TRT = emotional disaster. Wtf?

[littleguy289]

So for anyone not familiar with my situation my base T levels were ~280 (340-1197) before my dr put me on 100mg test e every 2 weeks. I just got my 3rd shot (start of 5th week) yesterday.

Before starting I was exhibiting all of the classic symptoms of low t - depressed, emotional roller coaster, fatigued, loss of strength and energy, unable to maintain let alone build new muscle mass, etc

Of course I had the highest hopes going in, but ever since starting I swear all of my symptoms are worse than ever, aside from maybe some minor strength gains when I'm actually able to muster any. I've been pounding down green tea and saw palmetto daily to try and abate the dht, but I'm not sure if it's doing any good or not.

Any thoughts or advice what the prob could be or what I can do? Doc wants bloodwork redone at the 8 week point which is 3 more weeks from now. Anything I should have them test for specifically that could be causing this?

 

[dbacik]

That dosage seems way too low and infrequent. Just my opinion but you should at least be having a test e shot weekly. You blood levels are not stabilized with that dosage. Pro ably feels like a roller coaster. HRT is not a miracle treatment. If you had depression issues prior it will magically fix. You need to address this issues also. See a therapist combined with proper HRT protocol you will see improvement in your well being.

 

[EZ_E]

Agreed....100 mg every 2 weeks is light...usual TRT dose is higher and weekly....not that this will be a cure all but I'd bet it will help

 

[training700]

What others have said.

Sent from my DROID3 using EliteFitness

 

[littleguy289]

It's not so much a roller coaster effect, I just feel worse overall when I should be feeling at least a little better. What would cause this? An imbalance of estrogen, E2?

 

[Headholio]

It's not so much a roller coaster effect, I just feel worse overall when I should be feeling at least a little better. What would cause this? An imbalance of estrogen, E2?

Could be. Make sure he tests for that.
And when you go for your blood work, make sure it has been 2 weeks since your last shot.

Finally, don't be afraid to tell the doc you have been doing research and you know what you want. Tell him what dose and frequency YOU think is best and bring up AI's etc as well.

 

[dbacik]

Like I said dosage is not correct. That's why you feel like ass. E2 may be an issue but I doubt it. Get on correct dosage you will feel better.

 

[EZ_E]

Could be. Make sure he tests for that.
And when you go for your blood work, make sure it has been 2 weeks since your last shot.

Finally, don't be afraid to tell the doc you have been doing research and you know what you want. Tell him what dose and frequency YOU think is best and bring up AI's etc as well.

Excellet point

 

[RickRock13]

Too low of a dose which shut down the test you were already producing yourself, and increased symptoms due to being even lower in range from not being prescribed enough in the first place. The doc should be doing bloods to make sure you are in the upper normal range.

 

[littleguy289]

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess I'll just have to wait it out the 2 more weeks till the next round of bloodwork.

Anything else I should have them check for while I'm there? Estrogen, E2, others?

 

[RickRock13]

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess I'll just have to wait it out the 2 more weeks till the next round of bloodwork.

Anything else I should have them check for while I'm there? Estrogen, E2, others?

A full hormone panel would be ideal so he can look at other things like prolactin and cortisol as well

 

[ALIN]

So for anyone not familiar with my situation my base T levels were ~280 (340-1197) before my dr put me on 100mg test e every 2 weeks. I just got my 3rd shot (start of 5th week) yesterday.

Before starting I was exhibiting all of the classic symptoms of low t - depressed, emotional roller coaster, fatigued, loss of strength and energy, unable to maintain let alone build new muscle mass, etc

Of course I had the highest hopes going in, but ever since starting I swear all of my symptoms are worse than ever, aside from maybe some minor strength gains when I'm actually able to muster any. I've been pounding down green tea and saw palmetto daily to try and abate the dht, but I'm not sure if it's doing any good or not.

Any thoughts or advice what the prob could be or what I can do? Doc wants bloodwork redone at the 8 week point which is 3 more weeks from now. Anything I should have them test for specifically that could be causing this?

With a long ester it takes a little time to reap all the rewards. Every 2 weeks is too much between injection times. By
day 10 after your injection your levels will drop drastically. Your up and down like a roller coaster that way.
You need 100mg every 5-7 days to keep levels stable and avoid dropping points.

 

[Labtec70]

Hi LG

To repeat what's already been said really, 200mg/14 days, probably isn't enough to maintain stable levels. Plus, if you've done your first three or four shots (2 months) your natural production will have probably ceased by this point.

When you first start HRT you are introducing an exogeonous hormone to that being produced by the testes:

For example...

Natural hormone = 90mg/week
+
Synthetic hormone 200mg/2 weekly
380mg per fortnight

After a month or so with shutdown:

Natural hormone = 5mg/week
Synthetic hormone = 200mg/2 weekly
210mg per fortnight

It's not hard to see with a simple example above how the contrast between how you felt the first couple of weeks of treatment and now, following an assumed shut down of natural production.

The problem is - depending on where you are in the world - is how much synthetic hormone you'd get for therapy. To be honest, I don't think many endochrinologists would give you much more than you're currently on.
Most androgen prescribers won't venture much above 115mg per week. It's also unlikely that you'll be experiencing much if anything, in the way of oestrogen conversion at that dose. However, never-say-never. I'm on Sustanon 250 and I've been on it fortnightly for 12 years nearly. It's only in the past year when I've got symptoms giving me a possible concern about oestrogen. It generally should concern cyclists doing supradoses of T than therapy users. Still, in some guys who are predisposed to oestrogen sensitivity, lower doses may produce symptoms.

If you do indeed have oestrogen conversion present, it will obviously make less testosterone available for use bioavailably. I think you should ask your doctor (even educate your doctor politely) about the possibility and testing for it. Other than that Rick suggests a prolactin test, which I'd also agree is recommended.

It might be that you need the dose titrating, i.e. splitting your dose up into weekly or every other day shots, as opposed to getting it all in one go.

Another alternative may be to change your injection to a much longer ester (Nebido) Testosterone Undecanoate at 1000mg per 4ml amp. If you don't like this idea then there always gels and cream solutions you could apply daily. These are absorbed through the skin, but tend to not be as potent as injections.

What is known is you need another set of tests:

LH
FSH
Oestrogen (E2)
Prolactin
Total T
Bioavailable T
SHBG
Cortisol

If you get these tests done the day before your next shot (not soon after your last injection) you should get a good idea of what's going on.

Get the results and plonk them up here for assessment.

All the best.

Craig