Androgel Stopped Working?

Pharma / TRT Testosterone Replacement
1

Hey all,

Been on Androgel for about two years now, and I’ve been feeling like it’s not working anymore - or working very well. I’m on 5g daily (four pumps) When I first started it, it didn’t do much for my ED, but it did improve my sex drive a little. I’m 53 and have Type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea, which is being treated.

I’m not noticing any negative change in erectile function, but what I’m noticing more is my sex drive seems to have fallen off a cliff. I can now look at any woman and not feel much desire or interest. I’m starting to not care if the TRT does anything for me in the sexual arena, as women just seem to suck badly lately and I’ve given up looking for a woman anyway. I want to stay on the TRT in hopes I can remain reasonably mentally sharp - because before I started the Androgel, my mind was turning to mush and I was having memory problems as well as a huge lack of motivation to do anything much.

I’ve also been feeling rather depressed lately. I’ve long been prone to getting panic attacks, and for the longest time, even before I started TRT, the attacks were in remission. Now I’m getting one or two a week, and a new wrinkle to that issue is that I’m now getting the attacks in the middle of the night every now and then.

I’m going to go see my doctor next week and see if he can run some tests to find out what’s wrong. Anyone else had this problem? If so, what to do about it?

2

Inability to absorb transdermal testosterone is a symptom of hypothyroidism or low thyroid function. This can be from thyroid problems and/or from iodine deficiency.

Have you stopped using iodized salt? - check the container.

Low thyroid function shows up as lower body temperatures.
Please check oral body temperature when you first wake up AND also mid-afternoon.
In AM, 97.7 - 97.8 is good, 97.3 to too low. Also need to get 98.6 in the afternoon.

If not using longterm iodized salt, or vitamins listing iodine; or if body temperatures are low - read the ‘thyroid basics’ sticky.

Low thyroid function has many of the same symptoms as low T, including the mental aspects that you reported.

You need to switch to self-injected testosterone.
You will then need to repeat these labs: TT, FT, E2

Please read these stickies:

  • advice for new guys
  • protocol for injections
  • finding a TRT doc

Please post your labs with ranges:
TT
FT
E2
CBC
AST/ALT
fasting cholesterol
fasting glucose
A1C
PSA
TSH
fT3
fT4 [please not T3, T4]
AM cortisol
DHEA-S
IGF-1
CRP - general inflammatory marker
homocysteine - marker for arterial inflammatory processes

Please respond to all points above, double check.