Doc wants HCG therapy for low test

[619sss]

My Endocrinologist want to put me twice 2,500ui HCG weekly for low test, as a therapy for leydig cells to be in a better state, as one is too small.
Less than 10ml in size he said a couple of month and we will see how your body react afterwards.

He said you might also have to take HMG...

How is the success rate of HCG therapy ? And with HMG?

Isn't 5000ui weekly a high dose?

 

[Mark46]

No not really my test levels was a 23 doc put me on .625 testosterone a week n .5 cc twice a week HCG only thing HCG done for me was run my estrogen levels up

 

[Mark46]

Testosterone levels now is 150 n I'm off HCG but still taking test have been on it over a year now

 

[619sss]

How long on HCG? You did not run HCG solo? No AI?

 

[Mark46]

Ran for bout 6 months n no ran with test and still on test

 

[bad rad]

2500iu is a high dose. This study was done on healthy testes but hopefully your's will eventually catch up.

In previous studies of testicular biopsy tissue from healthy men, intratesticular testosterone (ITT) has been shown to be much higher than serum testosterone (T), suggesting that high ITT is needed relative to serum T for normal spermatogenesis in men. However, the quantitative relationship between ITT and spermatogenesis is not known. To begin to address this issue experimentally, we determined the dose-response relationship between human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and ITT to ascertain the minimum dose needed to maintain ITT in the normal range. Twenty-nine men with normal reproductive physiology were randomized to receive 200 mg T enanthate weekly in combination with either saline placebo or 125, 250, or 500 IU hCG every other day for 3 wk. ITT was assessed in testicular fluid obtained by percutaneous fine needle aspiration at baseline and at the end of treatment. Baseline serum T (14.1 nmol/liter) was 1.2% of ITT (1174 nmol/liter). LH and FSH were profoundly suppressed to 5% and 3% of baseline, respectively, and ITT was suppressed by 94% (1234 to 72 nmol/liter) in the T enanthate/placebo group. ITT increased linearly with increasing hCG dose (P < 0.001). Posttreatment ITT was 25% less than baseline in the 125 IU hCG group, 7% less than baseline in the 250 IU hCG group, and 26% greater than baseline in the 500 IU hCG group. These results demonstrate that relatively low dose hCG maintains ITT within the normal range in healthy men with gonadotropin suppression. Extensions of this study will allow determination of the ITT concentration threshold required to maintain spermatogenesis in man.

http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/90/5/2595

 

[619sss]

I'll tell me first week 5000ui then 2000ui weekly, I think he said also HMG but not a specific dose

 

[kisaj]

I know several guys that were on HCG only TRT for several months and ended up needing to continue increasing dosage, which in turn shot their e2 through the roof and had to counter with an AI and drop the HCG back. They ended up on traditional methods ie cream and/or injection.

I have a strong dislike for HCG as I have never experienced anyone using it that had to drop it due to sides related or because it just didn't work. It is good that your doc is looking for alternatives to explore, so that tells me he is open to actually being a doctor and finding out what may be causing your low test instead of throwing testosterone at it.

 

[619sss]

The doc says for a period of time till the testicles grow larger, I also have varicocele, which affect the growth as will.

 

[CatSnake]

seems like an odd strategy....

why not use a SERM or go on real TRT?

 

[619sss]

Clomid side effects were too harsh on me, blind, stupid, no real libido, no focus

 

[fweed]

Hi, any update on how things are going for you? Does HCG permanently regrow testicle size?

 

[bad rad]

500iu hCG only every third day got me to ~450 Test levels. Libido was off the charts.

 

[fweed]

Do any of the effects stay after you stop the dosage?

 

[CatSnake]

Do any of the effects stay after you stop the dosage?

well, your HPTA has to kick back in....

 

[bad rad]

Do any of the effects stay after you stop the dosage?

Not sure if this was for me but hCG is a love/hate relationship for me. Libido was high on it but my quality of life otherwise sucks. No strength, weight gain, etc. It helps me feel all around better on TRT but also drives my E2 way up compared to T only. On my normal T dose I don't need an AI but with hCG I need one regardless of dose and that gets tricky because I over respond to AI. I'm getting ready to change my protocol to 100T/500iuhCG E4/5D next week.

 

[kisaj]

HCG ruined my life when I was on it. My e2 would skyrocket and I would get bloated and cranky in a matter of days. An AI was necessary and then I would be chasing the balance because e2 would drop resulting in fatigue and difficulty keeping muscle mass up. So it was fighting basically having PMS or being tired and soft. With so many people experiencing similar issues, I truly find it remarkable that this is still something that doctors prescribe- although nice to see it has dwindled in popularity.

Keeping in mind that this was with only starting at 500iu 2x week and dropping back to 250. Same results.

 

[bad rad]

HCG ruined my life when I was on it. My e2 would skyrocket and I would get bloated and cranky in a matter of days. An AI was necessary and then I would be chasing the balance because e2 would drop resulting in fatigue and difficulty keeping muscle mass up. So it was fighting basically having PMS or being tired and soft. With so many people experiencing similar issues, I truly find it remarkable that this is still something that doctors prescribe- although nice to see it has dwindled in popularity.

Keeping in mind that this was with only starting at 500iu 2x week and dropping back to 250. Same results.

Having been off of it for 5 months I found it is required for the all around good feeling on TRT. I'm usually good with lower dosing but if I try to maintain on hCG alone all hell breaks loose with E2.

 

[ryox82]

The whole reason my doc has me starting with Clomid first is because of the HCG sensitivity issue. Trying to do everything possible to preseve fertility before test. Hope it works out for you.