Can you enlighten us more about the relationship between coming off TRT and getting your iron and potassium stores back up? Why one can’t store them back up without coming off TRT?
Also how long were you on TRT before you quit?
That’s quite interesting. Didn’t your E2 crash?
I felt much worse than pre-trt when i came off.
TRT uses up iron to make more hemoglobin and hematocrit, I had little iron stores left for organ function. It seems low potassium causes edema in both legs, stomach and chest when my gut becomes paralyzed, I bowel movements stop and I cease urination, the TRT was worsening the edema and at the time I didn’t know about the abnormally low potassium.
I was on TRT for 2.5 years and was always fatigued, never felt amazing after the first 6 months, the iron and potassium deficiencies ensured TRT failure. It went from a mild iron deficiency to critical iron deficiency and is life threatening.
All my doctors were thinking the worst, heart failure, kidney failure and liver failure.
Thank you for the explanation @systemlord!
How low was both iron and potassium in numbers? I just started TRT and i want to compare since my ferritin and iron weren’t exactly high.
By “iron stores” you mean both iron and ferritin? No?
The iron and ferritin were mirror imagines, both were equally low. Iron was 40 (60-170) and ferritin was 24 (25 - 336). My MCV and MCH were both bottomed out, one was actually below range, I had multiple labs indicating a strong case for iron deficiency.
You can see a steady decline of MCV, MCH and even hemoglobin, my hemoglobin with Total T between 400-500 initially was in the ballpark of 17-18, almost 3 years later with the same Total T, hemoglobin is in the low normal range (14.1) and would have eventually sunk below range.
I was running out of iron to make more hemoglobin. You need ferritin 70> to support optimal thyroid function, you do not properly convert T4 to T3 when iron is low. I have read that some of these reference ranges are misleading doctors, ferritin ranges should bottom out at 35.
Some can even have iron deficiency within ranges and most doctors can not properly diagnose iron deficiency by simply looking at serum iron, you need CBC, an iron panel and ferritin for a proper diagnosis and most doctors are cutting corners because they do not want to get blacklisted by insurance companies for excess lab testing.
If you have an HMO, corners are being cut and your health will be affected negatively when seeking answers to your health problems.
@systemlord. im curious. what is your next plan for your hormones recovery?
Lately I’m still experiencing excess something, I’m still working to get the right amount of iron, ferritin, potassium and vitamin D, once I get those is a range where I feel good and my testosterone has not improved, it’s time for a 7-10mg daily protocol.
i saw that you changed your diet when you went trt. maybe thats why? add some red meat, broccoli, etc?
I cut out steak and milk, but had problems long before I cut out either. The vitamin D was low before starting TRT, again doctors never said a thing.
dang. good thing you noticed!
How are your test levels after you stopped? Do your testicles work?
hey, streaker,
Honestly, find a new doc. Testosterone is primarily a cardiac hormone. “According to Dr Lair Ribeiro, Cardiologist and professor of Medicine Harvard School”
About, atrial fibrillation. = magnesium deficiency
If you are on cholesterol drugs control, like statins, consider drop it asap.
gl
Going to do blood work in a few more weeks I feel like everything is working good. I’m not a number guy but I will post when I do my blood work. Going by feel I dont feel any difference being on or off acne on my back is clearing thats awesome and feel like cardio workouts are better so far all positives.
You seem to be doing ok coming off TRT. I’m super keen to see if your LH is starting to crank ok it’s own, even at some level. How’s the libido and energy been? I think I will struggle immensely trying to restart myself, but I’m seriously considering. I’ve been on TRT for about 9 months. There ARE positives on TRT that I will not get again being off, but I’m over feeling like shit. It plays havoc on me, hcg, anastrozole and test. I look like shit half the time. I’m going to get fresh bloods tomorrow, see where I’m at, before I commit to a restart and see how it prevails.
Why you wanna come off TRT? Why don’t you first find a good doctor to make you optimal protocol? If you take AI, obviously your protocol is not OK
I’ve tried numerous protocols over the past 9 months. ATM. I’m on 120mg test a week, split into doses, hcg 500 iu, twice a week, anastrozole merely taken at 0.1mg every few days. I have a log on my account 
Energy has been good cardio seems better than ever. still getting night time erections sex is good if she comes looking for it, I find I’m not looking for it as often 1 or 2 Times a week would keep me happy. I’m 45 so pretty normal. My buddy keeps saying I will still crash ? after 4 weeks off wouldn’t it all be out of my system ? I did taper down over a month and took hcg for 2 months before I quit. I noticed now my boys are hanging good and loose compared to pulled up super tight when I was on.
Thsts a good sign with the gonads hanging. Everyone is different. You may be a lucky one. I’d say, you’re producing Test on ya own with them hanging. How you feel is most important IMO. I wouldn’t say all the exogenous test is out yet, but pretty close too I think anyway. Glad you’re doing well. Get some bloods now and I’m 3 months IMO
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I was wondering that so it is a good sign for sure that the boys are hanging lower?