4 weeks on injections - Zero Libido

[jasonhoutx]

Was on gels, but my numbers dropped even lower. Doc said lets go injections route. Numbers after couple of months of gel and before injections.

• DHEA: 388 (range 110-370 mcg/dL)
• Total T: 230 (range 250-1100 ng/dL)
• Free T: 49.30 (range 35.0-155.0 pg/mL)
• FSH: 2.4 (range 1.6-8.0 mIU/mL)
• LH: 1.5 (range 1.5-9.3 mIU/mL)
• Progesterone <0.5 (range <1.4 ng/mL)
• Estradiol 18 (range < OR = 39 pg/mL)

Been on injections 100mg week divided E3D. Awesome morning wood, and can get erect when time to do the deed. However, my libido sucks and my joints hurt around day 2 after injection. Anxiety has gotten a little better, but not 100%. I felt a better libido before going on TRT. The things that have improved are: mood is better, more energy, more focused. Have not been in for followup blood yet. Was told to wait 6 weeks. Does this sound like a estrogen issue?

 

[Megatron28]

Are you taking an aromatase inhibitor. Joint pain is often a sign of low estradiol. And that would contribute to libido problems as well. See my signature below if you don't want to wait for blood work.

 

[Megatron28]

Was on gels, but my numbers dropped even lower. Doc said lets go injections route. Numbers after couple of months of gel and before injections.

• DHEA: 388 (range 110-370 mcg/dL)
• Total T: 230 (range 250-1100 ng/dL)
• Free T: 49.30 (range 35.0-155.0 pg/mL)
• FSH: 2.4 (range 1.6-8.0 mIU/mL)
• LH: 1.5 (range 1.5-9.3 mIU/mL)
• Progesterone <0.5 (range <1.4 ng/mL)
• Estradiol 18 (range < OR = 39 pg/mL)

Been on injections 1/2 ml of 200mg cyp E3D. Awesome morning wood, and can get erect when time to do the deed. However, my libido sucks and my joints hurt around day 2 after injection. Anxiety has gotten a little better, but not 100%. I felt a better libido before going on TRT. The things that have improved are: mood is better, more energy, more focused. Have not been in for followup blood yet. Was told to wait 6 weeks. Does this sound like a estrogen issue?

Doesn't look like the gel was working for you at all. It didn't shut down your LH and FSH.

 

[Alpin]

Were you shown how to apply the gel correctly?
Your pituitary hormones should be shut down with you being on Androgel....
I bet your doc got some nice $$$ kick back for that gel.

 

[jasonhoutx]

Thanks for the replies.

I was told how to apply gel correctly. Did compound gel/cream from local pharm for 1 month (felt no difference) then tried axiron under arm pit (I shave my pits & figured easy to apply there without messing that up). My blood levels actually dropped from 310 (on no trt - base level) to the above number (230). Now on injections I do feel a little different (slightly better) but libido dropped to "meh" levels. My other main complaint is aches and joint pain. I do not take any AI's. Only other stuff I take is 5000iu Vit D and Fish Oil daily. My diet is clean.

 

[jasonhoutx]

I should add, I don't really think my doc is out to screw me. He spends 45min to hour on our visits going over labs and symptoms. So far he has never balked at any request of mine and is extremely open to any suggestions. I am just not sure he is agressive enough being objective with bloodwork. He seems to go by symptoms.

 

[Jimstigator]

My joints hurt with low estrogen, BUT, pretty slim chance for you at 200mg of test a week. Seems odd.

Libido is a funny little thing. Give it time for everything to level out.

-Jim

 

[Spunkey71]

I have found for me personally that I feel best, have no aches and pains in the joints and libido is best when I run on the high side of normal on E2. Everyone is different and everyone's body reacts different, that is why it is important to go slow with your TRT and get dialed in.

 

[jasonhoutx]

My joints hurt with low estrogen, BUT, pretty slim chance for you at 200mg of test a week. Seems odd.

Libido is a funny little thing. Give it time for everything to level out.

-Jim

I goofed up. I meant to say 100mg a week divided E3D.

 

[jasonhoutx]

Is it possible to increase testosterone while at the same time dropping estrogen without using AI? I ask because the symptoms point to lower estrogen?

 

[Megatron28]

We need blood work results. Without that we are just playing a guessing game. Get your doc to run them or go to Private MD for $50. Make sure you check your estradiol and Total Testosterone.

 

[Die$eL~Man]

that gel is garbage in my opinion

 

[THE-DET-OAK]

that gel is garbage in my opinion

yo where you been hidin? How are things?

 

[Alpin]

that gel is garbage in my opinion

Not to mention expensive.

 

[jasonhoutx]

Labs came back. I called him and told him whats up and couldn't wait any longer to get labs. He was cool and said no worries. Good news is the injections are working from what the numbers show. But not by how I feel.

These labs are 5 weeks into TRT. Main complaints are joint pain, aches, moody, dead tired, low libido. Only thing I can see is my estrogen went from 14 to 36 (pg/mL) (range - 7.63 - 42.6) and this was done on the low end 1 day before my next injection. So maybe I could be really sensitive to estrogen? He gave me arimidex and said a very low dose might work.

https://dropbox.com/s/a7gxkgpxthdchec/labs.pdf

 

[jasonhoutx]

So strange thing is my joints have stopped hurting as bad, but have been been bloated to hell. Every time I eat my stomach swells up. Also anxiety has been ramping up. Can E2 going from 14 to 36 (pg/mL) (range - 7.63 - 42.6) cause high E2 symptoms?

Took the first yesterday .25 armidex and felt a bit better. Can being sensitive to E2 cause you to respond to arimidex quicker? I hope this isn't just a placebo effect.

 

[Megatron28]

So strange thing is my joints have stopped hurting as bad, but have been been bloated to hell. Every time I eat my stomach swells up. Also anxiety has been ramping up. Can E2 going from 14 to 36 (pg/mL) (range - 7.63 - 42.6) cause high E2 symptoms?

Took the first yesterday .5 armidex and felt a bit better. Can being sensitive to E2 cause you to respond to arimidex quicker? I hope this isn't just a placebo effect.

Yes, E2 can cause dose symptoms. But taking .50mg is a lot. .25mg would have been better for knocking it down. You might just need to take it occasionally when you start feeling the higher E2 symptoms coming on. Just remember, AI's do absolutely nothing in regard to the E2 that is already there. It just inhibits future aromatization.

And yes, Arimidex kicks in pretty quickly. You can often feel the effects the same day.

 

[jasonhoutx]

I am losing faith in trt. Feel like I am not doing anything. still taking 50mg Test-C E3D subq. Taking 2.5mg HC in morning. Tried adex for a few weeks. I took .25mg every 3-4 days. Made my lower back hurt like hell. Stopped the adex and the pain went away.

Now my knees just hurt like mad. I feel extremely lethargic, and dizzy all the time. Can barely stay awake. Im always hot, cant sleep. Just had new bloodwork done yesterday. Can't wait to get results.

I put together a spreadsheet from previous test over the years of this and I am worse than ever right now. One thing that has been consistent is really crappy lipids and low testosterone. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xPYgBhKWJVM-lZtCF-zUAjeYFNJ7WuXoSkcRiGz7sNQ/edit?usp=sharing

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[3J]

whats your estrogen on your bloodwork.. have you given bloodwork since you started injections?

 

[jasonhoutx]

whats your estrogen on your bloodwork.. have you given bloodwork since you started injections?

all labs - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xPYgBhKWJVM-lZtCF-zUAjeYFNJ7WuXoSkcRiGz7sNQ/edit?usp=sharing

After starting injections - Test finally went up. I have been on TD gel/creams for years and never broke 400.
Total Testosterone - 733 ng/dL
E2 - went from 14 to 36 (pg/mL) (range - 7.63 - 42.6)