Diagnosed w/Empty Sell PanHypoPituitarism. Given Rx. HGH Price Is Killing Me

[HypoPit]

Hey everyone.

I don't know if I can get any help or not.

I have been feeling terrible for 4 years or so, and have seen many specialists, to no avail. I went to infectious disease specialists, oncologists, rheumatologists, etc.

I finally went to see a board certified endocrinologist, at the urging of my doctor.

Bingo.

I have empty sella syndrome, which means my pituitary gland is partially missing.

I'm in my 30s.

Testosterone was less than 140, IGI-F was 72, TSH was high, and LH was way off. I also had terrible results on the adrenal test (blood and saliva).

I have been feeling much better taking compounded testosterone cream 2x per day and two weeks so far of 5x week Omnitrope injections in my stomach (.4).

I also get testosterone shots (oil based?) 2x per month. Not sure of the dose.

Anyways, if I understand things correctly, at $225 for a 5.8mg vial of Omnitrope, which my insurance has yet to agree to cover, that medication alone is costing me $3,000 per year.

I have read that legitimate HGH (rGHB, to be exact) can cost as little as $2-$3 per IU, which is a hell of a lot cheaper than the $12 per IU I am paying now, and that my insurance company may make me file an appeal over for reimbursement, which could take 90-180 days to finalize.

Can anyone recommend an alternative for me, as I have a prescription for a condition that showed up based on blood testing and MRI, that would less expensive than the Omnitrope?

Feeling better has changed my life. I literally felt like I was dying, and the doctors I was seeing were all baffled.

I finally found a great endo, got a second confirming opinion, and never want to go back to the depths of the health hell I was experiencing.

Thanks for any help.

[bantamweight_B]

PM Deca ,He's the rep here from Spectrum HRT.Might be a better way to go $ wise.
Just my .02
Best of luck!
~B

[HypoPit]

Thanks, bantam.

I really appreciate it.

I'm very new to this. Was just diagnosed by buku blood work and MRI in early December.

Edit - Spelling.

[C-man]

you will need to have a close relationship with a good Endo.

[HypoPit]

you will need to have a close relationship with a good Endo.

C-man, yes. I have a great relationship with him. He even agreed to handle to medication appeal if the insurance company denies it.

He said I'm the worst case, based on my blood levels of testosterone, free testosteron, IGI-F, TSH and LH, that's he's ever seen.

My saliva-adrenal test was also very, very bad.

[C-man]

so he will be OK with you getting your Gear somewhere else?

[HypoPit]

so he will be OK with you getting your Gear somewhere else?

Definitely. He wrote me a script and told me that Costco probably had the lowest price on Omitrope, and that Omnitrope was as effective as Humatrope or Nutropin, despite the lower cost.

[Grunt76]

I do believe that in such a case it would be legal to import say, Hygetropin, which goes for less than $2.00 per iu...

Best to check, but I think it would be OK.

[HypoPit]

I do believe that in such a case it would be legal to import say, Hygetropin, which goes for less than $2.00 per iu...

Best to check, but I think it would be OK.

I've read many cautionary tales about Hygetropin being very fake:

"Lab test: no growth hormone in Hygetropin

There is no growth hormone in the Chinese growth hormone drug Hygetropin. According to an analysis by a certified research laboratory, the results of which Ergo-log has received, Hygetropin contains – wait for it – albumin."

http://www.ergo-log.com/hygetropin.html

[HypoPit]

Okay, it's embarrassing, but I have to admit that I DO NOT understand how to determine what constitutes an IU.

I thought I had, and that with a vial of 5.8mg Omnitrope, each mg of powder essentially constituted an IU, no matter how little or much it be diluted by bacteriostatic water.

So, I had thought that 5.8mg of Omnitrope would amount to 17.4 IUs of HGH, no matter how much or how little bacteriostatic water is added.

Now, I am reading contradicting info.

[Bobaslaw]

IU is an "International Unit" in pharmacology. It is defined as a specified mass of compound that produces a specified amount of biological activity.

Amounts are different between varying compounds.

For HGH, however, 1mg=3IU OR 333mcg per 1IU...

Dont confuse this with volume as many do interchange the acronym improperly. Volume units on an insulin syringe are just that: UNITS.

100 Units of BW is equal to 1cc (1ml).

Using this you can calculate your solution as IU/unit.

Ex: 10IU of GH reconstituted with 1cc (100units) of BW is equal to .1IU/unit OR 1IU per "10 unit mark" on an insulin syringe.

[HypoPit]

Thanks, Bob.

Okay, so the 5.8mg of Omnitrope HGH powder, whether constituted or not with bacteriostatic water, should yield 17.4 IU's of HGH.

IU is an "International Unit" in pharmacology. It is defined as a specified mass of compound that produces a specified amount of biological activity.

Amounts are different between varying compounds.

For HGH, however, 1mg=3IU OR 333mcg per 1IU...

Dont confuse this with volume as many do interchange the acronym improperly. Volume units on an insulin syringe are just that: UNITS.

100 Units of BW is equal to 1cc (1ml).

Using this you can calculate your solution as IU/unit.

Ex: 10IU of GH reconstituted with 1cc (100units) of BW is equal to .1IU/unit OR 1IU per "10 unit mark" on an insulin syringe.

[bantamweight_B]

Thanks, Bob.

Okay, so the 5.8mg of Omnitrope HGH powder, whether constituted or not with bacteriostatic water, should yield 17.4 IU's of HGH.
Correct.

[Grunt76]

Counterfeit hygetropins don't contain GH. But the real ones do. And good GH at that.

[HypoPit]

Just wanted to say that I came across some literature demonstrating that 'every other day' HGH injections actually do more to stimulate the pituitary than 'every day' (for, say, 5 days per week) injections in children who are GH deficient.

This is because the pituitary gland doesn't produce GH in constant, consistent 'batches,' but rather in irregular and not entirely consistent ones.

I am going to discuss this with my Endocrinologist and see if I can benefit from an every other day injection schedule, which might be more effective and save me a little bit of money at the same time.

[jmiller5927]

After a year on HGH at 3iu per day and very little results (also test hrt) I switched to cjc1295 and ghrp-6 to make my own body produce more of its own GH . Cost is around $200 per month about the same as HGH. After 2 weeks weight is up 11 pounds, numb tingling hands , holding water, swollen eyes in the morning, great pumps and extreme full feeling. So far I'd say new protocol is workng way better than old HGH protocol. It seems having my body make more of it's own works better for me at least. You have IGF in your bloodwork so your pituatary works just not as well. Might want to try this .

[HypoPit]

After a year on HGH at 3iu per day and very little results (also test hrt) I switched to cjc1295 and ghrp-6 to make my own body produce more of its own GH . Cost is around $200 per month about the same as HGH. After 2 weeks weight is up 11 pounds, numb tingling hands , holding water, swollen eyes in the morning, great pumps and extreme full feeling. So far I'd say new protocol is workng way better than old HGH protocol. It seems having my body make more of it's own works better for me at least. You have IGF in your bloodwork so your pituatary works just not as well. Might want to try this .

Interesting. Thanks. Checking out GHRP now.

[Bobaslaw]

Interesting. Thanks. Checking out GHRP now.

GHRH and/or GHRP analogs may not be your best bet given your condition, however this is not difinitive without more information or testing.

In your condition of empty sella syndrome, pituitary function can be comprmised to varying degrees, both in over and underproduction of anterior/posterior pituitary hormones (prolactin, lh/fsh, tsh, gh, vasopressin)

For instance, in your case, with focus primarily on pituitary somatotroph population may be impacted, thus your somatotrophs have a less then adequate total GH release response to endogenous hypothalamic GHRH.
If this is the case, you will not have much luck with a better response to the same hormones applied exogenously, thus direct GH therapy is the course of action in cases where a grave pituitary deficiency keeps one from producing proper endogenous GH.

I am not certain if your endo went as far as giving you a GHRH/Arginine Pituitary stimulation test. This is usually done to determine if your pituitary somatotrophs even have the potential to secrete adequate GH.

Knowing the results of this stim test would give you the best information as to whether considering exogenous GHRH analogs (Tetrasubstituted GRF 1-29, CJC-1295, sermorelin) is even an option.

This would also apply to the possible use of GHRPs, as you need adequate pit function to have either or a combination of these secretagogues give you any reasonable benefit.

Good luck with everything.

Take Care.

[C-man]

Great post BOB!

[HypoPit]

GHRH and/or GHRP analogs may not be your best bet given your condition, however this is not difinitive without more information or testing.

In your condition of empty sella syndrome, pituitary function can be comprmised to varying degrees, both in over and underproduction of anterior/posterior pituitary hormones (prolactin, lh/fsh, tsh, gh, vasopressin)

For instance, in your case, with focus primarily on pituitary somatotroph population may be impacted, thus your somatotrophs have a less then adequate total GH release response to endogenous hypothalamic GHRH.
If this is the case, you will not have much luck with a better response to the same hormones applied exogenously, thus direct GH therapy is the course of action in cases where a grave pituitary deficiency keeps one from producing proper endogenous GH.

I am not certain if your endo went as far as giving you a GHRH/Arginine Pituitary stimulation test. This is usually done to determine if your pituitary somatotrophs even have the potential to secrete adequate GH.

Knowing the results of this stim test would give you the best information as to whether considering exogenous GHRH analogs (Tetrasubstituted GRF 1-29, CJC-1295, sermorelin) is even an option.

This would also apply to the possible use of GHRPs, as you need adequate pit function to have either or a combination of these secretagogues give you any reasonable benefit.

Good luck with everything.

Take Care.

Bob, I am seeing my endo this Wednesday, and I appreciate your post very much as it gave me a lot of food for thought, and I now have a new list of questions for him.

Thanks.

[monkey1978]

I've read many cautionary tales about Hygetropin being very fake:

"Lab test: no growth hormone in Hygetropin

There is no growth hormone in the Chinese growth hormone drug Hygetropin. According to an analysis by a certified research laboratory, the results of which Ergo-log has received, Hygetropin contains – wait for it – albumin."

http://www.ergo-log.com/hygetropin.html

that is a pic of a fake hygetropin box it has no anti counterfeiting label. i have had my hygetropin tested in a lab in wales and it came out at 7.8 ius of hgh supposed to be 8 ius but thats not bad is it

[Grunt76]

that is a pic of a fake hygetropin box it has no anti counterfeiting label. i have had my hygetropin tested in a lab in wales and it came out at 7.8 ius of hgh supposed to be 8 ius but thats not bad is it

It is VERY bad. For that website saying there is no GH in Hygetropin. :becky: