Once I have my answer to another thread regarding drops vs. injections, I’m going to try HCG monotherapy to boost my test levels. Currently my test is within normal range but very very low normal (sometimes it comes back just slightly below normal).
I’m paranoid about gyno but my doctor has sugggested that I start the HCG and wait to see if my estrogen increase first, instead of starting the HCG and the Arimidex simultaneously.
Any thoughts or recommendations??
My current estradiol level is 47 pmol/L (I think that’s equivalent to about 12 pg/mL if I’m not mistaken).
I had an answer from PureChance that probably belongs in this thread:
[quote]PureChance wrote:
only start on arimidex if your blood tests show that you have high estradiol.
why take a medication if you don’t have any symptoms of high E or blood tests showing high E?
[/quote]
Well, I guess my answer to that would be (even though I think it is a rhetorical question) that on one hand I assumed that my estrogen would inevitably increase (I could be wrong) and I am paranoid about gyno and on the other hand I thought that it could be useful to have Arimidex in my system proactively and adjust the dose down if necessary to target that concentration and wean off completely if I can. So the idea was to have it right away in my system because it takes some time to react? I would rather have my estrogen tank and then adjust the arimidex than to have my estrogen skyrocket and then play catch up.
I don’t know…just some thoughts but again, I am leaning towards just waiting to see how my estrogen levels are affected before introducing it because as I recall Arimidex works pretty quickly (hence having to take it every second day).
If I DO wait, how long do you think I should wait before having my blood tests to check the estrogen levels? I’m thinking 1 week to know which direction it’s travelling.
Anastrozole is absorbed fast and starts to act in minutes. Changes to T–>E2 production rates take a while to build E2 levels in the body and vice verse.
hCG drops vs. injections? BOGUS
Why confuse us with a new thread that makes a useless reference to another thread. Please keep your complete case in one thread.
[quote]KSman wrote:
Anastrozole is absorbed fast and starts to act in minutes. Changes to T–>E2 production rates take a while to build E2 levels in the body and vice verse.
hCG drops vs. injections? BOGUS
Why confuse us with a new thread that makes a useless reference to another thread. Please keep your complete case in one thread.[/quote]
My first thread was asking about drops versus injections - that was the title. This thread relates to whether or not I should wait before using arimidex. Sorry if it was confusing - but I considered it 2 separate issues. Why didn’t I just ask both questions in the same thread and title it accordingly? Because I thought of the question afterwards.
Again…sorry for the confusion. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.
I’m still a little bit confused about your answer though…I’m still not sure if you think I should wait and I don’t know what ‘drops vs. injections? BOGUS’ means.
I think you are saying wait for the arimidex and just react quickly if the E is increasing and I think that ‘drops vs. injections? BOGUS’ means the drops are bogus.
So if that is the case - the only question that remains is (and I won’t start a new thread for this question) how long should I wait before getting my blood tests again?
Please don’t get pissed off - I know that you are knowledgeable - I have done a lot of reading - I just would like your clear opinion.
/EDIT
Drops are bogus. That part is clear now. Luckily my doctor is giving me the choice. Thanks.
hCG acts in minutes, it takes time for it to alter gene expression and bulk tissue changes to occur that will recover or improve testicular function. The time involved relates to how much physical recover is needed. If the testes are otherwise ready to go, then hCG can increase T levels quite fast. FT will increase in a couple of hours if the testes are that good. It will take time for FT to saturate blood and cells in the body.
Much of the FT will convert to SHBG-T that is functionally inert; so TT will take longer to build, but that is really not a goal in terms of what you will feel. Many?most feel a boost in mood with hCG, which can last a few hours or days. This really seems to be transient and subsequent injections do not do that; you can’t really judge this book by its cover.
A few [rare] guys seem to create a lot of E2 with 250iu SC EOD and they should try a smaller dose. But most do not have any problems with 25oiu EOD; which is a replacement dose equivalent to a young normal male’s LH actions inside the testes. Large doses of hCG probably will create high E2 levels for any guys with LH/hCG responsive testes; which cannot be reasonably managed with anastrozole due to basic competitive drug considerations in the context of very high T levels inside the testes.
Guys who have such problems with 250iu hCG can perhaps be considered hyper hCG responders. With the same issues in mind, the same problems can probably occur with SERM doses that are too high that create high LH levels and perhaps some are hyper LH responders compared to others. Some of these things may never be resolved with clinical research data. However, the implications can nevertheless provide good operating assumptions.
Liquid oral anastrozole preparations do work well and provide by-the-drop dosing flexibility.
Your E2=12 is strangely low. I think that you should wait and get E2 tested after introducing hCG. No harm in having the anastrozole in hand or knowing that you can get a script in short order.
Thank you so much for that KSman. I came to this site specifically to solicit your advice. I’m glad you stick around. It’s really incredible how little doctors know about this stuff.
I think I have all the information I need for now BUT it would be nice to have your opinion on how long to wait before testing my Estradiol after I start HCG. I’m really paranoid about gyno (I’ve had a problem in the past and I think I am very sensitive) so I’m thinking I should do bloodtests weekly in the beginning.
Have AI on hand. If you have gyno, take the AI then when you feel some relief from that, then test E2, then the result will be very useful for AI dose adjustment calculation.
If you have gyno, phoning/waiting to get labs or script or an appointment will not be helpful.
If you do not have a gyno event and things seem OK, then you are not in a rush to get labs and you can let things progress for perhaps 4 weeks.