Long-term TRT with no HCG - Experiences?

[S1W]

In another thread, Dr. Crisler stated:

"It's getting to be pretty well accepted that if you are on TRT, and not "Backfilling" your pathways, in time you will neither be as healthy or happy."

However, I seem to recall reading about guys who have been on TRT for several years and not using HCG and are happy with things.

Does that fit any of you guys - on TRT for 2 years or more, not using HCG, and everything is going well?

 

[Systemlord]

I've been on TRT for almost a year and I feel amazing, I couldn't imagine feeling any better and wonder how is it even possible! I've heard of guys say they still feel amazing 5+ years on TRT without HCG, there are those guys who just don't tolerate HCG well at any dosage. The reason I believe I'm happy without HCG is because my testicles hang no problem, having your testicles pulled up tight can cause depression and anxiety affecting your sexual self image.

Will the wheels start falling off the wagon in a few years, who knows I guess I'll have to deal with it when/if the time comes, until then I'm living life to the fullest.

 

[CoastWatcher]

I have been on TRT for four years. I only added HCG in the second year because I read everything we all have and thought I'd be a good citizen. It added nothing to my subjective experience, how I feel on TRT. I dropped it for a number of months in the third year and felt...no worse. I have picked it up again, good citizen that I am, and feel no better.

I am spectacularly happy with my protocol; TRT gave me a new life. HCG...well...

 

[Gman86]

So without HCG how’s your sex drive, erections, orgasms and ejaculate size? I’ve heard men on TRT without HCG complain about some of these things, so just curious if all is well in these departments without HCG. And even though your testicles hang fine, did they shrink even a little?

 

[Systemlord]

My ejaculation volume has been increasing along with my libido and sensitivity. If I fail to reach my previous 10-15 times per day either it has to do with Klonopin increasing libido (known fact) and or a lack of HCG.

My sexual thoughts and fantasies are running rampant as of late. Just learned I have a pregnenolone deficiency, that might be the missing piece of the puzzle.

 

[FeelingLost]

So without HCG how’s your sex drive, erections, orgasms and ejaculate size? I’ve heard men on TRT without HCG complain about some of these things, so just curious if all is well in these departments without HCG. And even though your testicles hang fine, did they shrink even a little?

Some of us complain about sex drive, erections, even on HCG. I've been on it for 8 months.
HCG has not helped me in any of these categories. Only a T trough in excess of 1000 sent my libido thru the roof.
But did nothing for ED, orgasms or ejaculate size.

 

[Gman86]

Sounds like there are no missing pieces to your puzzle lol. Didn't you say you feel amazing? What is the area that needs improving for you? Sounds like everything is going extremely well.

I've had a pregnenolone deficiency the whole time on TRT even with HCG. I think it's either very common for people to be low in pregnenolone while on TRT, or the pregnenolone test is just not very accurate or reliable.

 

[Systemlord]

Sounds like there are no missing pieces to your puzzle lol. Didn't you say you feel amazing? What is the area that needs improving for you? Sounds like everything is going extremely well.

I've had a pregnenolone deficiency the whole time on TRT even with HCG. I think it's either very common for people to be low in pregnenolone while on TRT, or the pregnenolone test is just not very accurate or reliable.

I have no labs to support low pregnenolone, only symptoms which I mentioned to Dr Crisler. It doesn't happen often but on occasion I experience incredible mental clarity and colors seems to be more vibrant usually only in the evenings and the one thing that hasn't improved on TRT is my sleep.

The Klonopin is a benzodiazepine that helped with sleep when I was on it, now that it's out of my system my sleep still suffers and pregnenolone according to DR. Crisler is the brain's natural benzodiazepine, traumatic brain injury patients use pregnenolone with excellent results.

So in my case the symptoms are more reliable than any blood test.

I hope this isn't too far off topic.

 

[Gman86]

I’ll PM u so we don’t derail the original thread topic

 

[FOX1]

In another thread, Dr. Crisler stated:

"It's getting to be pretty well accepted that if you are on TRT, and not "Backfilling" your pathways, in time you will neither be as healthy or happy."

However, I seem to recall reading about guys who have been on TRT for several years and not using HCG and are happy with things.

Does that fit any of you guys - on TRT for 2 years or more, not using HCG, and everything is going well?

I will have been on TRT for 2 years come April 2018, all is going well and 4 times a week minimum at the gym with vast improvements.
I do have testicle shrinkage but they still hang fine in warm weather, I am in UK (Scotland) so no option of HCG

The main thing is, my health is good, energy is very good, vast muscle increase and sexual function good. I am 53 years old and where friends are dropping off in the gym and their stomachs are expanding, I am the opposite.

My doctor has cut back bloods to every 6 months now as they are consistent and he see's no reason for continued 3 monthly checks

I am on Testogel - 2 x 50mg sachet per day

 

[Vitamin_C]

I don't notice any positives or negatives using HCG but I would not do TRT w/out it. I can tolerate it well and occasionally I'll take a month off it and then start back again. I don't like the idea of atrophy in my testicles, I want my balls plump in case I ever want to restart, only needing the pituitary signal to fire up hitting functioning leydig cells.

 

[Mountain Man]

I am on testosterone, 120 mg injected once per week. No HCG or AI. 2 years on June 1, 2018. I feel great. My doctor does not feel either HCG or AI is needed as long as you are not symptomatic. He states it is not needed unless you are having symptoms. My Dr. is Abraham Morgantaler, often accused of being old fashioned with his protocol, but I can’t believe how well this is working for me. Jay Campbell, of TOT Revolution, has the same opinion about keeping it simple. Makes sense to me. More variable=more that could go wrong.

 

[Nighthawk]

I am on testosterone, 120 mg injected once per week. No HCG or AI. 2 years on June 1, 2018. I feel great. My doctor does not feel either HCG or AI is needed as long as you are not symptomatic. He states it is not needed unless you are having symptoms. My Dr. is Abraham Morgantaler, often accused of being old fashioned with his protocol, but I can’t believe how well this is working for me. Jay Campbell, of TOT Revolution, has the same opinion about keeping it simple. Makes sense to me. More variable=more that could go wrong.

How are your testicle looking on this protocol without HCG? Additionally how is your libido, erection, semen volume etc. I ask because my body appears to not agree with HCG well at all....even 250iu gives me severe hot flashes and sick feeling for a couple days.

 

[KenLowT]

I was on HCG monotherapy, 1000 units injected 3x per week. It did nothing for me as far as libido, energy, or anxiety. I will admit it may have increased my semen volume, but my testicles did not feel exactly full. I'm on testosterone now and once I get with Defy I'm hoping to add HCG into this current protocol of 100mg of testosterone per week since my wife and I are trying. My concern is my estrogen increasing. My libido is still not here, but we shall see.

 

[DragonBits]

In another thread, Dr. Crisler stated:

"It's getting to be pretty well accepted that if you are on TRT, and not "Backfilling" your pathways, in time you will neither be as healthy or happy."

However, I seem to recall reading about guys who have been on TRT for several years and not using HCG and are happy with things.

Does that fit any of you guys - on TRT for 2 years or more, not using HCG, and everything is going well?

Initially I was TRT for 5 years with only testosterone undecanoate, I was 59 when I started

I felt good to great, very strong libido, a lot of very firm erections, I don't pay attention or ask about my "volume" since I seldom see it. My testicles looked ok, but I was producing zero sperm and a fertility doctor measured my testicles with an orchidometer and he said there was some atrophy.

We were considering having a baby, so I stopped testosterone for a few months, went on clomid, my sperm counts went up to near normal. Then we decided not to have children as my wife started early menopause and going through all the trouble of having a child seemed too much.

I restarted TRT, this time with HCG.

I don't notice any difference between now than then, I have a little less energy and libido, but I think that is because I am now 66. ANd the last time my libdo really peaked after 1-2 years on TRT. Still pretty good right now, not as good as it was at age 60, which was at times fantastic.

I might discontinue HCG, but it's pretty early to tell right now, I have only had about 5 shots at 500IU twice a week.

 

[Omar]

ive been on TRT for over 2 years now orignally with no HCG & then started taking HCG after about a year on TRT because of atrophy. 500IU everyday. i think it raised my e2 because my nipples started getting sensitive/itchy & did almost nothing for my atrophy and semen volume however i did notice some better results in the gym while on HCG. stopped after about 10 months. got tired of sticking myself everyday with almost no results

 

[Vince]

ive been on TRT for over 2 years now orignally with no HCG & then started taking HCG after about a year on TRT because of atrophy. 500IU everyday. i think it raised my e2 because my nipples started getting sensitive/itchy & did almost nothing for my atrophy and semen volume however i did notice some better results in the gym while on HCG. stopped after about 10 months. got tired of sticking myself everyday with almost no results

That's a very high amount of HCG, 500 IU everyday. I inject 500 IU twice a week, most members use a lot less. Some only inject 100 IU twice a week.

 

[Mountain Man]

How are your testicle looking on this protocol without HCG? Additionally how is your libido, erection, semen volume etc. I ask because my body appears to not agree with HCG well at all....even 250iu gives me severe hot flashes and sick feeling for a couple days.

Testicles are smaller, but I never mentioned this to my wife and she hasn’t noticed. We have sex 3-4 times per week. Libido is great and has been for well over a year. Semen volume is not noticeably different. I’m not sure if my results are better because I’m 64 and this may be a factor in the positive response. I still use pde5s for ED. My wife and I are having the best sex of our 30 year marriage.

 

[Omar]

That's a very high amount of HCG, 500 IU everyday. I inject 500 IU twice a week, most members use a lot less. Some only inject 100 IU twice a week.

it is? my original dr wouldnt even think about prescribing me any. i told him my testicles were almost gone & he told me that couldnt happen on 200mg of T switched dr and he put me on 500iu every day to see if it would kick start them back up then swithced me to 500 3x a week

 

[user_joe]

I’m not really convinced hcg makes sense for someone not concerned about fertility. The only benefit I see from it is a bit of elevated mood, and I don’t even notice that if my protocol was dead on to begin with. I haven’t been without it long enough to have atrophy and see if it’s enough to matter though.