Recurring bouts of weak erections on TRT

[jchems]

I've been on TRT for almost a year. I've seen mostly positive effects. I never had a weak libido or erection difficulties before TRT. I've had one recurring issue of weak erections. It seems to happen after my acclimates to a particular protocol.

In the beginning I started at 100mg/week and felt great for 8-10 weeks. At that point I lost sensitivity and had full on ED. Nothing woke it up. Large doses of sildenafil or tadalafil did absolutely nothing. My libido was still high. At that point I switched from 2x a week injections to every day subQ. In a 7-10 days I started to wake back up and got back to having no issues and sex 1 or twice a day on average.

Fast forward a couple months like this and it begins to happen again. My libido is very high and my erections are maybe 60% and sensitivity is down. Nothing remarkable showed on my blood work and the doctor moved me to 120mg/week. I began injecting shallow IM in my pec and delts as I learned that an oil is better in the muscle than fat. Things cleared up and my wife could barely get chores done without me grabbing her again. 6-8 weeks later, same thing. Bumped to 140mg/week.... and here I am again.

My Total T started around 740 and climbed to the low 800's through this process.
My Free T started around 19 and cliimbed to 24.
SHBG is usually high 20's.
The doctor doesn't check E2 often, but after my first protocol change I tested it and it was 36 at 100mg/week daily.
My prolactin was low to begin with before TRT, and has stayed in the low range of normal.

I have my next doctor appointment in a month. They are trying to put me on HGH (not HCG, but HGH), because my IFG-1 tested low before I started TRT and has been on the very low range of normal since. I don't know if that would be of any help.

Does anyone know what some of the potential causes are of weak erections? Why do PDE5i's have no affect on me during this time? I don't even get the negative side effects of headache, flushing and stuffy nose. Before TRT, 20mg of sildenafil would make erections almost painful. 10mg of cialis would make me instantly ready to go any time of day. I rarely get nighttime and morning erections during these times.

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Nixter]

I've been on TRT for almost a year. I've seen mostly positive effects. I never had a weak libido or erection difficulties before TRT. I've had one recurring issue of weak erections. It seems to happen after my acclimates to a particular protocol.

In the beginning I started at 100mg/week and felt great for 8-10 weeks. At that point I lost sensitivity and had full on ED. Nothing woke it up. Large doses of sildenafil or tadalafil did absolutely nothing. My libido was still high. At that point I switched from 2x a week injections to every day subQ. In a 7-10 days I started to wake back up and got back to having no issues and sex 1 or twice a day on average.

Fast forward a couple months like this and it begins to happen again. My libido is very high and my erections are maybe 60% and sensitivity is down. Nothing remarkable showed on my blood work and the doctor moved me to 120mg/week. I began injecting shallow IM in my pec and delts as I learned that an oil is better in the muscle than fat. Things cleared up and my wife could barely get chores done without me grabbing her again. 6-8 weeks later, same thing. Bumped to 140mg/week.... and here I am again.

My Total T started around 740 and climbed to the low 800's through this process.
My Free T started around 19 and cliimbed to 24.
SHBG is usually high 20's.
The doctor doesn't check E2 often, but after my first protocol change I tested it and it was 36 at 100mg/week daily.
My prolactin was low to begin with before TRT, and has stayed in the low range of normal.

I have my next doctor appointment in a month. They are trying to put me on HGH (not HCG, but HGH), because my IFG-1 tested low before I started TRT and has been on the very low range of normal since. I don't know if that would be of any help.

Does anyone know what some of the potential causes are of weak erections? Why do PDE5i's have no affect on me during this time? I don't even get the negative side effects of headache, flushing and stuffy nose. Before TRT, 20mg of sildenafil would make erections almost painful. 10mg of cialis would make me instantly ready to go any time of day. I rarely get nighttime and morning erections during these times.

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Your story sounds similar to mine, including your SHBG and prolactin numbers. Have you considered that you might need a lower dose, not a higher one? I've come down to 120mg from 200mg and things have been improving. I will likely drop to 90mg next. I was chatting with someone yesterday in a similar situation who completely resolved his issues after dropping down to 50!

 

[jchems]

Your story sounds similar to mine, including your SHBG and prolactin numbers. Have you considered that you might need a lower dose, not a higher one? I've come down to 120mg from 200mg and things have been improving. I will likely drop to 90mg next. I was chatting with someone yesterday in a similar situation who completely resolved his issues after dropping down to 50!

I am actually considering that. Restarting at 100mg/week. Daily injections. Give it 8-10 weeks and see what happens.

 

[Nixter]

I'm guessing the guys with lower SHBG and therefore higher free T, need less exogenous test for things to work properly

 

[Golfboy307]

Was that e2 reading from the sensitive test? If so, then you might be peaking your estradiol too high at times. Your comment about low sensitivity and PDE5 inhibitors not working speaks to high E2 levels. (and also too low). If I get much over 30 on the sensitive test, I have the same issues as you. (E2 is a very personal number, different for every guy. You find out through trial and error).

 

[jchems]

Was that e2 reading from the sensitive test? If so, then you might be peaking your estradiol too high at times. Your comment about low sensitivity and PDE5 inhibitors not working speaks to high E2 levels. (and also too low). If I get much over 30 on the sensitive test, I have the same issues as you. (E2 is a very personal number, different for every guy. You find out through trial and error).

It was sensitive e2.

 

[jchems]

I thought I would just post an update. I ran a bit of an experiment on myself. I injected 105mg of sustanon on top of my regular 20mg of Test Cyp. In a day, my parts woke up wtih a vengeance and has been great for a week. I'm going to see how long this lasts... or until my wife taps out. I'll try to keep coming back and posting updates in case anyone else is having this problem.

 

[slicktop]

I thought I would just post an update. I ran a bit of an experiment on myself. I injected 105mg of sustanon on top of my regular 20mg of Test Cyp. In a day, my parts woke up wtih a vengeance and has been great for a week. I'm going to see how long this lasts... or until my wife taps out. I'll try to keep coming back and posting updates in case anyone else is having this problem.

Do you have pre-TRT E numbers? I'm wondering if you started out as naturally low E and the spikes you get from raising your t dose puts your T:E ratio temporarily back where it needs to be, you feel better, then you aromatize and your E catches up and you feel lousy again.

Or, perhaps you're one of those guys that does better by varying your protocol instead of keeping it regular.

 

[jchems]

Do you have pre-TRT E numbers? I'm wondering if you started out as naturally low E and the spikes you get from raising your t dose puts your T:E ratio back where it needs to be, you feel better, then you aromatize and your E catches up and you feel lousy again.

Or, perhaps you're one of those guys that does better by varying your protocol instead of keeping it regular.

Yes.
Total T: 177
Free T: 6
E2: 17

 

[slicktop]

Yes.
Total T: 177
Free T: 6
E2: 17

so, this is where you'll get plenty of people disagreeing with me, but in my experience from my own body chemistry, I'd get your estrogen down. We seem to be split in to two camps on this forum. Camp A says there's a "magic ratio" of T:E and you need to hit that, and you'll feel fine even if your estrogen is high. Camp B says your estrogen needs to be around your SHBG (or maintained to your pre-TRT numbers, provided you didn't have libido or performance issues). I am very firmly in Camp B. I tried Camp A and it suuuuuucked for me. Your pre-TRT numbers are quite similar to my own, actually. I had to take a ton of AI and DIM for my first few months on TRT in order to feel good and not have crappy estrogen side effects.

 

[eyeheartny]

I had to take a ton of AI and DIM for my first few months on TRT in order to feel good and not have crappy estrogen side effects.

Do you continue to need DIM and and AI? Or did the need for that resolve? What dose and protocol are you on?

 

[DFL]

I was chatting with someone yesterday in a similar situation who completely resolved his issues after dropping down to 50!

I've struggled with weak erections and orgasms on TRT for 2 years, on dosages from 90MG to 130mg along with HCG. I've had to use ED meds every time I have sex. I am 3 weeks into going off TRT completely (using HCG and now Clomid) to try to reset and see if I can fix it.

I'm considering starting again at 40MG/week, my goal being to ramp up slowly to find a sweet spot. I'll post about all this when and if I get it figured out.

 

[jchems]

I'd certainly be curious to hear your results!