New to the forum and relatively new to TRT. Back in Feb 2022, I got a prescription from a local men’s clinic in Canada and started on 50mg twice a week of T. enanthate and 300U of HCG twice a week with my main goal being to see if it increased my energy levels. I’ve realized after the first visit the clinic kinda just leaves my hanging and the follow ups are with a tech, are super quick, and the tech doesn’t really seem to be able to answer any of my questions.
I felt great after the first month, then started to actually feel more tired, started getting an overall red tone to my skin (whole body not just my face) that was even noticable in photos and itchy welts at the testosterone injection sites that would last a few days. Stayed on this dose for a 3 months but didn’t really notice a change and definitely no benefit to my energy so thought it might not be for me and slowly started to cut back by 10mg a week every ~2-3weeks. Now I’m at 25mg twice a week and still 300U of HCG twice a week - the redness of the skin has gone down (not fully gone) and no more injection itchy spots on this dose.
I was just a bit confused with my most recent blood work because I’ve noticed that despite having been on a much lower dose now for a couple months, my testosterone levels have risen a lot and my IGF-1 level is higher than the normal range. When I asked the tech about this he just said it’s fine and that was it so I didn’t feel reassured. My albumin was also high which i didn’t really have a good explanation for either.
Any thoughts? - blood work below
Feb = pre starting TRT
CBC/hematocrit - no change from ~ 0.45L/L
ALT, TSH, T3, PSA, INR - minimal to no change
Estradiol - normal and no changes
Ferritin - Feb 81, May 27, Aug 38 (normal range 24-453 ug/L)
Total testosterone: Feb 9.6, May 19.7, Aug 25 (normal range 7.6-31.4nmol/L)
Free testosterone: Feb 198, May 530, Aug 685 (normal range 160-699pmol/L)
IGF-1 / somatomedin-C: Feb 203, May 218, Aug 258 (normal range 83-240ug/L)
Albumin - Feb 45, May 46, Aug 53 (normal range 35-52g/L)
Makes sense - yes im cleaning the areas with alcohol wipes before hand and have no issues with the Hcg injections.
Do we think it’s the Hcg 300U twice a week that’s driving up my levels then since I’m only on 50mg of testosterone per week? Seems like there are posts like you said about hcg causing all sorts of side effects including red/burning skin.
Would it make sense to decrease the T more or the hcg at this point then with the levels I’m at?
A lot of these clinics make money off Test cypionate, HCG and AI’s, even though they may not be needed. It’s a package deal everyone gets, there’s no tailoring treatment to the individual.
Considering the negative outcomes of HCG and or it’s potential to cause problems in a good number of men, I can imagine a lot of patients are going to have a very difficult time dialing in on TRT.
This is disturbing and cannot be true. You may not know the reason, but your doctor must have one. You are spending money for something. Why is it necessary? Systemlord is correct.
There are two reasons to take hCG, fertility (currently attempting to conceive) and/or preventing testicular atrophy. I suppose there are others, but they are unethical or BS.
I would ask the doctor what the purpose is for taking a hormone, which men make very little of by the way, and see if that reason aligns with your needs, goals and expectations.