T-levels

[Jak]

I trust that if this post violates any guidelines, the admins will take care of it. But, I think I'm on safe ground.

In a majority of the posts, videos, etc. that I've seen, people write/talk about their dosage (e.g., "quarter dose," "1.00"), but say very little about T-levels. I'm on pellets so I can't easily "convert" dosage. I.e., I have no clue was a 125 mg pellet is equivalent to in injectable liquid, gel, etc. I'm curious about where you guys are at re levels. That said, I do know that one person's level will have an impact that differs from what another might experience at the same level.

Before starting, my total T level was 12. In. The. Basement. After the first treatment, I was at 140. Then I had to take a break as I had complications from unrelated surgery. Having my labs redone before starting over, I was down to 48. Starting treatment again pushed me to 192. I just had a booster and don't know where I'll max out.

I am NB/transmasculine. Thus, I'm looking for more modest changes. I do know that we can't "pick and choose," but my father and brother have very little body hair so I don't expect to see anything much in that regard. I'm keeping an eye on head hair, but so far, so good in terms of loss. At this level I don't expect to see changes re muscle or body shape, though I'd be overjoyed if I did. What I am experiencing - and hallelujah! - is measurable bottom growth and a sex drive that is off the charts. And I mean - Off. The. Charts. Upon reflection I actually think I've probably always had low T. That would explain a lot...

Anyway, I'm curious as to where you guys are at in terms of your T-levels. In particular, if anyone is sitting at 200-250 (below the floor for male range, I know), what impact have you seen thus far? Just wondering what I might expect to see if I remain in that range.

Also, did you see an initial surge of sex drive that then settled down? Seriously, if it remains at this level I might lose my mind...

Thanks so much for your input.

[CursedFireDean]

Hey man!
I'm at "3/2" dose and my levels are at like 1100-1200, top of the roof (while E levels are super low), my doctor said that RIGHT NOW she won't lower my dose but the minute we see any bad changes in cholesterol or blood pressure or any rise in E or anything like that, we'll drop it down. She likes to put her college age patients as high as she can since 1. We missed out the first puberty and 2. Young cis men would typically have the higher levels as opposed to the 250-500 range that some doctors are fine with. (Of course, you wouldn't be required to be on a dose that high if you didn't want it!) Anyways just wanted to put that in for context because parts of my experience will be more relevant than others, mainly what I experienced in the first year.

I originally started at a half dose, aka one third of what I currently take, and I was on that for nearly a year. Upped it to a  full dose at a year and then to this at about 2 years. My previous doctor who treated me up until 2 years never checked my levels so I can't tell you how they looked then, but considering I'm within top male range now, I was probably lower male range my first year.

At my "half" dose, the sex drive and growth were EASILY the most noticeable thing. After several months I did notice small muscle changes and the lower effects. As in. Before T I couldn't find the damn thing if I wanted to, but I had 0 sex drive anyways. I literally had never felt a sex drive. When I hit about 3 months on T (it had already grown noticeably) BAM I discovered what a sex drive is and how to satisfy it.  It was very hard to manage at first for sure (like 3 times a day sometimes, but always 1-2 times a day) and it calmed down with the coming months. Every time I upped my dose, I got increased libido again, and every time it calmed down. Now my libido is still high but I don't feel the URGENT NEED TO SATISFY that I did in those first several months.

Also relevant to your question, since my T levels were a lot lower on my half dose, I do want to say that 99% of my voice drop happened on the low dose. It is read more as male now than then but purely because of speaking pattern changes- the pitch is pretty much exactly what it was around 8 months on that low dose.

A lot of changes I've seen in myself in terms of muscle were barely noticeable until higher levels of T, but as far as hair growth goes I don't think I can comment because the growth could be from higher doses or just from the length of time on T.

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[Silver Centurion]

Hey Jak!

My levels have been really interesting because I had felt like crap a lot before I started T. Turns out my E was through the roof bad. I'm talking nearly double the max and my T was 39. The first month was so incredible for me. I started to feel better considerably and I am slightly over 5 months now. My levels went 39>391>460 and the E is dropping pretty well though I don't know what it's at right now.  So I'm pretty much sitting in the middle of the scale T lvls wise and it might be getting higher because I switched doses right before my last test.

Hair growth was pretty slow at first but about 2-3 months in it started popping up and right now I have furry legs and my chest is trying to figure itself out and I have the makings of a great chin beard which I'm happy about. My voice seems all over the place. It started to lower about two months in and I can't reach my pre-T voice but it's not deep either. I have noticed that if I try to sing my voice cracks BAD. Some fat restribution, I noticed muscle strength right away! I can carry a lot of stuff and much easier than before but the big change was in my legs. I can feel the muscles a lot more and I had no leg strength in my right leg and now I do which is really amazing.

So sex drive and bottom growth. The bottom growth started pretty early and though it hasn't done much lately its definitely there. It's the sex drive which has been the biggest change. I went from having no drive at all to experiencing what it feels like and it's definitely different and I like the change. It was pretty intense when I first started but it is different now. It isn't so much physically demanding as I have the desire for it  and though that can get annoying off and on I like having it rather than feeling nothing at all.

[Kylo]

788 last check. It took a few months to accrue but at this point it is affecting the thickness of my blood, and I don't want to drop the dose so I'll probably have to get blood taken in the next few months. I don't want the dose lowering though if at all possible as the speed of changes have been fine. Using gel does allow me the freedom to change the dose whenever I want, or if I need to, and to control it myself which is good.

Physical changes were rapid for me at first despite the levels lagging behind in the beginning. I guess now I'm waiting for the slower ones to come in, namely the finishing off of the voice and the beard. I got pretty solid in the muscle department now, and without that much effort, just a lot of regular swimming and a bit of lifting every so often.

Sex drive did go nuts at first, and occasionally it does ramp up for a while but I think that tends to depend on state of mind in my case. I feel in more control of it though than usually gets described on the boards - not compelled to indulge it; I guess I just will if I feel like it (and because it's about 500% easier now, it's not exactly a chore). Even though my levels aren't bad at the moment it's not as persistent as it was nearer the beginning of HRT, so I guess there's hope it'll calm down for you. In comparison to before HRT though it's like being a stag in constant rut and it's not going to quit so I guess you just have to find your balance with it.

[maksim]

My T levels before actually starting T were pretty high, about 61. My E levels were normal, at 253.4.

I'm on a very low dose, probably the lowest dose you can go before it's considered far too low, and my T levels last time I got bloodwork done (the day before my next shot, 3 weeks after I'd started) were about 272.7. My E level is at the goal after 3 weeks, 25.3.

At almost 6 weeks now, I've noticed considerable changes. My sex drive is definitely up there, much higher than it was before T! It's really frustrating though, because I have no way to relieve myself. My living situation sucks in that regard. Since it's only been 6 weeks it hasn't really calmed down at all yet.
As far as body hair goes, my legs have gotten furrier and my eyebrows have begun to fill in significantly.
My voice started deepening slightly around 3-4 weeks, and now it's starting to break.
Muscle strength hasn't changed much I don't think, but I think that's a feeling partially due to my recent change in diet that leaves me with much less capacity to exercise than I normally have. Plus I'm out of shape, and I haven't really tried lifting anything heavy in a while.
The only changes that have happened in the body shape department are severe water retention that have caused me to become extremely puffy in the worst areas (my hips, butt, stomach, chest, and cheeks). However, my facial structure is changing. It's been more noticeable to others more than it has been for me, which I think is good!
Downstairs growth is great, and it hasn't even gotten close to reaching its full potential yet, which I think is awesome.
Skin texture and oil in my skin and hair has also changed a good bit, it's not as soft as it was which kind of sucks but hey, that's just part of being on T.

Basically, I've noticed quite a few changes even on such a low dose with T levels at the bottom of the recommended range after 6 weeks.

[Jak]

Can't thank you guys enough for sharing your thoughts/experiences. Onward and upward!

[Crush935]

If you're still interested here is my two cents . 

I just hit my year and had my levels checked.  I was at 1085 I think?  Doc was not happy.  Said that was way too high and that she wants me down around 800 (I'm 26 btw).  I know a couple other guys transitioning at similar paces with me and we are all different. 

I will say, ever since I adjusted my dose to lower my levels I've noticed my transition kind of picking back up if that makes sense.  I had kind of leveled out there for a while and I think it's because my levels were too low. 

I forget when I started to pass constantly...I wanna say around 6 months.  I looked back over my year recently and realized how much I looked like a 12 year old for the longest time. 

The sex drive comes and goes.  It definitely chilled out after a while. 

Acne is going to be the worst part of the whole thing.  Mine has been cystic and it's been a nightmare.  Peppermint oil and tea tree oil and sugar scrub (I use lavender) have been my life savers. 


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[Ryuichi13]

I'm jumping in here and I hope that its okay.

I had my endo appointment a couple of days ago and finally remembered to ask him to write down my T levels.  Pre-T I was at 24 (I'm postmenopausal), so I don't know what my E levels were.

About 2 months in I was at 785, and this  past Friday I was at 1087, which is where my doctor wants me to be at. 

As for changes, I have bottom growth, the facial hair of a 13 year old boy (can't wait to "grow up!") as well as light body, arms and leg hair.  My voice was all over the place until recently, it seems to be starting to stablise some, but it could be wishful thinking on my part. 😉  My upper body is definitly broader and my shoulders are wider.  My facial structure is more masculine, so I'm told.  Maybe because I see my face every day I can't tell, but my genderfluid boyfriend says he sees them. 

I know I'm making more red blood cells as I had a bit of trouble with my high blood pressure for a short while, but once my pcp doubled one of my meds, it  seems to have resolved for the most part.  (It was confirmed by the cardiologist after stress testing and whatnot that I'm okay.)

All in all, after waiting for so long to be able to transition  it feels wonderful and yet stressful to finally be doing so!

Ryuichi

[James80]

I just got my T levels back today. As of last Monday, I was 1440.

I'm doing things that this forum frowns on discussing, because I had trouble getting treatment, had to deal with multiple refusals to treat. The only endo in town refuses to treat me for trans issues. Anyway, I've nearly got that sorted.

So I felt really good at that level, except for a nagging, insatiable sex drive, which sounds so much better than it is. But after looking at other guys' levels, I think that might be too high. I know testosterone begins to convert to estrogen after a point, but I have a Mirena implant, so I think that reduces the amount of estrogen my body produces, meaning that what ever is being aromatized right now is probably still not as much as I would make without the implant.

Thing is, I've run out of T waiting for the insurance company, new (good) doctor, and pharmacy to finish exchanging paperwork. So I'm going from 1440 back to baseline in a pretty short span of time. It doesn't feel good. I'm angry all the time. Twitchy. Sharks are circling...FTL. Loss of motivation, energy. Plus I think my voice is rising in pitch again...if that's even possible.

[Ryuichi13]

I just got my T levels back today. As of last Monday, I was 1440.

I'm doing things that this forum frowns on discussing, because I had trouble getting treatment, had to deal with multiple refusals to treat. The only endo in town refuses to treat me for trans issues. Anyway, I've nearly got that sorted.

So I felt really good at that level, except for a nagging, insatiable sex drive, which sounds so much better than it is. But after looking at other guys' levels, I think that might be too high. I know testosterone begins to convert to estrogen after a point, but I have a Mirena implant, so I think that reduces the amount of estrogen my body produces, meaning that what ever is being aromatized right now is probably still not as much as I would make without the implant.

Thing is, I've run out of T waiting for the insurance company, new (good) doctor, and pharmacy to finish exchanging paperwork. So I'm going from 1440 back to baseline in a pretty short span of time. It doesn't feel good. I'm angry all the time. Twitchy. Sharks are circling...FTL. Loss of motivation, energy. Plus I think my voice is rising in pitch again...if that's even possible.

I'm sorry to hear that you're having so much trouble.  As I've been told since I began my transition, its a proccess.   
Sending positive energies that it works out okay for you.

About your voice, whatever changes it has gone through are permenant, so you don't have to worry about that.  Your vocal chords can not change back.

Ryuichi

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[Jak]

Thanks, again! I very much appreciated hearing from everyone!

[Rex]

Hi, my gp sent my blood results to me and said that my t levels are high. I literally have no idea how to make sense of the results. Would anyone be willing to explain them to me if i send a copy to you?

[FTMax]

I hover between 700 - 900 most test periods with no change in dose for at over a year now. So solidly in the male range. My E is also solidly in the male range, coming in somewhere between 30-40 typically.

I've had no changes to my sex drive throughout my entire transition. Started very low and has remained very low.

@Rex just post a photo of your results.

[Rex]

https://flic.kr/p/VLRnf3

I dont know how to post pics. Will that link take you to it?

[Dena]

If I read the test correctly, it's saying you are greater than 52  nmol/l in your test results. If we were to assume you measured 52, the process would be 52/3.47= 14 ng/ml however as your results broke the test, we don't really know how high they are. Either a different test will be used or your dosage reduced and then you will be tested again. Also, if the test was run just after you injected, the levels would read high. Make sure you get your blood draw at the correct point in the injection cycle.


ESTRADIOL LEVELS
SEX                     pg/ml
Women (> 18 years old)   
      Follicular Phase  30-120
      Ovulatory Peak   130-370
      Luteal Phase      70-250
      Post-Menopausal   15-60
Male                    15-60

TOTAL TESTOSTERONE LEVELS
SEX      ng/dl        ng/ml
Females  6 - 86     0.1 - 1.2
Males  270 - 1100   2.4 - 12
Conversion factor: 1 ng/ml = 3.47 nmol/l

[Jacqueline]

Hi, my gp sent my blood results to me and said that my t levels are high. I literally have no idea how to make sense of the results. Would anyone be willing to explain them to me if i send a copy to you?

Hi Rex,

Looks like some others have taken a few minutes to try to talk you through your results. I would try but I barely follow my own

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[FTMax]

The one red flag for me with your results is that it looks like they are using female reference ranges. They should be using the male reference ranges. Your E is high for a dude, and if they were using the right ranges, it would be highlighted in red as an outlier.

These results don't really tell you anything because it doesn't list the exact number that your T is at. Just that you exceeded the test's threshold. Which, again, appears to be set for women which would automatically have a very low threshold. Go back to your doctor and ask them if this is their first rodeo.

[Rex]

Thanks very much for all your help. Just to clarify (i should have mentioned it)... im currently prescribed with testogel that I apply daily. That makes so much sense with you saying that its as if they are testing me as female. I have only been on T since march, other than my libido going through the roof i see no changes at all. Now im wondering if it could be down to my E levels. Thanks again