Low Libido on Long Term TRT?

Thanks, did some reading on it…injectable?! I know I inject my hormones, but injecting something like this would make me feel like a doper hah.

Hope supplements work and possibly managing stress better. I might be more willing to try Dostinex and Selegiline since they are pills, IF I can get them from a doctor or RC I trust. But still would need to keep reading, as I do not want to become reliant on anything for libido. I worry that just like TRT, once you start taking something your body shuts down its own production and becomes dependent on the outside source. Whatever my issue is I do not want to further suppress/downregulate whatever it is and then have to add more meds to my system long term. If there is a “restart” method for dopamine I would like to do that.

There are other forums for guys with drug issues or psych conditions that discuss libido and dopamine, and my gosh the threads go on for 50 pages and make my head spin! They seem to understand all sorts of these medications and have psychiatrists that constantly adjust and play with them to include Bupropion and Wellbutrin as KSman noted too.

Not sure if you saw the other lab values I posted up that you asked for…and next week I am going to get prolactin and progesterone tested to see where they are at. Have been trying to read up on Dopamine issues but man its complicated (at least for me). Lots of forums of guys who have mental health issues or drug addiction issues go into depth about their libido and dopamine, but these guys are talking about so many meds they each take I never heard of. It has come up in some of their threads though that stress can kill libido.

On the TRT or AAS forums, dopamine seems to only come up concerning Deca Dick, and I’ve read a few different handfuls of advice how to cure that, but much of it is conflicting! Seems most blame it on not good PCT, but I am TRT so PCT is not an issue. Progesterone and Prolactin this and that goes way over my head. And I do not want to just double my T levels up just to attempt to boost libido like those guys do, or they say it just takes years for Deca Dick to improve if you happen to be sensitive, or guys throwing Proviron and Dostinex in with TRT after a Deca cycle…confusing to me.

“Erections in men are generally classified into two categories: Reflexogenic erections, that is erections triggered by physical stimulus of the penis, and Psychogenic erections, which are triggered by sexual fantasies, thoughts and looking at things which are sexually stimulating. Psychogenic erections are generally gradually lost in men somewhere between the ages of 45 and 65. Apomorphine has been shown to restore Psychogenic erections in men who are otherwise unable to achieve them.”

Interesting. Sounds like Apomorphine increases the desire for sex, never heard of it. Is it widely used and prescribed? I’ve only ever heard about ED drugs that increase circulation

Not standard labwork.

My testosterone treatments have made it where I no longer need Ed drugs. but that one just sounds interesting. Yeah they have sublingual and they’re easily to come by at least where I live

Yea that sounds better than inject!!

Just FYI for others reading this thread, heard a podcast by a Dr William Wong (not kidding on name) who explains all the necessary things our bodies need for erections and natural supplements to try first before doing dopamine drugs. It was interesting so some might wanna look him up.

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Got my labs back, maybe my assumptions that its a dopamine issue are wrong? My prolactin seems to be in normal if not pretty low range?

Prolactin 6.2 (range 2-18)

My DHEA S level jumped out at me, as over the past two years it keeps dropping

DHEA S 193 (range 70-495)
**previous lab it was mid 200s, lab prior to that mid 300s

T3 total 98 (range 76-181)
TSH 2.45 (range .40 - 4.5)
Estradiol 25 (range <=39)
TT 833 (range 250-1100)
FT 2.53 (range 35-155)
IGF-1 431 (range 52-328)

Vit D 92 (range 30-100)

Doesn’t look like he did cortisol this time which is weird unless the lab lady just did not get the paperwork right.

So I have been taking all the suggested supplements, still no change in libido. My hormones seem on point correct? And prolactin does not seem to be the problem so my dopamine is not the issue here?

if my DHEA is steadily declining, am I possibly dealing with slipping back into some adrenal fatigue issues?

My strength in gym is good, my bodyfat level is great, my daily life energy is same…just flat. Maybe this is all in my head along with lots of life stress killing my libido?

Could be prolactin:

http://www.issm.info/news/sex-health-headlines/low-prolactin-sexual-problems-in-older-men/

Was your FT a typo? Did you get ft3, ft4 and rt3 tested? Are you supplementing with iodine? TSH could be lower and can be raised by iodine supplementation. Cortisol labs would have been useful too. I don’t think DHEA is the problem personally, but I could be wrong and often am.

Thanks for the fast response, and yes that was a typo.

FT 253.3 (range 35-155)

No on the FT3, ft4,rt3…I have a few different doctors and they test different things, I ask for what you guys suggest but ultimately my docs mark up the lab requests. But earlier in the thread my last labs did have ft3,ft4 and KSman seemed to indicate the numbers were ok.

I have 75mcg iodine in my multi, maybe its not enough.

I searched and could not find ideal prolactin levels, and did not see the number they consider low in that research. I did see some forum posts saying under 5 is low, and that I think 10 is getting too high, so almost seems like I could be in the proper range? However I exercise a lot and am extremely lean, so if it is low prolactin contributing to my issues I do not know what would be causing it? As much negative stuff as I read about Deca Dick I would be scared to intentionally raise my prolactin levels (not even slightest clue how I would do that).

You can use http://www.discountedlabs.com/ to specify exactly what you want tested, but it’s out of pocket.

Typically increasing iodine dosage will increase TSH in turn. So I wouldn’t increase it if body temps are good.

I’d be lying if I said I knew a lot about prolactin:

Body temps are good. Been periodically checking them plus recently had a few accidents that landed me in urgent care multiple visits and they confirmed my temps good too hah.

T3 is way below mid-range and TSH is high. But it is fT3 that runs the show.
How have these changed?
TSH was 2.1

Yikes that’s not good to hear if those numbers aren’t good and it’s only been like 4 months since last labs so if that TSH change is significant I’m perplexed. Not sure what could changed them as no changes on my end on my protocol hormone or supplement wise.

So maybe something is messing up optimal thyroid numbers…

Actually there was supplement changes - all the stuff I started taking to boost dopamine. Adding in Phenyalanine, Tyrosine, Mucuna…

Gonna read up on thyroid since its so foreign to me. Years ago when I started HRT I had severe adrenal fatigue after years of serious medical issues, and also was on thryroid (Armour) and cortisol. Eventually weaned off cortisol first, then slowly off thyroid, and then just been going with T, HCG, Adex, and HGH for past 6 years or so (with a 2 years break from HGH for financial reasons).

Yea so my TSH is creeping up over the past 3 labs. Might need to get more blood work done and get everything you specifically ask for in stickie and make sure whichever doctor I ask does them all. Not sure why this one did not do cortisol (although I suspect itts because he wanted to do the saliva cortisol 6 times a day test that is out of pocket and expensive), and not sure why only TSH and total T3.

@bluecollarjock Did anything help? If so, how long did it take to get your ED issues resolved? My labs are quite alright, at-least seems so but till struggling with ED. Of course, physical stimulation (plus Cialis 25mg!) is able to get me hard but only up tp 70% and I lose it very quickly, can’t keep it long enough to have enjoyable sex.

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Have you abstained from trying to have sex and stimulation for a month? If you were having sex allot and watchingnporn regularly that could be the cause. Before this happened of course.

Yeah, been avoiding porn for over a month. Did have an active sex life - sex everyday pretty much with the help of 5-10mg Cialis. @enackers - how long to recover from this? am I suppose to have less sex? I haven’t been having sex for over a month since this ED became this bad but I dont understand - I want to get better/fix ED so I can get back to normal sex life!

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Yes man stop. If it’s not working properly let it heal. Believe me this will help. Here is my suggestion. Stop for at least 6-8 weeks. You will benefit in the long run trust me. It’s like a runner having a bad Achilles and Continues to run at race pace. Try some supplements that help rewrite the brain. Neuroplasticity I believe is the word for the part we’re tryinf to re-wire and heal. Look up “abstinence of sex and neuroplasticity young men”… it’ll explain what we’re trying to fix

After this period of abstinence You will aenjoy the simplist of sexual expressions. This is why porn stars abstain until there videos. Google it…

For example: After 2 months I was turned on by cleavage or just a beautiful head of hair on a woman when I abstained. Before I could appreciate it but it did not turn me on. I was totally limp… 25 or so years old. Scary. They gave me androgel that didn’t help. I quit cold turkey and my solution above fixed me right up for good. You will also have better sensitivity and awesome orgasms :slight_smile: .

When you get through this period do not go back to your old ways. Try to stay off pornography. It’s a fucking disease in society. Your woman will love you for it and you’ll appreciate her beauty more.

After this period do not force sex and don’t push it to get erect… Only have sex if aroused without touching and such … sure if a woman touched it. But don’t do it yourself until your at least a year out and even then be careful brother. It should get better after a year. The First 2 months healed 85-90.% of the issue for me.

If you are aroused easily daily after healing then sure go for it :slight_smile:

I hope that helps. I really can’t wait to see how this helps you. I’ll be super psyched for you if this helps you like it helped me.

Thanks man. I barely watch porn actually. So I doubt I have porn induced ED.

Have an active sex life in general. And haven’t had sex since January 16th. Have tried it a few times since then but it just doesn’t get hard or stay hard - gets soft in the middle of being blown!

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Damn well if you waited properly and that did not fix. Then your having more issues.

Did you test DHT and e2 and etc?

Do you have a post with history on this board? If so I’ll go check.