Anyone with libido and erection issues on TRT

[Young at heart]

I'm been on TRT for four months. At the beginning I was taking 140 mg test cyp in divided doses twice a week and HCG 250 twice a week. I felt good but libido and erections were not good. Then I took 160mg test cyp in divided doses twice a week and my libido and erections didn't improve. Then I red that for guys with high SHBG is better once a week injection than twice a week. So I'm been injecting 150mg test cyp once a week for two weeks now, and still the same. I will drop the HCG and take test cyp, because I don't think HCG is good for guys with high SHBG. I also take supplements to lower SHBG and to increase blood flow into my penis like: boron, nettle, cetruline, vitaminD3, Magnesium, maca, sermorelin sublingual, fish oil. I'm losing hope, maybe I just have to give up and become a monk.

 

[Vince Carter]

One of the largest, ummm, misconceptions is that HRT (or Testosterone) = erections and that's just not true. there's too many other ancillary things that guys find out on this road, things like Thyroid problems, Adrenal problems, poor circulation...you can pick any myriad and combination of things that could be wrong.
If you'd post all your labs with the ranges, we could have a fair conversation on these other possibilities.

 

[ERO]

TRT is nearly always "sold" as providing a strong libido and rock-hard erections. As those of us that have been on TRT for awhile have found out, that is rarely the case. Nearly all of us are still using PDE5 inhibitors, N.O. stacks and in some cases Tri-Mix or Quad-Mix.

Please do post all labs that you have though as that will definitely help the discussion.

 

[Mountain Man]

I'm been on TRT for four months. At the beginning I was taking 140 mg test cyp in divided doses twice a week and HCG 250 twice a week. I felt good but libido and erections were not good. Then I took 160mg test cyp in divided doses twice a week and my libido and erections didn't improve. Then I red that for guys with high SHBG is better once a week injection than twice a week. So I'm been injecting 150mg test cyp once a week for two weeks now, and still the same. I will drop the HCG and take test cyp, because I don't think HCG is good for guys with high SHBG. I also take supplements to lower SHBG and to increase blood flow into my penis like: boron, nettle, cetruline, vitaminD3, Magnesium, maca, sermorelin sublingual, fish oil. I'm losing hope, maybe I just have to give up and become a monk.

Agree with responses thus far. My doctor told me upfront that erections may not return on their own, and in my case he was right. Libido, however, has skyrocketed and has been very high for over a year. I continue to take daily low dose cialis and viagra 50 when I am planning to have sex. Before, I had the same ED thing going on, but the improved libido makes me want it more and the combination of increased desire and the pde5 use has made sex better than any time in my life. I should add that my situation may be different, as I am 63 years old. My regimen is just 100mg test cyp per week. No hcg or AI, and it has been a game changer. I've always worked out hard, since 1967, but I feel great. Great sex 5 times per week, so I could care less that I need pde5s.

i think too many guys have unrealistic expectations of TRT. I see guys here posting questions about anxiety, depression, ED, assertiveness etc, expecting that a shot or two of test a week will be the magic bullet. It's not. There are other factors in all of these. I think TRT for sexual issues is problematic as so much of sex is in the mind and is influenced by the quality of your relationship with your partner. I'm married 30 years, and I am certain this has enabled me to build a relations that allows me to enjoy the sexual benefits of TRT.

Talk to your doctor. Maybe lower your expectations a bit. Are you working out? Do you have a partner you've built a relationship and a sexual rapport with? How's your confidence about your sexual performance? Is every romp in the hay a make or break event, or is simply two people who care about each other enjoying one of life's greatest pleasures?

My wife and I have the attitude that sex is a team sport kind of thing. We have fun with it. It keeps us connected, keeps her in shape, and is a lot of laughs. Would sex be this great off TRT? No, I know this, as since on TRT we've gone from once to twice per week to this. PDe5s aren't the worse thing. Funny that guys will take TRT willingly, but balk at the idea of cialis or viagra. Don't be that guy. Talk to you prescriber and don't overthink and over complicate this.

 

[Jinzang]

I may be in the minority, but my erection problem was resolved through TRT. So there is hope. The doctors say ED is usually a problem of poor blood flow, so I would think the program suggested by Dr. Esselstyn in Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease would work for ED as well. But I have no personal reason to try it out.

 

[Leesto]

For me TRT brought back the ability but not the reliability or the duration. I went from no function at all to functioning sometimes. I had not had morning wood in at least 20 years but with TRT I get it now and then. TRT improved things in the ED department but was not a complete reversal. I now use trimix for guaranteed erections and duration.

 

[CoastWatcher]

Erectile and libidinal issues are amongst the final things that are balanced as TRT unfolds. In my case, libido was restored before erectile issues sorted themselves out. It took a number of protocol modifications for it all to come together, and I introduced daily Cialis as an adjunctive support for erections to finally reach the point I find myself today - very, very pleased. But it did take time. I know it seems like an eternity, but four months isn't that long when traveling the hormone highway. I would not assume that you're unlikely to make progress in this area.

 

[madman]

Agree with responses thus far. My doctor told me upfront that erections may not return on their own, and in my case he was right. Libido, however, has skyrocketed and has been very high for over a year. I continue to take daily low dose cialis and viagra 50 when I am planning to have sex. Before, I had the same ED thing going on, but the improved libido makes me want it more and the combination of increased desire and the pde5 use has made sex better than any time in my life. I should add that my situation may be different, as I am 63 years old. My regimen is just 100mg test cyp per week. No hcg or AI, and it has been a game changer. I've always worked out hard, since 1967, but I feel great. Great sex 5 times per week, so I could care less that I need pde5s.

i think too many guys have unrealistic expectations of TRT. I see guys here posting questions about anxiety, depression, ED, assertiveness etc, expecting that a shot or two of test a week will be the magic bullet. It's not. There are other factors in all of these. I think TRT for sexual issues is problematic as so much of sex is in the mind and is influenced by the quality of your relationship with your partner. I'm married 30 years, and I am certain this has enabled me to build a relations that allows me to enjoy the sexual benefits of TRT.

Talk to your doctor. Maybe lower your expectations a bit. Are you working out? Do you have a partner you've built a relationship and a sexual rapport with? How's your confidence about your sexual performance? Is every romp in the hay a make or break event, or is simply two people who care about each other enjoying one of life's greatest pleasures?

My wife and I have the attitude that sex is a team sport kind of thing. We have fun with it. It keeps us connected, keeps her in shape, and is a lot of laughs. Would sex be this great off TRT? No, I know this, as since on TRT we've gone from once to twice per week to this. PDe5s aren't the worse thing. Funny that guys will take TRT willingly, but balk at the idea of cialis or viagra. Don't be that guy. Talk to you prescriber and don't overthink and over complicate this.

Great post! Many men pre-trt especially with ed issues suffer from some degree of poor vascular/endothelial dysfunction which is one of the main contributors to male sexual dysfunction. Sure low testosterone can negatively impact penile health/ed and many will notice improvement in these areas and many will not as vascular health is a major player. Healthy testosterone levels are not the end all be all solution! There is absolutely no shame in seeking out the use of pde-5 inhibitors/injections to improve overall response. Here are a couple great articles written by my Urologist.


http://www.canjurol.com/html/free-articles/V19I5S1F-04-DrGreenspan.pdf

http://www.stacommunications.com/journals/diagnosis/2005/February/PDF/075.pdf

 

[Saxon]

agree with responses thus far. My doctor told me upfront that erections may not return on their own, and in my case he was right. Libido, however, has skyrocketed and has been very high for over a year. I continue to take daily low dose cialis and viagra 50 when i am planning to have sex. Before, i had the same ed thing going on, but the improved libido makes me want it more and the combination of increased desire and the pde5 use has made sex better than any time in my life. I should add that my situation may be different, as i am 63 years old. My regimen is just 100mg test cyp per week. No hcg or ai, and it has been a game changer. I've always worked out hard, since 1967, but i feel great. Great sex 5 times per week, so i could care less that i need pde5s.

i think too many guys have unrealistic expectations of trt. I see guys here posting questions about anxiety, depression, ed, assertiveness etc, expecting that a shot or two of test a week will be the magic bullet. It's not. There are other factors in all of these. I think trt for sexual issues is problematic as so much of sex is in the mind and is influenced by the quality of your relationship with your partner. i'm married 30 years, and i am certain this has enabled me to build a relations that allows me to enjoy the sexual benefits of trt.

talk to your doctor. Maybe lower your expectations a bit. Are you working out? Do you have a partner you've built a relationship and a sexual rapport with? How's your confidence about your sexual performance? Is every romp in the hay a make or break event, or is simply two people who care about each other enjoying one of life's greatest pleasures?

my wife and i have the attitude that sex is a team sport kind of thing. We have fun with it. It keeps us connected, keeps her in shape, and is a lot of laughs. would sex be this great off trt? No, i know this, as since on trt we've gone from once to twice per week to this. Pde5s aren't the worse thing. Funny that guys will take trt willingly, but balk at the idea of cialis or viagra. Don't be that guy. Talk to you prescriber and don't overthink and over complicate this.

Right on man!!!!! Great stuff!!

 

[JPB]

Good responses here, TRT usually great for libido, but frequently not an answer for ED. Endothelial dysfunction (and ED) seems best addressed with daily Cialis.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

My urologist put me back on testosterone, a year and a half after I gave it up because of poor response, but this time, I went to him and told him that after being extremely fatigued and depressed for many months, a 30 mg IM shot wiped out my fatigue and depression. Based on that and a TT of 268, he put me on 200 mg of test enanthate per week and I suggested daily injections.

For one month, I've seen great improvement in mood, energy and libido. Nocturnal erections are becoming more frequent, waking me up several times per night, LOL. No morning wood,but I'm patient. My wife and I haven't had sex for 10 years, partly from my problems, partly from marital issues. But a week and a half after resuming shots, we were cuddling and my penis was bouncing up and down, getting hard, then relaxed, then hard again, etc. Felt good! But I didn't feel confident about trying lovemaking, though she was receptive. I didn't want an emotional setback.

My one month labs from LabCorp:

TT 1500 ng/dL
Free 50.0 pg/mL
E2 60 pg/mL (extra sensitive)
DHT 91 ng/dL
Hemoglobin 13.8 g/dL
Hematocrit 42.3%

Given my weight gain of 13 pounds and elevated E2, my urologist gave me an rx for anastrazole, instructing me to start with a quarter of a tablet, weekly. I'm far from ready to try Cialis and I'm on desiccated thyroid for sub clinical hypothyroidism, but I wouldn't rule out a PDE-5 inhibitor, down the road. Truly, I'm horny most of the time, now, and I've got sex on the brain like I had before my endocrine system crashed. There was a quite attractive mature woman conversing with me while I was waiting to see the doctor. Nice. I feel more alive and connected than I have in years. I just have to be patient with the slow and circuitous progress. I'll have good days, medicore days, bad days and great days. I'm 68, dealing with, over a decade, with untreatable bipolar illness and chronic poor sleep. Invictus.

 

[Systemlord]

My urologist put me back on testosterone, a year and a half after I gave it up because of poor response, but this time, I went to him and told him that after being extremely fatigued and depressed for many months, a 30 mg IM shot wiped out my fatigue and depression. Based on that and a TT of 268, he put me on 200 mg of test enanthate per week and I suggested daily injections.

For one month, I've seen great improvement in mood, energy and libido. Nocturnal erections are becoming more frequent, waking me up several times per night, LOL. No morning wood,but I'm patient. My wife and I haven't had sex for 10 years, partly from my problems, partly from marital issues. But a week and a half after resuming shots, we were cuddling and my penis was bouncing up and down, getting hard, then relaxed, then hard again, etc. Felt good! But I didn't feel confident about trying lovemaking, though she was receptive. I didn't want an emotional setback.

My one month labs from LabCorp:

TT 1500 ng/dL
Free 50.0 pg/mL
E2 60 pg/mL (extra sensitive)
DHT 91 ng/dL
Hemoglobin 13.8 g/dL
Hematocrit 42.3%

Given my weight gain of 13 pounds and elevated E2, my urologist gave me an rx for anastrazole, instructing me to start with a quarter of a tablet, weekly. I'm far from ready to try Cialis and I'm on desiccated thyroid for sub clinical hypothyroidism, but I wouldn't rule out a PDE-5 inhibitor, down the road. Truly, I'm horny most of the time, now, and I've got sex on the brain like I had before my endocrine system crashed. There was a quite attractive mature woman conversing with me while I was waiting to see the doctor. Nice. I feel more alive and connected than I have in years. I just have to be patient with the slow and circuitous progress. I'll have good days, medicore days, bad days and great days. I'm 68, dealing with, over a decade, with untreatable bipolar illness and chronic poor sleep. Invictus.

You may not even need the Cialis, high estrogen is an erection killer and maintaining an erection when estrogen is high is difficult for most men.

 

[ERO]

An E2 of 60 when your Total T is 1500 is not really high in terms of the T-E ratio. The lab range max of E2 at 35 is generally associated with a Total T of 6-700.

That said, you may feel better with a lower E2, only experimentation will tell.

Have you tried the N.O. Stack often mentioned here? My 2-cents would be to try Cialis and the N.O. stack before an AI.

 

[OMI100]

Give some L-Citrulline DL-Malate 2:1 a try.
Boost N.O.
Cheap.
Citrulline - Scientific Review on Usage, Dosage, Side Effects
Can you overdo L-Citrulline DL-Malate 2:1?

 

[Guided_by_Voices]

I agree with the suggestions here and especially Mountain Man's post. I have found TRT to be an important piece of the puzzle, but DHEA, physical conditioning, Chasteberry (for prolactin control) beet powder for nitric oxide, and L- Carnitine L-tartrate all have noticeable affects as well. I think PDE5s have gotten an unfairly bad reputation, and as Dr Kendrick and others have pointed out, are probably one of the few drugs that are actually beneficial for a broad range of health issues. Finally, 140mg per week would be way to high for me so it sounds like you are violating Dr. Crisler's "start low and go slow approach". I have always felt noticeably better at much lower doses, like 70-90 per week.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

An E2 of 60 when your Total T is 1500 is not really high in terms of the T-E ratio. The lab range max of E2 at 35 is generally associated with a Total T of 6-700.

That said, you may feel better with a lower E2, only experimentation will tell.

Have you tried the N.O. Stack often mentioned here? My 2-cents would be to try Cialis and the N.O. stack before an AI.

At this time, I've been doing 10 mg IM, test E, daily. TT: 906 FT: 27.3 E2: 42 Dead in the water, as well unremitting sadness/depression. Looking back and correlating with more knowledge, I'm thinking that the E2 of 60 might be the reason for somewhat better erectile function and improved mood, though maybe I need much high total and free testosterone to give me higher E2. Or, take estradiol, as done by Dr. Rouzier. As I wrote, when my test levels and E2 were high, I felt so much better. Would it have lasted or would I have crashed, don't know. I can be my worst enemy and screw myself even when things are going good.

 

[Cataceous]

... Dead in the water, as well unremitting sadness/depression. ...

One of many things to look at: have you measured progesterone? I found that going from low to normal levels seemed to improved sleep and mood.

 

[Ronnny]

Chasteberry (for prolactin control)

I know Chasteberry is used for woman PMS. But does it really help to reduce Prolactin for men and women both?

 

[wondering]

yes, I will be trying low-dose doxazosin starting tomorrow. Hopefully, that helps.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

One of many things to look at: have you measured progesterone? I found that going from low to normal levels seemed to improved sleep and mood.

I've experimented with progesterone, as well as high dose, nightly, pregnenolone. Sleep improved but elevated progesterone(?) level made it impossible to ejaculate.