TRT Effect on 5 Alpha Reductase and Upstream Hormones- Cause of Low Mood and Anxiety?

Charliebizz said:

I always recommend trying the scrotal cream. I know so many guys who didn't do well on TRT until they made the switch.

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Jerajera said:

I vaguely remember you committed to giving the cream a try a while ago but seemed to struggle with it.

Are you still on it now? And if so how do you feel? Did you

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Charliebizz said:

I'm still using the cream and am doing very well. Once I stopped blaming TRT for every little feeling and stopped messing with my dose, things have been good.

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Charliebizz said:

I was doing very well on Empower's version of Atris base. Three clicks at 2 p.m. It was in the 800s at 20. And then they discontinued it. I went back to the HRT base, but the same dose was only getting me around 600. So I switched to 250 mg per mL and kept the same dose. Now I'm at 960 TT. I feel very good at that dose. My problem has always been that one little negative symptom would always cause me to revert to a lower dose. It seems I actually feel better up in the 800-900 range. My DHT is in the high 200s, but I have zero side effects that I'm aware of. And all my other health parameters are perfect. My libido and erections are great, and my moods are decent. The icing on the cake for me was low-dose Lexapro. It seems that TRT exacerbates my low-grade anxiety and depression, and the SSRI really helps. It may have its flaws, but it's the best workaround I have found.

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Charliebizz said:

I was doing very well on Empower's version of Atris base. Three clicks at 2 p.m. It was in the 800s at 20. And then they discontinued it. I went back to the HRT base, but the same dose was only getting me around 600. So I switched to 250 mg per mL and kept the same dose. Now I'm at 960 TT. I feel very good at that dose. My problem has always been that one little negative symptom would always cause me to revert to a lower dose. It seems I actually feel better up in the 800-900 range. My DHT is in the high 200s, but I have zero side effects that I'm aware of. And all my other health parameters are perfect. My libido and erections are great, and my moods are decent. The icing on the cake for me was low-dose Lexapro. It seems that TRT exacerbates my low-grade anxiety and depression, and the SSRI really helps. It may have its flaws, but it's the best workaroun

Click to expand...

Charliebizz said:

I was doing very well on Empower's version of Atris base. Three clicks at 2 p.m. It was in the 800s at 20. And then they discontinued it. I went back to the HRT base, but the same dose was only getting me around 600. So I switched to 250 mg per mL and kept the same dose. Now I'm at 960 TT. I feel very good at that dose. My problem has always been that one little negative symptom would always cause me to revert to a lower dose. It seems I actually feel better up in the 800-900 range. My DHT is in the high 200s, but I have zero side effects that I'm aware of. And all my other health parameters are perfect. My libido and erections are great, and my moods are decent. The icing on the cake for me was low-dose Lexapro. It seems that TRT exacerbates my low-grade anxiety and depression, and the SSRI really helps. It may have its flaws, but it's the best workaround I have found.

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Jerajera said:

Thanks for the details. So you do three clicks on the scrotum around 2pm every day, and the results you've listed are 20 hours later around 10am?

I think I'm gonna give the cream another try. Low dose cream is to this day the best I've ever felt in my entire life. It only lasted 3 days unfortunately, but I'm hoping I'll be able to fine tune something if I take the time.

I also felt better in terms of zest for life and motivation to get things done. I'm guessing in part due to the ultra-high DHT levels as well as a lesser degree of HPTA suppression.

Have you tried 2x/day application and seen a difference? Do you feel any drop in levels before your next application when applying only once/day?

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Charliebizz said:

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. I do 3 Clicks a.m and 2 clicks pm. I typically apply my cream at 430 am the 430 pm. On weekends it can be all over the place. Right now I'm on 12 hour work days. Been applying at 4am and 9 pm. I feel no different. I've also skipped pm dose and feel the same. I've had minor side effects when I upped the dose but everything eventually settles in for me with cream.

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Charliebizz said:

Honestly once I started to feel really good all the inconveniences became a non-issue even applying right before sex and stuff have haven't affected my wife's levels and she gets tested regularly. all is good my brother

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Charliebizz said:

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. I do 3 Clicks a.m and 2 clicks pm. I typically apply my cream at 430 am the 430 pm. On weekends it can be all over the place. Right now I'm on 12 hour work days. Been applying at 4am and 9 pm. I feel no different. I've also skipped pm dose and feel the same. I've had minor side effects when I upped the dose but everything eventually settles in for me with cream.

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HSLD said:

Are you applying all of your clicks to the scrotum?

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Jerajera said:

Thanks for the details. So you do three clicks on the scrotum around 2pm every day, and the results you've listed are 20 hours later around 10am?

I think I'm gonna give the cream another try. Low dose cream is to this day the best I've ever felt in my entire life. It only lasted 3 days unfortunately, but I'm hoping I'll be able to fine tune something if I take the time.

I also felt better in terms of zest for life and motivation to get things done. I'm guessing in part due to the ultra-high DHT levels as well as a lesser degree of HPTA suppression.

Have you tried 2x/day application and seen a difference? Do you feel any drop in levels before your next application when applying only once/day?

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Charliebizz said:

I'm not sold on the "lesser degree of hpta suppression" on 2x a day application.

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Gman86 said:

Wouldn’t 2x/ day application possibly result in more suppression, not less?

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HSLD said:

I can’t say whether or not it’s more or less suppressive, but I can say that levels on 2x/day cream are flatter than people might think.

I once had two consecutive blood draws done. One about 4-5 hours after morning application, then another the following morning before my next morning application (about 12 hours after evening application). T levels were roughly the same on both labs.

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Gman86 said:

Wouldn’t 2x/ day application possibly result in more suppression, not less?

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Gman86 said:

And u were applying it to ur scrotum?

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FunkOdyssey said:

Yes it would, by making the troughs higher.

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