HCG Mono will help or hurt fertility?

[scoop]

Hi guys - first post, but have been reading the boards for the last few days. We are trying to have a baby as we are both 38+. I was on testosterone for 3 years 100mg a week and felt pretty good. I lost over 40lbs in this time as well. I had testicle shrinkage and when I got my sperm tested in December my sperm count was not high enough to even register.

I stopped taking test and my doc moved me to 50mg of Clomid a day to try and regain fertility. I took the Clomid for 2.5 months and on my next sperm test my count was up to 205 million total w/ grade 4 forward progression and all of the other bells and whistles. I was so happy that I had not done permanent damage as we'd really like to have a child.

My doc suggested I stop the Clomid after this to see if I successfully restarted my system. I spent 2.5 months off Clomid before getting another hormone panel done. I have managed to keep the weight off in this time, but have been feeling pretty down.. calm, but down. Libido is basically non-existent.

Results:
FSH 2.3
Prolactin 9.1
TSH 1.89
Vitamin D 50.2
LH 1.9
Albumin 4.2
Total Test 277
Free Test 55.8
SHBG 32

I was hoping for some better results...

Our main goal right now is fertility for at least the next year (or hopefully shorter if it works).

Questions:

Did I make a mistake by coming off the Clomid? Doc didn't seem to concerned now that testicles are working again. They are still very full after stopping everything (not sure if that even means anything)

Doc offered me this option to try and get me feeling better and retain my fertility:
1000iu 3 times a week + Anastrozole .5mg once a week

Does this sound like a good option to maintain fertility and bump my test? Clomid did not have much effect on my total testosterone at that dosage. It was 380 around the time I stopped taking it.

I appreciate any help since I have not used any of the HCG yet.

Thanks!

 

[Kirk001]

So if fertility is your main concern right now... you went on Clomid for 2.5 mos then off of it for 2.5 mos to see if you had a successful restart. Then you got blood work done, but did you get a semen analysis done at this point? I'm no expert but from what I've been reading, you can't just assume that your sperm count on Clomid will be the same as off of it. It may have dropped when you stopped the meds, in which case for fertility reasons you may need to get back on it. Also that was a pretty high dosage you were on there. I think more typical is 12.5 - 25mg every other day, and you were on 50mg daily... although maybe your doc wanted a high dose since you were trying a restart.

As far as T levels and associated symptoms with that, I'm not knowledgeable enough to give advice.

 

[Vince]

So after 6 months of adding FSH to my TRT protocol I got a sperm analysis done.
A quick background. My fertility was normal before TRT and went to zero when I started TRT without HCG. Adding HCG 500 IU 2x a week my sperm analysis results were:

sperm count 2.1mm (normal >=20mm)
total sperm 7.2mm (normal >=40mm)

Subfertile with not great chances of getting my wife pregnant.

I tried to increase HCG to 500IU 3x a week but results were basically the same and it didnt make me feel good. So I asked Dr Saya if I could try FSH and he was ok with that. I have been taking 50IU 2x a week (less than the dosage prescribed... long story short my wife got pregnant and miscarried and we decided to hold off on another baby so i decided to use a much lower dosage just to save money and see if it would work).
So after 6 months on TRT with testosterone + HCG (500IU 2x a week) + FSH (50IU 2x a week) my new sperm analysis results are:

sperm count 15mm (normal >=20mm)
total sperm 52.5mm (normal >=40mm)

I am fertilile again! Thanks Dr Saya! The small FSH dosage worked!
So I am planning to keep using FSH in my protocol. At this dosage it is not that expensive.

​

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/sho...lysis-results-after-adding-FSH-to-TRT-and-hCG

 

[scoop]

So if fertility is your main concern right now... you went on Clomid for 2.5 mos then off of it for 2.5 mos to see if you had a successful restart. Then you got blood work done, but did you get a semen analysis done at this point?

Sorry if I didn't make this more clear - yes I got the semen analysis after the 2.5 months on Clomid and my numbers came back perfect - total sperm count was 205 million and all the other numbers were right in range. I stopped taking the Clomid after that test because doc seemed to think it wouldn't drop much now that they were producing again.

 

[Gman86]

When I was on Clomid 50mg ED my total T was 1500. On HCG mono 2000iu's/ week, total T was at 1200. If Clomid didn't stimulate your testicles to produce enough testosterone, I doubt HCG mono is going to give you the testosterone levels you're looking for.

Sounds like to get the testosterone levels you're looking for, you're going to probably need testosterone in either a gel or injection as the base of your protocol

As far as needing to conceive, I would get your sperm tested while on nothing. You are probably producing enough sperm to get your wife pregnant. I would just try to conceive asap, and as soon as she does hop on TRT to feel subjectively better.

 

[scoop]

When I was on Clomid 50mg ED my total T was 1500. On HCG mono 2000iu's/ week, total T was at 1200. If Clomid didn't stimulate your testicles to produce enough testosterone, I doubt HCG mono is going to give you the testosterone levels you're looking for.

That is what I was worried about. We have been trying to conceive now for a couple months with no luck and every day I feel a bit worse. I think I might try to do Test + HCG and hope for the best based on what I have been reading. I appreciate the replies.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

HCG monotherapy is usually not effective to sustain good sperm quantity and quality.

TRT + HCG works in some (not all men) using 500 IU HCG every other day plus T injections or gels.

For difficult cases, HCG + FSH works great. Empower sells the cheapest FSH in the country

https://www.empowerpharmacy.com/drugs/fsh-injection.html



Clomid works fine for many younger men.

 

[scoop]

I'm trying to get a copy of my labs from when I was about 2-3 months into clomid. Thanks for all of the replies. I seem to get more confused on what to do next with every one.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Scoop

How old are you?
How long have you been on T in the past?
How much do you weigh, what's your height and waist circumference?

Those are variables that may predict efficacy for sperm production in men using TRT+HCG

 

[scoop]

I just turned 40 a week ago. I am 5'11" 195. I wear size 34 jeans, not sure of the exact measurement around the waist at the moment.

I was on T for around 3.5 years total.