You could try something like 100 IU daily or maybe 200 IU’s 2x a week or something and see how you do.
This is pretty common and you’re choosing a full sack for decrease in libido and degrading in how you feel by choosing to be on HCG.
Some updates. I ended up struggling with insomnia after dropping the HCG - even though everything else felt great. My assumption based on reading this forum and some others is that dropping HCG has shut down my production of either progesterone or pregnenolone or both (progesterone mainly important for sleep). There is definitely a noticeable difference here re sleep - I can’t fall asleep as fast, can’t take naps, and I regularly wake up in the middle of the night.
I talked to my doctor about this and he is totally against me supplementing with progesterone, even if I am low on it without the HCG. I’m going to get bloodwork done tmrw morning that includes progesterone so I’ll find out one way or another. If it is progesterone that is low I’m going to find a way to try the progesterone cream and see if it helps.
Will be replying with my bloodwork as soon as I get it. I feel so close to being optimal here. Literally sleep is the last thing. Feel like if I get that figured out I’ll have a great protocol and will finally have this sorted.
In males progesterone synthesis is not unter the control of LH.
In females LH increases progesterone synthesis in the ovaries.
There is a good reason why you shouldnt supplement. Progesterone supplementation has been shown to increase the incidence of coronary arthery disease.
'In 1996, Hanke et al. demonstrated that in the rabbit model of atherosclerosis, progesterone therapy inhibited the beneficial effect of estrogen therapy on plaque size, likely by affecting arterial sex hormone receptors. Moreover, in the same study, therapy with progesterone alone was associated with considerably increased intimal thickening, compared with the castrated control rabbits [14]. Recently, Yang et al. demonstrated that progesterone induces the expression of macrophage CD36, a receptor for oxidized LDL that enhances foam cell formation.
In our study, progesterone levels were significantly correlated with WHR, fasting glucose and HbA1c, which are associated with insulin resistance. ’
Ok got the bloodwork back and looks like I was wrong on the progesterone anyway,
Highlights:
Hematocrit 0.512 0.4 - 0.5
Hemaglobin 176 135 - 175 g/L
TSH 0.76 0.32 - 4.00 mIU/L
Free T4: 16 9-19 pmol/L
Free T3: 5.2 2.6-5.8 pmol/L
E2: 99 <162 pmol/L
Progesterone: 1.1 <1.7 nmol/L
Total Testosterone: 911 242 - 838 ng/dl
Free Testosterone: 641 196 - 636 pmol/L
DHEA-S: Pending still
Pics:
My crit is now high which would make sense on some of the fatigue I felt, still unsure re the insomnia but waiting for DHEA to come back. Really want some answer to this. My TSH has dropped but its still around where I was pre-TRT so I don’t think thyroid unless I’m missing something.
Is there anything else important for sleep that dropping HCG usually knocks down? My hematocrit is high but its not super high. I’m going to go donate blood in the next week or so to address that.
Your hematocrit is fine, normally doctors aren’t concerned until hematocrit is 54%>.