HCG dosage and syringe/needle size Question?

[louie2400]

I was prescribed novarel (HCG ) at a dosage of 1500iu three times a week (HCG monotherapy). I have heard of other guys getting started on this amount and then adjusting as needed. Does this seem like too large of dose, which could elevate my E2 way too high? My Dr wants to start with this dose and adjust after 4 weeks. I am thinking abut just going along with him on this and seeing how I feel/what labs look like after 4 weeks. What do you guys think?

He also prescribed me 3ml syringes and 23g needles to inject HCG IM. I plan on doing subQ, I just haven't had a chance to talk to him about this. Does this needle seem way too big for subQ? I have never injected anything before, but have read that others are using insulin or a smaller gauge needles. What size should I use?

[steroid.com 1]

Read the sticky at the top of the forum on HCG .

1500 units three times a week is extremely excessive unless you are taking a fertility dose.

You stand an excellent chance of elevating E2 which is something you don't want; read the sticky on Estradiol.

HCG is never injected IM; only SQ.

Your "Doctor" doesn't know what he's doing.

Read the stickies at the top of the forum, educate yourself and than find another Doctor who knows what they're doing.

[louie2400]

Appreciate the help always gdevine! Yeah when my Dr wrote inject HCG 1500iu 3 days a week IM, I was a little skeptical. He gave me my prescription via the online message system at the hospital, so I haven't had a chance to speak to him in person (I usually have a few months between appointments). My next appointment is in a month. So I am going to message him about lowering the dose and injecting subQ. And after I talk to him I am going to consider getting a new Dr depending on his answers. He has been really good up until this point. He was all about clomid, and uses Test+HCG+AI when need be, so I was a little surprised at this latest prescription. Maybe there are new studies stating that higher doses of HCG are needed when used as a monotherapy? In case he asks, do you know of any studies that says lower doses of HCG (>500iu) would be more effective than larger doses when used as a monotherapy and or studies dealing with subQ being more effective than IM?

Also I read the HCG sticky and it says when reconstituting 10,000 units HCG that I should use a larger 18g needle to transfer water and mix and then use an insulin needle to inject subQ, am I understanding that correctly? What size gauge is an insulin needle?

[OLDANDWEAK]

Insulin pins come in different sizes, most are between 3/8" and 5/8" long and 27 guage to 31 guage or so. I use 1/2" 29 guage and they are absolutely painless.

[dhickey]

I use 1/2 31g. 31g can bend a bit if you're not careful. I use 27g for sub Q T injections and don't have an issue with those bending. I would say I can definitely feel the difference between 27 and 31g. Might switch to 29g for all injections when I run out.

[steroid.com 1]

Louie - As a HCG mono therapy higher doses are what some Physician's prescribe; but there are considerations with higher doses of HCG such as increased E2 levels and desensitizing leydig cell receptors.

You only have son many receptors on your leydig cells so overloading them won't produce more.

Dr John Crisler recommends no more than 350 iu's on any given day and I like that common sense approach.

You should also know that HCG mono therapies are largely ineffective in reaching optimal serum levels and most men eventually transition to exogenous Testosterone treatment.