Cancer Survivor - Late complications of treatment

**kelkel** · 02-29-2016, 08:23 PM

I would tend to agree that improving your thyroid may not be enough in your case, especially if your numbers are staying somewhat consistent. Have you seen this video? If not, take a few minutes and watch it. It may help your thought process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xrU7HREfcU

**CSI007** · 02-29-2016, 09:00 PM

What do you think of the total estrogen being up near the top of the normal limit? Is estradiol more important?

**kelkel** · 03-01-2016, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by CSI007

What do you think of the total estrogen being up near the top of the normal limit? Is estradiol more important?

Total means little. Your estradiol is on the lower end as your TT is low. As it rises so will your E. Know that the standard estradiol test is geared to women and can read much higher in men. Odds are your actual E2 (what you should be testing with an E2 Sensitive Assay) is much lower.

**CSI007** · 03-01-2016, 09:29 PM

Thanks for the info. I figured my estradiol was low because there is no T to convert. Thanks for the video link. certainly makes it more understandable.

I got my HCG today. I am just waiting to hear back from my Doctor on how to proceed with it. I have no idea on dosing. We'll give this a try for a while and see how it goes.

**CSI007** · 03-02-2016, 07:26 PM

Here is what it says on my script for the HCG :

Lyophilized 11,000 UNIT

Mix 11ml of diluent inject 0.5 ml subcutaneously twice weekly.

Once I mix this, what dosage will I be getting with each injection?

Also, I want to get away with the smallest freakin' needle I can.

Will a 31gauge work? Also, will a pen type work? Something I can press a button on and be done with it. LOL

**kelkel** · 03-02-2016, 09:48 PM

That's a 500 IU dose twice per week. Honestly, I'd cut the water in half so you can inject less. Then cut the amount injected in half. So 5.5 ml bac water and pull back on your syringe to the 0.25 mark. 31 ga will work just fine or the pen. Injections are simple. You'll be fine.

Anyone want to back my math up, feel free. Hate math.

**CSI007** · 03-03-2016, 07:38 AM

The math sounds good. I watched a video last night on the whole HCG thing from mixing to injecting. Seems pretty straight forward now.

What you said above is to just decrease the amount being injected but keeping the same dose? Does it make it easier overall to inject?

It seems everyone injects into the stomach. Can I do it into the leg or another area instead? I am embarrassed to say that in the area around my navel I can't pinch much skin because of my belly fat.

If I inject at that site it will just be going directly into fatty tissue.

**kelkel** · 03-03-2016, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by CSI007

The math sounds good. I watched a video last night on the whole HCG thing from mixing to injecting. Seems pretty straight forward now.

What you said above is to just decrease the amount being injected but keeping the same dose? Does it make it easier overall to inject?

It seems everyone injects into the stomach. Can I do it into the leg or another area instead? I am embarrassed to say that in the area around my navel I can't pinch much skin because of my belly fat.

If I inject at that site it will just be going directly into fatty tissue.

Same dose, just no need to inject that much. Makes no sense and I've no clue why manufacturers still recommend doing so. Yes, much easier. It's water based anyway so it doesn't get any easier. I'm quite lean myself. You can find some fat there. You'll be surprised how easy it is. Sure, you can go anywhere you can pinch some fat or even IM is you like.

**CSI007** · 03-03-2016, 07:12 PM

Any preference to when to take the shots? Morning or evening before bed? Reading some forums, it seems that some low T mono therapy patients get a real nice jolt of sexual energy a few hours after a shot.

**CSI007** · 03-12-2016, 08:56 PM

Just a quick update for those looking at this stuff in the future.

I just took my 2nd week #1 HCG shot (500ui). Week 1 was pretty uneventful. However, I have noticed that the day after my HCG injection that my fasting blood glucose has been about 10 to 20 points higher. This has carried on since I started treatment. I have researched and really can't find much in the way of connections between the two but something definitely has happened since I started the injections. About 2 days after injection #2 my FBG was in the 130s for one morning ( I have never since I started checking my morning blood sugar 2 1/2 years ago seen any level about about 125). I almost freaked out about it. But it has since leveled off around 115 to 120 in recent days but still higher then when I started the injections (100 to 110) I will continue to monitor. I was hoping that once T is raised that my FBG would make significant improvements not the other way around! But I will give it more time of course.

I feel like libido is improving some what but as of the 3rd shot I am not feeling significant improvements in sensitivity yet. But today, maybe some more then in previous days.

My overall mode is improved for sure. But I had seen some improvements with the thyroid supplements and the addition of T3 too. I did have one day last week were I felt kinda crappy. After breakfast and most of the rest of the day I felt like I was hung over and sorta drunk. This was a typical day for me before I really started to try to figure out what was going on. So I finally am having more good days then bad.

I had a patch of dry skin under my nose that I could not get to go away no matter what I tried. Well about 2 weeks ago it finally just disappeared. I think this was thyroid related. Something in the supplement really made a difference here! I hated having the dry skin there. It looked terrible.

Also, my terrible weekly issue with constipation have stopped. Praise Jesus! I am now going once or twice a day now instead of once every 4 to 5 days. And it's not painful.

**CSI007** · 03-16-2016, 10:18 PM

4th shot this morning. March 19th will be two weeks since my first shot.

Mood seems to be improving a little each day. Generally feeling pretty good.

Tonight around 8pm, Holy cow it was like someone flipped a switch and all of a sudden wanted to have sex. Seriously strong urges all evening. When my wife got home we had oral sex. Still had ED issues but penile sensitivity was better for a little longer before it faded. Orgasm was intense. About 10 minutes after its like someone flipped the switch again. Serious libido. Not going to act on it again tonight though. But man, what a great feeling for a change.

I sure hope this continues and improves! LOL

**CSI007** · 04-04-2016, 09:09 PM

After a month on HCG here is my latest test.

Total T 539
Free T 22.69 High
% of free T 4.21 High
Estradiol 21.4
DHT 38
Hematicrit 44

**ryobi1** · 04-10-2016, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by BallSak

In regard to your thyroid, it is important to get reverse t3 labs as well since just looking at your free t3 can give you a false reading. Your brain is sensing that your thyroid hormone is low, hence the elevated TSH.

The most identifiable symptom of hypothyroidism for me is severe brain fog.

Your body temperature should be at 98.0 in the morning and around 99.0 in the evening. Mid afternoon should be 98.6. Any temperature less will indicate hypothyroidism.

Many of your body functions require your body to be the proper temp in order for the enzymes to fire to carry out the function. When you are hypothyroid, your body temp is low and many important functions are not able to be carried out because the enzymes can't fire....that's why you feel like crap.

So, get in the habit of taking your temperature. It is a dependable way to monitor your thyroid.

As well as as brain fog, lethargy, (lack of energy), fat production, poor memory,
I would stay away from iodine supplements, as thyroid needs iodine, but too much
can cause more harm than good, case in point, when you go for a cat scan and you
drink the iodized water, it overloads the thyroid and can and does ireversable damage,
as in my case, I already had half my thyroid removed 15 years ago, 2 cat scans later,
(relunctently) and my thyroid (half) is a mess...still trying to get the right balance
of medicines, as Kel Kel pointed out, doctors monitor TSH as the indicator for the thyroid,
and I'm on his side as far as t4 and t3, something is diffinately wrong if those are normal and
your TSH is high...my TSH was 4.4 range high side was 4.2...my doctor noted it but said it
wasnt too bad, until it hit 12.2....after the second cat scan, I could tell something was wrong,
because of symptoms fore mentioned, again, I would stay clear of iodine supps, you get enough
in diet and table salt to satisfy your thyroid...

forget to mention if you were tested for Thyroperoxidase ab antibodies along with your thyroid panal
and what were the results

**CSI007** · 04-21-2016, 07:52 AM

According to the antibody testing I have Hashimotos. At least the beginning stages. Both tests were positive.

The supplements I am taking that contain iodine are in small quantities. My iodine blood test indicated that I was low. The supplements have brought me just barely up into normal range. I am supplementing T3 and my T3 and reverse T3 are now in what my Doctor considers a good range.

I continue to make progress on the HCG injections. ED symptoms appear to be resolving over time.