What tests to do after 6 weeks of HCG monotherapy?

[DanBD]

I have been taking 3 x 600 IU per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) of HCG for six weeks. You can see from my prior test results that my free testosterone was abysmally low. I don't feel different after the HCG monotherapy.

Prior tests:

How are my blood results? Thinking of doing HCG monotherapy.

I had a cracked tooth extracted and antibiotics for a long running gum infection on 3rd October. I got the tests on 16th October. I had asthma trouble which resolved about a week before using anti-histamine. I had the tests a little dehydrated due to a misunderstanding. I take 10mg Xeralto...

www.excelmale.com

I am ready to try injecting testosterone, since HCG didn't seem to help noticeably. Before I learned about HCG, and the ability to mitigate the negatives of testosterone injections, I wasn't keen on t shots.

BTW, the instructions with HCG say not to use it and testosterone supplements (jabs, whatever) simultaneously if the problem is hypogonadadotropic hypogonadism (not my problem) and the desired outcome is fertility. It also says to continue the treatment (2500-5000IU x2 per week) for three months before expecting an improvement. My issue is t level and low sperm volume. Actually, it may have improved already but hard to measure.

These t shots are only $1.50 each.

Testanon Injection 250mg/ml - ePharma

Testanon Injection is a medicine used in the treatment of male hypogonadism caused due to low testosterone levels.

epharma.com.bd

I want to do minimal labs to see what, if anything, HCG did for me. What tests should I take? Ultrasensitive estriadol is not available here. I was just going to do free testosterone.

 

[obesechess]

I don't want to speak out of turn here, but in my non-professional opinion, you are doing too many things too quickly. You are 54 years old, on blood thinners, overweight, and don't exercise regularly. You got one blood test done, and two days later you ask for advice regarding it. @Systemlord , who knows his stuff, tells you that your free T looks very low and that given the circumstances you should talk to a doctor about TRT.

One day after that, you posted "Would I cause myself a problem if I tried HCG before considering testosterone? How do people take HCG?" and then one day after that you posted "I picked up some HCG and took it."

Now a few weeks later you're "ready to start TRT" because you "don't feel any different" but don't know what to look for on the "minimal" blood tests you plan to order.

Are you working with a doctor or just DIYing this? It seems to be the latter, in which case I would doubly advise caution.

Your health is a marathon, not a sprint.

 

[sammmy]

You should do CBC with differential (contains RBC and Hemoglobin), Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, Lipid Panel, Total Testosterone, Free Testosterone with Dialysis, SHBG.

The tests should be done fasting in the morning, before the next jab of HCG i.e. at trough levels of HCG.

 

[DanBD]

I don't want to speak out of turn here, but in my non-professional opinion, you are doing too many things too quickly. You are 54 years old, on blood thinners, overweight, and don't exercise regularly. You got one blood test done, and two days later you ask for advice regarding it. @Systemlord , who knows his stuff, tells you that your free T looks very low and that given the circumstances you should talk to a doctor about TRT.

One day after that, you posted "Would I cause myself a problem if I tried HCG before considering testosterone? How do people take HCG?" and then one day after that you posted "I picked up some HCG and took it."

Now a few weeks later you're "ready to start TRT" because you "don't feel any different" but don't know what to look for on the "minimal" blood tests you plan to order.

Are you working with a doctor or just DIYing this? It seems to be the latter, in which case I would doubly advise caution.

Your health is a marathon, not a sprint.

I welcome the input. The UK health service looked at my testosterone level, and other comprehensive tests, and say I am fine. So that is a dead end for me.

Here in Bangladesh I have the help of a doctor friend. This low free testosterone problem is something I have had for more than ten years. It didn't go away in periods when I was extremely fit and low body fat. In 2019 I walked to everest base camp, taking in the three high passes route. Back then I was spending 3 months a year hiking in Nepal.

I can get tests done cheaply here and the meds are cheap. I can't afford to do this privately in the UK.

I was exercising up to a few weeks ago when I wrenched my ankle in an accident. Normally I walk for a couple of hours every day.

 

[Vince]

Along with your HCG I would add FSH (50IU 2x a week) for about 3 months and then do labs.

 

[DanBD]

You should do CBC with differential (contains RBC and Hemoglobin), Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, Lipid Panel, Total Testosterone, Free Testosterone with Dialysis, SHBG.

The tests should be done fasting in the morning, before the next jab of HCG i.e. at trough levels of HCG.

Thanks for posting.

SHBG test isn't available here. Over 15 years of testing, mine is always very high (like 80). I managed to drop it to half of that taking tongkat Ali a few years ago, but it didn't have any impact on free T.

Is there a reason for checking total testosterone when also checking free testosterone? Genuine question. I always have abundant testosterone, going back 15 years, and hardly any free testosterone. I wonder if people add this test for a reason, in which case I will definitely add it on, or because of convention.

Along with your HCG I would add FSH (50IU 2x a week) for about 3 months and then do labs.

Where can I read about FSH supplements?

 

[Vince]

Where can I read about FSH supplements?

Hopefully your doctor friend can get them for you.

 

[DanBD]

Hopefully your doctor friend can get them for you.

They have 75iu freeze dried bottles of the stuff. But what does it do for me if I take it? Online I read about women taking it when they want to get pregnant.

 

[Vince]

They have 75iu freeze dried bottles of the stuff. But what does it do for me if I take it? Online I read about women taking it when they want to get pregnant.

This thread will answer your questions.

FSH and hCG dual therapy may result in the more rapid recovery of sperm to the ejaculate

024 Dual Therapy with rFSH and HCG Results in a Significantly Shorter Time to Return of Spermatogenesis than Combination HCG and Clomiphene (2021) K. Campbell, J. Sullivan, R. Valero Carrion, J. Kraus, B. Stocks, A. Lawrence, L. Lipshultz Introduction: The use of testosterone replacement...

www.excelmale.com

 

[DanBD]

This thread will answer your questions.

FSH and hCG dual therapy may result in the more rapid recovery of sperm to the ejaculate

024 Dual Therapy with rFSH and HCG Results in a Significantly Shorter Time to Return of Spermatogenesis than Combination HCG and Clomiphene (2021) K. Campbell, J. Sullivan, R. Valero Carrion, J. Kraus, B. Stocks, A. Lawrence, L. Lipshultz Introduction: The use of testosterone replacement...

www.excelmale.com

Yes, that is brilliant. So I need to keep up 3x 500iu of HCG if I start taking testosterone, which I plan to, and FSH will be important if I need to bring up my sperm count at some point.

FSH is about $15 for 75IU here in Bangladesh.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) | List of Available Brand Names with Prices in Bangladesh | MedEx

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH): List of Available Brand Names with Prices in Bangladesh.

medex.com.bd

 

[Vince]

Yes, that is brilliant. So I need to keep up 3x 500iu of HCG if I start taking testosterone, which I plan to, and FSH will be important if I need to bring up my sperm count at some point.

FSH is about $15 for 75IU here in Bangladesh.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) | List of Available Brand Names with Prices in Bangladesh | MedEx

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH): List of Available Brand Names with Prices in Bangladesh.

medex.com.bd

I would. Here's a good article by @HealthMan.

Semen analysis results after adding FSH to TRT and hCG

So after 6 months of adding FSH to my TRT protocol I got a sperm analysis done. A quick background. My fertility was normal before TRT and went to zero when I started TRT without HCG. Adding HCG 500 IU 2x a week my sperm analysis results were: sperm count 2.1mm (normal >=20mm) total sperm 7.2mm...

www.excelmale.com

 

[sammmy]

Total T and SHBG and Albumin (part of Comprehensive Metabolic panel) are tested to calculate your free T when there is no reliable test for free T - typically in Europe.

Here is the calculator:

Free & Bioavailable Testosterone calculator