Lab Results - 30 Days on Androgel

[cjsabbath]

After 30 days on Androgel 5mg, my total serum T level was 1317.

I told my endo I felt MUCH better (my previous serum T level was 219) and have experienced no side effects other than slight edema. It is not a problem insofar as I am concerned and that being the case, the doctor and I agreed to continue on this course of action with additional bloodwork and followup in 90 days.

Thoughts?

CJ

 

[pmgamer18]

Did you put on the gel before your blood test this is a real high level on just 5 grams. If you did put on the gel and you test was done were the gel was put on it will spike the test. I don't think you are that high. More like 500 to 600.
Phil

 

[cjsabbath]

Did you put on the gel before your blood test this is a real high level on just 5 grams. If you did put on the gel and you test was done were the gel was put on it will spike the test. I don't think you are that high. More like 500 to 600.
Phil

Good call.

I applied the gel at 5:30 a.m. following my workout. My blood was drawn at 7:45 a.m.

Next test I will forgo application until after testing.

Thanks!

 

[mranak]

I totally disagree that you should forgo the application for the next blood test. You want to know what your testosterone is when using the Androgel as directly, not your serum testosterone when missing a day.

Did the endo not do a free testosterone test?

 

[earthdog]

Mranak and Phil are both right. You WANT to apply the gel before your test, but you DON'T WANT to apply it to the area where they are going to stick you to draw blood. That will skew the test. Also, total testosterone tests are notoriously inaccurate. I hope your doctor isn't relying on that test alone to determine the effectiveness of your therapy.

 

[1cc]

Mranak and Phil are both right. You WANT to apply the gel before your test, but you DON'T WANT to apply it to the area where they are going to stick you to draw blood. That will skew the test.

How long after applying the Gel do you have to wait before doing the test?

 

[BigPooka]

My suggestion is 3 days before the test put the 5g on whatever arm u aren't having blood drawn out of, that way it will not be saturated in the skin where the needle will penetrate. Testim brochure shows that most people on 5g of Testim will be around 350 level and on 10g around 600. I doubt that you went from 200's to that high on just 5g. I mean Im on 5g and went from 287 to 318.

Whats really important is how you feel.

Pooka

 

[cjsabbath]

Mranak and Phil are both right. You WANT to apply the gel before your test, but you DON'T WANT to apply it to the area where they are going to stick you to draw blood. That will skew the test. Also, total testosterone tests are notoriously inaccurate. I hope your doctor isn't relying on that test alone to determine the effectiveness of your therapy.

Interesting. The blood was drawn in the crook of my arm - typically where I do not apply the gel. Also, the nurse hit my arm with a swab. I would have thought that the alcohol in the swab would have negated any testosterone that may have been present on the skin...

The doctor ordered a series of tests to include free T, prolactin, FSH and a bunch of other stuff I cannot recall at the moment as well - free T found to be low normal.

I will follow your recommendation next time around - thank you!

 

[SPE]

Alcohol

Alcohol will not negate the T. What do you think one of the ingredients in androgel is?

 

[earthdog]

Interesting. The blood was drawn in the crook of my arm - typically where I do not apply the gel. Also, the nurse hit my arm with a swab. I would have thought that the alcohol in the swab would have negated any testosterone that may have been present on the skin...

The doctor ordered a series of tests to include free T, prolactin, FSH and a bunch of other stuff I cannot recall at the moment as well - free T found to be low normal.

I will follow your recommendation next time around - thank you!

The testosterone is absorbed into the skin, which acts as a reservoir to deliver the testosterone throughout the day. Thus wiping it with alchohol will not remove it from the skin, but poking a needle through that same skin might skew the test.

It's highly unlikely that your total T could be 1300 while your free T could be low normal. Something got screwed up with that test.

 

[cjsabbath]

The testosterone is absorbed into the skin, which acts as a reservoir to deliver the testosterone throughout the day. Thus wiping it with alchohol will not remove it from the skin, but poking a needle through that same skin might skew the test.

It's highly unlikely that your total T could be 1300 while your free T could be low normal. Something got screwed up with that test.

Clarification:

Free T was low normal when my initial bloodwork was taken approximately 60 days ago (serum test at that time was 217).

I then went on Androgel for 30 days - thereafter the doctor ordered total test - which indicated the 1137. Clearly, something must have gone wrong.

I think a good plan will be to administer gel to one arm and abdomen only - and have them draw blood from a "clean" arm to give a more accurate indication of level. I will also ask the doctor for free T levels as well.

Thanks!

 

[SPE]

You know...

If your quads are lean, I would apply there before the abdomen. In men, there is usually less fat there. I had good success doing that although I can see veins in my quads.

 

[androjello]

My experience when using androgel: I was using 5g also. I had my blood drawn from my arm (elbow) and total T came back at something like 1860 ng/dl. Now obviously something was not right. My Endo actually believed that test to be correct and wanted me to drop down to 2.5g androgel! Good think Swale told me about sticking the needle where you apply gel. So I kept applying at 5g (without my Endo knowing) becuase I knew the test held no merit. The next time I got blood drawn, I asked to have it drawn from my hand. And on Androgel 5g (still) my total T came back at 560 ng/dl.

 

[pmgamer18]

I know SWALE does this differently but my Dr. told me not to put on the gel the morning of the test. I would get the test at 8am and go home and put on the gel. The bottom line is not the test but how you feel.
Phil

 

[cjsabbath]

I know SWALE does this differently but my Dr. told me not to put on the gel the morning of the test. I would get the test at 8am and go home and put on the gel. The bottom line is not the test but how you feel.
Phil

I checked with Solvay Pharmaceuticals and their pharmacist recommended abstaining from application until after testing as well (which is what I plan to do next time).

But I certainly do feel better and not experiencing any sides other than slight water retention so I'm not overly concerned.

 

[SWALE]

Phil--Your doctor has not thought this through. Aren't we trying to find out how much of the T in the gel is getting into the bloodstream? Or are we instead trying to measure the suppressed levels after missing a dose? Just common sense. Your doctor's approach will led to dose titration which could be dangerous to the health.

 

[cjsabbath]

Phil--Your doctor has not thought this through. Aren't we trying to find out how much of the T in the gel is getting into the bloodstream? Or are we instead trying to measure the suppressed levels after missing a dose? Just common sense. Your doctor's approach will led to dose titration which could be dangerous to the health.

This settles it for me then. Apply gel and have sample taken from clean arm! Thank you Doctor!

CJ

 

[1cc]

How long after applying the Gel do you have to wait before doing the test?

 

[pmgamer18]

Phil--Your doctor has not thought this through. Aren't we trying to find out how much of the T in the gel is getting into the bloodstream? Or are we instead trying to measure the suppressed levels after missing a dose? Just common sense. Your doctor's approach will led to dose titration which could be dangerous to the health.

I was on the androgel for some yrs. doing 10 grams and every time I got a blood test if I put it on first thing in the morning and got my blood tested by 8 am my test came back to high for the lab to measure. The rep for androgel told my Dr. that the gel stay under the skin and goes into to the blood stream a little at a time over a 24 hr period. And it would not change the true levels of the test.
Here is cut & past unless it is just in my case.
It will not work but if you go to androgel.com it is there under Pharmacokinetics.
Phil

 

[SWALE]

You are misinterpretting the information. Levels are falling off by the next day. The clinician must take this into account while interpretting the labs. And drawing a Bioavailable Testosterone--as everyone should--will tell the true picture much better than just Total T anyway.

Otherwise, what information of any use is being derived? Knowing what your levels are after you were supposed to be dosed is of no value.

Look, I teach the Drug Reps what to do. LOL.

ALWAYS put your gel on, then have labs drawn at least two hours later.

Only apply the gel to the outside of the arm. Stay away from the forearm entirely, lest you influence the lab measurement.