Clomid Drop from 25mg ED to 12.5mg ED Yet No Libido?

I am 33 years old, active, fitness oriented and has been struggling with LOW T for little over a year. I highly suspect the suppression due to Curcumin & Iodine intake which messed up my endocrine system. I managed to raise my testsoterone from a below range of 6.4 nmol (range 8.4 - 28.7) to 10.2 (range from 9.9 - 27.8).

The lab ranges vary since i’ve tried various doctors who don’t treat my Low T symptoms seriously.

Finally met a pro BB who suggested me to take clomid instead of listening to doctors since most of them just wanted me to start Testosterone Gel/Injections. No doctors prior to this has taken my FSH & LH. They have only taken total testosterone. Ever since im in touch with the pro BB, he hooked me up with a doctor who did a full proper hormonal test. and these were my results:

  1. Total Testosterone: 6.8nmol/l (range:5.72 - 26.4) - Taken on 18/07 12pm
  2. FSH: 1.2IU/L (range:1.4 - 18.1) - Taken on 18/07 12pm
  3. LH: 0.8IU/L (range: 1.5 - 9.3) - Taken on 18/07 12pm
  4. Estrodiol: 0.1nmol/l (range:0.1 - 0.19)
  5. SHBG: 23.4nmol - Taken in April
  6. T3: 1.8nmol/l ( range 1.2 - 3.1)
  7. TSH: 1.71mu/L (range 0.27 - 4.2)
  8. T4: 104nmol/L (66-181nmol/L)

Next im currently on clomid as suggested by the pro BB and seconded by the sports doc:
**1) First week was 150mg (based on the pro BB suggestion) but after reading multiple reviews here from @ksman, i have decided to drop to 25mg ED for 3 weeks. Week 4 - 12 is going to be 12.5mg ED ** This is to ensure the Estrogen and SHBG levels do not raise up.
2) my lh and fsh is below range **
**3) hence testosterone is low. **
**4) should i consume 25mg EOD instead of 25mg ED **
5) my plan is not to be on clomid forever and hopefully cease once my HPTA can successfully be restarted.

Currently im entering week 5 on 12.5mg ED and plan to retest in week 12. The only positive symptoms i got from clomid is:

1) my morning erections are present consistently everyday (sometimes even two morning erections but without libido)
2) energy feels better. When i say better it’s better than before but not like how optimal i used to be back in 2017 or before.
3) gym strength feels better. Could lift heavy without much effort & recovery seems ok as well.
4) ejaculation seems to be getting thicker if i don’t masturbate consistently.
**5) I could get erection if i watch porn (for example) except that the penis takes time to get erected instead of being spontaneous. **
6) I’ve not gotten any symptoms of being horny like i really want to make out and have sex for example. No motivation and drive to do it.

The only thing I’ve yet to attain at the moment is sexual libido/sexual drive. Please advise…

I just did my second bloodwork to monitor my levels and this time around we included IGF-1

I wouldn’t hold out much hope on a successful restart, you have one of the lowest LH levels I have ever seen and this tells me that this is a pituitary failure, drugs aren’t going to change it.

It’s common to see libido take a hit while on clomid, clomid increases and stimulates the estrogen receptor and like anyone on TRT with really high estrogen, libido is affected.

It is extremely rare to find someone with a normal libido while on clomid, even then eventually libido disappears once the zuclomiphene builds up in your system.

That was a mistake. The sports doc and the Pro BB almost certainly have a better handle on things than what you read. Do not play a round with a restart, do it or do not. Hammer that pituitary and see if it wakes up. Your goal shouldn’t be long term Clomid use, it should be to see if things will kick into gear with a nudge.

I felt like shit on 150mg. Feeling much better of with low doses.instead of 6 weeks with high doses, id rathee do low dose for 3 months. Anyway, ive done my bloodworks at 6 weeks mark. Ill post my results soon when i get em. Pre clomid vs 6 weeks thru on clomid

I’m sure you did, a lot of guys do. but that low dose is unlikely to give you a fair shot at a restart. If the high dose is awful, better to switch to tamoxifen/Nolvadex for the restart.

Will post my blood works results 6 weeks mark.

Symptoms are as following:
:point_right:t5: Strength had tremendously increased in the gym.
:point_right:t5: muscle recovery is pretty alright
:point_right:t5: overall energy is good
:point_right:t5: morning erections seem to decrease with low dosage of clomid…
:point_right:t5: random erection is somewhat minimally present
:point_right:t5: ejaculation quality (lumpy, thick and whiter) as opposed to it being watery, runny and clear…

@testosterone_hunter

So you got symptoms improvement with clomid?

This is remarkable. I was taking it 2 weeks EOD 12.5mg, I felt much terrible and just stopped it.

Some of the symptoms improved as mentioned. Overall wellbeing, energy and etc but libido not present. My results just came in. I’ll post it shortly.

This was pre clomid:

  1. Total Testosterone: 6.8nmol/l (range:5.72 - 26.4) - Taken on 18/07 12pm
  2. FSH: 1.2IU/L (range:1.4 - 18.1) - Taken on 18/07 12pm
  3. LH: 0.8IU/L (range: 1.5 - 9.3) - Taken on 18/07 12pm
  4. Estrodiol: 0.1nmol/l (range:0.1 - 0.19)
  5. SHBG: 23.4nmol (range 15-70)- Taken in April
  6. T3: 1.8nmol/l ( range 1.2 - 3.1)
  7. TSH: 1.71mu/L (range 0.27 - 4.2)
  8. T4: 104nmol/L (66-181nmol/L)

6 weeks after clomid

  1. Total Testosterone: 26.4nmol/l (range:8.0 - 31)
  2. FSH: 2.2IU/L (range:1.4 - 18.1)
  3. LH: 2.9IU/L (range: 1.5 - 9.3)
    4) Estrodiol: 215.4 pmol/l (range for male is <146.1 ) - HIGH
  4. SHBG: 37.1 nmol - (range 14.55 -94.64) - Increased
    6) IGF - 1: 150ng/ml (41-246)
  5. T3: Not taken
  6. TSH: Not Taken
  7. T4: Not Taken

Although my total test has gone up but my drive/libido is no different. Slight improvement perhaps. I would love to hear your input. SHBG is still ok and manageable although it has gone up but my estrogen is concerning.

Doctor also mentioned that my IGF-1 is also average. Meeting the doctor to discuss further.

Results posted… Should continue clomid further?

@testosterone_hunter f you stop clomid the results will go away in time, maybe for 2-3 months you will be at baseline again. Defy Medical has told me that the clomid monotherapy should continue for at least months.

How did you feel from clomid when you initially started it?

Im planning to use it for another 6 weeks and slowly cease/taper off.

Before clomid, sluggish, watery ejaculation, tired, no energy at gym, no libido and etc…

as of now week 7 at 12.5mg EOD, good energy at gym, good sleep, thicker ejaculation but libido isn’t greatly present yet (due to high estrogen)

how many months did they say it will back to baseline. What if the problem was lh and fsh to begin with and clomid fixed this issue…

@testosterone_hunter

how many months did they say it will back to baseline

2-3 months

I dont know for the other, but its very unlikely clomid to make permanent fix. The only time when this can happen is if you had your LH and FSH suppressed before that by AAS or other similar substances.
This is the so-called “restart”.

Otherwise clomid must be continously used like TRT to maintain these levels, but as you see with E2 and SHBG it has side effects

If he continues to keep dropping the clomid, and maybe reaches a point like 12.5/ week — is it possible that his testosterone could remain elevated? And the estrogen would drop to a more normal level, and therefore libido could improve?

You wonder in the case described in this thread, since he is such a good responder to Clomid, if truly a minimal amount could keep the positive effects.

Also, between many many threads, I have still not seen a clear answer as to whether your estrogen level truly matters on Clomid, since the action of the estrogen at the receptor is already being modified. Would Anastrozole in this case do anything at all positive? Or are you basically throwing a cup of water on a huge fire, since the estrogen stimulus will remain with the Clomid?

You ask questions that nobody can give you a definitive answer. No doctor, no expert, nobody.
I guess he must discover for his own. Gradually dropping the clomid seems a good idea, but at some points very likely his testosterone may also drop .

I believe mine is a pituitary suppression and hence im responding pretty well. I didnt expect that high of an increment in my total testosterone.

On another note, everytime i drop the dosage of clomid… from 150 to 25 and 12.5 and now 12.5 EOD… my strength, mood, overall energy increases… its subtle but certainly noticeable… i believe my estrogen also reduced as my dosage reduced. I will post a 12 week results with 12.5mg EOD and followed hy E3D on the last 2 weeks

@testosterone_hunter

I dont believe estrogen is what causes clomid side effects. Just its a shitty drug with side effects and its mechanism of action is very complicated. It consists of mirror molecules and so…

Im interested did you start feeling worse when initially started clomid, before it has increased your T?

I definitely felt like crap before clomid with low lh, fsh and low Testosterone. I couldn’t even do 3 proper chin ups, .I was the kind who could pull myself anywhere between 10- 12 pull ups. I was 78kg 1 1/2 years back. Im 85kg now, could do 7 reps of proper chin ups for 3 sets. 12 - 15 reps dips now.

Ever since my testosterone suppressed, met multiple docs and none of them took my LH, FSH and the last doc did.

Im not advocating clomid but ever since prescribed by doctor and i only started reading and doin more research these weeks. i was worried about shbg and estrogen. Even my initial clomid dosage at 150mg made me feel like shit. I was flamed on reddit for ingesting that high amount. All my dosage was advised on reddit and excelmale forum. Not more than 25mg/day

overall energy is excellent, thicker ejaculation, deadlifted 90kg x 5 reps yesterday. Its been awhile i could lift 90kg since my test and recovery was poor.

Only missing link is my libido is not where i would want it to be since estrogen is high.

I still have concerns:

  1. what happens when i cease clomid.
  2. will libido return when i control my estrogen etc etc…

I will update here time to time

@testosterone_hunter
I wanted to ask because my experience with clomid is different.

I also have the low-t symptoms from a lot of time. Before starting clomid my testosterone was in the 300s

I first started cabergoline and got some additional anxiety, but nothing special. Then I took clomid 12.5mg EOD for two weeks. Since the first clomid tablet I felt terrible and couldnt get my dick hard, no such issue before clomid. I managed to go trhough this shit 2 weeks. Did testosterone test and my total testosterone has gone up to the 500s but I felt much worse than before initiating clomid, so I stopped.

I just wonder If I had pushed harder to get to the top range of the total testosterone whether I would suddenly feel some total improvement. Also dr Keith Nichols told me I should have tried it longer and with higher dose, maybe 25mg ED, but I just could not handle how I felt from it…

Was your low T Due to LH and FSH ? Did you check your LH & FSH Levels. From my readings of clomid users, i read and find a similarity that user with Low T but LH and FSH which is in the range don’t respond well with Clomid in terms of symptoms although results differ… This merely my personal browsing and understanding. Im not speculating here.

Users like me who has Low LH and FSH and hence Low T seem to get the results and some postivie symptoms such as overall energy, mood, thicker ejaculation but libido seem to be an issue as it elevates the estrogen.

Hence, in my case i believe i should complete the 3 months but try to lower the dose and slowly taper off.

My plan is now 12.5mg EOD (week 7 & 8) and 12.5mg E3D (week 9 - 12). As for my elevated estrogen, im meeting my doctor this friday and i am going to present to him this dosage as well and will reply here