Stopped TRT after 8 Years - Feel Better w/Low Levels

Pharma / TRT Testosterone Replacement
1

39m on test cyp only 150mg a week for eight years. Over the past year or so I would feel pretty terrible after doing my weekly injection - fatigue, low motivation, poor focus, etc. I tried splitting the dose up into two shots for eight weeks, then three shots for another eight…nothing worked to help except for not doing any injection. So, I eventually got to the point where I just took it day to day with no injections. It’s been 8 weeks since my last shot and I feel good. My levels are terrible on paper but I feel 100% better physically and mentally than I did with even middle of the range levels. However, I know that low levels like these will eventually catch up to me. Not sure what to do differently when it’s time to get back on. I find it odd that my levels look like they do but I feel good, I’m not losing mass other than some water weight, and my libido is still decent.

Current
FSH 1.2
LH 0.8
Total T 132 ng/dl
Free T 18.7
E2 ultrasensitive 6
DHEA-S 183
Cortisol AM 18.5
ACTH 21

Most recent labs before stopping
Total T 547 ng/dl
Free T 129
E2 ultrasensitive 29
DHEA-S 179
TSH 2.94

I have tons more labs if anyone is interested.

2

You are not the first. I really wonder what’s “wrong” with some of us. So libido and/or erections were not a problem with TRT and weren’t the symptoms that got better going off TRT?

Have you ever tried HCG?

3

Libido and ED were occasionally an issue but not often. No, I didn’t use HCG very often over the years. Endocrine wouldn’t prescribe it.

4

I felt the same when I stopped TRT in 2019, but months later I starting feeling really bad. Erections took 8 months to decline to the point it was impossible to get one. TRT can cause you to burn through stuff faster, perhaps you have low a vitamin or mineral.

I spent the first two years on TRT with either low iron or iron deficiency.

Your pituitary is fried.

5

You also never tried a drastically reduced dose have you? Something like 70-100mg per week.

6

Towards the last few months of treatment, I felt like I couldn’t handle more than 80mg a week without feeling terrible and having sleep disruptions.

3 Likes
7

Months later when you started feeling bad, what action did you take? What are you doing now and how do you feel?

1 Like
8

I restarted TRT. My issues were from multiple deficiencies and I thought I could get the iron up easier without being on the TRT. Being off TRT taught me something. I found out I didn’t need iron supplements off TRT and my ferritin levels were higher off treatment. It’s pretty clear I run into an iron shortage on TRT quickly and supplement 140 mg daily, and if I miss one of three dose (split x3), within 2 hours I feel bad.

I feel amazing, have enough energy to go to the gym in the morning, to work midday and return to the gym at night. I have what seems like endless energy.

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Don’t take iron without labs by the way.

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10

I can definitely say my ferritin was about 5 for the past few years after multiple blood donations per year. I also feel that this time off is a good way to let the blood thin out and iron reset a bit.

What’s your current trt regimen look like?

11

Not taking iron supplements when your ferritin is low and trying to manage CBC by keeping ferritin low is always going to fail.

You’re robbing Peter to pay Paul.

People with long term suppressed iron require a ferritin 100>.

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Recommendation for iron supplement?

1 Like
13

I use the Vitamin Shop brand, elemental iron, iron chelated. They have two types, one is gentle on the GI. Iron chelated has the best absorption, ferrous sulfate has the worst absorption and the most side effects.

14

Or you can go with “Three Arrows Iron Repair Simply Heme” which is by far superior to all the other products from all the reviews and recommendations I’ve studied at the Iron Protocol group and this is what they recommend. It’s Heme Iron, a lot better absorbed and without tons of side effects simple non Heme Iron has. Plus you can take it with food or whenever you want FWIW. I would def suggest joining “The Iron Protocol” group and study all the guides/materials they have. Also I haven’t used it myself though but bought for my girl as shes been struggling from low iron for a long long time. Will see how it goes and if she starts feeling better. Let us know if you manage to raise your Iron and if you see improvements and where.

Regards,
Bel

15

Thank you, Bel. Much appreciated.

1 Like
16

You’re welcome.

17

Drink orange juice with the iron supplement, you’ll absorb a lot better.

18

Please stay a member here and keep us updated as to how you feel in the next few weeks.

Very important for us to learn from these trials.

1 Like
19

second this… under the impression that my new trt is bunk and im withdrawing. good to see the experience others have

20

Update?