Therapy is not working anymore

[SilverBackGorilla]

I tried again for 2 months (I tried last summer as well) but it seems that since my SHBG is low, my body does not know what to do with supra-physiological levels and I literally start to bloat by the end of the first week and get high BP - no matter how much Aromatase inhibitor (AI) I take and irregardless of the fact that my E2 never gets very high anyway - The highest I have ever seen it is around 50. I tried stayed on for 2 months and controlled (barely) the high BP, but I STILL had no libido, could gain no muscle or loose any fat so I backed down and spent 3 more weeks getting rid of the bloat. It was expensive, annoying and discouraging - which is a good synopsis of my overall close to 3 year testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) experiment so far

During your testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), how high was your total testosterone and free testosterone? With low SHBG and high total test, your free and bioavailable test should be through the roof as the test has nothing to bind to. My SHBG is like 15 and my total test is around 785 and my free test is off the chart high. I've never lifted more in the gym in such a short time. Maybe you are a hyper excreter and need to pin something like a small amount of test prop every day. You could be dumping it. Just an idea.

 

[halfwit]

I tried again for 2 months (I tried last summer as well) but it seems that since my SHBG is low, my body does not know what to do with supra-physiological levels and I literally start to bloat by the end of the first week and get high BP - no matter how much Aromatase inhibitor (AI) I take and irregardless of the fact that my E2 never gets very high anyway - The highest I have ever seen it is around 50. I tried stayed on for 2 months and controlled (barely) the high BP, but I STILL had no libido, could gain no muscle or loose any fat so I backed down and spent 3 more weeks getting rid of the bloat. It was expensive, annoying and discouraging - which is a good synopsis of my overall close to 3 year testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) experiment so far

Have you tried raising your SHBG? I know that increasing estradiol (only temporarily of course) can impact SHBG levels, so it may be worth a shot. What did Crisler have to say? He's one of the best docs I've seen in this field, so I'd be shocked if he was stumped.

During your testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), how high was your total testosterone and free testosterone? With low SHBG and high total test, your free and bioavailable test should be through the roof as the test has nothing to bind to. My SHBG is like 15 and my total test is around 785 and my free test is off the chart high. I've never lifted more in the gym in such a short time. Maybe you are a hyper excreter and need to pin something like a small amount of test prop every day. You could be dumping it. Just an idea.

That too is something to look into. Hell, there's that whole cypionate-resistant group that has been making some noise on the internet, claiming that they lack the enzyme needed to completely cleave the ester from the hormone. I'm pretty sure that's not the issue, but I do feel the hyper-excreter issue is very possible. Hell, that would be easy to test out by using test-no-ester. You'd know DAMN quick if it was working given the incredibly short half-life.

 

[Megatron28]

PT-141 is supposed to help with libido. More so with women, but in men too supposedly. Have you given that a try?

 

[newtohrt]

Have you tried raising your SHBG? I know that increasing estradiol (only temporarily of course) can impact SHBG levels, so it may be worth a shot. What did Crisler have to say? He's one of the best docs I've seen in this field, so I'd be shocked if he was stumped.

That too is something to look into. Hell, there's that whole cypionate-resistant group that has been making some noise on the internet, claiming that they lack the enzyme needed to completely cleave the ester from the hormone. I'm pretty sure that's not the issue, but I do feel the hyper-excreter issue is very possible. Hell, that would be easy to test out by using test-no-ester. You'd know DAMN quick if it was working given the incredibly short half-life.

All the well-known Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) docs usually fall back into the, "Don't worry about SHBG - let your body find its own level" or the, "Your SHBG level may be due to diabetes or insulin resistance" speeches. (Both of which sound logical and are easy to say when you yourself have normal SHBG) Well, my fasting glucose averages between 75-80 (I measure it daily) and pre-diabetes starts with average fasting glucose of levels of 100, and full-on diabetes starts with average fasting glucose of 125 or higher. So, that is not an issue for me and never has been.

For the last 3 months I have switched to Test Prop and have been injecting small amounts EOD as that is supposed to help those with low SHBG as well, and by some accounts, actually raise one's SHBG levels. However, it has done absolutely nothing for me, and my SHBG is lower now that it was on my last blood work.

I have pretty much accepted the fact that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is not ever going to make me have a strong libido and feel awesome like it does for most of you. I guess having a little bit more energy (than before HRT) is gonna be as good as it gets.

 

[Megatron28]

All the well-known Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) docs usually fall back into the, "Don't worry about SHBG - let your body find its own level" or the, "Your SHBG level may be due to diabetes or insulin resistance" speeches. (Both of which sound logical and are easy to say when you yourself have normal SHBG) Well, my fasting glucose averages between 75-80 (I measure it daily) and pre-diabetes starts with average fasting glucose of levels of 100, and full-on diabetes starts with average fasting glucose of 125 or higher. So, that is not an issue for me and never has been.

For the last 3 months I have switched to Test Prop and have been injecting small amounts EOD as that is supposed to help those with low SHBG as well, and by some accounts, actually raise one's SHBG levels. However, it has done absolutely nothing for me, and my SHBG is lower now that it was on my last blood work.

I have pretty much accepted the fact that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is not ever going to make me have a strong libido and feel awesome like it does for most of you. I guess having a little bit more energy (than before HRT) is gonna be as good as it gets.

I can't remember. Did you try gels? While they don't work well for most guys over the long-run, maybe they would work well for you.

 

[halfwit]

All the well-known Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) docs usually fall back into the, "Don't worry about SHBG - let your body find its own level" or the, "Your SHBG level may be due to diabetes or insulin resistance" speeches. (Both of which sound logical and are easy to say when you yourself have normal SHBG) Well, my fasting glucose averages between 75-80 (I measure it daily) and pre-diabetes starts with average fasting glucose of levels of 100, and full-on diabetes starts with average fasting glucose of 125 or higher. So, that is not an issue for me and never has been.

For the last 3 months I have switched to Test Prop and have been injecting small amounts EOD as that is supposed to help those with low SHBG as well, and by some accounts, actually raise one's SHBG levels. However, it has done absolutely nothing for me, and my SHBG is lower now that it was on my last blood work.

I have pretty much accepted the fact that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is not ever going to make me have a strong libido and feel awesome like it does for most of you. I guess having a little bit more energy (than before HRT) is gonna be as good as it gets.

One of these days we're going to figure this out! I'd look into a DHT derivative for libido by the way; I have heard of provirion being prescribed for this very purpose, but of course that's going to vary from doc to doc. Truly wish I had the knowledge to be of more help in your case as I don't think anyone should have to live like that.

Sorry for the massive high-jack OP!