Little advice for cessation of trt

[Cataceous]

Just wondering...what is the reason that subQ could be the cause of disappearing libido and ED? I have been injecting subQ for the last few months...seems much more convenient but I have noticed a drop in libido. Never thought it could be the means of administration.

The first thing to consider is that correlation does not establish causality. It is possible for libido to wane under TRT even without a change in protocol, and even after some long period of doing ok. But if you want to assume cause and effect then the only difference in the protocols is in the rates of absorption. On the same dosing schedule, IM injections should give somewhat higher peaks and lower troughs in serum testosterone. While it's not totally implausible that this would affect libido in a positive way, generally guys are reporting worse results overall with protocols that involve larger hormonal swings over many days, such as with the weekly injections you're doing.

 

[klepp0906]

well, hcg arrived. MUCH faster than I anticipated. Few questions if anyone cares to chime in.
Is dosing 500iu 2x a week gonna be too much at once? Too infrequent? Trying to make it as unobtrusive as possible which means doing it alongside my testosterone.

Also - whats the deal with the glass ampules? Trying to break open the 2ml of sodium chloride injection ip that came with the 5000iu of hcg and i already shattered one and knifed the back of my finger.


Theres no dot, and they dont seem to be scored because I had to use such an extraordinary amount of pressure that both the top and bottom of it shattered completely. Dangerous, you'd think theyd have found a better and safer way at this point.

any suggestions or should i save myself a trip to the hospital and just order some bacteriostatic water online and wait?

 

[Cataceous]

Taking 500 IU of hCG twice a week puts you right in the middle of what's typical as an addition to TRT. I'd say the range is 500-1,500 IU per week.

If you're planning to make the hCG last five weeks then you definitely want bacteriostatic water. A saline solution is intended for one-time use, and does not prevent bacterial growth over time.

 

[klepp0906]

Taking 500 IU of hCG twice a week puts you right in the middle of what's typical as an addition to TRT. I'd say the range is 500-1,500 IU per week.

If you're planning to make the hCG last five weeks then you definitely want bacteriostatic water. A saline solution is intended for one-time use, and does not prevent bacterial growth over time.

okay. I was excited to start as it's my understanding that the longer you've been shut down has bearing on your chances of coming back. I imagine another week wont hurt though, especially since I didnt expect the hcg to come in so soon either way.

I went ahead and ordered some bacteriostatic water and will toss the ampules that came with it and save myself from some stitches. Got lucky the first time as the cut was minor lol. Ive heard some horror stories.

I know the hcg should be kept in the fridge after reconstitution, what about the bacteriostatic water itself? I ordered a 30ml bottle so it's gonna last quite awhile.

As for the total dose of hcg (coming out at 1000 a week) I realized that in and of itself is pretty par, its the individual dose size (i thought i read crisler somewhere saying 500iu is the "max" he'd use at one time due to estrogen) and the half life being pretty short, I wasnt sure if i was asking for trouble or a lesser result by only using it twice per week as everyone seems to recommend EoD but i'd like to avoid that unless i'd be doing a major disservice to myself.

always appreciate your knowledge so thank you

 

[Cataceous]

I do keep my bacteriostatic water in the refrigerator. I'm not sure if the manufacturers recommend this, but it doesn't hurt.

The dose sizes for hCG are debated endlessly, which reflects the lack of a consensus. You just need to experiment to see what works for you. Try the 500 IU twice a week. If after some months you think there's room for improvement then try 250 or 300 IU EOD. Have patience.

 

[klepp0906]

fair enough. I'm just becoming a bit "mid life crisis'ey" as i'm at the point where i think I can stop and eventually return to normalcy, but hold out hope that theres gain to be had by staying the course. I just dont want to spin my wheels for too long and cost myself the chance at the former if thats what it comes to.

still, you are right. Never has been a one-size fits all in this game. The darned hair loss I could totally get over, but the bph stuff man. Inconvenient at best, embarrassing at worst, and I cant imagine thats gonna be healthy long term.

The crazy part is the highest ive ever seen my DHT was high 500's and that was still in range. Yet boy oh boy did my prostate not like that. PSA doubled over a few years. I dont imagine having a libido is worth cancer down the road or peeing more than 15 times a day.

Though then you get into the philosophical about enjoying fewer years vs less enjoyment but more years.

Disappointing as there are guys that can blast 1000mg of testosterone a week and have no prostate issues. Me? 140mg and i'm dribbling.


No one said life is fair I guess.

As previously noted, finasteride at 1mg did arrest the BPH almost entirely within a couple of weeks, and its supposed to continue shrinking the gland for 6 months. Still it took my libido with it. Hoping this isnt tied to the drop in DHT and due to the fact I also dropped my testosterone dose from 140 to 100. Or is simply tied to the change and will rebound.

Starting to look like theres not many ways for me to have my cake and eat it too. Heres to hoping I can find a balance with the addition of hcg.

thank you for your time and help!