I don't want to hijack, but I will make one point since I have some experience with this.Do you have any knowledge about fertility issues associated with long term TRT use? That's the main reason I'd be hesitant to do it permanently. I had done a few cycles a while back and with the last one I cruised for a few months after and even with cruising the difference in well-being, mood, energy, strength, fat loss was night and day. My levels naturally at 20 were around 700 and now at 26 they were around 550-600 for reference. But these were both tested with pretty optimized exercise, food, sleep, supplementation etc.. so I've got nowhere to go but down as the years go by.
Short answer: Yes. It can negatively affect your Sperm count/motility ect. It can be mitigated, but in my opinion its really the biggest potential side effect of the drug, one that men often dont consider.
In your case, from the post at least....those ranges are fairly normal given the age group. Free Testosterone varies throughout a day/week ect... and dependent on when you test. That being said, a baseline is a good thing to get. People think that the base Test level is like 1000 -1200 but thats like peak/optimal and not really something you're going to stay at except during puberty and maybe your very early 20's.
I've had tests all over. I've come off for 3 or for weeks of TRT just to see what my levels were, I've had tests taking half the perscription, to see what it brought my levels to, and I've had tests well above the baseline when my doctor was trying to dial in my correct amount. Personally I cant tell the difference between being at 700 and 1200. But I can tell the difference in between 150 and 500. I can also tell the difference between 500 and 1500. But in my experience, the sleep/diet/lack of alcohol had a greater impact on my perception of how I felt than the testosterone level provided I was in a "theraputic" range of 500-800 (some argue 800 is the optimal range based off of studies) At 500-700 you have the hormonal substrate to facilitate body comp and energy ect....
That all being said I would discourage getting on a TRT regime from a doctor until you've already had kids as it can absolutely affect your fertility. At 26 its going to be hard to justify the potential damage that could do to your testicular function... and those numbers are in range so you'll likely have to go to a clinic and get ripped off.
Again, It's case by case dependent. Some men are on a lot of sauce and get people pregnant... Others are shut down after a short period of use.
There are other drugs a doctor will give to keep your fertility Iike add HCG (which mimicks LH and keeps your intra-testicular testosterone viable) I can only speak for myself: Had ZERO issues with my exwife conceiving. So I knew my plumbing worked. After I had my 2 boys, 3 years later I got TRT with an HCG protocol. After getting remarried my wife and I want to have a child. I had a sperm analysis.... I was fine. Probably lower than I would have been if I never were on TRT... but still 100% viable. I followed the HCG protocol exactly as prescribed since day 1 of it being prescribed and have it verified once a year to continue a baseline. In my case, I can continue the Trt regime with HCG and can still get the old lady pregnant. Some men have to come off Testosterone completely, give their testes some time to attempt to restart, and they add HCG/HMG + Clomid or other drugs to mimic both LH and FSH.
I happen to be very fortunate in going to the #1 Urologist in the country who literally wrote the book on male fertility. Any doctor who doesn't stress the seriousness of potential fertility issues is not who you want treating you.
It's a very serious consideration and one that shouldn't be minimized.... just because I didnt have any issues doesnt mean others wont.
Typically the fertility issues are based off of chronicity of use. This is also why abusers cycle on and off, to try and preserve some testicular function. But that's a foolish notion after you've been on for a while as once you go down that rabbithole... its pretty much a life long deal. IF you've been on trt for 10 years, no HCG, you'll likely have issues. But again case by case and you really need to have a doctor who knows what they are doing or atleast follows the Lipshultz protocol (which is the standard of 1500mg hcg a week to preserve fertility)