Libido all over the map while on TRT and Peptides

[crossfitxman]

Started TRT in November 2015. Libido has never been a problem before or during TRT until the past month or two. When I started TRT, my libido shot through the roof! I've always had morning wood, but in the past month my libido is all over the place. Some mornings I'm saluting the flag and other mornings I'm limp as a noodle. Lately I've been noticing it's not as easy to maintain an erection during intercourse and it's starting drive me crazy. Below are some blood work numbers from start to current. What could be causing my libido to be going through such ups and downs??? Any help would've greatly appreciated!

11/1/2015 - Base line
Total Test: 593 ng/dL
Free Test: 130.5 pg/mL
IGF-I: 199 ng/mL
Hemoglobin: 14.7 g/dL
Hematocrit: 44.5%
Estradiol: <15

Dose:
100 mg/mL testosterone cypionate once per week
250 cc HCG 2 days and 1 day before injection, 4 weeks on, 4 weeks off (HCG only)

12/15/2015
Total Test: 899 ng/dL
Free Test: 141.4 pg/mL
Estradiol: 34

Dose:
100 mg/mL testosterone cypionate once per week
250 cc HCG 2 days and 1 day before injection, 4 weeks on, 4 weeks off (HCG only)
*start arimidex .5 once a week on day of injection

03/12/2016
Total Test: 679 ng/dL
Free Test: 108.6 pg/mL
Hemoglobin: 15.6 g/dL
Hematocrit: 48.6%
Estradiol: 23

Dose:
Increased to 160 mg/mL testosterone cypionate once per week
250 cc HCG 2 days and 1 day before injection, 8 weeks on, 4 weeksû off (HCG only)
*start arimidex .5 twice a week one on day of injection, second dose 3 days later
Started semorelin, grph-2, theanine night injections prior to bed.

05/05/2016
Total Test: 1603 ng/dL
Free Test: 319.0 pg/mL
IGF-I: 185 ng/mL
Hemoglobin: 15.6 g/dL
Hematocrit: 50.7%
Estradiol: 34

What gives???

 

[Megatron28]

First of all, I don't get why you went on TRT when your Natty T was 593 per your 11/1 Baseline results.


When is your blood work being done relative to your weekly injection? Are we looking at peaks, midpoints or troughs?


Finally, you keep saying you are having libido issues but all the symptoms you describe are simply erectile dysfunction issues. So please clarify which it is or both. If it is just ED, high or low estradiol is often the culprit.

Why do you stop taking hCG for a month after being on for two months. Are you off hCG when your ED problems started?

 

[crossfitxman]

First of all, I don't get why you went on TRT when your Natty T was 593 per your 11/1 Baseline results.


When is your blood work being done relative to your weekly injection? Are we looking at peaks, midpoints or troughs?


Finally, you keep saying you are having libido issues but all the symptoms you describe are simply erectile dysfunction issues. So please clarify which it is or both. If it is just ED, high or low estradiol is often the culprit.

Why do you stop taking hCG for a month after being on for two months. Are you off hCG when your ED problems started?

Went on TRT for several reasons.
Bloodwork has been done 4 days after last injection.
Last bloodwork results were based on draw 3 days after injection.
Not sure what you mean by peaks, midpoints or troughs - sorry I'm new to Trt/steroid use.

I would say issue is libido. I started noticing the change about 2 weeks after starting the peptides. I used to get a boner if the wind blew. If there was a hot chick anywhere in site, my desire was through the roof. If my wife would be undressed in front of me it was on like donkey kong. If my wife just laid her hand on my chest, instant woody. Lately, the desire just isn't there. Don't get me wrong, I can still muster the will and occasionally the killer instinct is there like before. It's just not like when I first got on TRT where it was more animalistic.

My doc wants me cycling on and off the HCG so that my body doesn't get used to it. During the last blood draw, I was off HCG for 2 weeks prior. Libido problems started when I was on HCG, and on peptides.

Also, noticing/feeling more sluggish with my workouts lately and don't have any stamina toward end of workouts.

Could elevated hematocrit/hemo be part of the cause?

Could E levels be too high?

 

[oldmusclemike]

Pretty much a sign of low Estradiol. How is your appetite?

PS: my natural Test before this cycle was 500 + and my doctor won't touch that with TRT and I am 65.

 

[Megatron28]

Went on TRT for several reasons.
Bloodwork has been done 4 days after last injection.
Last bloodwork results were based on draw 3 days after injection.
Not sure what you mean by peaks, midpoints or troughs - sorry I'm new to Trt/steroid use.

I would say issue is libido. I started noticing the change about 2 weeks after starting the peptides. I used to get a boner if the wind blew. If there was a hot chick anywhere in site, my desire was through the roof. If my wife would be undressed in front of me it was on like donkey kong. If my wife just laid her hand on my chest, instant woody. Lately, the desire just isn't there. Don't get me wrong, I can still muster the will and occasionally the killer instinct is there like before. It's just not like when I first got on TRT where it was more animalistic.

My doc wants me cycling on and off the HCG so that my body doesn't get used to it. During the last blood draw, I was off HCG for 2 weeks prior. Libido problems started when I was on HCG, and on peptides.

Also, noticing/feeling more sluggish with my workouts lately and don't have any stamina toward end of workouts.

Could elevated hematocrit/hemo be part of the cause?

Could E levels be too high?

So lots to respond to.

So you have no erection issues whatsoever? Simply just don't have the desire to have sex? Is that the case?

Peak, mid-point and trough blood serum levels mean when your blood work was taken, where were your TT levels in their wave function. You inject once a week. So your TT doesn't stay at the same level every day and every hour of that week. It generally hits it's highest levels (peak) one to two days after your injection. It will be at a low point (trough) right when you do your next injection. There will be a mid-point somewhere between the peak and trough points. It sounds like you have been getting blood work done at your peak/mid-point. For TRT, the common practice is to actually check trough levels instead. So on the day of your injection, but before actually giving yourself that injection.

Many of us don't like pinning once a week with Cypionate. We find that we are on too much of a rollercoaster ride. Big peaks and low troughs. This in turn makes it much harder to manage estradiol. Many of us pin twice a week to mitigate this effect. Something you may want to try.

What were your reasons for going on TRT?

There is no need to cycle on and off hCG while on TRT at the low doses you are taking. In fact, this is detrimental to your treatment. I would encourage you to stay on. I would also recommend considering injecting hCG once every 3.5 days rather than the way you are doing it. I inject test cyp twice a week and I do my hCG injections at the same time. Makes life easier.

High hematocrit won't affect libido. Possibly ED but unlikely. But regardless, donating blood regularly to manage hematocrit is 100% necessary. You should be donating a pint of blood every 56 days.

If anything, I would say that your estradiol may be too low -- not too high. Low E2 definitely affects libido, energy levels and ED. Any unusual joint pain? Feeling the strong need to take a nap in the afternoon?

Have you read this Basic TRT Overview sticky thread here in the TRT forum yet? If not I would encourage you to give it a read.

Finally, try dropping the peptides for a couple of weeks to see if things return to normal. You said that is when things began happening. Might be a coincidence -- might not. And just curious, why are you taking peptides?

 

[IMT staff]

The peptides your doing are not a good combo. Your HCG dose is also too low.

GHRP2 can stimulate pgr hormones especially when ipamorelin is not added to the mix or GHRP6