Recent content by Shepard Growlski

Hi all, I've been on HCG (solely HCG, not T or anything else) to increase my testosterone levels for secondary hypogomadism. 500 units 3x a week. It's been about 5 weeks. After 3 weeks my bloodwork showed a drastic increase in testosterone (I was at 19 ng/dl, now I'm at 600), but still not much...

Thanks so much for all of the responses everyone! Tom, I don't think he's attempting a restart. Think he believes that I'll be on this for a long time and possibly switch to regular testosterone when having children is no longer a concern.

You answered my own question! Found the reference ranges, look okay to me?

Great, that's what I thought! Is the free testosterone level at 1.9 too low though?

Hi all, I had rock bottom T levels (19 ng/dl). Nothing secreting the pituitary and was never on TRT before (I did have an ignorant doctor that put me on Androgel for only 6 months ~2 years ago to try and raise my T level but I took it upon myself to stop after 6 months ~2 years ago). Current...

If I should still get thyroid stuff checked out, which boxes should I check off? This is what the doctor has currently checked off. Many thanks!

My doctor put me on Androgel for low testosterone ~2 years ago. I only took it for 6 months and then stopped once the number got to the low side of normal. Haven't been on it for 2 years. I'm not on monotherapy, I'm solely on HCG (Pregnyl to be precise) as a means of raising my T level back up...

Hi all, I've been on HCG for a month and am going for some follow-up bloodwork. Quick question: would it make sense for me to get the full thyroid panel checked out now, or would those numbers be skewed from the HCG? Thanks! For those of you that don't know, this was my data before going on...

Thank you both!

Hi all, I'm supposed to take Pregnyl 500ius 3x a week (1500 ius a week). Mistake this week: I took it Sunday AM, didn't take any on Monday-Thursday, and then took again Friday AM. Is it bad if I take today to get my totals up to 3x a week even though I just took it yesterday? Thanks!

Didn't realize that my prolactin level was actually checked a few months ago. It's at 12.2 (reference range: 4.0 - 15.2). Does that change any of your opinions? Summary: T-level: 19 ng/dl (was 47 ng/dl a couple of months ago WITHOUT fasting, taken in PM instead of AM) Free Testosterone: 1.0...

Okay, I'll try to get one of these doctors to give me a lab slip for it. Thanks!

No, I never used that. Do you all think that prolactin is still worth checking out even though I've already gotten an MRI on the head done?

Doctor is against clomid, I've pushed him on it before. Said he prefers HCG because of eye infections/problems with clomid. I read online that those fears are overblown. Plus from what I've read, clomid doesn't mimic LH...only stimulates it...so it appears to be better for you than HCG...

Would you mind explaining? Why is the doctors' "you have secondary hypogomadism -- a pituitary problem where your head isn't sending the proper signals to the testicles" not an adequate explanation? And why is giving me HCG, which will supposedly mimic LH and thus stimulate the pituitary glands...