I’ve been on TRT for about a year now. I started at 120 mg/week (split into 3 injections) and felt incredible at first — like Superman. But around month 4 or 5, I hit a major mental crash that, looking back, was definitely from the TRT. I had intense anxiety, insomnia, and felt overstimulated all the time — but my gym performance was top-tier, so I stayed the course.
My labs looked fine — total T around 1100 ng/dL, estrogen between 30–40 — but the dose was clearly too high for me. Around June, I tapered down and switched to daily injections. I’m now at 70 mg/week (10 mg/day), sitting around 850–900 ng/dL. I feel more grounded now — no more panic or mood swings — but I’ve also lost that initial confidence and “feel-good” sensation I had when I first started.
This winter, I’m backing off the gym a bit (just maintaining a few lifts) to give my body a rest and focus more on work performance and mindfulness. The issue is, I actually find it hard to be mindful on TRT — I feel slightly detached, like I’m on autopilot or not as sharp.
I’m content with my physique and don’t plan to be a bodybuilder, so I don’t need a super high dose of testosterone. I’d much rather sit at a high-normal level that gives me a slight edge in the gym, while still keeping me clear, calm, and sharp in day-to-day life.
I’m giving this lower dose another year to see if I can find that balance. If not, I may come off completely. I’m 25, and my pre-TRT levels were around 250 ng/dL. I originally started because of low energy and libido, but at this point I care more about clarity, focus, and being present.
For anyone who’s been on TRT long term — especially those who started in their 20s — is it normal to lose that initial confidence and mental edge? And is true mindfulness even possible while on TRT, or is that just one of its trade-offs?