Dividing up weekly trt dose

[bluzman2004]

I'm trying to smooth out my up and downs mentally. I've read about people dividing the weekly dose (mine is 200mg) in half and injecting every 3.5 days (100mg each). It was reported that it helps keep the Estrogen lower and evens out the levels, like going from every 2 weeks to every week injections, but better. Any feedback? Thanks

 

[napalm]

I'm trying to smooth out my up and downs mentally. I've read about people dividing the weekly dose (mine is 200mg) in half and injecting every 3.5 days (100mg each). It was reported that it helps keep the Estrogen lower and evens out the levels, like going from every 2 weeks to every week injections, but better. Any feedback? Thanks

It obv will vary from person to person but the majority of what you've heard is true. You don't have any peaks or valleys so your test levels (and mood etc...) stay on a more even keel.

I think you will also find you wont need the full 200 you're on now. First of all, 200 is a hefty trt dose - you're prolly having e2 issues because of it.

I went from 150/week to 60 every 4 days, which works out to 105/week. My levels are consistently 800-900 and e2 on the low 30's.

More is not better, better is better. It took me over a yr to dial in my dose

Good luck...

 

[bluzman2004]

Thanks. I've only been doing this for 4 months now, so I'm sure I'm not at the right level yet.

 

[napalm]

Thanks. I've only been doing this for 4 months now, so I'm sure I'm not at the right level yet.

Frequent labs along w some experimenting will enable you to get it dialed in. Helps to have a cool doc, mine doesn't care what I do as long as I'm in range when I come in for labs.

I was getting labs done every couple months as I was figuring this out.

If it were me, I'd start w 50 every 3-4 days, recheck labs, adjust as needed.

 

[waynaferd]

I agree, the more often the injections the better, even with long esters.

Not so noticeable on TRT doses, but even 1g blasts I get hardly any sides by injecting every other day.

 

[jinxie]

It obv will vary from person to person but the majority of what you've heard is true. You don't have any peaks or valleys so your test levels (and mood etc...) stay on a more even keel.

I think you will also find you wont need the full 200 you're on now. First of all, 200 is a hefty trt dose - you're prolly having e2 issues because of it.

I went from 150/week to 60 every 4 days, which works out to 105/week. My levels are consistently 800-900 and e2 on the low 30's.

More is not better, better is better. It took me over a yr to dial in my dose

Good luck...

Agree for the most part, though I will add that 105 mgs per week is not going to be ample to bring many who are 40+ up to optimal free test levels because SHBG and E2 tend to climb with age. I would wager to say that, on average, for 35+, 120 - 150 mgs per week is going to be a more appropriate dose, and a little higher for those over 40. For instance, I take 80 mgs E4Ds, or 140 mgs per week, and my FT is right in the middle of range. The only way to know is to get bloods, that include albumin, SHBG and E2. Also, there is a fair likelihood that you will need a small dose of an AI in any event, particularly as you get older.

 

[rfarns01]

Agree for the most part, though I will add that 105 mgs per week is not going to be ample to bring many who are 40+ up to optimal free test levels because SHBG and E2 tend to climb with age. I would wager to say that, on average, for 35+, 120 - 150 mgs per week is going to be a more appropriate dose, and a little higher for those over 40. For instance, I take 80 mgs E4Ds, or 140 mgs per week, and my FT is right in the middle of range. The only way to know is to get bloods, that include albumin, SHBG and E2. Also, there is a fair likelihood that you will need a small dose of an AI in any event, particularly as you get older.

Disagree as I am 47 on 100 mg. dose once per week, my e2 is 21 and shbg is 21. T comes in at around 800. Everyone Is different you cannot generize an age group, bloods are the only way. For the OP on the 200mg. dose run to the lab and get your hematocrit checked ASAP.

 

[jinxie]

Disagree as I am 47 on 100 mg. dose once per week, my e2 is 21 and shbg is 21. T comes in at around 800. Everyone Is different you cannot generize an age group, bloods are the only way. For the OP on the 200mg. dose run to the lab and get your hematocrit checked ASAP.

I don't know that you are disagreeing with me. But let's talk free and bioavailable T. Where does yours land? Probably pretty high given your E2 and SHBG, which is great.

FWIW, your E2, at a 40:1 test:E2 ratio is abnormally low, so you are an outlier in that regard. 20:1 is average, IIRC. And if your E2 were 40 at trough you may want to be on a tiny dose of an AI, depending on your goals -- particularly if you are shooting once per week. One may wish to consider shooting every 3.5 to 4 days, for more balance. When your SHBG is lowish, you metabolize the test more quickly. Just a friendly suggestion to consider.

Anyhow, just one guy's opinion, take it for what it's worth.

 

[kisaj]

Opinions are fun to read just to see others experiences, but when it comes to hormones, it is impossible to determine what is going to work for someone else. We give ideas of where to start, but you are going to need to work with multiple lab reads, your doc, and most of all your own feeling to decide what protocol to use.

For me, I am 39 and been on TRT for just about 3 years. I do 60mg e3.5d and no requirement of an AI. I do like to add in a transdermal AI only for cosmetic purposes because it shreds me- but my numbers don't make it necessary.

 

[napalm]

Yeah, like I said, it took me over a year and like. 5 sets of labs to get my levels where I want them. The only time I needed and ai (and still didn't use one) was when I was at 150/week.

I am against taking unnecessary meds as a rule of thumb, I see ai's as unnecessary.

I firmly believe more frequent, lower doses are the way to go.

 

[napalm]

Agree for the most part, though I will add that 105 mgs per week is not going to be ample to bring many who are 40+ up to optimal free test levels because SHBG and E2 tend to climb with age. I would wager to say that, on average, for 35+, 120 - 150 mgs per week is going to be a more appropriate dose

Jinxie, I've seen 300 lb ex bbr's that only require 80/week to get them to the 800's; conversely, I've seen 130 lb scrawny dudes who need 200/week just to get then to the bottom of normal range.

There's no way to predict dose/response, there is just too much variability...

 

[Swanson52]

Yeah, like I said, it took me over a year and like. 5 sets of labs to get my levels where I want them. The only time I needed and ai (and still didn't use one) was when I was at 150/week.

I am against taking unnecessary meds as a rule of thumb, I see ai's as unnecessary.

I firmly believe more frequent, lower doses are the way to go.

Another one in this camp. 38, I've nailed down a dose (~50mg e4d) that keeps my test between 650-750 and my E2 below 20.

I'm sensitive enough to sides that even 60-70mg puts my total around 900-1000 and it's miserable. Conversely, on my prescribed dose of 180 e10d my test bottoms out around 190-210 by day 9.

I've never run an AI, and I agree that it's due to the consistent smaller injections.

 

[jinxie]

Jinxie, I've seen 300 lb ex bbr's that only require 80/week to get them to the 800's; conversely, I've seen 130 lb scrawny dudes who need 200/week just to get then to the bottom of normal range.

There's no way to predict dose/response, there is just too much variability...

Totally agree with you. And I think I expressed a strong caveat re variability and need for bloods.

I do think though that many clinicians, as well those who self-prescribe, often neglect assessing bioavailability of test, by failing to test SHBG, albumin and even E2 sometimes.

And I should have further stated more explicitly that my anecdote primarily had truly hypogonadal men in mind, which is why I related that they are more likely to have issues with SHBG, as well as relative levels of E2 (if they are older, at least).

So we are totally on the same page here. And I apoiogize if I came across as overly rigid at all. My point, like yours, is some guys, certain guys, are going to need more. I am one of them. 100 mgs of test per week will put me in the bottom 30% of bioavailable test. And based on my study-based research, as well as reading many anecdotes from people I trust, I am not alone here. But we are already in total agreement re this, as you state a similar proposition above.

Plus, if you look at the studies comparing various test doses, the meaningful anabolism usually starts at around 150 mgs per week, and the truly significant anabolism starts closer to 200 mgs+, if not 250 mgs, which will place most men in the supraphysiological range. But I recognize that we are not having that discussion here, though I do think many guys at forums like this, in an HRT/TRT forum (not anabolics!) are aiming for the top of the range.

 

[jinxie]

Another one in this camp. 38, I've nailed down a dose (~50mg e4d) that keeps my test between 650-750 and my E2 below 20.

I'm sensitive enough to sides that even 60-70mg puts my total around 900-1000 and it's miserable. Conversely, on my prescribed dose of 180 e10d my test bottoms out around 190-210 by day 9.

I've never run an AI, and I agree that it's due to the consistent smaller injections.

All good points. I've run an AI for most of the time I've been on hCG or test cyp, and in fact even ran mono AI. I have no issue with sides whatsoever when running a small dose of AI. But YMMV, and I respect reluctance to add such to your regimen, though exemestane tends to be quite benign at small doses, and I say that having performed study-based research on the matter.

3.125 mgs to 6.25 mgs of exemestane ED or even EOD, can be plenty.

Anyhow, illuminating post. What's your free or bioavailable test look like at trough levels? Robust I bet with such low E2. You actually may have an easier time making gains with E2 a little higher, fwiw, though you also may end up a little wetter. Your E2 is pretty low for those test levels. As noted, 20:1 is the the typical ratio, though taking exogenous test certainly creates a greater probability of pushing you outside the norms. My ratio when on test tends to be closer to 12:1, so I have E2 issues pretty much at any dose that puts me in the normal range.

 

[kisaj]

I'm sensitive enough to sides that even 60-70mg puts my total around 900-1000 and it's miserable. Conversely, on my prescribed dose of 180 e10d my test bottoms out around 190-210 by day 9.

Same here related to sensitivity to sides. It took me awhile to understand why I felt so good at 60mg and even a minor bump to 65 or 70 when I was lazy and pulled too much in the syringe and said F it, made me miserable.