Hey guys this is not my first post but couldn’t remember user name or PW. I went to Dr several weeks back and got blood test done for suspicion of low t or high estrogen. Test came back with t at 550 and estradiol at 37. Dr prescribed 2 ml HCG twice per week and 1mg anastrozol 3 times per week lowering to twice per week after first couple of weeks. I have been on this combo for two and a half weeks and I’m starting to notice some slight difference. However, a bigger difference I’m seeing is weight gain. About 8 pounds so far and look puffy. I went to get all this checked because I couldn’t get lean enough in abdominal region or chest now looks worse than before. I know that higher t levels will add some weight and that’s great, but thought the estrogen blocker would help me to lean out in the areas mentioned as well. Any ideas? Thanks
That seems like an unusual approach. What is the potency of the hCG? That is a lot of anastrozole, but the increased weight gain points to high E2, which can be increased with hCG.
What was your free test level?
I lost fat, gained muscle, on TRT, but that took six months. The weight gain you describe sounds like fluid retention.
You’re taking 3mg of arimidex a week and zero exogenous testosterone. Arimidex will not stop hCG from aromatizing, so why are you taking it?
I don’t see a potency on the box. It is pregnyl side of box says 5mg mono basic sodium phosphate and 4.4 mg dibasic sodium phosphate not sure if that helps. By free t is thatT3 free? It says 3.2pg/ml total is 505 my/dL
Only for 1st 2 weeks now I will be taking 1mg twice a week. Not sure why I’m taking it other than Dr looked at my numbers explained that estradiol was high at 37 pg/ml and said this would lower it. Put me on the HCG saying it would stimulate my pituitary into producing more T. I’m not a Dr so I can only do what is recommended. Made sense to me so I didn’t question lol
Walk through this with me. Arimidex is an aromatase inhibitor. It stops testosterone from converting to estradiol (this is the dumbed down version of the complicated process, for the sake of clarity). It’s a powerful AI and guys run cycles of 500mg of test and in many cases don’t need to take much (if any) arimidex. Now in your case you’re taking 0mg test, but still taking an AI in doses that would be considered too large for guys who run 1g of test. Yes, your e2 is a little bit high…sort of. It’s one point lower than mine, and mine is controlled with an AI and keeps me at a perfect level. It’s not as if your numbers are so out of whack that you need to drop an atomic bomb on your body. And yet your doctor did just that. Ask yourself why your doctor is treating you as if you’re on a heavy, supraphysiological dose of testosterone.
Those items are preservatives. The hCG dose should be in IUs. I was wondering if 2 ml hCG was 2000 IUs. Free t is free testosterone, which is the amount of testosterone that is working in your body and therefore more important than total testosterone. Free T3 is a thyroid test.
So are you saying I should be taking nothing? Not even the HCG? Should I be on test instead? Sorry forgive my ignorance, this guy is supposed to be one of the better doctors in my area for treating this stuff and forward thinking on treatment. He doesn’t accept insurance so I am out almost $1000 already from my own pocket. Just want all my facts straight before I start questioning him.
It’s pregnyl 10,000 if that helps
Yes, you are on a typical hCG monotherapy dose. You might ask him what his thought process is regarding hCG monotherapy vs TRT/hCG vs TRT.
HCG monotherapy is fine and it’s a respected approach. I don’t happen to believe it’s the best way of doing things, but it has its place. It’s the massive amount of arimidex that’s puzzling to me. Ask him why he chose that drug at that dose. His answer will tell you everything you’ll need to know from there on out.
As an aside, I’d also ask why he thought it was necessary to do anything in the first place since your labs are, as far as I can see, totally normal.
He eluded that it was my age, 38
If I kept up with current dosing maybe back off on Anastrozole until my next appointment, about 6 weeks out. What would be the down side? I am seeing great improvement in other departments that were a concern I.e libido, ed, energy mood etc. maybe keep the dosing on HCG and back off on Anastrozole to like .25 mg? Get my labs see what my numbers are go to follow up with the above questions?
That’s actually counter to what you would expect. They typically try to stay away from TRT for younger guys if they can help it. But for a guy who’s 38, testosterone is a pretty safe and effective way to replace testosterone.
My guess is that since e2 was high with sorta low t, that with HCG more test will be produced. When that happens more aromization is going to occur.
I would think with HCG having a 36 hour half life that three times a week would be more optimal. I bet you could get similar results with 500 iu 3x per week.
The arimidex dose seems like too much to me, I would think .5 to 1 g a week would be better.
Was free t quite low? My doc would never have put me on trt if my total t was where yours was.
Pretty standard HCG mono protocol. Why would you not try the docs prescription and see what your blood test reveals. IF you start jacking around with your doses then when your doc see the bloods he/she will be all confused.
You are not going to die from high or low E2 and the doc is checking your bloods often. I’d stay the course.