Mood, libido

[Brandonbig]

Hey guys. Got a question I'm hoping you can help me out with. I'm scheduled to see my Dr again in April, and that's a ways away so I'm wondering if I need to get in early, or if my experience is normal.

I'll post as many details as possible, but if I forget anything just let me know.

38 years old. Been taking TRT for about 5 months.

My Dr does TRT specifically and she's been great. I went in with all the usual symptoms, and my level tested about 230. She prescribed me 150 mg of Test C weekly. Went back for the follow up about 6-7 weeks later. And my levels tested at 550 at my lowest, with 500 being the high-average for my age group. All other levels tested fine at that point. She told me to continue with my regimen and to continue taking 50mg of DHEA that I have been taking for several months before going in to see her.

So for the first couple months I felt amazing. I was waking up with erections every morning and was persuing my wife regularly. My mood was great and my energy was great.

I slowly increased my dosage of Test C from 150 mg to 200 mg per week. I've been lifting weights a lot and feeling really strong.
I noticed the 4-5 days after taking my shot I would feel great, the last couple days before my next shot I'd just feel ok and wouldn't really have a sex drive. Take my shot and feel great for 4-5 days, then not so great again.

So I decided to split up my shot to 100mg every 3.5 days. Now my mood is steady, but it's just kinda a blah steady. I feel ok, but not great like I was for a few days after my weekly shot. I'm not waking up with erections. But if my wife gets me going, I get going pretty quickly. I just don't have the sex drive where I'm going after her like I was in the beginning.

It's a few more months before my scheduled blood test and Dr appt, so I was wondering what you guys think of this.

I sleep very well every night, and nothing else is out of the ordinary except my (less than great) mood and libido.

Thank you!

 

[Gene Devine]

Labs will tell you what's going on. Everything else is speculation.

 

[johndoesmith]

Labs are needed, when you said "all other results were good", it gives very little information.

Also, it seems you didn't have problems until you increased your dose from 150mg to 200mg, in fact you said "the first couple of months I felt amazing". Why did you increase it?

 

[Brandonbig]

"All other results were good" meant all my labs were within normal range. Not sure how else to put it but nothing was out of the ordinary. I increased my dosage just a little because I started to have a drop in mood and libido and because I started working out a lot. So the increase didn't cause the effect. I thought it could have been because my body quit producing its own T. And yes, I know I wouldn't have any real answers unless I do labs, and I will soon. I was just wondering if this is something people experience often, or if it's just me.

 

[johndoesmith]

"All other results were good" meant all my labs were within normal range. Not sure how else to put it but nothing was out of the ordinary. I increased my dosage just a little because I started to have a drop in mood and libido and because I started working out a lot. So the increase didn't cause the effect. I thought it could have been because my body quit producing its own T. And yes, I know I wouldn't have any real answers unless I do labs, and I will soon. I was just wondering if this is something people experience often, or if it's just me.

I'm not sure what you want us to say here, as "all other results were good" gives us almost nothing to talk about. Based on that I can say that the problem is not hormonal then. Therefore, there's nothing wrong, it's psychological. I don't think you'll like that though.

If you have them, it'd help with input from others, if you don't, then it's entirely speculation.

I'm an outsider to this, so I'm a neutral party, and the way I see it is you were fine until you upped your dose, IMO to achieve a better feeling. Guys do that a lot thinking that a little is good so more must be better. It often isn't the case and causes problems.

It's possible you were working out too much, and tried to make up for it with more test, or just that your body needed to adjust to lifting weights.

 

[Brandonbig]

Again, I was just wondering if this is something people experience often, or if it's just me.
Not looking for reasons as to why I'm feeling the way I am.

 

[Brandonbig]

Thanks for your input. I'll just wait it out until lab day.

 

[lcvl]

Moving from 150 to 200mg a week is definitely not a small increase. That might have been too much and caused some side effects. My bet is your E2 is elevated now.

 

[Mountain Man]

I'm not sure what you want us to say here, as "all other results were good" gives us almost nothing to talk about. Based on that I can say that the problem is not hormonal then. Therefore, there's nothing wrong, it's psychological. I don't think you'll like that though.

If you have them, it'd help with input from others, if you don't, then it's entirely speculation.

I'm an outsider to this, so I'm a neutral party, and the way I see it is you were fine until you upped your dose, IMO to achieve a better feeling. Guys do that a lot thinking that a little is good so more must be better. It often isn't the case and causes problems.

It's possible you were working out too much, and tried to make up for it with more test, or just that your body needed to adjust to lifting weights.

This is me too. I find that the muscle and strength are better with the higher dosages, libido and mood better with slightly lower. When the muscle started coming at 5 months, I was tempted to up the dose a little. It's hard to resist the allure of muscle growth at my age,. It's a trap easy to fall into.

My assumption is that too high test=too high estrogen levels = lower libido?

Anybody with more experience than me able to comment on this for Brandonbig and me?

Thanks guys.

 

[Vince]

Personally, I think you should stop taking 50mg of DHEA. It will turn into estradiol, without labs showing that your levels are low. Stop taking DHEA and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Tommy Wall]

Before I used the old school protocol - 250mg every third week. And the first week after the injection I always had a rush. Now when I inject twice a week there is no rush at all and it is a bit like you say "blah" but I think that is a more realistic way of feeling.
I agree with the others, no lab showing your E2, will just be guessing. I think it is a bit of a myth that Testosteron will make ones libido like an 18 years old guy. It helps but it not a "magic bullet". Curing everything from depression, libido, mood you name it.

 

[Brandonbig]

Thanks guys. I think I'll cut back down to 150mg per week and see what that does. I'm not going to quit the DHEA, since my Dr told me to keep taking it. When I see her in April I'll ask her about the DHEA, but in the meantime I'll keep my dosage of Test at 150 like she said originally. Glad I'm not the only one who's experienced this and it's all new to me to I'm learning as much as I can.

 

[Vince]

Thanks guys. I think I'll cut back down to 150mg per week and see what that does. I'm not going to quit the DHEA, since my Dr told me to keep taking it. When I see her in April I'll ask her about the DHEA, but in the meantime I'll keep my dosage of Test at 150 like she said originally. Glad I'm not the only one who's experienced this and it's all new to me to I'm learning as much as I can.

DHEA raises estrogen in men
DHEA raised estrogen https://www.excelmale.com/forum/showthread.php?7903-DHEA-raised-estrogen

 

[Jackie Treehorn]

Thanks guys. I think I'll cut back down to 150mg per week and see what that does. I'm not going to quit the DHEA, since my Dr told me to keep taking it. When I see her in April I'll ask her about the DHEA, but in the meantime I'll keep my dosage of Test at 150 like she said originally. Glad I'm not the only one who's experienced this and it's all new to me to I'm learning as much as I can.

Did your Doctor tell you to increase to 200mg Test, or did you just do that on your own?

 

[Brandonbig]

Vince, thank you for the info. That's how I'm feeling, I guess like my estrogen is high. I'll cut out the DHEA and see how I feel
I'm a few days. I'll let you know.

 

[Mountain Man]

Are their any over the counter supplements that actually lower estrogen, or is that all BS?

 

[Vince]

Vince, thank you for the info. That's how I'm feeling, I guess like my estrogen is high. I'll cut out the DHEA and see how I feel
I'm a few days. I'll let you know.

I hope it helps, the only way you know is by trying.

 

[Vince Carter]

"All other results were good" meant all my labs were within normal range. Not sure how else to put it but nothing was out of the ordinary. I increased my dosage just a little because I started to have a drop in mood and libido and because I started working out a lot. So the increase didn't cause the effect. I thought it could have been because my body quit producing its own T. And yes, I know I wouldn't have any real answers unless I do labs, and I will soon. I was just wondering if this is something people experience often, or if it's just me.

I think you got the message that a statement like that doesn't mean anything around here. Drs say that all the time. They'll tell you your T @ 300 is just fine, in lab range. They'll tell you your TSH is fine when it comes back 4.5 because it's in the lab range. Both couldn't be further from the truth. Always post the labs that you have, attachments, etc.., for discussion. Your problem...stop shotgunning things. Change this, change that, no labs, no steady protocol. That's why you're in this predicament.

 

[Jackie Treehorn]

Are their any over the counter supplements that actually lower estrogen, or is that all BS?

I've been taking DIM (100mg/QD) and Calcium D-Glucarate (500mg/BID) for about two months now in order to naturally lower my E2. I'm going to draw blood next week for sensitive E2, so I'll let you know if it made any difference. I'm very curious to see if it made any difference, otherwise it's probably going to be daily Test injections for me.

 

[Vince Carter]

Are their any over the counter supplements that actually lower estrogen, or is that all BS?

I think that they're BS, I do agree though that ones like DIM or CDG may help some guys deal with the symptoms but nothing is going to work like an AI, for instance.