Hi there,

I am just wondering if anyone else has had this problem and knows why it is occurring. I have been on T for about 9 months, and am on a relatively low dose, but my free testosterone levels are consistently above the normal range. I have been lowering my dose more and more at my doctors request, but the levels are still above normal. Does anyone know if there are any underlying health problems that could cause this to happen? And what effect high free testosterone levels could have on my health/transition process?

I inject once a week, and get the blood tests ~5 days after my injections as my doctor suggested, so that shouldn't be the cause of the high levels.

I'd appreciate any feedback on this 

When I first started I was sweating all the time and I told my doctor. He checked my levels and I was way above the average of levels. He cut my dose down to 3/4 (I believe I was doing 1) and to do the injections every other week. My level eventually evened out after a month or two and now everything is fine.

So maybe ask about cutting it to every two weeks instead of every week?

Too much testosterone can end up turning into estrogen and that can decrease the benefits of testosterone.

Best of luck!

I was started on low dose (1/2 of full dose i believe) and after 3 months, my blood work shows my free testosterone level was through the roof!  Doctor said that T level leads to the out of control acne under my chin and neck area.  Since then, she lowered my dose another 20% so I'm actually on 40% of a full dose, but changes is still happening like body hair, voice drop, down under growth, etc. 

My doctor told me the reason is everybody reacts to testosterone injection/gel differently, the muscle/skin absorbs the testosterone better than other.  However, the high free testosterone level can also increase the red blood cell count which increase the risk of hypertension and blood clot.  That is why it is important to lower the dose until free testosterone level is maintained.  Not everyone needs full dose to have full effect to transition, the free testosterone level is the testosterone that's in your body doing the work.

Hey, I had the same problem for the entire time I've been on T (abt 2.5yrs).

I mentioned T-levels to one of my buddies who has been on T 5+yrs and has had most of his trans healthcare done in NYC. He told me there is definitely a difference in T-levels in the blood based on when you do your dose and when the labwork is done--trough levels (lowest amount of hormones present in the blood) and peak levels (highest levels present in the blood). I remember it because it's similar to the way ocean waves work. :p

For half of my time on T, I was getting labwork done on trough days (a few hours before I dosed) and then I switched to peak days (3 days after dosage) and it really worried my doctor that my levels went from 'normal'* to 'above range'*. Her initial reaction was to lower my dose substantially, but I did some digging and brought to her attention the pattern I just mentioned. I compromised with her, lowering my dose, and still get labwork done on peak days. But my levels are consistently 'high' and I haven't had any adverse side effects, and she hasn't been concerned.

I accidentally did a double dose of T during my first six months, and it was not fun. All the daily effects I'd experienced on T--increased energy and appetite, increased libido--were increased ten-fold. I couldn't stop eating, I had jitters and shaky hands in addition to needing to be in constant motion, and I think I got about 4hrs of sleep a night. It took about 72-hrs for the worst of it to wear off, which is about the time I really started keeping excellent documentation of when and how much I dosed, and consistently video documenting any physical, mental, and emotional changes I experienced. I recommend this as a safe-guard in case you change your dose/start any other medications or supplements and need to compare any side-effects.

As for researched over-exposure, my doc mentioned liver damage, as well as the stereotypical "'roid rage" examples--aggressiveness, anger, severe acne, thickening of the blood, among others. I never experienced any of those things, but that's not to say it doesn't happen. Your doc should be able to provide you with resources if they feel you're at significant risk (and even if you aren't!).

I've had some really good discussions with my doc about where she gets her data for hormone ranges. I'm always skeptical of data collection, because there are so many variables that can influence a person's hormone levels (age, race, ethnicity, diet, geography, genetics, overall health, etc.) and I told her frankly that I needed more information about where she got her data before I changed my dose. And honestly, her sources were kinda archaic. I know there's a really awesome trans clinic in NYC (Callen-Lorde?) that could be a great information resource for you and your doc!

Good luck!

*mod edit- no dosages please

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