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Seth Roberts
New member
I see a lot of people posting their blood test results here -- which is great and I and others are more than willing to help interpret the results. I also see posts asking which tests people should get. I therefore feel it is necessary to offer my advice as to which tests a person should get and when and which information the people here need to help out.
Firstly, it is important to get blood work done BEFORE you start your cycle. I see a lot of people posting their post-cycle blood work but very few have pre-cycle numbers. How can you know if your numbers are elevated or suppressed if you don't know what they were before you started. Optimally, you should get tested before you start, at the end of your cycle and a month or two after your cycle is over. If you can afford it, you could do a mid cycle test and also get more post cycle work done (say every month after), but, pre, post and follow up are really the minimum I would do.
Here's what you need:
CBC
Chem-20
Complete Thyroid screen (T-3 uptake, Total T4, Free T4, total T3, Free T3, Free T4 index, TSH, TBG)
Prolactin
Total test
Free test
LH, FSH
These are some additional tests that would be great to have if you can afford them.
Estrogen level (preferably estradiol, estrone and estriol but some idea of estrogen is better than none)
ACTH
Cortisol
The absolute bare minimum I would suggest is:
Chem-20
total test
free test
In any case, when you tell us your results we need to know what you are/were taking, your age, your pre-cycle results. It is important to give the units (like ng/ml) as it differs depending on country, lab etc... Hopefully this will put an end to posts saying "My test level is 291 -- What does it mean?" -- It means nothing unless we have units, free and total test levels and put it in context of what your baseline levels were, what you took on your cycle etc...
Hope that helps,
Seth
Firstly, it is important to get blood work done BEFORE you start your cycle. I see a lot of people posting their post-cycle blood work but very few have pre-cycle numbers. How can you know if your numbers are elevated or suppressed if you don't know what they were before you started. Optimally, you should get tested before you start, at the end of your cycle and a month or two after your cycle is over. If you can afford it, you could do a mid cycle test and also get more post cycle work done (say every month after), but, pre, post and follow up are really the minimum I would do.
Here's what you need:
CBC
Chem-20
Complete Thyroid screen (T-3 uptake, Total T4, Free T4, total T3, Free T3, Free T4 index, TSH, TBG)
Prolactin
Total test
Free test
LH, FSH
These are some additional tests that would be great to have if you can afford them.
Estrogen level (preferably estradiol, estrone and estriol but some idea of estrogen is better than none)
ACTH
Cortisol
The absolute bare minimum I would suggest is:
Chem-20
total test
free test
In any case, when you tell us your results we need to know what you are/were taking, your age, your pre-cycle results. It is important to give the units (like ng/ml) as it differs depending on country, lab etc... Hopefully this will put an end to posts saying "My test level is 291 -- What does it mean?" -- It means nothing unless we have units, free and total test levels and put it in context of what your baseline levels were, what you took on your cycle etc...
Hope that helps,
Seth
