New TRT/growth hormone peptide questions, 31 male

[Ash_beckham88]

**First let me say i am totally ignorant to testosterone, peptides, and steroids in general. So i am asking here at the advice of pms i received after posting on both the TRT and Peptide subreddits because people said you guys would be more knowledgeable. **

I also copy/posted 5his from reddit to get more advice. I feel like i am being pulled in different directions from people who know the wcience but arnt my doctors

My research doctor said he hopes to bring my testosterone which is around the 100s to at the very least 700+ on a regular basis. (not sure what he wants my free value to be, but whatever coorelates with that). **Just in case its not elsewhere in this thread i am 5 foot 9, early 30s, and 302 pounds.

I also have high estradiol which is about 66, (quest range is normal below 39) so we are concerned about that. We talked about being put on an Aromitase inhinbitor but I have read bad things online and I'm not sure if I should do it? But obviously something is going on with that high of estradiol.

I also have low Vitamin d,25 at 16 (30-100 range), DESPITE, being on prescription strength supplements prescribed for a month. I believe they are 50,000 IU or so per week? But for some reason after a month my vitamin D didn't increase so my doctor is doubling the dosage.

My liver enzyme values AST and ALT are normal despite being fatty liver in the past. Through diet and excercise those level are expected to lower.

Here are some of my other labs that are concerning as to why GH peptides and anti-inflammatory peptides are recommended for me.

First, I would be given glutathione and anti-inflammatory peptides after my first 3 months of testosterone to make sure my cholesterol and triglycerides are reduced to more normal levels and measure the lost of weight. he doesn't want to do the growth hormone peptides if this doesn't happen

Bloodwork

Cholesterol total-206

HDL-31

Triglycerides-261 (Some of the peptides specifically target triglycerides and mine seem to be extremely high. What can I do diet wise to reduce triglycerides in a fast and thorough way that is sustainable and keep it off?

LDL-135

CHOL/HDLC RATIO-6.6

NON HDL CHOLESTEROL-175

LDL PARTICLE NUMBER-1732 (HIGH RISK>1409)

LDL SMALL-507 (HIGH >219) LDL MEDIUM-459 (HIGH >301) HDL LARGE-4168 (HIGH < 5353)

LDL PATTERN-B (RISK HIGH =B) LDL PEAK SIZE-213.3 (HIGH <217.4)

APOLOPOPROTEIN B-120 (<90)

LIPOPROTEIN(a)-13 (good range, <75)

HS CRP Cardio IQ- 5.8 (optimal <1)

LP PLA2 ACITIVITY-120 (good range, <123)

So those are my additional labs if those help, i will add those to my main post as well.

The doctors at John's hopkins don't know right now why I am unable to build muscle mass or lose weight. I was put on a number of extreme dietary changes. First and foremost my weight loss is obviously most important since i am over 300 pounds at 5 foot 9. They started with 1000 calories a day on a intermittent fasting of 8 hours eating and 16 hours fasting for 3 months. I had some results in the loss of 5 - 10 pounds but I should lose far more than that.

They will be doing a full genetic workup to determine and rule out and genetic problems and pituatary gland issues that prevent me from losing weight. but these results wont be back for some time.

The rational regarding the growth hormone peptides is to prevent burning muscle that I do have and so I can increase calories little by little and increase weight lifting so I can create muscle to burn fat. A sort of "aid" if you will.

I am currently being treated with the following...

1. i just got my HCG injection that calls for... OLY HCG 10,000 IU PWVL VIAL, MIX WITH 5ML DILUENT, INJECT 0.25CC SUBCUTANEOUDLY 3 TIMES PER WEEK.

**MY MAIN ISSUE IS IF THIS IS SAFE AND BENEFICISL IN SOME WAY RRGARDLESS OF PRICE BECAUSE I SAVED UP FOR IT. IT IS EXPENSIVE, HOWEVER, BUT I AM WILLING TO GO THROUGH HOPKINS RESEARCH HOSPITAL TO HELP UNDERSTAND AND TREAT MY INABILITY TO LOSE WEIGHT (AND GAIN WEIGHT) AS WELL AS NOT GAIN MUSCLE FROM HEAVY WEIGHT TRAINING**


2.Along with this i will be taking 80mg twice weekly of testosterone (received 160mg two days ago and received an immediate mood boost). As well as the glutathione at some point here I believe.

Now the next step would be to be put on Anti Inflammatory Peptides -2 weeks or 4 weeks, There are 2 daily injections and a pill you take daily Thymosin Alpha 1, Thymosin Beta 4, and BPC 157.

3. The last step would be growth hormone peptides
CJC 1295 is an injection done 3times a day, 6 days a week. Tesamorelin is a 1 time daily injection 6 days a week.

My doctors want me to be on these peptides first before i try the growth hormone and the Tesamorelin.

So obviously i am new and need guidance. Sorry for long post. But i need guidance and help from others who have been through this

Thanks so much and have a great day!

 

[Jin]

There’s a lot to unpack here.

Firstly, if you are being treated at John’s Hopkins that’s one of the best hospitals in the US. So their advice should be heeded. You can run stuff by us if you want.

Are you saying a John’s Hopkins doctor is wanting to put you on those peptides? This sounds more akin to a clinic doctor.

Can you just write out your questions so we can answer directly?

welcome. Your life is going to get way better but it may take some time to get settled in.

 

[Ash_beckham88]

**FIRST SORRY IF I DOUBLE POSTED I ACCIDENTALLY HIT REPLY THREAD AND QUICK REPLY. IF BOTH POSTS SHOW I WILL DELETE ONE. THANKS**

Thanks for response. I am indeed being treated at Johns Hopkins. I apologize for not being clear.

My main issue is that the doctor wants to put me on an AI, arimidex first with testosterone due to high estrogen, then anti inflammatory peptides first, then growth hormone peptides and I believe I put those specific ones in my post. I have been asking around and I am getting two very different opinions, both from doctors before this johns hopkins doc decided to help me and regular body builder/weight loss specialists.

1. I have been taken on and off testosterone several times before this doctor finally decided to use injections and the difference was nearly immediate as I described. Better mood, etc. This will be my second week on it. So I think I am fine on the testosterone end of things.

However, several doctors (and bodybuilders/weight loss people specialists not associated with the hospital) at johns hopkins are giving me different opinions about Arimidex.

My main doctor wants me on it because of my high estrogen level. My endocrinologist doesnt want me on it because she doesn't want to mess with my hormones in my early 30s. In other words shes more conservative in that regard.

Some of the non doctors who are helping me lose weight also dont want me to be on arimidex. I looked online and it seems like aromitase inhibitors are a hotly debated topic and I have no idea what to do.

I suppose ill follow my main doctor's advice and take the arimidex due to my high estrogen, but i just dont understand why people and my endocringologist is so against me from lowering my estrogen if it is high?

2.my second question is more broad in regards to growth hormone peptides. A lot of the "bro science" people tell me online and in person that I dont need the ones I listed.

Im not well educated on the matter so i figured id ask here for a better opinion. What should i expect with the growth hormone peptides i listed?

More importantly, should I ask for better or different peptides for my goal of weight loss and muscle growth?

A lot of the "bro science" people say i should be able to do the weight loss and muscle growth on my own, but **i wouldn't be treated at Johns Hopkins** if that was the case, being told " you need these peptides to help you in addition to testosterone"

This has been an over 10 year battle. In that time my weight has ballooned from around 150 to 300. My testosterone has never been "normal" for my age and a majority of the time its been in the 100s since i was around 19.

So i guess my main issue is what should i ask regarding better peptides to aid in weight loss/muscle mass in addition to what they are going to use in the future.

Thanks so much for reading! And thanks for being so kind and accepting me to this community. That is something other online forums haven't done well for me. Have a great day!

 

[Jin]

First off, let me just say that what you’ve had to deal With for years absolutely sucks.

Secondly, you are very welcome here and I’m sad to hear other communities didn’t welcome you.

Here is my .02.

Listen to your primary doctor. There are no red flags that I see. I find it strange that somebody at his level of practice would recommend peptides, but I’m not going to put my amateur opinion over an MD at Hopkins.

As far as your goals of leaning out and gaining muscle: if your testosterone levels are sufficient (not hypogonadal) you should be good to go. I do cycle steroids but I’ve been on trt for 6 months and can maintain a lean 255 physique with total testosterone levels around 600. Nothing fancy or excessive.

Take the adex. I do. There’s a lot of misinformation about the nature of elevated e2 levels out there. Recently I’ve been fighting that ignorance on this board.

Not sure why your Endo would be worried about adex messing with your hormones whilst you’re on trt. They’re already being manipulated.

Peptides aren’t going to get you big and lean. Optimize your test levels and the rest is training and diet. There is no magic formula. Hard work, consistency and years.

 

[Ash_beckham88]

Thanks so much for your message. Is adex the aromitase inhibitor? Sorry for my ignorance.

Also is there a reason why you mention doctors at his level not script peptides as you say? Is this not a common thing? Should I worry about that? Could this contribute to why some people are telling me not to go on growyh hormone peptides in general?

Again, i really appreciate your help.

I would be interested in others willing to offer advice on specific growth hormone peptides because they are quite costly and my insurance wont pay for it.

And my main goal, i would like to tell you is weight loss, getting back to my normal weight (at least 180, 5 foot 9) while being lean (which i never was). My doctor chose this ""weight"" so as to gain lean muscle mass which i never have been able to do so despite being trained by a virginia tech linebacker and doctor (so it wasn't like some guy who was a typical bro science guy who didnt go to medical school.)

Thanks again, you have been one of the nicest people online to help me. I look forward to meeting others on here who can help me like you. Thanks!

 

[956Vette]

You'll need to maintain an extreme level of control when it comes time for gh peptides. Your docs sound like studs btw. Best wishes, GL!!!

CJC-1295 (/Sermorelin), assumed to be a fast acting GHRH (growth hormone releasing hormone), it's sure to disappoint you (subtle results, high pain in the ass injection schedule factor). Then watch out, it's a slippery slope if/when a GHRH+GHRP peptide blend is recommended...Sermorelin/Ipamorelin is a possible combo which could offer minimal results (w/ easily controlled side effects, namely the appetite increase). Degenerate disaster would surely occur when dieting, CJC-1295/GHRP-6/GHRP-2 growth hormone peptide blends will make you eat. Ibutamorelin (MK-677, oral growth hormone) makes me ravenously get out of bed to eat everything.... In the end, probably go ahead and save money and stress by avoiding (gh) peptides.

Lastly, cannot be on a budget to utilize thymosin beta-4 (TB-500), it's one of those money is no object polypeptide hormones. Hard to beat legit generic HGH & TB-500, those are usually on my wish-list.

 

[Ash_beckham88]

Ok Vette, thanks so much for the post. See this is one of the things that makes me confused. It seems like when I get to the point of taking Growth Hormone Peptide, its not worth it because the bad things outweigh the good things?

Is that what you are saying or am I not understanding correctly? I apologize if I am ignorant about this.

Or are you saying that they are good but to fully utilize them, I have to have a great deal of self control? I am just confused because you make it seems like they made good options for me, haha. But it seems like it would be hard to do.

And that makes me worried, haha.

Is that right or am I completely wrong? Sorry for my ignorance.

Thanks so much! Have a great day!

 

[956Vette]

Pardon my drama filled peptide post, I get carried away easily on the subject! Allow me the opportunity to turn my attitude around. Good news is, you'll know rather quickly if you like gh peptides (or mk-677) and they're typically cheap, when purchased online/underground (there's almost no fraud beyond the branding buying online). It's easy to spend hundreds monthly via the compounding pharmacy/doctor (& see close to zero result) vs. paying $100 for a few months supply from the underground. Ipamorelin and Sermorelin are not intimidating peptides, as long as you keep the dose low and dose often, could add equity to your strategy.

If I may ramble on, there's an intelligence test regarding gh peptides, basically anyone advocating HGH fragment is not your friend and just wants your money (or to keep you off drugs and provide a harmless placebo). HGH fragments (for fat loss), while a great search engine draw, total garbage products, guaranteed letdown.

 

[Ash_beckham88]

Thanks for your response, I really appreciate it!

So before being accepted treatment at my current facility, I went for consultations to practically every TRT clinic in the baltimore and Washington DC area. No TRT clinic offered straight HGH and all offered these HGH peptides which, as you know, are the most expensive option.

Ive consulted with 6 clinics before going to the hospital. They all offered two specific peptides with the same proticol: CJC 1295 done 3 times a day, 6 days a week. Tesamorelin, 1 time daily injection 6 days a week

These two HGH peptides were priced at over $3,500 for 3 months supply.

So just so im clear, these hgh peptides are super over priced and dont have nearly the effect they claim to in terms of fat loss, muscle gain easier, and restful sleep as advertised?

The hospital im being treated in offers these same peptides at a similar price but they aren't pushing me to buy them like the private TRT clinics were.

So ill take your advice and not go with them. I really appreciate sharing your knowledge with me.

I just wish there was a way to get actual HGH help. I have no idea where people go when it comes to "underground" help with HGH. All the clinics and johns hopkins have all been extremely adamant that they cant and wont scribe straight HGH, as Im sure you know already.

By the way people talk about it, it seems to be by far the best add on to TRT therapy with testosterone. I just wish there was a way for me to know body builders or people who take it, so I would know where to go to get it.

Anyways, thanks again! Have a great day and thanks for being so helpful!