newuser1002
New Member
Hey all, longtime lurker, first post. Looking for opinions before committing to a protocol with my clinic I found online (Defy).
Read: T has bounced around 454-636 over the years, currently settled ~490 across two recent draws. LH stable 5-6 throughout = pituitary signaling fine. IGF-1 also dropped (222→166), fits the sleep/GH connection.
Notable: vitamin D was adequate (41.2) in 2023 when T was peak (636). Currently refractory at 29.5 despite 5K IU/day for years + mag threonate.
Thanks in advance!
Background
- 26M, 5'8", ~20-22% BF
- UARS (Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome) for 7+ years — similar to sleep apnea, fragmented sleep / occasional hypoxia, no cure available short of major surgery (MMA/EASE). On ASV currently.
- Result: chronic sleep deprivation, late chronotype (sleep 5-7 AM, wake 1-2 PM)
- No AAS/PED history, lift 3x/week
- Optimization-focused, not crisis treatment
- Low-ish libido, tiredness and low energy, low concentration, lower drive
Longitudinal labs
All draws at post-wake peak time relative to schedule.| Marker | 2022-10 | 2023-01 | 2026-04 | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total T (ng/dL) | 454 | 636 | 487 | 264–916 |
| LH (mIU/mL) | — | 6.0 | 5.4 | 1.7–8.6 |
| FSH | — | 4.7 | — | 1.5–12.4 |
| SHBG (nmol/L) | — | 26.8 | 27.5 | 16.5–55.9 |
| E2 sensitive (pg/mL) | — | 66 (estrogens total) | 28.0 | 8–35 |
| Prolactin (ng/mL) | — | 19.8 (HIGH) | not tested | 4.0–15.2 |
| IGF-1 (ng/mL) | — | 222 | 166 | 101–307 |
| Vit D (ng/mL) | 28.5 | 41.2 | 29.5 | 30–100 |
| Hct (%) | 41.8 | 41.7 | 43.4 | 37.5–51.0 |
Notable: vitamin D was adequate (41.2) in 2023 when T was peak (636). Currently refractory at 29.5 despite 5K IU/day for years + mag threonate.
What I'm considering
- HCG monotherapy — Defy will prescribe, planning 100 IU/day SQ microdose. Got this recommendation from Desmolysium, search up his "TRT lite" protocol.
- Troches as 4-week diagnostic trial first — reversible, HPTA preservation, tells me if elevated T actually addresses symptoms before committing. Got this idea from a post by @Cataceous on this forum.
Questions
- For those who tried short-acting T as a diagnostic before HCG/TRT — did the experience translate? Did feeling good on troches predict you'd do well on HCG, or did the kinetics feel too different?
- For HCG monotherapy users at similar baseline (T 450-550, healthy LH, high-ish E2) — at 50-100 IU/day microdose, did you see meaningful subjective benefits? Or need higher doses to feel anything? Is my E2 a concern - should I lower body fat first?
- 2023 prolactin at 19.8 was never followed up — should I retest before any protocol? Could elevated prolactin be contributing even with normal LH?
- Anything obviously missing in the workup before starting?
Thanks in advance!
