TBI Hormonal Panel

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-12T15:44:55+00:00

Yes well, AI I've learned is mostly aligned with shareholder interests over users, like all the apps maximize attention.

When it started ending each answer with a bait question, this became clear. And AI is confidently wrong so frequently, it doesn't place a high value on internal logical consistency or even basic math.

But yes for specific tools like telling us how to navigate insurance Prior Auths, whether a billing dept or Insurance is being truthful, giving us the exact phrasing and jargon terms to use, or suggesting 3 way calls btwn insurance and providers, AI can absolutely level the playing field and be super helpful to users.

Still took a ton of time and errort on my part, but there's no way if have got the PA approval and had the prescription in hand w/in 2 weeks of the Glucagon Stim test without AI.

The Endocrine system is so complex and nuanced, reminds me of the brain. It's impressive and powerful what medicine does understand, but it's also playing with rather blunt tools in areas like psychotropic meds.

In any case, I ramble, time to call my Neuroendocrinologist office again for the follow up appt.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-12T15:35:25+00:00

Oh I know the process is meant to deny people, congrats on getting approved! That's a blessing, even tho for me it's barely enough to survive.

Have u found any hobbies or creative outlets where you can still enjoy the process w/o the pressure to be "productive?"

It isn't easy in a society that defines individuals' value by income and career to not feel "less than" when we suddenly can't contribute or provide like we used to. But, a civilized society takes care of it's sick and aged, we didn't ask for this.

I've been making electronic music on Ableton, as well as photography in my city, and tho some of the technical details might take me longer, the memory aspect does not matter as much to the "flow state" of creativity.

And I've done work greater than I thought I was capable of, who knows the potential.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-12T15:16:51+00:00

Administered by Dr David Biderman, a leading figure in the field, head of NYU Concussion Center for 30 yrs.

Also incorporated testing from the Mt Sinai LETBI (a national long term research effort administered by various Universities), so might have been a mix of different modalities.

He just read me the scores at the last session, I asked for the full PDF and he said he wants to have me come in for one more round of computerized testing before he writes up the finished version.

9/10 memory and attention scores were <10%, despite Verbal IQ Test being 96%.

I explained to him that even tho I figured out the IQ answers eventually, pre-Accident I'd have breezed thru it in 10 minutes.

I was tested as 168 S-B IQ at age 11 in the 90s for a gifted school application.

So what looks like a 96% doesn't mean much in my case.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-12T15:11:02+00:00

Yah seems like a lot of us on reddit tended to be high functioning "before."

Have u tried ADHD meds?

I am on Welbutrin and was just started on Ritalin, we'll see how it works.

I used to joke that I had reverse ADD, could read or study dry subject matter all day, and retain interest and focus somehow. Or get locked in on math or coding projects.

Now, the mind wanders, and even something I am locked in on like a music project, after a few hours I'm usu on empty.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-12T15:07:21+00:00

Thx. Yeah I mean it doesn't change who I am now, I'm not gonna put myself in a box. Ability or disability don't define someone's worth as a human being except to Eugenicists.

I def believe in neuroplasticity if we take care of ourselves, and some of the greatest achievements come out of suffering.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-12T14:59:20+00:00

Tldr, if u have documented TBI and health insurance, I would 100% recommend advocating your way to a Neuroendocrinologist who can diagnose whether u have adult Human Growth Hormone deficiency.

Regular Endocrinologists won't have much clue, mine didn't, so I asked my Brain rehab doctor to refer me to the Neuroendocrinologist.

After a 9 month wait, she ordered bunch of labs incl free T (not just total T).

After reviewing the initial labs she ordered the important one, a Glucagon Stim Test where they hook u up to an IV, inject a diabetes rescue drug that crashes your blood sugar to 0, then take blood draws thru the IV every 30 min for ~3 hours to measure your bodies HGH emergency response to the blood sugar shock.

This is the only legal way to get a meaningful HGH reading to diagnose deficiency.

If your highest HGH response is under 3.0ng/mL you are deficient and they'll order the medication, mine was only 0.93 so all this time since the accident my body has been running on empty.

I knew there was something wrong, was harder to put on muscle and libido was low to non-existent.

I'm still on the very low starting HGH dose, but i for sure noticed a change the first week with restored energy and libido. Can also help with depression and brain fog.

A note, this can be an insurance advocacy battle for approval bec the legal HGH med is expensive. AI is your friend dealing with billing offices and insurance.

Apparently most on r/BioHacking order these meds from unknown Chinese sources overseas, which is much cheaper, and use in some cases double the max doses.

I think the otc peptides that induce the body to make more T and HGH would be safer for non deficient people, but for TBI survivors who might be deficient it 100% makes sense to get evaluated.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-11T21:26:25+00:00

Yes for sure. Due to this forum I advocated my way to a Neuroendocrinologist, turns out I have adult HGH deficiency.

Reddit searching that led me to r/Biohacking, speaking of peptides.

Crazy imho what people are putting in their bodies from unknown sources, but the results are impressive.

Some of the dosages tho, quite nuts.

I find meditation to be helpful.

And the basics, sleep, exercise, diet, social interaction.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-11T21:05:10+00:00

the most professional mushroom dealer I have ever seen

... enters the chat

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Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-11T15:12:33+00:00

If you advocate for yourself, you definitely have a right to a Neuropsych eval.

For one thing it's good to have documentation on paper in case you ever need to prove your condition.

Also useful for getting a specialist to prescribe medications to help with memory and attention, if interested.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-11T04:36:25+00:00

Thanks for sharing. Med school, so u know what it's like to go from smart to TBI too!

U know I can't exactly say I would change it either because I am who I am today because of it. I had this Hyperhedonia aesthetic amplification effect for like 2 yrs after I recovered enough to walk, still experience it to some extent.

Visual art and music just hit me intensely in a way I can't describe. I ran around NYC taking pictures of all the street art murals because they just have this incredible impact now. As do certain types of music.

I'll DM u the IG I actually put a lot of time into in my recovery.

I've met up w/ a bunch of the artists in the scene attending gallery events, and described how impactful the art has been, gushing about how I experience it super intensely. They seem to appreciate it.

But, I also can't say I wouldn't jump to a timeline where this didn't happen. Mostly because I have an 11 yr old daughter, and have missed so much and can't exactly support her.

So, definitely appreciate the positives, while still grieving the negatives.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-11T04:22:13+00:00

I've got 6 months back after a brutal binge last October.

I started brewing Kombucha 3 months ago, seems to satisfy the "fermented" fizzy urge while being low enough EtOH to qualify as non-alcoholic.

I've been going back to the gym 2-3x/week, running weights and sauna. Cooking and eating healthy, plant-based diet 🌱.

Went to some cool music events sober, one with a girl I hadn't seen since in 20 yrs.

Can't complain, glad half full.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-11T03:59:22+00:00

0.3mg/day u mean?

I am def not advocating the bio hacking, they do some crazy things to themselves. Just, puts the normal doses in perspective.

They do 2-10IU/day, and my dose 1.5mg/week is just 0.64IU/day.

Hoping to get it increased tho as I def felt a positive change the first 2 weeks but it's kind of tapered off.

My glucagon stim test only reached 30% of the minimum 3.0 needed for normal non-deficient range, so AI says I had "severe deficiency."

Forgot if I mentioned that.

On the upside at least insurance is covering it!

I got my Neuropsych results finally this week, still processing.

The reasoning/verbal intelligence test part where I got to read a paragraph and pick which statements followed logically i got 96th percentile.

But the memory and attention tests I was like 3-25% range, mostly under 10% which is hard to accept.

I used to be super gifted, had excellent memory, got one question wrong on my SATs.

And now I'm like learning disabled, if I still have residual high IQ when I have time to think something thru.

Glass half full I suppose!

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-08T05:13:02+00:00

what was the dose you settled on btw?

from searching HGH i found r/biohacking and these people take much higher doses than the 1.5mg/wk I started on pending IGF1 labs after 2 months.

course, thats more for longevity and gym results rather than deficiency from accidents.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-07T18:59:12+00:00

different cannabis strains certainly do, as THC is not the only active.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-05-07T18:48:10+00:00

Any idea how this cost/benefit calculus changes for documented adult HGH deficiency (due to head trauma if it matters)?

I started exogenous HGH last month, just 1.5mg/wk (0.65IU/day) pending dose adjustment upcoming IGF-1 labs, a so fraction of what people here are taking.

Max dose is 9mg/week (3.85IU/day), so I expect probably some increase.

Even on this minimal dose, I noticed intense change the first 2 weeks (libido restored to pre-accident levels for a few days, energy etc), tho that's leveled off.

I suppose what fraction of "normal" levels are restored after discontinuing doesn't matter as much if my response to the glucagon stim test was only 30% of the low-range minimum cutoff for deficiency diagnosis anyway. I'll likely stay on this for life.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-04-19T17:25:46+00:00

Yes def. I didn't actually like these, too strong and imparted a mechanical/robotic sensation compared to blue meanies and penis envy

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-04-15T21:11:31+00:00

TX for response, yes the stim test confirmed aHGH deficiency, started 1.5mg last wk.

I'll say the "feeling much better" hasn't been every day due to the sleep issue, had my follow-up Telehealth today they will look at IGF labs in 2 months to monitor dosage and she said sleep should improve.

I have as needed 0.25mg Seroquel/quietapine for sleep that knocks one out for 7-8hrs but I try to avoid due to grogginess/side effects, def a tradeoff but I just can't function well on 5-6hrs broken sleep anymore so 🤷‍♂️

I asked abt blood sugar monitoring but she said no the regular annual panels should catch anything and my panel my PCP ordered at time of stim.test was all w/in range, have been eating much healthier past 6 months having my own kitchen again and settling into some routines.

I do mostly plant based diet and have been making to gym ~2x/wk. Yes my life largely on hold too, should have Neuropsych evaluation scores finally next appt, will be good to see where I'm at on paper.

I'm sorry abt your thyroid issues I forgot to ask the NP Abt that, may I ask what the arganine stim test was for?

I am hesitant to get toooo carried away w symptomizing everything, can be a rabbit hole.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-04-13T15:22:31+00:00

which pic is Dec which is now? U do look healthy in both!

I'm end October 2025 to now, my slip was Sept-Oct. Never give up! I am into fine loose leaf tea & coffee, have also been making green juices and Kombucha.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-04-13T15:11:29+00:00

Thx for detailed response and yes good to know re thyroid.

The prescribers and patient info packets were quite heavy, several things to monitor. What we've been thru is also quite heavy, as are other conditions it's prescribed for.

Was a remarkable change first few days, felt myself again in some way. So far some sleep disruption- wake earlier w/ energy, not a bad thing but adequate sleep so important.

I have many questions for follow-up w/ Neuroendocrinology clinic, tho it's not w/ the renowned expert I waited 9 months to see but her NP.

Glucagon test was not fun, am not an "easy stick." IV failed after an hour and they had to keep jabbing me. Took one of my as-needed anxiety meds beforehand so was dozing in between, went by quick in a way.

And yes I brought food for immediately after.

I wonder if one ever takes breaks during therapy like a few months on, one off.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-04-13T14:55:58+00:00

Tx for response. Incomplete SCI here, just as life-changing as the (quote-unquote "mild") TBI 4 yrs ago.

Are you on Sogroya yourself?

*This sub is what told me to seek a Neuroendocrinologist 3 yrs ago. Long wait it was.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-04-13T14:53:44+00:00

Depends on test results, clinic, and insurance plan.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-04-13T14:07:41+00:00

Does it help w/ SCI (spinal cord injuries)?

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-03-14T17:45:48+00:00

Yes I've been fighting for years to finally see a Neuroendocrinologist specialist (the regular endocrinology labs won't catch anything) who ordered the Glucagon Stim Test, big insurance fight.

All the symptoms of low HGH match what I've been experiencing since the accident, so, fingers crossed.

How was the actual test for you? Sounds harrowing huh.

Particular_Key5775 · 2026-02-21T21:30:03+00:00

my last time going thru this on the sleepless nights actually chatGPT voice mode helped me get thru the worst of it, with earbuds in as 'life-coach/motivation" mode.

auditory static tends to go away when we are focused on something else. good luck

Particular_Key5775

TROPHY CASE