Hi all.
First, let me thank all of you for your great insight and knowledge.
I am learning a lot from you guys.
Here is my newbie question.
I started TRT 5 weeks ago with Test cyp. 160 + HCG 250 + Arimidex 0.5 per week.
My baseline numbers were
Total test : 404
Free test : 6.12
Estrogen : 22
And last week, I got my second test result after 1 month of TRT.
Total test: 1097
Free test : not sure (Nurse did not have the number at the time. So I will ask for it on this week’s visit)
Estrogen : 32.1
The thing is the nurse told me that, per doctor’s order, they will discontinue HCG in 2 weeks.
Is this normal?
I thought HCG is supposed to be all year round as long as I get TRT?
Do doctors cycle HCG?
Maybe that’s why my doctor ordered the discontinuation of HCG?
My second question is, although my numbers are very good, there has been hardly any change.
My performance in the gym is IDENTICAL, period.
And I didn’t get any energy increase from TRT as well.
How come my total Testosterone got almost tripled over the last 4 weeks yet I feel nothing?
Maybe my free test score has been remained the same and caused this lack of response?
I am very confused and any of your input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you guys.
Quite often we see people with thyroid or other problems… Poor sleep, adrenal problems, lack of healthy eating, environmental toxins, lack of vitamins, stress, to much porn, and the list goes on.
Your doctor failed to test you properly if that’s the only labs you have…
You should not be on trt without finding the root o the cause.
Your estrogen (assuming you got estradiol tested?) is too high. This is probably swamping your increases in T levels. Probably need to increase your Aramidex dose. Also, read the stickies, they have lots of really good information that will help clear up your confusion.
To iw84aces.
Thanks for your insight.
Yes, maybe my problem is coming from an entirely different area other than testosterone.
By the way, is that normal to cycle (1 month on/ 1 month off) HCG?
Does your doctor cycle HCG while giving you TRT?
Thanks!
[quote]iw84aces wrote:
Maybe your problem wasn’t low T.
Quite often we see people with thyroid or other problems… Poor sleep, adrenal problems, lack of healthy eating, environmental toxins, lack of vitamins, stress, to much porn, and the list goes on.
Your doctor failed to test you properly if that’s the only labs you have…
You should not be on trt without finding the root o the cause.
To xlr8.
Thanks for your answer.
Yes, I got 2 more pills of Aramidex since last week.
So instead of 1 per 1 week, now I am getting 3 Aramidex per 1 week.
By the way, is that normal to cycle HCG (1 month on/ 1 month off) ?
Does your doctor cycle HCG while giving you TRT?
Thanks!
[quote]xlr8 wrote:
Your estrogen (assuming you got estradiol tested?) is too high. This is probably swamping your increases in T levels. Probably need to increase your Aramidex dose. Also, read the stickies, they have lots of really good information that will help clear up your confusion.[/quote]
To iw84aces.
Thanks for your answer.
Yeah, I am following very strict clean diet and taking all the liver supplements including milk thistle.
By the way, is that normal to cycle HCG (1 month on/ 1 month off) ?
Does your doctor cycle HCG while giving you TRT?
Thanks!
[quote]iw84aces wrote:
My estrodiol was 32 and went to 20 with cutting the crap from my diet and taking some liver support products and milk thistle…
E2 32 is not that high at all…
On the other hand it is rising and may just keep going up. Something to def keep an eye on[/quote]
Did you ever get any thyroid labs done? If you have subclinical hypothyroidism then that should have been fixed before you started TRT.
Liver function and and GI tract function should also be checked. Although it’s obvious and its repeated, you need to find the cause for long-term treatment. Lab numbers are indications that possibly support the symptom you experience.
I don’t see anything about cycling HCG on TRT, the only places I see cycling being discussed is on the steroid forums - which I don’t think we want to go there.
E2=32 is adverse for some. Not all react the same [as IW].
Nurse may be confusing higher dose hCG, short duration for fertility “events”. You need to ask what is going on.
hCG is HRT for LH, no reason to cycle if low dose [250iu SC EOD].
This is standard advice maintained here:
There is a huge amount of knowledge in the stickies. Please study these. Start with the advice for new guys sticky.
There is a lot to read there, so read carefully. There are suggestions for things that are root causes of low testosterone [T]. Low T is a symptom, not a root cause itself. But low T itself is a root cause of many of the symptoms one experiences. Note that other things cause the same spectrum of symptoms, so do not have T tunnel vision. Many docs are guilty of that and they only treat the symptom [low T] and do not attempt to find the real problem. If you go to a clinic that specializes in low T, you will get T tunnel vision for sure.
Post info about yourself as suggested in the above sticky. We need labs, almost all of your labs, not just hormones. We also need the lab ranges.
We see a very high number of thyroid issues in the population of guys that show up here. So there is a strong focus on that. Most people are iodine deficient to some degree. Your history of iodine intake from iodized salt and vitamins that list iodine is important. If you become iodine deficient, the RDA [recommended daily allowance] is inadequate for recovery of iodine stores. Please see the thyroid basics sticky for more information.
You do not want to suffer from subclinical hypothyroidism or get Rx thyroid meds to treat iodine deficiency.
If you are injecting T or contemplating that, read the protocol for injections sticky.
There are stickies for finding a TRT doc, estradiol [E2] and lab work.
Do not place your history or treatment details in the stickies! That belongs in your thread. Keep all of your posts in your thread so we can have a clear picture of your situation and needs.