Is HCG a Safety Net if You Stop TRT

jason999 · Oct 24, 2016

Hello,

I'm 42 and I have low normal T. I am leaning toward TRT, but the long term commitment is a little overwhelming.

If I used TRT and HCG, what would coming off of TRT be like? Would continued HCG use, while on TRT, work as a safety net, if I ever needed to stop TRT?

I always seem to hear about people using HCG after a cycle or TRT, for recovery. Would natural T production continue through out TRT if I used HCG, at least to some degree?

I understand that stopping TRT would become more difficult as time went on, because of shutdown. Would stopping TRT + HCG be harder 6 months into than it would be at 3 months?

Thanks

CoastWatcher · Oct 24, 2016

jason999 said:
Hello,

I'm 42 and I have low normal T. I am leaning toward TRT, but the long term commitment is a little overwhelming.

If I used TRT and HCG, what would coming off of TRT be like? Would continued HCG use, while on TRT, work as a safety net, if I ever needed to stop TRT?

I always seem to hear about people using HCG after a cycle or TRT, for recovery. Would natural T production continue through out TRT if I used HCG, at least to some degree?

I understand that stopping TRT would become more difficult as time went on, because of shutdown. Would stopping TRT + HCG be harder 6 months into than it would be at 3 months?

Thanks

What is it that you are trying to accomplish? The use of HCG in a TRT protocol is to preserve testicular function and support other important hormonal pathways otherwise negatively impacted by the administration of exogenous testosterone. If you are administering testosterone - injections, creams, gels, any form - your natural production of the hormone will very quickly be shut down. Period. End of story. A restart protocol, as it's typically called, works to try and reset your body's natural production of testosterone. There are no guarantees - all sorts of factors determine the success of such a protocol. Age, length of time one has been hypogonadal, how long the TRT protocol was maintained are just some of the factors that need to be considered.

You need to spend time here on the Forum reading the material, particularly the sticky-threads. You also need to find a very capable doctor who can respond to your questions and help you reach a decision in regard to androgen replacement. If you post all your lab work a more focused discussion might help you sort through the issues.

jason999 · Oct 24, 2016

I have been reading for sometime. I have seen studies that show that HCG preserves fertility while on T. I have read about HCG use after T use, to restart. I have just never seen anything that compares stopping T use to stopping T use when HCG was used through out cycle or TRT.

You seem to say that all natural T production will cease with TRT, even if you use HCG. Are we sure about that? How do we know?

One concern that I have is my hematocrit level. I have always had high normal RBC. I am curious how much it would go up. I have blood word for past 4 years next to me. Hct high was 48.8 (39-49.1 scale). I also worry about hair loss.

Mainly, I just want to make a good informed decision about TRT. With that, ramifications of treatment cessation have to be considered.

Thanks

CoastWatcher said:
What is it that you are trying to accomplish? The use of HCG in a TRT protocol is to preserve testicular function and support other important hormonal pathways otherwise negatively impacted by the administration of exogenous testosterone. If you are administering testosterone - injections, creams, gels, any form - your natural production of the hormone will very quickly be shut down. Period. End of story. A restart protocol, as it's typically called, works to try and reset your body's natural production of testosterone. There are no guarantees - all sorts of factors determine the success of such a protocol. Age, length of time one has been hypogonadal, how long the TRT protocol was maintained are just some of the factors that need to be considered.

You need to spend time here on the Forum reading the material, particularly the sticky-threads. You also need to find a very capable doctor who can respond to your questions and help you reach a decision in regard to androgen replacement. If you post all your lab work a more focused discussion might help you sort through the issues.

johndoesmith · Oct 24, 2016

jason999 said:
I have been reading for sometime. I have seen studies that show that HCG preserves fertility while on T. I have read about HCG use after T use, to restart. I have just never seen anything that compares stopping T use to stopping T use when HCG was used through out cycle or TRT.

You seem to say that all natural T production will cease with TRT, even if you use HCG. Are we sure about that? How do we know?

One concern that I have is my hematocrit level. I have always had high normal RBC. I am curious how much it would go up. I have blood word for past 4 years next to me. Hct high was 48.8 (39-49.1 scale). I also worry about hair loss.

Mainly, I just want to make a good informed decision about TRT. With that, ramifications of treatment cessation have to be considered.

Thanks

You said you have 4 years of lab work next to you, why don't you post it?

Hcg can cause your body to naturally produce testosterone, it will depend on how primary or secondary you are.

We know that when exogenous testosterone is given, natural production shuts down because lab work shows lh and FSH go to almost zero.

Vince Carter · Oct 24, 2016

Best advice I'd give you, if you have any inkling that you'll stop or not wish to continue or become non-compliant with the protocol, you should not start. If you were to stop using testosterone, could you stay with HCG? I think so, won't be the same and it's not a substitute though your nuts will be "alive" and viable that you could try a restart or other PCT

jason999 · Oct 24, 2016

I have pretty basic blood panels from my annual physicals for several years. They never checked T. I'm not sure the information that I have would help.... I know that LH production stops with TRT, but doesn't the body recognize HCG as LH?

Vince,

It's not so much that I think I would stop. From what I have read, I wouldn't expect any overwhelming side effects but I still think it's a good idea to understand what stopping TRT would mean before starting.

I'm not so much interested in what would have if you stopped TRT and continued on HCG. I'm curious how continuously running HCG with TRT would effect natural T recovery if you stopped TRT and a few weeks later stopped HCG.

I saw Nelson's post on this thread https://www.excelmale.com/forum/showthread.php?8503-Hcg-not-increasing-testes
saying that HCG increases intratesticular T while using T. How does this apply to my question?

trt4me · Oct 24, 2016

Hcg will keep your testes producing some T themselves while on trt.
As far as stopping most people go back to their pre trt levels, but how long it takes and if yu will revert to exactly where you were will vary person to person.
I've stopped myself 2 times for different reasons and reverted back 100% within 2 months.
Also if your body was in a low t decline, you do trt for say a year, what will your natural T be given a year more of age and you were headed down hill?...

johndoesmith · Oct 24, 2016

I have pretty basic blood panels from my annual physicals for several years. They never checked T. I'm not sure the information that I have would help

It will either help, or it won't help, but without posting it we will never know.

I know that LH production stops with TRT, but doesn't the body recognize HCG as LH?

HCG binds to the LH receptor, but it does not cause your body to produce LH. Functionally, HCG or LH both have the same effect, but your body producing LH means you're not shut down.

I'm not so much interested in what would have if you stopped TRT and continued on HCG. I'm curious how continuously running HCG with TRT would effect natural T recovery if you stopped TRT and a few weeks later stopped HCG

We simply don't know much of an effect it has as I don't think there are any studies comparing results.

You can look into steroid user forums, some steroid users will cycle on and off and some will do TRT basically with blasts of higher levels. the ones who cycle on and off will often use HCG, so maybe you can find some anecdotal evidence that HCG makes that process easier.

Other than that you are smart for looking into the realities of TRT before committing. You may have to think "do I want to live the way I am to avoid risk, or take risk and possibly feel better"

jason999 · Oct 24, 2016

trt4me said:
Hcg will keep your testes producing some T themselves while on trt.
As far as stopping most people go back to their pre trt levels, but how long it takes and if yu will revert to exactly where you were will vary person to person.
I've stopped myself 2 times for different reasons and reverted back 100% within 2 months.
Also if your body was in a low t decline, you do trt for say a year, what will your natural T be given a year more of age and you were headed down hill?...

Thanks for the post. What was your TRT protocol and how long were you on before stopping? I understand what you are saying about the natural decline over time.

trt4me · Oct 24, 2016

1st time I was on it for about 4 months and stopped because libidio crashed.
2nd I don't remember maybe 4-5 months.
1st time was 100mg a week. No ai or Hcg
2nd was the same except 50mg2x a week.

jason999 · Oct 24, 2016

[

johndoesmith said:
It will either help, or it won't help, but without posting it we will never know.

HCG binds to the LH receptor, but it does not cause your body to produce LH. Functionally, HCG or LH both have the same effect, but your body producing LH means you're not shut down.

Yes, I have read that you would be partially shutdown if using HCG. I guess I'm under the impression that the testicles typically take longer to get back online than other parts of the system. I may very well be incorrect, though.

Other than that you are smart for looking into the realities of TRT before committing. You may have to think "do I want to live the way I am to avoid risk, or take risk and possibly feel better"
[/COLOR]

When I first looked at TRT, I was considering the risks of starting, but after some thought, I am thinking about the risks of not starting, at some point. We all get older. I want to feel good and remain active and strong for as long as possible.

After studying TRT for a while, I have decided that I will likely start. It's more a matter of when. I guess I would feel better if I heard from people who had been on TRT for 25 years. Of course the idea of loosing condition and slowing down even more isn't that appealing.

johndoesmith · Oct 24, 2016

jason999 said:
[

When I first looked at TRT, I was considering the risks of starting, but after some thought, I am thinking about the risks of not starting, at some point. We all get older. I want to feel good and remain active and strong for as long as possible.

After studying TRT for a while, I have decided that I will likely start. It's more a matter of when. I guess I would feel better if I heard from people who had been on TRT for 25 years. Of course the idea of loosing condition and slowing down even more isn't that appealing.

Post your labs so we can see.

Also there are other impacts that low test has. There are links between higher test levels and reducing risk of heart disease. I think there are links between naturally higher levels and lower odds of prostate cancer. Not to mention the bone benefits. Then there is the higher quality of life, mood, well being, possibly sex life.

Basically there are negatives to naturally low test levels, there are negatives to TRT, there are pluses and minuses to everything in life. The question is, which minuses are you NOT willing to risk in order to to get the pluses? Answer that, and you have your TRT answer

Is HCG a Safety Net if You Stop TRT

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