Reply to thread

Wanted to post an update on this.  Appreciate the help from everyone hoping my results can be of help to others.  Also have a few follow up ?s..


So gradually i have worked my way up to 100ius of HCG EOD while lowering my dose from 126mg/wk to 105mg/wk.  FunkOdyssey was spot on, i feel better in almost every measurable category since adding the HCG (although my E2 did not go up, more on this later..).  Only negative thing i was noticing was familiar feeling like my T was too high.  Also put on a few unexplainable lbs of muscle which seems to happen to me when TT gets at/over 1200ish.


Anyway after few titrations then additional 6 weeks took bloods and results are shocking..


TT ballooned despite the 17% dose reduction?  E2 exactly the same while DHT doubled??  Now my TT to E2 ratios is over 50??

Any thoughts on this?


Any theories as to why I would be a hyper responder to HCG?  Anyone else respond similarly to HCG and use it as a base with no T or a low dose (50mg or less/wk) as a supplemental?


By my math - my total T level was 956 on 126mg without HCG.  Reducing dose by 17% should have a pretty linear reduction in total test to 793.  With TT at 1246 this would suggest that 452pts came from just 350iu/wk of HCG.  If I doubled my HCG dose and got rid of the test completely, do you guys think 452 would double to 900 and I could maintain these levels on HCG mono??


Luckily fertility is back on my radar and i have a great opportunity to continue to swap exogenous T for HCG and see what happens.  Curious for some feedback and happy to share labs and experience as I further experiment.


PS here are labs


Test

Reference Range

10/3/2024


8/1/2024




5/31/2024





Protocol--->

105mg/wk (EOD) Test E. + 100iu HCG EOD

126mg/wk (EOD) test E. NO hcg NO AI

140mg/wk (EOD) Test E. + HCG 50iu EOD NO AI











Hormone









SHBG

10-50nmol/L

38


27




26



Testosterone, Total, MS

250-1100ng/dL

1246


956




1255



Testosterone, Free (E.D.)

35-155pg/mL

216.8


190.2




291.2



DHT

12-65ng/dL

75


48





Estradiol, Ultrasensitive

<=29pg/mL

24


24




30



DHEA Sulfate

93-415mcg/dL

102


111





Progesterone

<1.4ng/mL

<0.5

<0.5



Pregnenolone, LC/MS

22-237ng/dL

22


32





Prolactin

2-18ng/mL

6.9


6.3





Total T to e2 Ratio




51.92




39.83




41.83



Vermeulen Free T calc



29.05ng/dl

25.27ng/dl

35.82ng/dl

Iron / RBC






2.51%




2.39%



Ferritin

38-180ng/mL

115


107




81



Iron, Total

50-180

130


89




140



Iron Binding Capacity

250-425mcg/dL

325


354




348



% Saturation

20-48%

40


25




40



Hemoglobin

13.2-17.1g/dL

16.1


16.2




16.8



Hematocrit

38.5-50%

47.8


49.3




50













Thyroid









TSH

0.4-4.5mlU/L

1.94


2.54





T4

4.9-10.5mcg/dL

6.8


8





T4, Free

0.8-1.8ng/dL

1.3


1.6





T3, Free

2.3-4.2pg/ml

3.1


4





T3, Total

76-181ng/dL

75


100















Other









IGF-1

53-331ng/mL

147


220





TRT Hormone Predictor Widget

TRT Hormone Predictor

Predict estradiol, DHT, and free testosterone levels based on total testosterone

⚠️ Medical Disclaimer

This tool provides predictions based on statistical models and should NOT replace professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your TRT protocol.

ℹ️ Input Parameters

Normal range: 300-1000 ng/dL

Predicted Hormone Levels

Enter your total testosterone value to see predictions

Results will appear here after calculation

Understanding Your Hormones

Estradiol (E2)

A form of estrogen produced from testosterone. Important for bone health, mood, and libido. Too high can cause side effects; too low can affect well-being.

DHT

Dihydrotestosterone is a potent androgen derived from testosterone. Affects hair growth, prostate health, and masculinization effects.

Free Testosterone

The biologically active form of testosterone not bound to proteins. Directly available for cellular uptake and biological effects.

Scientific Reference

Lakshman KM, Kaplan B, Travison TG, Basaria S, Knapp PE, Singh AB, LaValley MP, Mazer NA, Bhasin S. The effects of injected testosterone dose and age on the conversion of testosterone to estradiol and dihydrotestosterone in young and older men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Aug;95(8):3955-64.

DOI: 10.1210/jc.2010-0102 | PMID: 20534765 | PMCID: PMC2913038

Back
Top