]

I beleive that is the sensitive test.

 

[hiram1st]

Well I get both when I get my bloodwork and my sensitive is low and regular is close to the high mark. I was retaining water and gyno type symptoms and acne flare ups. My dr prescribed adex i take as close to .125mg as i can get with the pill cutter 2x a week and no more issues. I was doing 100mg testc e7d. I've found that everyone is different and may react different at different levels of e2. Most guys like their sensitive between 20 and 40 but i'm not one of those.

Been taking adex for 3 weeks I get bloodwork in 3 more weeks all I can say is I feel great

 

[Megatron28]

Those are trough levels, a few hours before my next injection.

You should check peak values. About 2 days after your injection. See if your E2 is high at that point. If it is high, that could be causing he water gains.

Eating more salt perhaps?

How is your blood pressure?

 

[Alpin]

Estradiol is what matters, reg panel and sensitive.
Most guys get dialed in fine with reg panel though.
I was in same position as you gained 20 odd pounds the first 2 months on TRT. My estradiol reg panel was 55 pg/ml peak and more strength and working out gains too.
increase in appetite as well.

 

[sanipialo]

Are you sure you weight and body fat numbers are right? Being 5'11 with a weight of 248 lbs and body fat of 18% to 20% means you are already very muscular. With a LBM of 198 to 203 lbs that is extremely impressive for someone that needed TRT, unless you did a few cycles in the past.

How did you measure your body fat?

 

[jfd.lew]

Are you sure you weight and body fat numbers are right? Being 5'11 with a weight of 248 lbs and body fat of 18% to 20% means you are already very muscular. With a LBM of 198 to 203 lbs that is extremely impressive for someone that needed TRT, unless you did a few cycles in the past.

How did you measure your body fat?

Wow, don't know how I missed this. Sorry to resurrect an olderish thread.

I paid for a dexa scan a few months before starting trt. I follow eat to perform guidelines and wanted to get a good baseline number.

One thing to note, is that the nurse/tech/whomever stated that I have a very thick bone structure.

I'm an easy gainer, the typical broad thick wrestler - big shoulders, big arms, laughably gigantic calves. I see food, I eat food, I lift weights and I gain. Just wish I could lean out.

As for why I am on TRT, who knows. I did a stupid cycle in college with zero education about it. 8 wks of 400mg/wk and no pct. add that on top of constant ups and downs in weight from years of wrestling and BJJ, I'm sure my body is messed up.

Baseline numbers were around 300 total, 4 free, so doc decided to put me on it and see how it goes. Blood work yesterday put me at 605 morning before injection, so trough level.