Advice appreciated if I should start HCG

[TestingMe]

I've been posting for a 2-3 months and happy to report I have a good doctor and all levels are being dialed in better each month. Took blood today and it's a few days before the results.

I asked for and got a prescription for HCG and while I have experienced shrinkage in the past, things don't seem bad at all at 80mg 2x a week.

The doctor said the HCG in my case would only be for cosmetic reasons..as I don't want more children and I am 56 years old.

Is it common to be on HRT and not needing the HCG? In the past when I was taking too much there was tremendous shrinking but now that I'd reduced dose, seems to be not a problem.

Just wanted to ask you guys before I started or if I should start.

Thanks for reading.

[dreadnok89]

Its not cosmetic reasons. Your a man. Your balls are what make you a human male! Why would anyone want them to disappear. It also bumps your test up as well

[Brett N]

HCG is pretty standard. If you keep your testicles working the way they were pre TRT, you will keep getting the testosterone that they produced. For me, every little bit of test I can produce naturally is important to me. Plus, who wants baby balls? Cosmetic reasons - everyone does something for cosmetic reasons. Hell, using an acne face wash is purely for cosmetic reasons. No reason to give yourself something to be self conscious about when it isn't necessary at all.

[TestingMe]

The thing is they are not shrinking..When my Testosterone dose was much higher they were but now they are normal sized.

If they were baby balls, I wouldn't be asking the question. lol

[rotty2]

Here we go again, you need it for so much more then cosmetic reasons, trust me I would have to write a book to explain it all, if your balls still function I consider it the base of the trt program with everything else being the supplements I guess you could say. Test by itself would do nothing for me after a short bit of time.

[roxer]

Fact is, some guys - like me - start getting painful boys after being on TRT after a while. Also, just being on test by itself, after you have stabilized, feels kind of hollow. Not really sure how else to say it. Deal is, you will feel great for a while when you first start, but that changes as you become used to it. You just feel a new "normal". HCG helps to keep the boys from atrophying and also gives you a little better feeling of well being. Others may have a different take on this, but then we are all different. If its available and serves a higher purpose of making you better - use it.

[Brett N]

Your doctor is either not telling you the 100% facts on what HCG does or he is simply ignorant of it. Nuts shrinking is a small part of it. The production of pregnenolene is another. All you have to do is go through the stickies and read why it is important. http://forums.steroid.com/hormone-re...ould-know.html

Advice has been given by multiple members that you should use it. There have been a few reasons listed why you should use it by all. It is standard protocol for most everyone on here that is on TRT with knowledgeable Drs. We all don't have the same docs, they just all follow a similar protocol because that is what has been found to work the best.

If you don't want to take it, that's cool. The final decision is totally up to you. I just don't understand why you would ask advice and then "debate" against the advice given.

[dreadnok89]

2-3 months isn't a long time either for hrt

[TestingMe]

Brett, not sure why you feel I am 'debating it'. Of course I'm not.

I've been taking Testosterone for over two years, much of that time was not monitored. I have a few threads that cover the sordid details.

Through advice and information found on this site I have gotten all levels in reasonable ranges and still am dialing in the proper dose of T but am close.

If I were against taking it, I wouldn't have asked the doctor yesterday for a prescription.

But I did ask his opinion and I posted what he said about it.

I created this thread to get feedback and to make the best decision.

I've gotten one PM from a member who was almost ranting about it, telling me about 'baby balls'. In my case, that's just not the case..maybe it's because I have such big balls to start with. haha.

My gut is that I should be adding in the HCG (or I would not have asked the doctor for it).

It's taken me months to get ranges in normal and I am still dialing in the T level. That's part of my asking the question.

T levels have slowly come down from >1500 to 1050 to 425 and I increased dosage 3 weeks ago and get the new results in a couple of days.

Before I made this thread, I did a search here and online but while I know many doctors are not all that knowledgable about HRT, I really don't know what my doctor knows or doesn't...I'm not an expert but my experience with doctors has generally shown me that they often don't know what they don't know or they don't care what they don't know.

You know?

Lastly, when I started Test (2 years ago), my boys shrunk a lot and hurt...as dosage came down, they have returned to more normal size...Yes I can see they are slightly tighter an smaller but it's not dramatic or problematic.

Anyway, I made this thread for feedback, advice and information. Not debating at all and appreciate any posts. I have no dog in the hunt and if anything I am totally inclined to add the HCG or I would not have requested a prescription.

Not doing my homework was part of what got me into trouble this year!

[Brett N]

No worries. If I remember correctly, taking the HCG also can help create a miniature spike of test in between your 2x a week injections which would cause a smoother over all feeling instead of the up and down. I know 2x a week helps reduce this a lot but 2x plus 2 mini spikes seems ideal.

I may have just taken your thread completely the wrong way. It is hard to judge the way someone is speaking by just reading words. Emotions are impossible to interpret on the internet. Hope all continues to go good for you.

[TestingMe]

No worries. If I remember correctly, taking the HCG also can help create a miniature spike of test in between your 2x a week injections which would cause a smoother over all feeling instead of the up and down. I know 2x a week helps reduce this a lot but 2x plus 2 mini spikes seems ideal.

I may have just taken your thread completely the wrong way. It is hard to judge the way someone is speaking by just reading words. Emotions are impossible to interpret on the internet. Hope all continues to go good for you.

Not a problem and I understand how you might have thought that.

It's just to be honest, I do respect and like my new doctor (Urologist). The way he spoke to me and was so steadfast that HCG was purely for cosmetic reasons really surprised me.

But I've read it's not at all unusual for some doctors to simply not prescribe HCG and at least he did give me a prescription.

It's taking awhile to dial in the right T dosage..as I posted before...

Now I have to find a pharmarcy that stocks the HCG, although getting it won't be a problem.

He wrote it for Novarel 10,000 units, 500 units IM 2x a week with 3 refills.

I'll be doing Sub Q..

We almost have to be our own doctors..This guy is good but he is set on his ways..he won't order certain blood tests for some reason...Pregnenolone, Cortisol, DHEA..

I'll ask him in 3 weeks when I see him again to run those tests, if not, I guess I'll find an endo to run em..

I'm just glad I have the meds with prescriptions and things are finally getting in range..

Scary how many of us get bad advice..it seems to be in the majority.

Brett, thanks for posting in this thread..you've posted in my other story when i first found this site..very appreciated.

[Brett N]

You can try Empower (site sponsored pharmacy). That is where all of my prescriptions get sent from with LowT.com. I am pretty sure if you have a prescription, they will fill it. They will also ship it to you so it is very convenient. Not sure about their prices though, LowT is an all inclusive thing so I don't see how much it really costs. Besides the $15 copay.

[TestingMe]

^ Thanks Brett. This summer before I came to this site, I picked up some HCG and had taken it a couple of times before I was advised by some senior guys here that it would be better to get myself in proper ranges and then start up with the HCG..I threw out what I had mixed but did find a 5000iu bottle..with 2ml water.

I called a pharmarcy that can order it for me for $231, which I know is high.

I was almost certain I would be adding HCG to my protocol but was just surprised how certain the doctor was that it was purely for cosmetic reasons..There was no point in pressing him about it as I have no idea really.

I do love my pharmarcy though..they managed to get him to change the script and they got me 10ml Depo so I am not running on fumes and getting stressed in the future getting scripts filled.

I'l check empower out now. Thanks!

[Rusty11]

I'm 52. Been on 100iu/day for a year, or more. IMO, there's no reason not to use it. But, at $230/mo, I'd be questioning things, too. Ouch.

[TestingMe]

I'm 52. Been on 100iu/day for a year, or more. IMO, there's no reason not to use it. But, at $230/mo, I'd be questioning things, too. Ouch.

They had generic for $230..lol.

I emailed Empower to see what their prices are ...

10,000 iu is ten weeks worth 500iu x 2 week.

Trying to determine what days are best to do it..Test injections I do on Sat and Tuesday.

[Brett N]

I replied to pm. I just take 250iu 2x a week. I try to evenly split the amount of time between test. Every 42 hours in theory I try to take a shot. Test, hcg, test, hcg

[powerlifterty16]

testingme, i get novarel from cvs for 106 bucks. it lasts 2 months. go to goodrx.com and print a coupon

[TestingMe]

^thanks I will look for it but my local CVS said they didn't have it in the system and couldn't order it..Walgren's can order it for $230..

[powerlifterty16]

^thanks I will look for it but my local CVS said they didn't have it in the system and couldn't order it..Walgren's can order it for $230..

chances are the pharmacist is dimwitted. I went to two cvs's because the first one told me that novarel only comes in 1 ml bottles, and that generic would cost me 2 grand.

went to second cvs right by my house and they hooked me up with novarel 10k units for 106. it would have only cost 101 had my dr wrote 30 days on script.

[TestingMe]

^awesome..just emailed it to myself and will bring it in tomorrow..

very appreciated..

[TestingMe]

testingme, i get novarel from cvs for 106 bucks. it lasts 2 months. go to goodrx.com and print a coupon

Went today and saw my usual pharmacist at CVS and she is trying to order it and if they can get it, they will honor the coupon and charge $101.

Might take 2-3 weeks if at all..

[powerlifterty16]

nice man. If they say they can't order it, id double check another cvs.

[TestingMe]

If it can be gotten, she will do it. She's my new friend..

[powerlifterty16]

hopefully she's hot

[TestingMe]

hopefully she's hot

She is...and she just called..lol.

Can't believe she was able to get it so fast and yes thanks to that coupon, it comes out to $101 for 10,000iu.

I also ordered some offshore product that is on the way.

She told me the 10,000iu comes in one bottle and it's supposed to be good for 60 days once mixed according to her..I'll wind up wasting a lot of it as I'm not going to stay on 500iu 2x a week yet..

Just got my labs and I had increased my T dose a bit too much and ranges need to come down a bit..getting tested again in 3 weeks.

One thing I have noticed is that it only takes 2 weeks for changes in T dosage to show up in results.

Less is more and I have to remind myself to increase in smaller increments and not rush the process.

Off to CVS to hook up..I mean pick up my HCG! lol