Is HCG alone enough to raise T?

[calm--]

Hi, I'm 42, located at Jakarta, Indonesia.

I've been having brain fog, depression, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, very low tolerance to stress, insomnia, frequent urination, crashing after meal and bunch of other symptoms for years.

I'm currently working with a functional medicine doc. He pointed out that low T is the most probable cause of my symptoms.

My Feb 2019 tests :
Dutch test :
Testosterone 3.5 ng/mg (normal range 25-115)
Estrone (E1) 3.1 ng/mg (normal range 4-16)
Estradiol (E2) 0.48 ng/mg (normal range 0.5-2.2)

Saliva hormone test :
Testosterone. 337 pmol/L (reference : 100 - 720)
Estradiol (E2) 18.0 pmol/L (reference : 1.0 - 6.0)
Estrone (E1) 3.0 pmol/L (reference : 1.5 - 22.0)

2017 test :
Testosterone 206 ng/dl (reference 241-827)
Testosterone (SI) 7.1 nmol/L (reference 8.4-28.7)
Free Testosterone 32.25 pmol/L (reference 22.9-104.1)

I've been reading around the forum about TRT, and after being tired of feeling like crap for so long, I decided to do TRT, even if it means injecting myself for the rest of my life. So earlier today I went to an andrologist. He said he has Nebido. I said that most people in the forum who use injection seems to inject 1-2/week with cypionate or enanthate. He said those are not as good as Nebido. He said Nebido is the best. I forgot to ask though if he has cypionate or enanthate.

But he said before getting to TRT, he suggested me to try HCG first. He said HCG alone can also raise T, it's very safe and I don't have to do it forever. He offered me Ovidrel. It said on the box one shot is 250 mcg (approx 6500 IU) choriogonadotropin alfa. He didn't do any tests. Thinking that HCG seems to be safe, and it might won't hurt to try, and I was also tempted when he said I don't have to this for the rest of my life, I took a shot in his office. He said if it works, I should feel good in a couple days. He asked me to measure my total testosterone after 5 days to see if it work, and possibly do a couple more shots. He wasn't very clear when I asked how many shots I will need. He did also say that if my T does increase, for some people it may drop again when they stop.

On my way back home, I thought that what he said about HCG seems too good to be true. If it works, why would so many people do TRT for the rest of their lives.

So my question is, is it possible to raise T with HCG alone?

It's been 7 hours since I got the injection, and I feel like I actually feel more stress & jittery.

 

[Vince Carter]

If youre primary hypo, the problem being the testes, youre likely to get no appreciable Test from HCG, stimulating the testes isn't going to be much good in that case. If a guy is secondary, the problem is the pituitary....maybe.

 

[calm--]

Thanks Vince. HCG alone doesn't seems like a popular option. I'm thinking of just switching to TRT.

 

[Mr S]

Thanks Vince. HCG alone doesn't seems like a popular option. I'm thinking of just switching to TRT.

I was put on a combination of T and HCG. The hCG will prevent further atrophy of the testes.

 

[calm--]

Yeah I was only given HCG to raise T by my doc. Doesn't seems like a popular option so I dont know if I should continue with that.

 

[fifty]

Worth a shot. Search hcg monotherapy.

 

[calm--]

Yeah I've been googling that. Doesn't seem as popular and effective as TRT, that's my impression. Has risk as well regarding desentizing the Leydig's cell if done too much, if i'm not mistaken.

 

[Mr S]

Yeah I was only given HCG to raise T by my doc. Doesn't seems like a popular option so I dont know if I should continue with that.

I think if you feel is working it might be good to continue on. indeed HCG monotherapy can increase your Testosterone levels. A lot of men go that route to remain fertile. Others do it for some time and switch to T and go back and forth. Others use a combo to avoid testicular atrophy regardless of fertility. Others just don’t like HCG and simply don’t mind the testicular atrophy. Your Dr has you on HCG on a trial basis since he’s open to switch you to T if you want. One thing worthwhile to mention is that HCG alone is far more expensive than the combo in the US. Testosterone Cypionate is an inexpensive option and health insurance are likely to cover the cost whereas Hcg is very expensive and the dose much higher hence the cost could become prohibitive. I never heard of insurance covering its cost So, if you put 2 and 2 together it’s easy to see how one being cheaper and highly effective is used as the primary source over one more expensive and less effective to raise T. The atrophy is the main reason why older men combined the two being the hcg dose much lower and some folk reporting and extra oomph T levels wise.

 

[Mr S]

Yeah I've been googling that. Doesn't seem as popular and effective as TRT, that's my impression. Has risk as well regarding desentizing the Leydig's cell if done too much, if i'm not mistaken.

Debatable... not proven...

 

[fifty]

Yeah I've been googling that. Doesn't seem as popular and effective as TRT, that's my impression. Has risk as well regarding desentizing the Leydig's cell if done too much, if i'm not mistaken.

Nocebo. Good luck.

 

[Vince Carter]

Nocebo.

lol

 

[calm--]

Felt very anxious on the 1st and 2nd day on hcg. 3rd day start to see some mood improvement.

Is hcg monotherapy, or clomid alone, to raise T, is a lifelong thing like TRT?

 

[Mr S]

Felt very anxious on the 1st and 2nd day on hcg. 3rd day start to see some mood improvement.

Is hcg monotherapy, or clomid alone, to raise T, is a lifelong thing like TRT?

No, that’s one of the differences. Either Clomid or HCG will not shut down your testosterone natural production hence they’re less powerful to optimize your T levels. They won’t cause testicular atrophy either for the same reason. That being said you can also come off TRT and regain your testicular function after some time. Some Drs will give their patients HCG to avoid cold turkey discontinuation and to aid your endocrine system restore its natural production of testosterone.

 

[fifty]

Hcg will shut you down. That’s why docs will stop you on hCG then move to Clomid for a few weeks during a restart

 

[Mr S]

Hcg will shut you down. That’s why docs will stop you on hCG then move to Clomid for a few weeks during a restart

It will? I had a different impression. Good to know. Now, as part of a TRT protocol, I’m shutting down even more if I don’t switch to Clomid eventually? My Dr presented Clomid monotherapy as an option, HCG as a monotherapy, and the combo. My biggest complaint was testicular atrophy. I chose TRT and HCG as part of my protocol. Any ideas? Suggestionsa?

 

[fifty]

From Dr. Crisler back when I was secondary hypo. We were going to try hcg but instead went to arimidex/clomid/nolvadex for a protocol.

> I have changed my mind about using the HCG. Doing so will only cause
> temporary suppression of your own production. Your testes are already
> working well.

 

[Mr S]

From Dr. Crisler back when I was secondary hypo. We were going to try hcg but instead went to arimidex/clomid/nolvadex for a protocol.

> I have changed my mind about using the HCG. Doing so will only cause
> temporary suppression of your own production. Your testes are already
> working well.

Thanks. Now, I was on TRT for 3 months. I have been off TRT for 3 months. Going back as soon as I get my Cypionate and Pregnyl. However, Clomid was put on the table. Am I secondary? My T came back as 280 on Monday (range 300-1000). I know the Pituatary is the one that puts you in one category. I can’t recall which.

 

[fifty]

Primary/secondary is usually linked to your lh and fsh.

Low lh & low T = secondary
High lh & low T = primary

May be an oversimplification but that’s the idea.

 

[Mr S]

Ok, great! Thanks

 

[calm--]

Just found this thread that pretty much said that if someone want to maintain a good level of T, HCG mono is forever.

HCG monotherapy: Good first option for a Secondary case?