I’ve been on TRT over a year now tweaking my protocol to get my libido right and I’ve had definite highs and lows. Currently on 150 mg per week of test cyp
I recently switched to EOD because my e2 was on the higher side doing 2x injections per week.
On 2x per week:
T - 789 (264-916)
Free T -22.6 (8.7-25.1)
E2 - 40.5 (7.6-42.6)
I switched to MWF injections and after a month felt awful so went to EOD and after 5.5 weeks here are my results:
I’m not feeling great, mood is decent but libido is not there… I had a feeling e2 was up and that lowering my dose would make sense but I didn’t think it would be higher than 2x per week…
Curious why that could happen or if anyone has run into this?
That makes sense I was leaning toward doing that before the results came in so appreciate it.
I do have low SHBG so figured frequent injections would be better but since the 150 mg worked better on 2x injections would you recommend lowering the dose on a 2x injection protocol or EOD?
If your insurance will cover Jatenzo I would highly recommend it. The levels I’m running now I could never run on injections and have the libido and erectile quality I have now.
My energy levels are absolutely insane and I’m having to readjust my belt every week. Soon none of my clothes will fit and in fact my underwear falls beneath my waist under my pants.
I’m peaking around 1000 ng/dL at 2 hours, 715 ng/dL and 4 hours and 287 ng/dL at 12 hours. I have low SHBG at 16.
My Free T levels are in the 30-60 range per labcorp normal ranges. I have no idea where my estrogen levels currently sit or do I feel the need to check it.
The only way I got my insurance to pay for it is treatment failure on all other formulations of TRT. The majority of patients in the clinical trial needed 237mg twice daily to achieve optimal T levels and is the recommended starting dosage.
The issue is the warning label talks about liver toxicity. Or potential therefore.
I would like to think that jatenzo is no different than a transdermal in regards to how fast it clears your system. As long as you can get TT high enough on a trans, what’s really the difference? (other than cross contamination to a spouse, etc)
Your FT went up on EOD. FT converts to DHT and E2. That is why E2 is higher.
I wouldn’t use something like this. It’s just the new thing that can be patented so a pharma company can make more money. It has an advantage in that it is a pill which is preferable for many people (especially those who haven’t given themselves shots yet).
Just an FYI, and not intended as a personal attack, systemlord seems to try something new every few months. Generally, it is reported as the new thing to do for TRT, it lasts a few months, and he is trying something else.
Would you recommend sticking with the EOD at maybe a 120 mg per week dose or do you think because I felt better on the 2x per week I try that on the lower dose.
I don’t mind the injections just want to avoid using AI while keeping e2 down
I would try the EOD at 120 mg/wk. I think that is a logical thing to try. It should get your E2 down a bit.
You will have to wait about 6 weeks to see if this is good for libido.
You could use a tiny amount of AI one time just to see if it is E2 that is causing your low libido. Maybe take something like .125 mg of adex and observe for about 4 days how libido is. If it goes up, then I think lowering your dose to 120 mg/wk on EOD injections should be likely to improve libido.
Low libido isn’t always Test, E2, DHT, FT, Prolactin. If you have lots of stress, depression, lack of sleep, etc… you could get lower libido. My libido is normally pretty high, but if I get sick, it goes way down. If I am really anxious or stressed it goes down.
Yea my libido was always high til hypogonadism… on TRT I’ve had it absolutely skyrocket for a month or so then it goes away and when I get tested e2 is always really high…
This has happened multiple times, I think 125ish weekly EOD might be a good play for me.
I am not going to pretend I have the answers for you. Raising libido on TRT is one of the harder things to figure out, and the answer is often individual (what works for one may not work for another). Some have great libido with high E2 some not so much. Since some don’t have good libido with high E2 it is logical to look at that IMO. Try out the 120 or 125 mg/wk and see.
Totally I appreciate your help… it is tough dialing it in but I feel like I’m almost there as I’ve had some real highs just need to tweak it quite a bit.
As you said everyone is different… I think for me high e2 fucks with my libido and if I can get under 30 to mid 20s I could be in good shape
Cos you kept your dose the same but increased injection frequency, meaning lower peaks and higher trough. So if you check your levels on your lowest point still, it will appear to be higher
BTW, total T went down on EOD, while free T went up - IE shbg went DOWN. Everyone always claim that shbg go up on frequent injections, ive never ever seen it and here again, showing otherwise.
Trying to understand, your E2 was 40. Any trouble with symptoms from that level? Changing your dose based on a number, especially that one, makes little sense.
Easy, try a short course of anastrozole and then you’ll have a more definitive answer.