Hopeful2020 - hCG log

Therapeutic Efforts
#1

Roughly six years to the day after my first hormone crash, I’m starting my first effort at a pharmaceutical intervention. I’ll be doing 250iu daily injections of hCG as instructed by the clinician supervising me for at least 4-6 weeks (equivalent to 3x583iu weekly). There will be another blood check at that point. Upon reaching a total testosterone level of >600 ng/dL and a free testosterone level of >12 ng/dL, the plan is to try to wean me off of hCG by reducing the weekly dose. I think a 3x250iu protocol is very possible at that point. In any event, the “weaning” could last a while, as the criterion for reduced dosage is maintenance of the target hormone levels.

Most recent labwork, blood drawn mid-January:
Total Testosterone - 456 ng/dL (249-836)
Free Testosterone - 9.53 ng/dL (4.50-25.00)
Estradiol - <17 pg/mL (27-52)
FSH - 4.4 mIU/mL (1.5-12.4)
Prolactin - 5.9 ng/mL (4.0-15.2)
SHBG - 27.0 nmol/L (16.5-55.9)

Labwork from early January showed a very similar picture. Moreover, I’ve been rating my sexual health on a 0-10 scale every day for the last 60 days. On my scale, 7-8 is a normal level of function. A rating of 9-10 is hyper-normal. A rating of 5-6 is what I would call “transitional”, but livable. Over the 60-day pre-treatment baseline, my average daily rating has been 4.20 with a standard deviation of 0.40. The minimum was 3.5 and the maximum was 5, both logged multiple times during the 60-day period.

The sexual symptoms (E.D., reduced ejaculate, penile shrinkage, testicular shrinkage, reduced libido) are the only symptoms I have, or at least they are the only ones I care about. I have no cognitive issues. My treatment provider and I agree that right now I don’t have any symptoms that don’t fit with low hormone production.

My intention is to give a weekly update with an average daily symptom score for the week. So far, my symptoms have tracked together very closely. If that continues, I will stick to the single score and the update for any given week may be just the score.

Wish me luck.

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#2

Good luck, have you ever tested your LH?

#3

Yes. In the early-January test, it was mid-range (5.9 IU/L on 1.2-8.6), as was FSH (4.1 IU/L on 1.5-12.4). Total T was 505 ng/dL (free T not measured). LH wasn’t measured in the mid-January test.

#4

Good luck and keep us updated! I have a very similar symptom profile and am curious to see if this provides you benefits!

#5

You seem to be in the low E2 subset of PFS with sub 17 pg/ml. This is way too low. My libido goes on-line when it’s about 20pg/ml. HCG is putative for raising E2, well at least anecdotally, but I’m curious myself. I hope the protocol works out for you. keep us posted :+1:t2:

#6

It is certainly my hope that hCG will raise both my T and E to more normal levels and that this change will at least partially reverse my symptoms.

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#7

Week 1 update: average health score for the week is 4.21 (vs. 4.20 for control period). No change, as expected. I dealt with a bit of dizziness mid-week, but that seems to have passed.

The plan is to do updates every Monday for the first 12 weeks. I’ll have to see what makes sense after that.

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#8

How is that an update? XD so your health score went up by 0.01 point… this made me laugh bro XD.

#9

Next time I’ll lie and report something huge.

1 Like
#10

I didn’t mean to be negative my man, I just found it funny. I mean how can you notice such small of a difference? How is this even meaured?
Joe said that he only started to feel something after 10 weeks so I just wondered how the 0.01 point even worked.
But if you feel better than I believe you, keep up the good work.

#11

I was joking too. I rate each day in 0.5 increments, which is the true minimum noticeable difference. The average for the week just came out that way on a round-off. That’s not a difference you can feel. I’m going to report an average each week regardless. People get into this wait-until-I-see-a-change reporting strategy and it never works. People hound them after a while or they quit and don’t say so or whatever.

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#12

Well, my original plan was to update every Monday, but the weather here in Texas had other ideas. I just got power back after about 33 hours without, and I’ve been running around my neighborhood helping people with their fucked up water heaters.

In any event, no changes to report health-wise. Maybe next week will be normal enough for me to stay on top of communication.

#13

The average over the last week was 4.35. No meaningful difference. I’ll have a blood draw next Monday, so in two weeks I’ll be including that result and at least some discussion.

2 Likes
#14

Would VERY much like to see bloods thanks!

Keep going over there. I’m logging my experiences also; I seem to be doing really well.

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#15

The average over the last week was 4.43. I don’t think that’s significant, but I will say that my condition appears to be more stable than it was during the 60-day baseline period. I’ve seen at least one other poster report that as well. I had my blood drawn today and will have measurements of T and E2 to report next week and will discuss the plan moving forward.

#16

Hi Doomed80, do you have any links that describe low E2 PFS levels and the implications? Mine was recently measured at 11.36 pg/ml

#17

Your level is awfully low. Are you getting low E2 symptoms: Joints/tendons pain, frequent urination, lethargy, low libido, anxiety, fat gain, night sweats, poor memory, dry skin, increased hair loss, pronounced wrinkles?

What’s your Testosterone level? @ll_amp_Prosper

#18

Joint paint, low libido and zero motivation. My T is 21.7 nmol/L or 625.36 ng/dl. Both readings are within normal reference range with this lab. (Dynacare)

#19

Your T level is decent. How is your DHEA-s? Are you on anything that lowers estrogen by any chance? Supplement, maybe? If no then I suspect your issue lies in gut microbiome. Like me, you maybe having low bacteria that produces beta-glucuronidase enzyme that correlates with E2 level.

I can’t promise you anything, but if you can tolerate probiotics, you can give lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 strain (found in BioGaia Protectis) a try. It may raise your E2.
@ll_amp_Prosper

NCBI:
“It was observed separately that female mice consuming L. reuteri have higher serum estradiol levels than untreated control mice with duller fur (data not shown). In women, acidic vaginal pH correlated with Lactobacillus sp abundance, estrogen level, and peak fertility”

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#20

I don’t have DHEA numbers unfortunately. Not taking any supplements for a few months now besides some Magnesium powder before bed. Thanks for the suggestion.