TRT Experts – Can You Make Sense of These Numbers

[sionnach]

Plz halp

I'm coming into this shitshow late. What's your weight and bloods at now and what did you and your doc end up deciding to do?

 

[Johnnyutaaah]

I'm coming into this shitshow late. What's your weight and bloods at now and what did you and your doc end up deciding to do?

I’m 39 and 243lbs. Bloods are the same. Retesting in a few weeks cause I’m supposed to be taking ai. I’ve only taken .25mg of ai twice.

My doc said he doesn’t understand why I’m afraid of anastrozole. Said they have thousands of patients on test that take ai with no issues. So he said to try it and let’s see how I feel.

Obviously I do not want to rely on ai forever. I’m currently on Reta and trying to lose body fat.

 

[Tbaz192]

The massager after injecting is the worst fucking idea ever. Do not do that. It’ll just make any pip worse. Especially if you’re new to taking test/gear.
OUCH.

 

[readalot]

Welp, this thread was helpful View attachment 338113

If you want something helpful read this thread and the posts attached. End the lowering SHBG frees up T myth for TRT.

R

Post in thread 'Oxandrolone lowered total testosterone 36% while on TRT?'

Aug 9, 2025

You all have it backwards. Look up my posts. Your results are as expected. Lowering SHBG does not increase FT. Your SHBG dropped due to oxandrolone so your TT dropped.

FT is proportional to your Test dose.

Cool data points with LCMS. Was the FT using equilibrium dialysis test? Always put units with your values.

Thanks.

• readalot

• 

 

[readalot]

disconnect between my total T, free T, and SHBG.

What disconnect?

 

[Johnnyutaaah]

What disconnect?

That’s probably a bad way to describe it. My question is based on my bloods, how do my numbers look? I see guys that have 1100 tt and 250 ft. My numbers seem low.

I was kind of discouraged when I saw my numbers. And my dick doesn’t get hard.

 

[ResuNona]

That’s probably a bad way to describe it. My question is based on my bloods, how do my numbers look? I see guys that have 1100 tt and 250 ft. My numbers seem low.

I was kind of discouraged when I saw my numbers. And my dick doesn’t get hard.

Well its a symptom of having high-estrogen that you experience ED.

It is also a symptom of having low-testosterone that you also experience ED.

But considering your E2 levels, and on the principle of staying at a "true replacement dose (individual dependent to a degree)"; (I'm not discounting holistically feeling better with a higher dose of testosterone either), I'd consider lowering your E2 first.

You could approach this with more of a question of your Test to E2 (standard range of 14:1 and 25:1 pg/mL). Which would mean your ratio is out of range.

If your main symptom is ED...

A Review on Testosterone: Estradiol Ratio—Does It Matter, How Do You Measure It, and Can You Optimize It?

...In a prospective, office-based study, El-Sakka [75] reported that while a low testosterone (<280 ng/dL) had a significant effect on erectile function, a concomitant elevated estradiol value (>42.6 pg/mL) further impaired erectile function. Again, we have calculated this T:E ratio for erectile function at 6.57. In contrast, Castelló-Porcar and Martínez-Jabaloyas [76] reported no association between the testosterone/estradiol ratio and erectile function or desire in Spanish men over the age of 50 years...

That entire journal article is a good read.

---

Just as an out of pocket example; if your total testosterone is 1200 and E2 is 72, your estradiol would be elevated but you may not have any symptoms because of the ratio approach.

 

[sionnach]

If I were you, I'd just stay the course at 100/wk, ignore the numbers (for now), skip the AI, and focus on losing weight. And no alcohol.

When you get close to your target weight, run labs again. If your E2 is still too high, your SHBG too high or low, or your dick still doesn't work, then we talk about AI and/or upping your dose. This shit takes time, and most of it is irrelevant anyway until you lose some fat.

 

[Tbaz192]

If I were you, I'd just stay the course at 100/wk, ignore the numbers (for now), skip the AI, and focus on losing weight. And no alcohol.

When you get close to your target weight, run labs again. If your E2 is still too high, your SHBG too high or low, or your dick still doesn't work, then we talk about AI and/or upping your dose. This shit takes time, and most of it is irrelevant anyway until you lose some fat.

I also agree. Back when I had more fat. It was harder to dial everything in. And I wish I just kept on the same regime and didn’t mess with dose / AI or anything. Just caused issues for me.

Once I lost more fat and got lean everything stabilized more.
No drugs. No alcohol. No smoking etc.
get leaner and healthy, and pull labs. And adjust then.

 

[Ateam2023]

Well its a symptom of having high-estrogen that you experience ED.

It is also a symptom of having low-testosterone that you also experience ED.

But considering your E2 levels, and on the principle of staying at a "true replacement dose (individual dependent to a degree)"; (I'm not discounting holistically feeling better with a higher dose of testosterone either), I'd consider lowering your E2 first.

You could approach this with more of a question of your Test to E2 (standard range of 14:1 and 25:1 pg/mL). Which would mean your ratio is out of range.

If your main symptom is ED...

A Review on Testosterone: Estradiol Ratio—Does It Matter, How Do You Measure It, and Can You Optimize It?



That entire journal article is a good read.

---

Just as an out of pocket example; if your total testosterone is 1200 and E2 is 72, your estradiol would be elevated but you may not have any symptoms because of the ratio approach.

i just had a tt of 1200+ with an e2 of 71, lol, this is off 140 mg test c weekly, this isn't a "trough" tt number, my trough is @750 tt ,,

 

[ResuNona]

i just had a tt of 1200+ with an e2 of 71, lol, this is off 140 mg test c weekly, this isn't a "trough" tt number, my trough is @750 tt ,,

Damn lol thats pretty spot on to what you'd expect aromatization would be.

Curious if you feel any negative symptoms or if you are good where you at?

 

[Ateam2023]

Damn lol thats pretty spot on to what you'd expect aromatization would be.

Curious if you feel any negative symptoms or if you are good where you at?

slight increase in water retention, light acne on quads/upper glutes,,

 

[lalakis]

i ll tell you what worked for me. i changed to subcutaneous with insulin syringe 2 times per week my test dose and this helped me to lowered E2 and after some weeks i stopped need AI.

 

[Johnnyutaaah]

i ll tell you what worked for me. i changed to subcutaneous with insulin syringe 2 times per week my test dose and this helped me to lowered E2 and after some weeks i stopped need AI.

I’ve also been thinking about switching to sub q with an insulin syringe to see if that helps.

 

[Johnnyutaaah]

I also agree. Back when I had more fat. It was harder to dial everything in. And I wish I just kept on the same regime and didn’t mess with dose / AI or anything. Just caused issues for me.

Once I lost more fat and got lean everything stabilized more.
No drugs. No alcohol. No smoking etc.
get leaner and healthy, and pull labs. And adjust then.

Nice! I already don’t smoke or drink. Never had a problem with it. Just working on getting lean now.

 

[Throwback]

How long is this sustainable for? What about switching to sub q every other day? I don’t want to run an ai forever. I’m also working on getting leaner.

Its gonna depend on how u aromatize test.... As your bf % drops typically aromatization slows. You could go with sub q injections 3 times weekly...that seems to have helped guys but its a pain in the butt...and leaves small bumps sometimes.