Varicocele and hCG?

Pharma / TRT
1

I was not quite sure in waht forum to post this, but here it goes…

I am a 17 year old male, who was diagnosed with a grade III left-sided varicocele at age 15.

The varicocele have resultet in some testicular atrophy, and what i believe to be symptoms of low testosterone (a high amount of tricep-fat, higher body-fat levels, somewhat slow fat-loss)

Since i live in a country with universal health care, i was offered a varicocelectomy, which is due in a couple of months. With this i hope to bring up my testicular size and T-levels.

I searched around on the internet, and found out that a varicocele can cause damage to the Leydig-cells. This is perhaps reversible with the varicocelectomy, but i would very much like to better my chances at regaining normal T and testicle size, and so i fell on this study:

http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/01485019008986861

As you can see, boys of my age, with my condition, was given hCG both before, and after their varicocelectomy. The difference was, that after their varicocelectomy, the testosterone response to hCG was MUCH greater than before.

This is why i am considering injecting hCG (either with my doctors approval, or without) after my varicocelectomy, but i have some questions first, that i very much need cleared up!

1: Would it even be advisable to inject hCG at my age.

2: Do you belive the administration of hCG would raise my testosterone and increase my testicle size (like it does in PCT)

3: wouldn’t clomid actually be a better choice, as it in essence would do the same as hCG, but also act as a weak anti-estrogen.

I thank you for your replies in advance!

2

Sooooo, nobody has a little expert knowledge thay want to share?

4

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
Dude, see your doctor and demand blood tests before you (at your age) even consider self-medicating with HCG or anything else.[/quote]

Well, of course i plan on asking my doctor if he would prescribe it first, but i seriously doubt it since my reason for doing so is based on one study…This is why i ask if there is anything i should consider, if i in a couple of months decide to self-medicate

Thanks, it’s a picture by Sam Haskins.

6

If T levels are low because one teste is not pulling its weight, your body may be increasing LH and FSH to compensate and make the good teste work harder. Your gonadotrophins might be high all ready. In that case there is more than enough to do what is needed to the weakened teste. If it does not respond to that, then it would not respond to hCG. Some LH and FSH lab data might be interesting, but may not tell us anything definitive.

Your weight and fat may be creating E2 levels that are limiting your hormone levels. That could reduce gonadotrophins and make the effects of your condition on T levels worse.

7

[quote]KSman wrote:
If T levels are low because one teste is not pulling its weight, your body may be increasing LH and FSH to compensate and make the good teste work harder. Your gonadotrophins might be high all ready. In that case there is more than enough to do what is needed to the weakened teste. If it does not respond to that, then it would not respond to hCG. Some LH and FSH lab data might be interesting, but may not tell us anything definitive.

Your weight and fat may be creating E2 levels that are limiting your hormone levels. That could reduce gonadotrophins and make the effects of your condition on T levels worse.[/quote]

Well, that does seem like logic thinking, and i would definetly be getting blood tests before doing anything, but the study seems to contradict this logic, as the response to Hcg was much greater after the varicocelectomy.

8

So, update time.

I am scheduled for microsurgical varicocelectomy on 10/12-2010

I will not be able to train for approximately 2 weeks, as a valsalva-maneuver could compromise the operation.

Now for the fun part. I am 18 years old, and believe that the varicocele have caused symptoms of low-t. Therefore i have decided to self-medicate with a low dose of clomid to boost my testosterone recovery. I know that self-medicating with hormone-altering drugs at my age can be considered irresponsible, but at as low a dose as i plan on running, i really don’t believe that I will experience negative sides-effects, and to the amateur-endocronologists on the forum, please refrain from calling me stupid and argue that i forever will destroy my pituitary, or something like that.
As BBB suggested, i asked for blood-tests before my surgery, but was declined by the medical staff.

My plan for running the Comid would be something like:

Week 1: 12,5 mg every day

Week 2: 25 mg every day

week 3: 25 mg every day

Week 4: 12,5 mg every day

Week 5: 12,5 mg every other day

Week 6: 12,5 mg twice a week

What i am looking for now is any form of advice, knowledgde og creative critisicm that people are willing to give.

9

I do not know if I would self medicate without tests. I am also dealing with low testosterone at 18 y/o (they would test for testosterone, LH, FSH, but not E2 or anything else, nor would they repeat the tests to see how my natural treatments have worked), and also have a varicocele.

I know I am not being helpful at all, but let me know how much the surgery helps you.
When I went to a specialist I learned that mine is grade III also, but they told me they have no desire to fix it because “it is not causing any issues”, although my family doctor even told me I should be concerned about my test levels…

If it helps you a lot, then I will seek treatment from other specialists.

10

I will be sure to update my progress, so others can use the knowledge that i gain. If you have a real desire to get your varicocele fixed, just tell the medical staff taht it is annoying and painful, in which case they really can’t refuse…