Confusing (to me) blood test results

My TRT Doc wanted to try me out on HCG monotherapy since I was complaining that I wasn't feeling much from standard TRT. Said I could always go back.

So I was started out on 500 IU's injected 3 times a week M-W-F.
Test results were
Total T: 272 range 241-827
Quest ultrasensitive E2: 30 High, range <=29

Doc told me to increase dose to 700 IU's 3 time a week.
Test results were
Total T: 271 range 241-827
Quest ultrasensitive E2: 30 High, range <=29

The total T result is about where it was before I started TRT. So pretty clear my body isn't capable of producing more.
But I find it hard to believe that with a 40% increase in HCG dose my E2 would be exactly the same. Does anyone know if Quest will report a number over 30 in men?

HCG mono therapy to increase endogenous testosterone is rarely effective.

You would be better served to go back on TRT at effective doses that bring your serum levels back to healthy optimal levels and use HCG to keep your testes alive.

BTW, 700 iu per injection of HCG is just way too much! You only have so many leydig receptors so upping the dosage like this does nothing more but possibly increasing estrogen levels.

Your doc is confirming, the hard way for you, that you are likely primary.

You didn't mention how long you were on each dosing regimen of HCG Mono or how long between the two labs, but dude: your levels sure are rocksteady! That HCG passed right through 'ya like somethin' through a somethin'.

A question and another possibility: Are you certain of the potency of the HCG you were using? Reliable pharmacy, mixed properly, kept cold once mixed, etc.

I just reviewed your earlier thread with levels while on T. Did you add HCG to that regimen, and did you try supplementing with Preg or DHEA? Are you taking any now?

Yes: I have seen Quest ultrasensitive results reported over 30.

torrential said:

Your doc is confirming, the hard way for you, that you are likely primary.

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That's what I thought too.

torrential said:

You didn't mention how long you were on each dosing regimen of HCG Mono or how long between the two labs, but dude: your levels sure are rocksteady! That HCG passed right through 'ya like somethin' through a somethin'.

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I was on each dose 3 weeks before testing.

torrential said:

A question and another possibility: Are you certain of the potency of the HCG you were using? Reliable pharmacy, mixed properly, kept cold once mixed, etc.

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Brand name Pregnyl from Walgreens. Mixed with the 10ml vial of bacteriostatic water provided. Kept in back of refrigerator. So I think I got everything right.

torrential said:

I just reviewed your earlier thread with levels while on T. Did you add HCG to that regimen,

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No, doc wanted me to try HCG mono first. It was hard enough trying to find a doc willing to prescribe HCG, so I'm willing to follow his protocol as long as I get to where I need to be in the end, even if it take a few months. And to be perfectly honest I'm one of those guys that even though my level is 274 now, I don't really feel any different than I did when my level was in the 700's. Maybe my SHBG dropped along with my T and my free T ends up being the same? Don't know, didn't test that. Doc thinks that SHBG should be relatively stable.

torrential said:

and did you try supplementing with Preg or DHEA? Are you taking any now?

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Prior to starting HCG mono I was taking 50mg MLM preg and 25mg MLM DHEA. This new doc has me applying 10mg preg and 10mg DHEA in a transdermal gel twice a day, so 20mg of each total per day. Seems like a low dose to me.