question for the dr.

[MikeTheMan]

I have been on androgel 10mg daily for the past 3 years. My dr recently wanted to check my T levels while im not using the gel so I stopped applying the gel 48 hrs before the blood test. my total T levels came out 138 which is very low. My question is, is it normal to have such low T level only 48 hours after last application or should I assume that the gel therapy is no longer effective and switch to shots?
Thanks for the help,
Mike

 

[hardasnails1973]

I have been on androgel 10mg daily for the past 3 years. My dr recently wanted to check my T levels while im not using the gel so I stopped applying the gel 48 hrs before the blood test. my total T levels came out 138 which is very low. My question is, is it normal to have such low T level only 48 hours after last application or should I assume that the gel therapy is no longer effective and switch to shots?
Thanks for the help,
Mike

Your dr obviously is not trained in the fine art of TRT and has not the slightest clue to what he is doing. how can you get an accurate reading and adjust things if the gel is not been applied. and hes only testing the testosteorne and not e2 shbg , thyroid. My best suspicoin is that you are hypothyroid and gel is not and has not been absorbed properly. Look for adrenals or thyoid dysfunction and swithcing the shots.

 

[KSman]

I have been on androgel 10mg daily for the past 3 years. My dr recently wanted to check my T levels while im not using the gel so I stopped applying the gel 48 hrs before the blood test. my total T levels came out 138 which is very low. My question is, is it normal to have such low T level only 48 hours after last application or should I assume that the gel therapy is no longer effective and switch to shots?
Thanks for the help,
Mike

I think that all who understand the mechanics of what is going on would expect to see lower serum T and higher serum E than when you started.

 

[MikeTheMan]

I think that all who understand the mechanics of what is going on would expect to see lower serum T and higher serum E than when you started.

Not quite sure what you mean, are you saying that it is normal to have such low T level after only 48 hours of discontinued use of the gel? I thought that levels should stay elevated for at least 5 days after stopping.

 

[KSman]

Not quite sure what you mean, are you saying that it is normal to have such low T level after only 48 hours of discontinued use of the gel? I thought that levels should stay elevated for at least 5 days after stopping.

What you describe is how T levels go up then reduce over a period of days; which is characteristic of the time release properties of injected testosterone esters in oil. With transdermal gels, the levels spike in an hour and drop in hours.

What I was referring to is how TRT will increase E and shutdown your HPTA. When you stop, the HPTA is still shutdown and the E lingers. So you are then probably worse than before starting TRT. When on injections, it would take 7-10 days to be in that state. With transdermals, only a few days.

 

[MikeTheMan]

I appreciate the feedback KSman. You bring up a good point,the insert states that patients returned to pretreatment levels by the fifth day after the last application but it doesnt make much sense to me either that the gel would last for that many days. Anyway I am going to call the dr on Monday morning and see if I can get re-tested while on the gel. Not too sure why he wanted to test my levels while off the gel but this way I will know for sure what the deal is.
Mike

 

[pmgamer18]

I appreciate the feedback KSman. You bring up a good point,the insert states that patients returned to pretreatment levels by the fifth day after the last application but it doesnt make much sense to me either that the gel would last for that many days. Anyway I am going to call the dr on Monday morning and see if I can get re-tested while on the gel. Not too sure why he wanted to test my levels while off the gel but this way I will know for sure what the deal is.
Mike

Mike the gels peck after about 2 to 4 hrs and the gel stays just under your skin going into your blood over the next 24hrs. So yes your levels can be this low not having any T in your blood for 24 hrs. Also not having the higher T leves throughs everything out of balance E2 goes up more is bound up and tests mean nothing. You did say you tried this on your own your Dr. did not tell you to do this. This link has charts in it for every kind of TRT showing what happen in time to your levels.
Invalid Link Removed

 

[JanSz]

I have been on androgel 10mg daily for the past 3 years. My dr recently wanted to check my T levels while im not using the gel so I stopped applying the gel 48 hrs before the blood test. my total T levels came out 138 which is very low. My question is, is it normal to have such low T level only 48 hours after last application or should I assume that the gel therapy is no longer effective and switch to shots?
Thanks for the help,
Mike

By now you have got some answers.
my question;
when you are on your normal, daily 10grams of Androgel,
what is your TotalT level?
how was it measured?
when I was on 10grams of Androgel I was applying it always in the morning about 8AM
blood draw for testing 7:45AM, that is I had last Androgel 24 hours ago when drawing blood.

Best testing I find at Quest Diagnostic
specifically this test:
(Testosterone, Free, Bio/Total)
result of this test is:
Testosterone Total 250-1100 ng/dL
Testosterone Free 46.0-224.0 pg/mL
Testosterone Bioavailable 110.0-575.0 ng/dL
SHBG 23-38 nmol/L
Albumin, serum 3.6-5.1 g/dL

They have other, less useful test.
----------------------------------------------
Stabilized person should expect TotalT levels as shown on graph, I tested 932
at first I was spilling lots of this thin gel and my levels were lower: