I could use some advice from you guys. I’m 33 and currently attempting a HPTA restart using tamoxifen after being on TRT for around 2.5 years - first 1.5 years I was doing test e injections and the last 12 months I’ve been using Testogel (4 pumps per day). I switched because I was just sick of the hassle of injecting twice a week and it made my girlfriend nervous.
My protocol for the tamoxifen is 40/40/20/20/20/20 and I’m just coming to the end of of the 2nd week at 40mg. So far so good; the first week I had a bit of anxiety but now I actually feel better in terms of energy and mood than when I was on TRT… even with T and E2 being in good ranges for the majority of the TRT. I started the protocol four days after the last administration of Testogel; that’s how long it stays in the system.
The issues I’m having are libido which is pretty low and I need cialis to perform. Is this a result of the 40mg of tamoxifen as I hear it can play havoc with sex drive? Will dropping down tomorrow to 20mg a day ease these side effects of low libido and ED or am I looking at these issues continuing until I come off? It’s just becoming a bit pain as she wants it most days…
Btw I’m stopping TRT as I just didn’t feel that good on it and we are planning on trying for a child next year.
In any case I will continue to update this post on my journey. I will get bloods done in four weeks.
Edit: I also have some cabergoline. Would this aid in raising libido?
I’ve not tried a restart so I can’t help there.
What was the reason you got on trt in the first place? Most guys that do a restart can expect to return to no better than they were before and possibly a little worse, or sometimes a lot worse. It’s extremely rare to be better off after a restart, long term.
What was your dose when inj? We’re you through a clinic or a doc that took insurance? There are other options, compounded creams applied to the scrotum a couple of times a day are becoming very popular and could be an option.
Gels tend to not get your levels very high, though there is a nasal gel that seems to work for some. There’s also pellets, while not ideal, perhaps, it is an option.
Not tryig to be a jerk with this question, would your girl friend be nervous if you wee diabetic and had to inj insulin? The only difference is the hormone in question and the organ that made it, the treatment is/can be the same, inj the hormone at a dose so you have symptom resolution.
I went on trt due to low testosterone; my average bloods were around this time were 14 nmol. I took 150mg test e per week split into two doses which put me into the higher range.
I suspect my restart may have a chance as all these low t symptoms and confirmed by blood test appeared after suffering a protracted withdrawal from benzodiazepines - thankfully my anxiety is now under control and I’ve been off benzos for 5 years. I had no symptoms whatsoever before benzos so it may be linked…
True… I think it’s the size of the needle and doing glute injections that makes her worried. Diabetics can get away with a tiny needle into belly fat. I don’t know though, you know how irrational women can be sometimes.
Yeah, being off the benzo’s may help.
For what it’s worth I pin my quad and delts. You can use a fairly small needle to inject with 27g and smaller. Just keep in mind if you end up back needing to take up trt again someday.
Good luck wit the restart.
So can TRT goers. I use 30g 1/2” insulin syringes
Cheers Wolf. I may end up going back on trt if this restart doesn’t work out. I just need to get her pregnant next year then I will decide but I’m definitely going to stay off test for a year to see if anything improves. From reading around the web and scientific journals it can take a year to fully recover and in nearly all cases sperm production is back online by the year mark.
I just can’t work out why I’m feeling so much better 
I’m still feeling good on tamoxifen; I’ve dropped down to 20mg per day earlier this week. The sexual side effects seem to be getting worse though… Is this simply a side effect of tamoxifen or is it my balls working and too much test is being aromatised to estrogen? If so would arimidex help?
Cialis 20mg still works but only for around 6-10 hours.
Give it time… Start assessing how you feel after 4 weeks of stopping tamoxifen.
Keep us posted
Will do. Fingers crossed it all goes well.
Some good news this week; my libido is picking up a bit, a lot of sensitivity has come back to my dick and orgasms are noticeably better. I’m not sure if this is because the higher dose of tamoxifen is working itself out or things are starting to come back online again.
Just had my bloods back after five weeks on tamoxifen. Are these any good?
Healthy ranges are in brackets.
SHBG: 51.9 g/l (18.3 - 54.1)
FSH: 2.98 IU/L (1.5 - 12.4)
LH: 13.5 IU/L (1.7 - 8.6)
Oestradiol: 58.6 pmol/L (41 - 159)
Testosterone: 19.7 nmol/L (8.64 - 29)
Free Test: 0.311 nmol/L (0.2 - 0.62)
Prolactin: 110 mU/L (86 - 324)
DHEA Sulphate: 6.4 umol/L (4.34 12.2)
I would have thought my test levels would be higher with LH at 13.5… or is it because they need more time to get working from being shut down so long?
Anyone? Btw I’m going to start tapering off the tamoxifen now; going to 10 mg per day for a week then to 5 mg per day for a week.
They key will be when u stop tomixifen. Is that another week or 2? I mean do you really have to taper off. I would do it over a few days.
Restart is different in everyone. Yes your testosterone and estradiol seem low but that doesn’t mean much now. Takes time to restart.
Cheers trtwuzup. I’ve heard on here that an abrupt stop in a SERM during a restart could shut it down again so I’m just being on the safe side. It will be approximately two weeks before I come off completely. I’m planning on waiting another four weeks after I’ve stopped the tamoxifen to get bloods done again to see what’s what.
Sounds like a plan. After labs after 4 weeks. I would still not judge anything till after another 4 weeks and another set of labs.
Hate for you to think restart did not work when it may take more time