When to do Blood labs for T level while on TRT?

[Alpin]

My testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) doc says to take blood labs on Day 3 of T shot...
So that means 48 hours after injection...
Does the number come back elevated usually if one is on 160 mg/week?
It's been the longest time since I had blood labs while on TRT...can't remember...
When is it advised to go for blood work while on TRT....how many weeks into treatment?

 

[Spunkey71]

If you do blood work 48 hours after injection you are going to have your highest levels, everything that I have read suggests getting blood work prier to your injection the day of and this is the protocol that my doctor adhears to.

 

[Alpin]

If you do blood work 48 hours after injection you are going to have your highest levels, everything that I have read suggests getting blood work prier to your injection the day of and this is the protocol that my doctor adhears to.

My doc wants to know the best levels he said...
I wonder what the number would come back at 48 hours after injection ???
2 Weeks into it now...
I should be at least 865 ng/dl with these 2 shots already...
Took my 160 mg yesterday...will go Tuesday morning(Tomorrow) for blood work. Tomorrow is technically Day 3.

 

[halfwit]

My doc wants to know the best levels he said...
I wonder what the number would come back at 48 hours after injection ???
2 Weeks into it now...
I should be at least 865 ng/dl with these 2 shots already...
Took my 160 mg yesterday...will go Tuesday morning(Tomorrow) for blood work. Tomorrow is technically Day 3.

I'm surprised you're getting a panel only two weeks in, most docs I've seen do it at 4 to see serum concentrations that have stabilized. 48 hours post-injection would be a peak, versus the day of an injection prior to pinning. That would provide them with a trough. Can't comment on what your levels will be as 160mg would put me around 500ng/dL (everyone's different~).

 

[Spunkey71]

I just got back from my doctors appointment and weekly pinn and was talking with the doctor about ideal levels. He told me that he prefers to go by free T level instead of total T when determining ideal level. I am curious if anyone else has heard this from their docs?

 

[halfwit]

I just got back from my doctors appointment and weekly pinn and was talking with the doctor about ideal levels. He told me that he prefers to go by free T level instead of total T when determining ideal level. I am curious if anyone else has heard this from their docs?

I think it depends on where your doc went to school. I've seen docs say that Free Test means relatively little as it is impacted by a TON of factors (mostly SHBG) and isn't really indicative of how everything is doing overall. Then again, I've heard docs say that free test is the most important factor as that's the part of the hormone that is actually working in your body. I'm lucky in that my doc goes by total testosterone as my free test is almost always WAY off the charts due to proviron use.

 

[Alpin]

I'm surprised you're getting a panel only two weeks in, most docs I've seen do it at 4 to see serum concentrations that have stabilized. 48 hours post-injection would be a peak, versus the day of an injection prior to pinning. That would provide them with a trough. Can't comment on what your levels will be as 160mg would put me around 500ng/dL (everyone's different~).

I have an appointment with an Endo next week....
I wanted to go in and get this done...just in case that Endo says something different or wants me to come off....

 

[Alpin]

I think it depends on where your doc went to school. I've seen docs say that Free Test means relatively little as it is impacted by a TON of factors (mostly SHBG) and isn't really indicative of how everything is doing overall. Then again, I've heard docs say that free test is the most important factor as that's the part of the hormone that is actually working in your body. I'm lucky in that my doc goes by total testosterone as my free test is almost always WAY off the charts due to proviron use.

My testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) doc goes by T.T. and Bio Avail. T....
says Free T is the worst indicator....

 

[halfwit]

I have an appointment with an Endo next week....
I wanted to go in and get this done...just in case that Endo says something different or wants me to come off....

Why would they want you to come off? You're certainly hypogonadal and definitely benefit from exogenous testosterone supplementation.

My testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) doc goes by T.T. and Bio Avail. T....
says Free T is the worst indicator....

Yep, I agree too. Although I think estradiol is WAY overlooked in testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). As our body uses E2 to judge how things are going, I feel it takes the back burner to testosterone far too much.

 

[Alpin]

Why would they want you to come off? You're certainly hypogonadal and definitely benefit from exogenous testosterone supplementation.

Yep, I agree too. Although I think estradiol is WAY overlooked in testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). As our body uses E2 to judge how things are going, I feel it takes the back burner to testosterone far too much.

No. I don't want to come off.
I don't know what this Endo will say. Definitely going to go...
but if he says come off so we run tests....I will ask what his rationale is and what his method of treatment he has in mind. Probably will walk if he says stop TRT.
My body can't get over 291 ng/dl T.T. and that is with all the nooks and cranny's(Adex E3D, vitamins, exercise, saturated fats)

 

[Spunkey71]

My testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) doc goes by T.T. and Bio Avail. T....
says Free T is the worst indicator....

Are Free T & Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum the same thing? If not what is the Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum?

 

[Alpin]

Are Free T & Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum the same thing? If not what is the Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum?

SHBG and Free T are 2 different things...
You go to the doc each week to get pinned for T ?
how much you on again?

 

[Megatron28]

Are Free T & Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum the same thing? If not what is the Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum?

No, they are different.

Free T represents testosterone that is not bound to serum proteins. It is floating around in your blood freely and able to go to its target tissues in the body.

SHBG is one of the serum proteins that testosterone binds to. Albumin is the other main protein that test binds too.

 

[Spunkey71]

SHBG and Free T are 2 different things...
You go to the doc each week to get pinned for T ?
how much you on again?

160mg a week, my insurance pays for everything, however I would prefer to self inject every 3.5 days.

 

[Alpin]

160mg a week, my insurance pays for everything, however I would prefer to self inject every 3.5 days.

You have to travel to the doc every week for an injection?
how long is the line up?
It's bad enough you have to be on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for life...these people are making the situation worse...
Is this place far?
(Sorry just ranting...)

 

[Spunkey71]

You have to travel to the doc every week for an injection?
how long is the line up?
It's bad enough you have to be on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for life...these people are making the situation worse...
Is this place far?
(Sorry just ranting...)

The doctors office is 1 mile from my office, I have a standing appt every Monday at 11:00, I am in and out in less than 10 minutes. If anything it lets me get out of the office which is kind of nice. I know it is not ideal for the long term, my hopes is that once I get completely dialed in my doc will let me self inject and just come in for blood test once in a while. This is a testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) clinic by the way.

 

[Alpin]

The doctors office is 1 mile from my office, I have a standing appt every Monday at 11:00, I am in and out in less than 10 minutes. If anything it lets me get out of the office which is kind of nice. I know it is not ideal for the long term, my hopes is that once I get completely dialed in my doc will let me self inject and just come in for blood test once in a while. This is a testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) clinic by the way.

Look for other doc's who could provide another alternative....that's my advice.
I don't like hearing this. If I am on TRT...the person treating me should be fucking compassionate!
Would I have to make weekly visits to take any other med??
Let's just say a doc wanted to inject a SSRI into the patient(I heard some docs do this)...
Would they want to deal with the continued hassle?
I doubt it!

 

[Megatron28]

The doctors office is 1 mile from my office, I have a standing appt every Monday at 11:00, I am in and out in less than 10 minutes. If anything it lets me get out of the office which is kind of nice. I know it is not ideal for the long term, my hopes is that once I get completely dialed in my doc will let me self inject and just come in for blood test once in a while. This is a testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) clinic by the way.

Nope. They a going to keep milking you until you demand to self inject. You will probably have to threaten to leave. :-(

 

[Alpin]

Nope. They a going to keep milking you until you demand to self inject. You will probably have to threaten to leave. :-(

I can't stand the b.s. they put him through.
Guy is on TRT...he's sentenced to T shots for life.
That fucking clinic has no compassion for it's patients.

 

[Spunkey71]

I understand what you all are saying but my doctor and I have had several conversations on this, he knows exactly where I stand. I don't pay anything, my insurance covers everything, office visits, injections and blood work. I am in my third month of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and to be honest I like going in and speaking with my doctor every week and discussing my treatment and the long term plan. I have made it clear that once I am dialed in if he does not let me self inject I will be leaving.

If I have learned anything in my years it is that nothing is ever black & white, and no one can compare their life and situation with anyone else, each person's situation is unique!