Already started HRT – Is it too late to get baseline blood tests?

[doggone]

More details on my stats are in an earlier post, but briefly…
48 y/o, 5’8”, 170#, <13% bf, moderate training for many years, hard for 3 yrs.
Test level in July 2009 was 241 - Test shot in Dr office and 3 months on Testim gel
Test level 3 months later - after that regiment was 91.
All I can imagine is that the Test shot 3 months ago suppressed me and I was just not absorbing the Testim. Otherwise, how could it be at 91 while on Testim?
Never done AAS or PH. Diet and supps good.

Now that I’ve read back 4-5 years in the threads here and learned a lot more, I’m frustrated that my Dr. didn’t figure out if I’m primary or secondary hypogonadal before we started TRT, but now that I’m on TRT, it may be too late or not worth it to figure out. I’m sure I could never get to the upper ranges where I want to be without extra Test.

My blood test from 2 years ago was fairly complete for a routine checkup.
Some highlights / lowlights …
Total Test 345
Triglycerides high 170 (<150mg/dL)
Glucose high 107 (65-99 mg/dL)
Other Chol in range
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel w/EGFR all in range.
CBC all in range with
Hemoglobin and Hematocrit being at the very low end of “in range”
PSA 1.6 – “in range”

The 2 tests this year were very basic.

Blood test this year in July only tested…
Total Test 241 ng/dL
TSH, 3rd generation 1.28 (.4 - 4.5 nIU/L)

Earlier this month (November) after 3 months on Testim HRT only tested
Total Test 91
PSA 1.5

This new Dr. put me on 200mg Test E eow (I’m doing 100 ew for now)

3 month follow up blood work (February 2010) to be taken 2 weeks after an injection only calls for :
- PSA
- Total Test
- Hematocrit
- Prolactin

? What’s missing?
Free / available Test
FSH/ LH
Estrogen
Liver? Thyroid?

I’m considering just going out of pocket with “mail order” lab in the mean time just to get a complete set of tests and a baseline of the things that I want to see.
I was recently taking Unleashed, ZMA, GNC MegaMen Sport multi, G&C for knees, Creatine, Glutamine, Nitric Oxide (in pre-WO drink).

I know Unleashed should affect my Free Test and Estrogen, so I’ve stopped that (ran out) last week.

? Anything else I should cut out so my blood tests are as “baseline” as possible other than the added Test?
? Should I test at mid-week or closer to an injection day?
? How long should I wait after stopping the Unleashed before I get these tests?

I’m considering the online lab privatemdlabs . Their Male Ultimate Anti-Aging Panel seems to have everything, but isn’t cheap.
I still don’t see free Test though.
? Any other lab recommendations?

Oh, almost forgot…
I did do a mail-order saliva test in June this year, for what that’s worth, before any HRT.
Testosterone – Saliva 73.3 ( 75-95pg/ml )
Estradiol – Saliva 0.7 ( 0.8-1.5 pg/ml )

Thanks

 

[flatscat]

Too late to get baseline lh and fsh numbers to determine primary or secondary. All of the levels you asked about will still be good to know now though. I guess you could come off of everything and recover to your natural levels and test then - but who wants to do that unless you have to. Your Testim dose was just enough to shut you down basically, you should see higher levels on 100mg"s/week - it is about what your body produces naturally. You should also start to feel better pretty quick as your t level rises from the low of 91.

 

[doggone]

I suspect primary anyway, my little buddies have had a rough time over the years.
Extremely high fevers when I was young.
Low fertility in my 20s blamed on Varicocele on both sides treated with surgery - no improvement.
Don't remember that they ever tested my hormones.

Finally just got them disconnected a few years ago. We did manage to have a kid, but after a certain age, we didn't want to risk another one.

Sounds like I should let my levels settle out for a couple of weeks and then get my own tests run.
I'm most curious about my estrogen and free and total testosterone levels.

Dr is a respected Urologist and advocate of HRT and has been referenced on this board a couple of times, but he either has already decided that it is primary and is treating as such or is just moving slowly through the process testing a few things at a time.

I'm smarter every 3 months that I go back because of these boards, so I'll have that discussion with him in February.

 

[flatscat]

Sounds like a plan - those are the most important numbers for you to know right now anyway. After you have been on this protocol for about 8-10 weeks you should get the labs run again to see if you need to adjust anything. E2 seems to be the hardest to get dialed in for me. Although I have trouble with low free due to high sbgh - on unleashed right now an it really seems to be helping.

 

[needtogetaas]

there you should get some replies now. Let me know when you get what you need. Then I will move it back. Sorry it took me so long. Thanks

Be sure to sign up at my forums Need To Build Muscle - Powered by vBulletin then.
All members earn points and they can spend there points on free products. Everyone learns and shares with respect.


We have a huge sale going on from now till the end of the month. 20% off all and lots of buy to get 1 free
http://bodybuilding.elitefitness.com/need-to-build-muscle


We all need them so read them. Cant get any more easy then this.
DrugsProfiles.com | Deca-Durabolin



Primordial Performance<<---click the link for
pp's hige sale. Now till the end of the month.


Great sups for cheap.use discount code NEEDEF <--cut and past it.
Special & Stacks : Orbit Nutrition

Need ai's,hgc,clomid and or nolva. Cant get any cheaper this
Online Pharmacy - Prescription Medications, Generic Drugs, Herbal Remedy

34765414 <--this code gives another 20% off but you must log in first.


Happy holidays your friend
needtogetaas