First post. I've been reading this board for what seems like a couple years.

I'm in my late 30's. I've been on test cypionate for several months. I'd had years of worsening depression, severe mood swings, always exhausted, couldn't concentrate, and lack of libido, all largely alleviated by TRT. Total test was about 300. MD didn't want to start me at first because it's "OK" per LabCorps' range, but I said it was allright for an 85 y/o, not a 37 y/o and he was willing to try. I'm glad because I feel so much better.

I was on 200mg / 2wks, but the 2nd week always had me feeling crappy again. Mood swings come back, libido decreases. I thought it was low T, but the lab results don't bear that out. I'm wondering if high E2 could be the problem.

My first blood draw on the 13th day after a shot showed a total T value of over 1000 on LabCorp's scale of 241-827.

My recent draw, again on the 13th day, showed this:
Testosterone, serum, 1130 H ng/dl
(ref range 241-827)

Testosterone,F+W bound, 38.5%, 435 OH ng/dl
(ref range 40-250)

Estradiol: 98 H pg/mL
(ref range 0-53)

Just switched to 100 mg / 7 days to avoid the up/down feeling. I may have to go a little lower with the dose if the Dr. isn't comfortable with me staying perpetually above the LabCorps' reference range. Will my T levels "settle down" as I get acclimated to TRT, or by a few months now are my T levels probably what I can expect they always will be if I stay at this dose?

I hope he will Rx an aromataze inhibitor to get my E2 down. I can use research chems but I'd rather get everything through my MD when possible.

The other month I asked him about HCG to prevent ball shrinkage, and he said if I need fancy stuff I may have to see an endo. He wasn't familiar with HCG for that and he said ball shrinkage is just what happens if you're on test.

I tried to argue that scurvey used to be just what happens if you take a trip on a boat, until limes were discovered, and that HCG was the limes of testicular atrophy. He wasn't swayed.

Questions:

1) Anybody had lab results like this? This typical for the dose I'm on?

2) Is this level of Estradiol (98 pg/mL) likely to do some harm?

3) It's either my hypochondria, or my nipples are getting bigger. It's hard to tell as I never looked at them before I started TRT. They seem to be not wider, but protrude more than before TRT. Also, I've noticed a peppercorn (?) size cyst under one of my nips that I never noticed (never looked for either) before. My wife can't tell if anything's changed either for the same reason I can't: never thought about it before.

Several weeks of Aromasin (12.5 mg EOD) didn't seem to do anything, at all. 1 week of letro (~.5 mg / day) seems to have made it a little better but not 100%. I have armidex also but haven't tried it.

3A) Is this gyno or hypochondria?
3B) If gyno, I want to stomp this out with authority before it becomes permanant. Increase letro should work 100%?
3C) Once beat, what do most of you who have had this happen on TRT do to prevent recurrence?
3D) Does it even make sense to get gyno at TRT doses? I hadn't expected it.

Thank you.