@namiko posted a new topic, subject "Free T Higher Than Total T? Normal SHBG? Estrogen:Free T?". It read:

   My labwork last year has shown that my total t on the day of my shot was 650.  
    I dont remember my free t. But as much as i know it was somewhere in the middle range.  
    What does that mean that my free t on the day of my shot was way higher like my Total T?
    
    Also a question about sbgh. I did not test sbgh.  
    With the levels I have does that mean my sbgh is in normal range?
    
    And the last question. How high your estrogen gets depends on how high your free t is right?
    
    I am on 125 mg now and a couple hours after my shot I get that moon-faced look.  
    Does that mean my sbgh is low or high.
    
    I know I have to do a new lab work but these were some questions that came to my mind.
    
    Thnx in forward

After which, @hardartery added

    namiko:
    
    > I dont remember my free t. But as much as i know it was somewhere in the middle range.  
    >  What does that mean that my free t on the day of my shot was way higher like my Total T?
    
    No, that would literally be impossible.
    
    namiko:
    
    > And the last question. How high your estrogen gets depends on how high your free t is right?
    
    Again, no. our E2 is related to much you aromatise and what level your body naturally inclines to have it at.
    
    namiko:
    
    > I am on 125 mg now and a couple hours after my shot I get that moon-faced look.  
    >  Does that mean my sbgh is low or high.
    
    Okay, you already said “Last question”. What's this doing here then? Joking. The “moon-faced” look is E2 bloat, you are retaining water. It has nothing to do with your SHBG.

To which @systemlord replied

    If my Free T was midrange, I would most certainly have symptoms of low testosterone. Dr. Abraham Morgentaler a leading expert in the field of TRT from Harvard is stating men with Free T at or below 15 pg/mL (6.8-21.5 pg/mL) will likely benefit from TRT.
    
    Notice how 15 pg/mL is above midrange, 18 pg/mL would be considered high normal. Really the optimal ranges is 20-26 pg/mL the range for men in their 20's which everyone should be aiming.
    
    Dr. Saya is seeing men optimal in these ranges, all biomarkers improve at these numbers in over 10,000 patients. The standards new to be higher so doctors stop telling 20-30 year olds are normal at the ranges of old men.

Then @namiko said

    Don't forget my levels where midrange but these numbers where my through numbers.
    
    Is there any way to find out if one has high sbgh or not? My labwork is in 3 weeks. Just wanted to know if there are any symptoms that show high or low sbgh

So @hardartery replied

    namiko:
    
    > Is there any way to find out if one has high sbgh or not? My labwork is in 3 weeks. Just wanted to know if there are any symptoms that show high or low sbgh
    
    Nope.

So @namiko replied

    Ok thnx.  
    But should the free t through level be over midrange? Lot of people told me 650 total T through level is good! So I am little confused now

Then @hardartery said

    Free T is measured in in a different format. Your Total T is okay, not fantastic but not terrible. Free T is the T that is not bound to SHBG. Your free T is the portion floating around or bound to Albumin. High free T would indicate low SHBG depending on Total T. In your case the indication would be low SHBG if the free T is high and the Total T is upper mid-range.

@highpull replied

    namiko:
    
    > Also a question about sbgh. I did not test sbgh.  
    >  With the levels I have does that mean my sbgh is in normal range?
    
    Find out what your free testosterone was. That will give you a rough idea as to where your SHBG is. If your free test is higher and you are feeling good, it's a good bet SHBG is on the lower end.

After which, @systemlord added

    namiko:
    
    > Don't forget my levels where midrange but these numbers where my through numbers.
    
    You need to keep levels elevated rather than allowing levels to decline, this is usually when men start to experience symptoms and end up here.

@increasemyt replied

    I would agree there are no symptoms of low SHBG, rather the absence of positive symptoms would be a better indicator.

After which, @namiko added

    I will open a new thread since the last one was very confusing.
    
    This is my lab test the day before my next shot( Day 7). I am on 125 mg test weekly.  
    I can not do it twice because in Germany we only have the 250 mg testosterone.
    
    Total Test (ECLIA) — 6.66 µg  
    Free Test( RIA). ---- 18,1 Ng/l  
    E2 was under reference 1mg week EOD.
    
    Are those levels good for the day before of the shot? Or should they be higher?  
    Peak free test must be higher right?  
    And what does that say about my sbgh?
    
    I will do another lab work in 3 weeks to see where my levels are with only 1/4 arimidex.
    
    To be honest before that I was on 200 mg test and I felt so much better. But I hate it to take arimidex for the rest of my life. Isn't it dangerous??
    
    What do you think what level is good?  
    Should I change to 150 mg after my next lab work? On 125 mg my libido is better but the overall feeling is better on 200 mg.  
    But on 200 my pulse is way faster. But that is because E2 right?
    
    To make it clear. I want to be in a healthy upper range and with 125 mg my peak must be in the upper range right?

To which @systemlord replied

    You just need to break up your shots multiple times per week, injecting smaller doses should lower estrogen and you may not need an AI or could possibly get away with taking less.
    
    When I was on TRT I felt best on 10mg daily, no estrogen sides like I had injecting less frequently.

@namiko replied

    No too much stress. I can live with 2 times a week but every day is a pain in the ass mate.
    
    Guys please answer my questions.  
    What is my level and free T saying about my sbgh?
    
    Is my level good for the day before the next shot?
    
    Free test is 18.1 is this good? And what could it be on peak?  
    Is that on the higher healthy range or normal? Because that's not why I am doing trt.
    
    Should I take a higher dosage?
    
    What about fast pulse on 200 mg. Is there anything I can do? My pulse is 80 on 200 mg. On 125 around 70. I am talking about resting pulse.
    
    Would love to hear some opinions. Thnx

To which @systemlord replied

    Help with Lab Test
    
    > What is my level and free T saying about my sbgh?
    
    I can't tell much of anything without lab ranges, different countries use multiple different reference ranges and there are no standards. Then you have different population groups scoring lower or high T numbers.
    
    Your pulse could be many factors, usually pulse increases when you change something about your protocol and will adapt once your body is used to those changes unless a hormone is in excess or low.
    
    Hormones is a complicated business and requires a doctor who is good at problem solving, it's why so many doctors fixate on lab ranges.

To which @hardartery replied

    Help with Lab Test
    
    > I can not do it twice because in Germany we only have the 250 mg testosterone.
    
    What? What has that got to do with anything? They only sell 250 mg where I am too, that has nothing to do with my being able to adjust dose.
    
    Help with Lab Test
    
    > E2 was under reference 1mg week EOD.
    
    That is about a million times too much arimidex. Stop taking it altogether for now. Take zero of it. As in none. You crashed your E2 and crashed it hard.

Then @systemlord said

    Help with Lab Test
    
    > What? What has that got to do with anything? They only sell 250 mg where I am too, that has nothing to do with my being able to adjust dose.
    
    I figured he was refusing to inject more frequently, because if he were to inject half of what he injects now, that would be 250÷2 =125mg. Go a step further 250÷4 =62.5mg.
    
    I have both 100mg and 200mg vials and have to be mindful which vial I'm drawing.

So @namiko replied

    Reference in Germany is; 3,5 - 12,5 ng/ml

@namiko replied

    Mate 1 mg arimidex for the hole week  
    1/4 EOD

After which, @hardartery added

    I'm on .7 of 250mg/2mL twice a week, puts me at roughly 183 mg a week.It doesn't work out evenly to the amp, so I prefill a jameshoffman@example.net. Just because the bottle has 250 mg in it, doesn't mean he actually has to take all 250. I thought Germans were good at engineering and precision…  
    I think you're right about the frequency, he certainly seems to want to avoid more shots. Must be using the sharpened cannon barrel that came in the box.

So @hardartery replied

    If 1 Arimidex/week crashed your E2 like that, you need to stop taking it altogether. It is causing you bigger problems than low Test.

To which @systemlord replied

    namiko:
    
    > I can live with 2 times a week but every day is a pain in the ass mate.
    
    You once asked why your Free T is high in relation to your Total T and the reason is low SHBG. It's real simple, if you want to continue feeling the way you are feeling now, continue with this protocol, if you want to feel normal again then you will need to inject more frequently.
    
    You can use 27-29 gauge insulin syringes and inject in the shoulders and quads, it's painless.

After which, @namiko added

    Ok guys. Did not want start a new thread.
    
    I have made a blood work to see where my hematocrit was 2 weeks ago. My hematocrit was 51. Since 3 years it is between 49 and 51. And now the funny part! Today I was in another city and another laboratory.
    
    And I tested my E2 and ask for a hematocrit again since I stopped smoking cigarettes 2 weeks ago and smoke e-cigarettes now which I really like.
    
    This laboratory gave me those numbers'
    
    Hematocrit 54!!!  
    Hemoglobin18!!!  
    Wtf? I was not even dehydrated!  
    How could this be? How can my hematocrit goes up in 14 days. I reduced my dose from 200 to 125 mg. And stopped smoking. Haha. Is this a joke.  
    I don't have any symptoms of high hematocrit.

After which, @increasemyt added

    Remember a blood test is just a snapshot of what is going on in your body at a single point in time. So a single draw doesn't say too much, you need multiple points of reference to make an accurate picture.

So @namiko replied

    Yeah you are right. But I was shocked! I mean hematocrit 54 ain't funny mate
    
    Could it be that my too much water intake could be the reason?  
    The last couple of days I drunk around 6 liter water. Maybe that is a reason.

So @hardartery replied

    Nope. Not that. Different lab, different numbers. They all have different equipment, slightly different ranges and can easily produce slightly different results.

@namiko replied

    Yeah mate. Will do a new test next week when I arrive home again.

So @increasemyt replied

    Exactly, we could take blood from 1 draw and send it to 3 different labs and there is a good chance we would get 3 different results.
    
    Unfortunately there is not much standardization in the TRT arena yet.


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