Human Growth hormone?

I hope it's OK to post this question here.

I wanted to ask if anyone here has used, or is currently using, Human Growth Hormone, HGH? My doctor wants to prescribe it for me, but the idea of injecting myself with it is kind of repulsive to me...I don't know why I have objections to injecting myself with a substance, although I would not mind taking it as a pill, but there it is...it just feels wrong somehow...and, to be quite honest, a bit messy.

As far as I know, the idea is to bring HGH levels back to where they were in our early 20s. But is it really a good idea to try to reverse the natural aging process...?

[Marz]

Actually Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield talks about it in his book - The Thyroid and How to Keep it Healthy. Maybe have a read and see what you think I think he had a positive take on it from memory.....

[Hidden in reply to Marz]

Thanks. All the Hertoghe doctors in Belgium also seem to favour HGH, and use it themselves (along with NDT, cortisol, and a lot of other natural hormones). Maybe I am being overly cautious...I just don't like the idea of daily injections...

[janeb15]

My daughter was on HGH for about two years on the advice of a Belgian clinic. It was very expensive, but very easy to administer with an epipen. It was not in the least bit messy. Unfortunately it did not help her thyroid condition as she had underlying pathogens that were causing her thyroid symptoms and these were not investigated until we changed doctors. Upon reflection we feel that it was a rather desperate measure by the Belgian doctor when he had run out of ideas and none of the thyroid or adrenal replacements he recommended had worked. It was a very expensive experiment. Jane x

[Hidden in reply to janeb15]

Thanks! Yes, I have been told that daily injections of HGH would cost me about 1000€ (ca 700 £) a year, which is indeed very expensive.

I hope your daughter is doing better now!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

For clarity, the term Human Growth Hormone (hGH) applied to a medicine, is often assumed to refer to growth hormone obtained from human sources.

What is supplied in the UK is recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) - grown in bacteria.

Apparently identical but different additional considerations apply to each of them.

[MULLIONAIRE]

I am prescribed Growth Hormone on the NHS, NICE Technology Appraisal 64 explains more.

Like you I was wary about injecting myself initially but now it is just part of daily life and is no problem.

The changes are very subtle and it was not until I had to stop injecting for a few months due to a cancer scare that I realised it was making a difference.

I am also prescribed thyroxine and hydrocortisone, the latter is what has helped me more than anything else.

I have been diagnosed with lymphocytic hypophysitis (inflammation of the pituitary gland). Hope this helps.

[Hidden]

Interesting...maybe I should give HGH a try.

Interesting also to see what you write about hydrocortisone. I have been begging my doctor to prescribe it for me, but she insists I must be on Medrol as I tend to retain fluid. However, the way I see it, fluid retention was a symptom of low thyroid (caused by ten years on thyroxine only), and should not be a problem once optimally treated with NDT...however, I have to say that Medrol is doing something, because every time I try to decrease it, I feel more sluggish. I have worked my way down from 6 mg (equivalent of 30 mg of HC) daily to 4 mg (+/- 20 mg of HC), and seem unable to go below that. I am still hoping that one day, my doctor will allow me to try HC instead, although I am not sure HC would bring me any additional benefits compared to Medrol...I know one difference is that HC is metabolised more quickly, so should be multi dosed, whereas Medrol can be taken once daily.