Higher Total Test on lower dose, wtf is going on

[Elektrobot]

I've posted around a bit in different topics about trying to find my tolerable base testosterone dose. Just got the rest of the results from my most recent blood draw and shit don't make sense. I lowered my test cyp dose by 40% (25mg/day to 15mg/day). Retested after 40 days. My total test increased from 1,631 to 1,667. I realize that increase is within a margin of error... but it certainly didn't go down.

Using primal test cyp 105mg/week split every day @15/mg

Estrogen is 94

My free test seems relatively low.

I'm not necessarily chasing a number. But I don't know if running test and estrogen levels this high as my long term base level is the smartest thing.

When I first started test in September, I had a high amount of water retention and was getting crippling pumps during cardio. Had to stop every 5 min. Water retention subsided. Can do full cardio again without getting locked up ankles.

Eventually developed slight nipple sensitivity. It went away. Thought it was because my estrogen was down from lowering my dose. But apparently estrogen didn't change at all.


So right now I'm not experiencing any negative side effects. But I am concerned about the possibility of gyno tissue growing despite not currently feeling any sensitivity. And concerned about running test this high long term. Despite my test being almost triple my natural level, my workouts and log book haven't changed that much. I am progressing and recovering SLIGHTLY better than when natty. BUT. I have been in a deficit since starting test. Trying to get as lean as possible before cycling up.

I am using test as a PED, not trt. My natty test levels were fine. My goal is increased performance and results in the gym.

I wanted to find how much test I could run as my base without ancillaries, and cycle up from there for growth phases.




Natty Total test: 623 / 584 Few months apart

July 28, started 3-4iu GH/day

September 7th started test @25mg/ day. Tested October 14th. Total test went up to 1,631. Estradiol sensitive was 100

October 15th: Skipped 5 days of shots, then restarted @ 15/mg a day

Retested December 3rd. Test went up to 1,667 and estradiol is 94

SHBG = seemingly always high


These are historical charts of related bloodwork.

Why is my test higher on a lower dose, and what should my next move be?

 

[AllbrandNew]

Was there a difference in time between last shot and blood pull in those test results? That absolutely would affect the results, along with possibly time of day, and probably a bunch of other things small things.

Given the second run was longer, perhaps you just had more stable/established serum levels on the last test. That's about all I can think of, but I'm absolutely not an expert.

 

[cousinmuscles]

Makes sense, look at free test. Free test went down. Free test is what matters. Total test is a function of SHBG and free test, not the other way around. Getting a lower SHBG will not raise free test, it will decrease total test, and vice versa, higher SHBG will raise total test compared to free test.

Check user "readalot" posts on this:

D

Thread 'Oxandrolone lowered total testosterone 36% while on TRT?'

Aug 9, 2025

I got an unexpected total testosterone blood test result while on 6 weeks of oxandrolone at 25mg/day. My TRT is 140mg/week.

	Baseline	6 weeks 25mg Oxandrolone
Total Test	1113	697
Free Test	26	25
E2	32	39
SHBG	28	11

Both the TRT and oxandrolone are pharma prescribed by a doctor. I don't think oxandrolone is supposed to drop total test when on TRT so what could cause the big drop?

• deadbeef

• 
• 

R

Post in thread 'Help Understanding Bloodwork'

Jan 20, 2024

What does the body do with the extra FT if TT is down, and FT stays the same, but endogenous T source (TRT dosage) remains constant? I'm assuming the TRT is cleaved from the ester into free T. The body excretes it? Essentially wondering why wouldn't free T go up if SHBG is lowered and endogenous T remains the same.

Imagine experiment where SHBG magically drops in half or just drops over the course of some time period (oxandrolone for example).

All other constraints above stay in place. Let's just make it as simple as possible by assuming TRT (aka free Test) is being introduced...

• readalot

• 

Edit: also, you might have small residual amounts of test cyp accumulating, giving you very slightly higher levels. The steroid plotter graphs give you a math formula with expected bottom levels after x number of days but in real life it is a bit different. For example I ran a cycle with test decanoate and two months after the cycle my levels were still supraphysiological, and getting lower and lower took longer and longer.

 

[crispybacon!]

I've posted around a bit in different topics about trying to find my tolerable base testosterone dose. Just got the rest of the results from my most recent blood draw and shit don't make sense. I lowered my test cyp dose by 40% (25mg/day to 15mg/day). Retested after 40 days. My total test increased from 1,631 to 1,667. I realize that increase is within a margin of error... but it certainly didn't go down.

Using primal test cyp 105mg/week split every day @15/mg

Estrogen is 94

My free test seems relatively low.

I'm not necessarily chasing a number. But I don't know if running test and estrogen levels this high as my long term base level is the smartest thing.

When I first started test in September, I had a high amount of water retention and was getting crippling pumps during cardio. Had to stop every 5 min. Water retention subsided. Can do full cardio again without getting locked up ankles.

Eventually developed slight nipple sensitivity. It went away. Thought it was because my estrogen was down from lowering my dose. But apparently estrogen didn't change at all.


So right now I'm not experiencing any negative side effects. But I am concerned about the possibility of gyno tissue growing despite not currently feeling any sensitivity. And concerned about running test this high long term. Despite my test being almost triple my natural level, my workouts and log book haven't changed that much. I am progressing and recovering SLIGHTLY better than when natty. BUT. I have been in a deficit since starting test. Trying to get as lean as possible before cycling up.

I am using test as a PED, not trt. My natty test levels were fine. My goal is increased performance and results in the gym.

I wanted to find how much test I could run as my base without ancillaries, and cycle up from there for growth phases.




Natty Total test: 623 / 584 Few months apart

July 28, started 3-4iu GH/day

September 7th started test @25mg/ day. Tested October 14th. Total test went up to 1,631. Estradiol sensitive was 100

October 15th: Skipped 5 days of shots, then restarted @ 15/mg a day

Retested December 3rd. Test went up to 1,667 and estradiol is 94

SHBG = seemingly always high


These are historical charts of related bloodwork.

Why is my test higher on a lower dose, and what should my next move be?


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What batch(es) of Primal’s test cyp are you running? There are known inconsistencies in batch P10 for sure, with one test showing 243mg/ml and another showing 221mg/ml. It’s likely the case with others, as they’ve recently disclosed that their “batches” are not actually true single homogeneous batches, but rather they are just using the same “recipe” and calling that a batch. If you’ve used multiple vials, this could be a factor.

 

[Elektrobot]

What batch(es) of Primal’s test cyp are you running? There are known inconsistencies in batch P10 for sure, with one test showing 243mg/ml and another showing 221mg/ml. It’s likely the case with others, as they’ve recently disclosed that their “batches” are not actually true single homogeneous batches, but rather they are just using the same “recipe” and calling that a batch. If you’ve used multiple vials, this could be a factor.

I have cyp 200 gso and cyp 50 mct

Both are labeled p10

..... why would cyp 50 and cyp 200 have the same batch numbers

I bought MCT and GSO to try each oil and see if I had a sensitivity to either.

The way I dose for 15mg is 0.05ml cyp 200, and 0.1ml cyp 50

 

[Elektrobot]

Free test went down. Free test is what matters

Could that be why my total test level is so high but I don't have a noticeable effect?

 

[cousinmuscles]

I have cyp 200 gso and cyp 50 mct

Both are labeled p10

..... why would cyp 50 and cyp 200 have the same batch numbers

I bought MCT and GSO to try each oil and see if I had a sensitivity to either.

The way I dose for 15mg is 0.05ml cyp 200, and 0.1ml cyp 50

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Mathematics
15/200=0,075 (IMO too little to inject, the variation is too high because of how much oil is stuck in the syringe barrel or the needle itself, if you pressed the shit out of the plunger to squeeze out each last drop et.c. Water based is easier but oil is sticky)
15/50=0,3

 

[cousinmuscles]

Could that be why my total test level is so high but I don't have a noticeable effect?

Yeah could be. One more factor. At the lab I do bloods, they have shown me how much variation there is between tests of the same blood sample. They test each sample multiple times, sometimes 10, and take an average of that for your result.

 

[Elektrobot]

15/200=0,075 (IMO too little to inject,

Thats why I'm blending the 50 and 200 for a total injection volume of 0.15ml

I use an insulin syringe and put an air bubble behind the oil

 

[cousinmuscles]

Thats why I'm blending the 50 and 200 for a total injection volume of 0.15ml

I use an insulin syringe and put an air bubble behind the oil

Ah I misunderstood.