What effect does HCG have on total test

[swilk]

Still in the process of tweaking my protocol .... been on TRT for about 8 weeks. Currently I am injecting 60mg test cyp every 84 hours and my total test (blood drawn 29 hours after injection) was 769 up from 284 before I started. No AI. No HCG.

Lab had to send out the estradiol and free test so I do not know what they are yet.

I have not experienced any signs of high E.

My question is .... I have a script for 200mg of test per week and am only using 120mg so I have room to go up if I wish. I also recently purchased and received HCG and intend to add it to my protocol .... do I add 250iu of HCG without increasing the test cyp and have blood work done in another 6 weeks to see the effect? Or go ahead and bump up the test cyp at the same time adding 250iu of HCG?

Will HCG alone raise my test?

I am not going by numbers alone for wanting to add to my test numbers .... I "feel" much better than I did pre treatment but there is most definitely room for improvement.

 

[jozifp103]

from all the bloodwork i've seen regarding hcg in trt, it appears it does raise your test a bit. Ive seen accounts where it has increased total T by over 200. It depends on what levels you're shooting for. HCG will raise your e2 levels though and so will upping your test so an AI would be a good idea to have on hand.

 

[Daniel_IMT_Staff]

Hello,

HCG will affect tT in a variation of degrees. It will depend mainly on your initial diagnosis of primary/secondary and the degree of it. Most people are have a little bit of both.

 

[swilk]

I was never properly diagnosed .... a fault of my Dr for not doing it and myself for not taking it upon myself to make sure it was done.

But .... with a baseline pre-trt test level of under 300 would I be correct in assuming that even if the HCG made my boys produce at their full level the increase of total-t might be in that same neighborhood? If that were correct it might bring my 769 up into the 950-1050 range?

Sounds like I need to just add the HCG alone at this time and schedule blood work in another 6 weeks to see what effect it had.

 

[Daniel_IMT_Staff]

No, unfortunately with a tT reading only we cannot know why that tT reading was 300. You would need the LH/FSH readings as well. If your LH and FSH is high and your tT is low, hCG dosage needs to be higher to have a better effect and tT will not be increased as much then. If your LH/FSH was low and tT was 300 we would assume that the fault is the pituitary(which creates the LH/FSH) but we cannot be certain as your testes may not be very responsive either. Using hCG in the latter case and getting labs done will tell you more.

Labs labs labs!

Adding the hCG will help you with a host of things and prevent many negative side-effects. 500iU hCG would be recommended at the very least, 750 or 1000 iU is much better. But you would have to see how you react to it, everybody is different.

 

[bigben66]

500iU hCG would be recommended at the very least, 750 or 1000 iU is much better.

Is that 500iu per week? Or 2 x 500iu per week?

 

[Daniel_IMT_Staff]

Is that 500iu per week? Or 2 x 500iu per week?

Those are per week recommendations.

 

[swilk]

I meant 250iu twice each week.

 

[juced_porkchop]

from all the bloodwork i've seen regarding hcg in trt, it appears it does raise your test a bit. Ive seen accounts where it has increased total T by over 200. It depends on what levels you're shooting for. HCG will raise your e2 levels though and so will upping your test so an AI would be a good idea to have on hand.

Don't skip this advice. and make sure to get blood work


I would also consider going on a HCG and SERM (clomid) run for a few months before commiting to life long hrt, and seeing if you can kick start anything. getting blood work and seeing if after this run you are any better. some have had success with this. if not ,then your going about it alright. just make sure to get blood work a multiple times during doing things, to see what is helping or not.

 

[Alpin]

Also check your balls. Lots of guys with varricoceles and they are undiagnosed till fertility issues come up. That can decrease your Test too.

 

[swilk]

Had a vasectomy about a year ago so I would assume if there was an issue it would have been brought up.

Still waiting on my estradiol test to come back .... if it is high I will get an AI. If it is within range I will just monitor signs as I make the changes and have blood work done in another 6-8 weeks.

 

[swilk]

Estradiol 34

Free test 31.45 (5-21)

 

[Alpin]

Estradiol 34

Free test 31.45 (5-21)

How many days from shot is this E2 level?
Thats a healthy estradiol level.

 

[swilk]

Blood was drawn 29 hours after injection.

 

[Alpin]

Blood was drawn 29 hours after injection.

How often do u inject?

 

[Alpin]

You been on this board a long time. ..
Wow

 

[swilk]

Every 84 hours.

Sub-q and rotate right side belly, right thigh, left side belly, left thigh. Repeat.

 

[Alpin]

U have low body fat percentage?
You are on no Ai at all?
What dosage r u running?

 

[swilk]

Body fat unknown.....around 17-18?

No AI at all.

60mg every 84 hours.

 

[Alpin]

T doesn't aromatize as much as hcg or when both agents are usef together. Keep an eye on it.
Try to lower your b.f. some more and see if the E2 comes down some more.
I dose 60 mg T every 72 hours and TT is 831 ng/dl 48 hours from shot. Also do E3D hcg.