I replace all my hormones. Here is what I learned.

[Hormetheus]

I am new to this group. Thanks for having me.
I want to share my journey with hormone replacement because I believe it might be useful to others.

My story: I am a medical student in my last year. I replace all of my hormones.

In early twenties my life was starting to go down the gutter. My life started to fall apart in every domain. At one point I was at the brink of suicide. I found out multiples of my hormnones were low.
I started hormone replacement. Whereas before my life was a nightmare, it has been great ever since. I have been doing this for some years now.

What I take. But what works for me might not work for others.

• TRT: Test Cyp (50mg subQ 2x/week), HcG (250iu subQ 2x/week)
• cortisol: cortisone acetate (20mg/d HC equivalent) (split into 4 daily doses)
• thyroid: 1.25 grains NDT + 6.25mcg T3 (a few hours later in the day)
• GH: 0.5iu genotropin pfizer (aiming for IGF1 of 250) prebed
• fludrocortisone 01.mg/d morning
• melatonin: 0.25mg sublingual prebed

Everyone is different, but the target range I aim for is in the upper tertile of the youthful reference range. Just falling somewhere within the reference range is not “optimal”. The reference range covers 95% of the population. Certainly more than 5% of the population have hormones bad enough to warrant intervention.

This is how I look now vs. then.

https://imgur.com/GWmzPJF

.

If you are specifically interested in TRT, I wrote a guide about it here.

How To Replace Male Sex Hormones. An Ultimate Guide To TRT.

From SARMS, clomiphene, injections, benefits, risks, side effects, blood tests, signs & symptoms, therapy of choice, dosages, doctors…

thingsvarious.medium.com

I am aware that this is rather uncharted territory, esp. in a DIY kind of way. As a medical student in my last year I am well aware of the risks. But to me the cost-benefit analysis is a no-brainer. If I had to, I would sign a contract to rather live 10 more years with my new vitality and then die instead of living to one hundred with the dreadful state I was in before.

I do extensive blood tests (complete hormone panel, metabolic health, general health) around every 3-4 months. I would´t dare doing anything (not even starting) without it.

Other stuff I do: keto/paleo, HIIT, weekly rapamycin, a bunch of supplements (all of them together less worth than a slight alteration in hormones), some exercise every day, sleep around 6h (wake up refreshed without alarm -before HRT I needed 8+).

After years of studying, researching, experimenting, testing I did a writeup about some stuff I have learned along the way.

My goal with all my writing is to point people into the right direction to remove biological shackles allowing them become the best version of themselves and live life fully.

Had I known what I know now, it would have saved me lots of time, money, happiness, effort, researching, experimenting. And suffering. I hope some of you find value in it . Enjoy.

How To Fix Your Hormones: The Ultimate Guide

I am open for any feedback and criticism.


I am sure some of you are quite knowledgable and experienced and might give valuable feedback/criticism and point out blind spots or other stuff I didn´t think about. What are your thoughts on all this? As I am in my mid twenties, do you think this is sustainable for decades?


For questions/feedback you don´t want to post here my email: [email protected]

 

[S1W]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Great to hear that things are going well for you.

I would be interested in seeing pre replacement and post replacement labs, or at least a few highlights from those labs.

 

[Jurek Kletsy]

Interesting! On what information did you base your intake schedule for cortisol? I'm currently on 30mg HC, 20mg at 7:00 am and 10mg at 12:00 with decent, but still suboptimal results (too high in the morning, crash in the evening). Splitting in more dosages seems like it would mimic the body's own production more.

 

[Hormetheus]

Interesting! On what information did you base your intake schedule for cortisol? I'm currently on 30mg HC, 20mg at 7:00 am and 10mg at 12:00 with decent, but still suboptimal results (too high in the morning, crash in the evening). Splitting in more dosages seems like it would mimic the body's own production more.

The dosage is too high. Also, you should take it at least 4x per day. I updated the section about how exactly I replace cortisol. Have a read

 

[Abuser200]

@morpheuz is prednisolone also good? I heard it only needs to be taken in the AM?
Im wondering if cortison is something that you have to take for the rest of your life or once ardrenals are restored/recovered you van quit cold turkey?

 

[Arcane]

how is your mental and emotional health now vs pre-replacement?

What notable changes have you experienced in that department?

 

[Hormetheus]

@morpheuz is prednisolone also good? I heard it only needs to be taken in the AM?
Im wondering if cortison is something that you have to take for the rest of your life or once ardrenals are restored/recovered you van quit cold turkey?

No prednisone is dangerous. Much more suppressive than equivalent doses of HC or CA.
Adrenal support can be temporary HOWEVER it must be tapered

 

[Hormetheus]

how is your mental and emotional health now vs pre-replacement?

What notable changes have you experienced in that department?

Go to section 5. I go in depth about emotional health and personality changes I have experienced.

 

[Abuser200]

No prednisone is dangerous. Much more suppressive than equivalent doses of HC or CA.
Adrenal support can be temporary HOWEVER it must be tapered

What would a “cycle” look like for HC?

 

[Hormetheus]

What would a “cycle” look like for HC?

Very individual and no one-size fits all. You are not gonna like this comment, but that´s just the way it is. But certainly never above 20mg/d.

 

[Abuser200]

Very individual and no one-size fits all. You are not gonna like this comment, but that´s just the way it is. But certainly never above 20mg/d.

Yeah, but i understand. Also seems logic . Or maybe you could answer what would be a safe starting dose if one is undiagnosed for low cortisol?
I read on your site about the long term negatives drom to high doses cortisol can give you. Is that with doses above 20mg?

the thing is, i have a history of many years AAS use(5-7 years cant recall exactly, my memory feels like an 80year old man) came off completely for 2 years. Didnt recover, and ive been on trt for almost 3-4 years now. But its been 3-4 years with no luck. Bad mood, no libido, no motivation. Simply dragging my ass through life
For a while I strongly suspect i have adrenal issues. I just read the part on cortisol on your site and now im almost sure!
But where i live there are no knowledgeable trt docs, so im basically on my own in this. Im very lucky i could get a prescription for 20% t cream. But also need to do this on my own(reading labwork).

That is why i ask if i could trial HC to see if it improves me. Because honestly, if one would tell me this is how im gonna feel the rest of my life, life isn’t worth it then.

You seem like an very knowledgeable and experienced guy. You probably know more than any other hormone “specialist” where i live .

 

[Charliebizz]

Very individual and no one-size fits all. You are not gonna like this comment, but that´s just the way it is. But certainly never above 20mg/d.

I've test low cortisol before on saliva and blood. But found no relief at all taking hc. Dr crisler told me I should feel something from the very first pill or it's most likely not low cortisol. I tried 4x dosing a day from 10mg per day to 40mg per day and felt nothing. But like I said I had all the symptoms and the labs to back it up

 

[Hormetheus]

I've test low cortisol before on saliva and blood. But found no relief at all taking hc. Dr crisler told me I should feel something from the very first pill or it's most likely not low cortisol. I tried 4x dosing a day from 10mg per day to 40mg per day and felt nothing. But like I said I had all the symptoms and the labs to back it up

40mg is an insane and dangerous dose. I personally would never take that much

 

[Charliebizz]

40mg is an insane and dangerous dose. I personally would never take that much

I didn't take it long at all. I just wanted to see cause I was so frustrated nothing was working. I really don't understand how I can feel almost nothing from taking any dose of hc.

 

[BJE]

You certainly look great in both photos but the difference is of course very obvious.

 

[Abuser200]

I didn't take it long at all. I just wanted to see cause I was so frustrated nothing was working. I really don't understand how I can feel almost nothing from taking any dose of hc.

What symptoms do you experience from low cortisol?

 

[Charliebizz]

What symptoms do you experience from low cortisol?

My cortisol isn't as bad now I only really test am serum from time to time. It's not great but it's usually 13-17. When I was lower I had brain fog,extreme fatigue, always cold and wide spread muscle twitching. I get all that stuff off and on to this day but no where near as bad.

What I changed from then was putting on weight and not training as hard.

 

[Powerdome]

Can you recommend a good Natural Thyroid Supp?

 

[bixt]

40mg is an insane and dangerous dose. I personally would never take that much

Insane and dangerous? 40mg is not, in the short term as a once off thing. Theres nothing wrong with testing something out to see if it works.

 

[gerardo]

I am new to this group. Thanks for having me.
I want to share my journey with hormone replacement because I believe it might be useful to others.

My story: I am a medical student in my last year. I replace all of my hormones.

In early twenties my life was starting to go down the gutter. My life started to fall apart in every domain. At one point I was at the brink of suicide. I found out multiples of my hormnones were low.
I started hormone replacement. Whereas before my life was a nightmare, it has been great ever since. I have been doing this for some years now.

What I take. But what works for me might not work for others.

• TRT: Test Cyp (50mg subQ 2x/week), HcG (250iu subQ 2x/week)
• cortisol: cortisone acetate (20mg/d HC equivalent) (split into 4 daily doses)
• thyroid: 1.25 grains NDT + 6.25mcg T3 (a few hours later in the day)
• GH: 0.5iu genotropin pfizer (aiming for IGF1 of 250) prebed
• fludrocortisone 01.mg/d morning
• melatonin: 0.25mg sublingual prebed

Everyone is different, but the target range I aim for is in the upper tertile of the youthful reference range. Just falling somewhere within the reference range is not “optimal”. The reference range covers 95% of the population. Certainly more than 5% of the population have hormones bad enough to warrant intervention.

This is how I look now vs. then.

https://imgur.com/GWmzPJF

.

If you are specifically interested in TRT, I wrote a guide about it here.

How To Replace Male Sex Hormones. An Ultimate Guide To TRT.

From SARMS, clomiphene, injections, benefits, risks, side effects, blood tests, signs & symptoms, therapy of choice, dosages, doctors…

thingsvarious.medium.com

I am aware that this is rather uncharted territory, esp. in a DIY kind of way. As a medical student in my last year I am well aware of the risks. But to me the cost-benefit analysis is a no-brainer. If I had to, I would sign a contract to rather live 10 more years with my new vitality and then die instead of living to one hundred with the dreadful state I was in before.

I do extensive blood tests (complete hormone panel, metabolic health, general health) around every 3-4 months. I would´t dare doing anything (not even starting) without it.

Other stuff I do: keto/paleo, HIIT, weekly rapamycin, a bunch of supplements (all of them together less worth than a slight alteration in hormones), some exercise every day, sleep around 6h (wake up refreshed without alarm -before HRT I needed 8+).

After years of studying, researching, experimenting, testing I did a writeup about some stuff I have learned along the way.

My goal with all my writing is to point people into the right direction to remove biological shackles allowing them become the best version of themselves and live life fully.

Had I known what I know now, it would have saved me lots of time, money, happiness, effort, researching, experimenting. And suffering. I hope some of you find value in it . Enjoy.

How To Fix Your Hormones: The Ultimate Guide

I am open for any feedback and criticism.


I am sure some of you are quite knowledgable and experienced and might give valuable feedback/criticism and point out blind spots or other stuff I didn´t think about. What are your thoughts on all this? As I am in my mid twenties, do you think this is sustainable for decades?


For questions/feedback you don´t want to post here my email: [email protected]

Hello. Here in Brazil we are not having thyroid extract. To do in handling pharmacy what nutrients to put and how much? T4 25mcg + T3 0.5 mcg? What I need is just to optimize the thyroid because I don't have hypothyroidism.

Can you tell us how your laboratory tests were before and after? You must have decided on these dosages based on your exams.