I just wrapped up my baseline bloodwork and officially started GH this past Sunday. I'm keeping things simple to start - just 2IU right before bed. So far, the only real side effects were some weird numbness in my left hand for the first couple of days, though that’s gone now. I also noticed I get pretty wiped out and tired right after the injection.
I’m 39, 6'1", 175 lbs, and I'm also running 160mg of test a week. My latest numbers came back with Test at 1309 and Estradiol at 48.
Since I'm pinning at night, I have a few questions about the next round of labs. How long should I wait before testing again to see where my levels are sitting? Also, what specific markers should I be keeping an eye on? On the actual day of the blood draw, should I skip my dose or change the timing at all?
the hand numbness is super common starting out so dont trip. it usually comes and goes until your body gets used to the water retention. if you’re pinning at night just do your labs first thing in the morning fasted - you dont need to skip the dose the night before just keep your routine normal so you see your actual levels.
1309 test is a solid baseline lol. for the gh id wait at least 6-8 weeks before testing igf-1 again... it takes a while to stabilize. definitely keep an eye on your fasted glucose and a1c though since gh can mess with your insulin sensitivity over time.
man i get that same "gh knock out" feeling right after pinning. i actually like it because it helps me pass out faster. id say wait 2 months for bloods. no point in rushing it at 2iu since the changes are pretty subtle at first.
make sure you're checking your prolactin too! sometimes gh can bump that up and that + your e2 being at 48 might start giving you spicy nipples lol. but overall looks like a good start man. 2iu is a great sweet spot for anti-aging and recovery.
just a heads up - since you're 6'1 175 you might actually notice some decent fullness once the gh kicks in properly. for labs just make sure you get a "sensitive" estradiol test next time too. i usually test every 3 months when i swap things up. good luck with the run!
nice man, welcome to the gh club. the hand numbness is super common at the start, usually just some mild water retention hitting the nerves. since you're doing 2iu at night, i'd wait at least 4-6 weeks before testing igf-1. it takes a while for your liver to really catch up and show a stable number on paper.
the fatigue right after the pin is real lol. some people love it because it helps them sleep but i had to switch to morning pins because i felt like a zombie the next day. for labs, definitely keep an eye on your fasted glucose and a1c. gh can mess with your insulin sensitivity over time so you wanna make sure you aren't trending toward pre-diabetic.
if you're pinning at night just keep your schedule the same for labs. don't skip the dose the night before or it'll throw off the igf-1 reading. igf-1 is pretty stable so the exact timing of the draw matters less than it does for regular hgh levels, but i always try to go first thing in the morning fasted just to be consistent.
your test is sitting pretty high at 1309! with the estradiol at 48 you're probably feeling decent but keep an eye on that once the gh water weight kicks in. sometimes that combo can make you look a little soft or "puffy" in the face. as for markers - definitely get igf-1 and maybe a metabolic panel just to be safe.
6'1 and 175? you're gonna love the recovery on this. 2iu is a great sweet spot to start. i'd wait 6 weeks for the next blood draw. don't overthink the timing on the day of the test - as long as you've been consistent with the nightly pins for a few weeks your igf-1 should be a solid reflection of the dose. gl with the run!
