hCG is a replacement for LH. A SERM would increase LH/FSH.
TRT can not work well in some cases of low thyroid function as the restored metabolic demands from the TRT are more that the body can manage with low thyroid function.
You dropped the ball re body temperatures …
Please let me know how you thinking can help my self and what other info to provide and I will do so. My morning midday and evening temps are still averaging 97.1-97.8
@KSman. Dr. Chrisler says hi and says it’s great to see you are on point with your recommendations. It looks like Hcg + arimidex and test it is. Any ideas how to assist the thyroid and adrenals more? I’m going from 1/2 grain to 1 grain nature throid.
When you are going for a new dose of thyroid meds, if you feel agitated or warm, may be to much. Oral body temperatures are a good guide to watch progress.
Dr Chrisler gets paid more money for his work than me!
If also still taking iodine, keep taking selenium.
What happened to this:
A1C lab test - fasting glucose=106 is a problem
If glucose remains a problem, 500mg metformin per day would be useful, very inexpensive and has many other health benefits.
Today for the first time i reached 98.6 at 5:00 pm! I think that is good news. I also feel better taking 12.5 mg of iodoral for two days now.
I just started taking the armour thyroid 1 full grain today. Energy and thoughts seem better as well.
I am going to test the A1C again to see if it remains a problem. I am nervous about jumping the gun and taking metformin (my dad takes it for diabetes) My diet is very very clean and Im hoping my sugar will stabilize. If not, I will of course entertain the metofrmin. Any suggestions on my hesitation to take metformin at 35 if not necessary?
Dr. Chrisler suggested 100 iu every day of HCG (want consistency for me due to my mood/anxiety sensitivity) but says we can adjust this.
Past experience on TRT got me the following:
Roughly 45 mg test cyp two times a week gets me to
Free Testosterone 14.5 8.7 - 25.1
Total testosterone 563 348 - 1197
Estradiol, Sensitive 40.8 8.0 - 35.0
Roughly 50-55 mg test cyp two times a week gets me to
Free Testosterone 24 8.7 - 25.1
Total testosterone 618 348 - 1197
Estradiol, Sensitive 43 8.0 - 35.0
Roughly 60 mg test cyp two times a week gets me to
Free Testosterone 25.1 8.7 - 25.1
Total testosterone 800 348 - 1197
Estradiol, Sensitive 50.2 8.0 - 35.0
Is being conservative at 1/4 mg of arimidex 2x a week a decent approach to (starting point based on the above E following T movement) avoid dealing with a potential over responder issue? Have you ever seen anyone control the E with natural products ? (DIM, Indole-3-Carbinol, chrysin)
Also, do i wait to see if the estrogen goes up like it typically does and then start the Arimidex or go with what Dr. Chrisler suggests and start the trifecta now and see how I feel?
If you are really reluctant, I’d definitely get on T and the AI. If that (and diet) doesn’t get your numbers back in line, it’s metaformin for you.
The press is very complimentary on metaformin, sure beats insulin injections…
There are no issues with metformin and it is very inexpensive. Leads to some of the age extending gene expression of caloric restriction. The only burden is taking a pill with food once a day.
Do AI now, you can start at a lower dose and if you feel OK, increase on your own. Remember that it takes almost a week at a constant dose to see the effects of that dose. So you can’t be making changes every two days. But if you feel crashed, stop for 5-6 days and resume at a lower dose.
Fixing thyroid levels will help burn serum glucose and lipids.
What exactly has Chrisler prescribed?
I’m already doing 50mg every 3.5 days. I think I have it right by doing Monday night and Friday morning yes?
He recommended arimidex with DIM on the day of the shot at 1/4 mg (my budging to start at the lower dose). Hcg 100iu a day. 1 grain nature-throid.
I forgot to ask if I should continue the pregnenolone at 5-10 mg daily. Your thoughts on that?
I’m monitoring temperature daily. I will get a blood test 30 days after I include the Hcg and arimidex.
When you say increase arimidex on my own if I feel ok, you mean do it after I get blood work to see what the 1/4 mg 2x a week does to my numbers and symptoms?
I do not know the preg ranges. It is typically very poorly absorbed as an oral and oral 5-10mg seems trivial.
Its role: Pregnenolone - Wikipedia
lab range: https://www.questdiagnostics.com/hcp/intguide/EndoMetab/EndoManual_AtoZ_PDFs/Pregnenolone.pdf
If cortisol was low, taking progesterone would be a more direct support of cortisol levels than pregnenolone and there is OTC 2% progesterone cream available for that.
AM cortisol not tested?
I can’t see the point of taking DIM with Arimidex/anastrozole to manage E2.
hCG may support cholesterol–>pregnenolone inside the testes.
Start with less anastrozole to avoid potential negative effects then watching how you feel, work into the prescribed dose - something that you can do on your own -based on how you feel, not your labs. If you can get to where you feel good, then labs will be more useful. If labs come back at E2<7 or something below reportable range, you can’t do a dose calculation based on that.
So instead of 1/4mg do 1/8th mg 2x a week?
Damn, I already have the compounding pharmacy making the 1/4th mg. I can hope they are in capsules to split into other capsules. You think that will work? Do you think I can crash my E2 with 1/4th 2x a week? I figured since it was a recommended dose in the sticky as one of the over-responder doses I would be ok.
The only cortisol I’m aware of is the zrt saliva one which I posted a few posts up as it being high in the morning afternoon and evening but normal at night. Im doing another one next week.
I’ve considered the transdermal pregnenolone but will wait until I get on board with my Hcg and arimidex. I can increase the oral dose though but I was concerned with tolerance and irritability which can happen at high doses in some people.
To see that that does no harm.
One can get standard 1mg tablets and dissolve in vodka, then dispense by drops or volume. Then you are not tied down to a compounder.
If cortisol is OK, then it can’t be rate limited by low pregnenolone or progesterone. So I would not spend too much time worrying about getting enough preg and hCG may change preg status too.
Cholesterol could be a little higher to support cholesterol–>pregnenolone. [That can be undermined by a statin drug.]
Once again thanks so much for your help. I truly appreciate it.
How can I get my cholesterol higher? I eat eggs with yolks basically daily.
I’m over three years sober and simply don’t want to take any chances with alcohol. Does the process involving vodka mean it will involve drinking it? In other words is the alcohol active?
Not sure how I missed this but my last labs ( 5/13/2016) had the following:
Glucose, Serum 92 mg/dL 65 - 99
So I have been on the following HCG/Test/AI protocol and below you will find the results. However, I think I crashed my estrogen since getting these results a week ago.
My current protocol is test cyp 55 mg 2x a week/hcg 100iu daily/ arimidex 1/8th mg 2 x a week on shot day, 1/2 grain desiccated thyroid and 6.5-12 mg iodaral for the past month right before the below test. Once i saw the estriodal at 38 i figured i would go to 1/4th, so i took 1/8th as usual on monday and took the other 1/8th on tuesday thinking i could take the next 1/8th on friday. Going to 1/4th twice a week. However, that tuesday night I noticed my penis get almost numb and started to lose sensitivity. Since then my anxiety and fatigue have been horrible. I feel awful. I also see the my thyroid numbers are moving from hypo to hyper only on 1/2 grain naturethroid. I was hoping i can get some guidance on what to do with my arimidex dosing now and how to handle the thyroid. Things were real good for about 6 weeks and then boom. Is it possible that the iodine is working and i might not need any thyroid med and is it possible that the 1/8th 2 x a week gets me into the 30’s but 1/4 crashes me??? any help would be appreciated.
tsh .102 .450-4.5 low
Free T4 1.70 .82-1.77
Free T3 4.3 2.0-4.4
sensitive estradiol 38.4 8.0-35.0 high
total testosterone 549 348-1197
Free testosterone 18.2 8.7-25.1
My temperatures average in between 97.3 and 98.1 which is an improvement for me
Also had the following tested and am waiting on my 24 hour saliva cortisol test.
igf-1 304 88 - 246 High
Your thyroid numbers are hyper. Do you feel edgy? Feeling over-heated or body temps read high?
You needed to increase hCG by 70%, doubling should not have had such a strong effect unless you are very sensitive to lower E2.
Could these two issues combine? yes, but that is not telling you what to do.
You could make up a liquid anastrozole and go for a lower dose. Stop for 4 days to wash out then resume. You might play with thyroid dose if body temps can guide you.
@KSman feel edgy and a little warm but my body temps have not read higher then 98.4.
So I’m taking 700 iu a week and should go to about 1200iu a week. Just curious but why?
I have the arimidex in powder pill form so I can just break the powder up and go to 1/8th (or lower) 2x a week again.
However after one month on that dose I was in the upper thirties, could it really have crashed from that next 1/4th pill?
As far as the thyroid dose and iodine, could iodine be doing such a good job I don’t need the thyroid med? As it is 1/2 grain sent me from hypo to hyper.
Lastly I checked my recent labs and every time I take 1/2 grain of ndt I go from hypo to hyper over time. When I’m off the ndt my tsh freet4 are somewhat optimal but my t3 is low. Maybe I need t3 only?
Is there a major difference between armor and naturthroid?
Yes, often of no consequence. But I have read that some people do better on one than the other. I know that is not very helpful.
If your thyroid issues were rooted in an iodine deficiency, it is possible that NT simply takes you to hyper.
Have you found an AI dose that is comfortable?
Hello.I wound up feeling so awful so fast after introducing the arimidex. Hard to say that was the cause but Long story short I ended up going inpatient because my anxiety and OCD got so bad. I left after 7 days and was put on lamictal and Prozac which did help the form of OCD i have “Pure O” its called and apparently its not common and can be mistaken for Anxiety. Either way my road back as been long but I am in a little bit of a better place since going inpatient. I am back to work part time as a trainer and a consultant as an addiction educator.
So I am back on the trt and just recently started the HCG but interestingly enough i am getting some small minor thoughts and feelings similar to when I didn’t feel well before the hospital. Something is leading me to believe i am incredibly susceptible to E2. I have no research for this other then my own experience.
What are your thoughts on the following?
@Scorelando Bumping this to see how everything turned out for you. I’m in a similar situation, intrusive thoughts and OCD appeared during my TRT withdrawal. They present now whenever I get an infection and most recently when I started TRT again.
