TLDR: I have likely had low T since puberty, I have been on nebido for 4 years and it has been a rollercoaster - I am interested to know what you think being dialed in on TRT should feel like, as I have no reference point to base it on
I have likely had low testosterone since puberty. I feel like it didn’t fully finish. I didn’t have to shave, didn’t have a sex drive and wasn’t mentally very well (low mood, anxiety). Strangely I was in good shape, but I guess I spent more time exercising than most to achieve that.
Had it picked up at aged 30 when I ran into difficulties with fertility. After a few years of tests (with test level ranging from 7-10 nmol/l) I was diagnosed with secondary hypogonadism (normal MRI) by the NHS. I then got started on nebido injections every 10-12 weeks.
I felt great for 5 weeks and then pretty grim for the next 5-7 (depending on when I could get my next injection). I grew a beard which was mad and actually had a sex drive, mood was also improved. But when I had blood tests my trough level was 25 nmol/l (10 weeks post injection). So this suggests that I spent most of the time at supraphysiologic levels.
After 4 years of being on nebido I have gone private and switched to Enanthate 100mg a week in two doses (with hcg) in an attempt to get more stability. I have had a few good days, where I felt like superman, but mostly felt pretty crap. Just had trough bloods taken (one month into protocol), so be interested to see what it shows.
I guess my question is, what should TRT feel like, or perhaps: what does having a normal level of testosterone feel like? I feel like the good days I’ve had on treatment I felt abnormally good, but with that only one blood test I’m worried that was because I was supraphysiologic. I don’t expect normal testosterone levels to fix all of my problems but I’m just confused as to what I should expect to feel even this far in to treatment as I have nothing to reference it to …
You may not find stability or full symptom relief on TRT and hCG, because hCG response doesn’t always produce intended outcome. So starting “everyone” out on hCG, a lot of men are going to have problems and therefore need to stop it.
HCG together with TRT can make you estrogen dominant. Right now you have too many moving parts to be able to determine if it’s the TRT dosage or the hCG that’s causing the problems.
It’s common sense to start out on TRT in isolation, add other stuff later down the road if still having problems. This way if adding something new to your protocol, if you start encountering new symptoms, you know it’s the hCG.
A little too early to be drawing labs, considering your hormone levels haven’t reached stable blood levels yet. Hormone levels will be higher in 2 more weeks.
Thank you. That makes sense. One driver of changing protocols was for fertility, which is why I wanted to start hcg. I was then offered Enanthate instead of nebido which I thought would be good to try, as like I say nebido had me all over the place.
Thanks for the reply, and interesting to know there’s still a few more weeks to settle into protocol,
TRT doesnt feel like anything… some people report superhuman-like feeling but 99% of people hoping for that get absolutely nothing…
TRT makes your hormones “normal” and normal people after the age of 30 feel tired, un-motivated, lazy and shitty also. That is some weird myth that by normalizing hormones one would feel super-something. Normal is normal. Normal means shitty a lot of times.
Unless you want kids right now, then perhaps add it when you’re ready. HCG is a necessary evil for some men, sometimes you have to pay to play the fertility game.
There’s reaching a steady state, and you responding the the now steady hormone levels. Humans aren’t like a microprocessor, you don’t adapt to hormones in an instant, it takes time for T to break through the cell membrane, to interact with the androgen receptors to force gene expression to occur and affect tissue changes.
TRT will work better if you lift weights and exercise. Those who are sedentary will not reap the full benefits of T therapy. Your diet will play a role in how you feel on TRT.
I don’t think I have ever had ‘normal’ hormones, so I’m struggling to set my expectations. eg those days I’ve felt great are probably supraphysiologic, due to the nature of nebido, and I shouldn’t be aiming for that as normal? That’s why it’s good to hear from others on trt regarding what ‘normal’ feels like. Should I expect to wake up with energy? Should I expect to be up for sex most of the time? Is it normal to feel up and down in terms of mood? Even writing that out though it seems clear what the answer is by just considering the average person, I appreciate life is complex and I can’t simplify the above questions down to just hormones …
Yea we want to try for another child, and I didn’t want to come off TRT. If it doesn’t happen we are ok with it, but wanted to try. I accept it would be better to have just switched to Enanthate then add it in, but didn’t want to wait too long. Already wasted a year trying to get this through the NHS (in UK).
That makes sense, my main hope for the treatment is the mental aspect, but I’m trying not to expect too much. I’ve always kept fit and over the last few years have definitely had some good changes in the gym. Cheers
I have been on TRT since 22 and I am now 44. All it does it give you normal functioning, physically and mentally. And I mean I take real TRT, 100 mg per week as prescribed by a urologist, not “Hey guys, I’m on TRT: 200 mg test per week with deca added on for 100 mg to help with da joints.”
@hankthetank89 is spot on. I’m 44 and I feel like 44 year old with kids and a home. That is, like he said, shitty much of the time.
This probably isn’t the kind of answer you’re looking for, but when I’m dialed in, I forget I’m on TRT. I forget to take my shots, or I’ll remember at the last minute “oh yeah it’s Monday, I need a shot today”. Things are just … normal.
No that’s exactly the answer I want really, I never had that on nebido injections and don’t think I’ve ever really felt ‘normal’ as regards to hormones. Hopefully I’ll feel like you describe soon. Would still be interested to hear what your energy levels, sex drive and mood are like when you’re in that phase.
Okay, I started TRT with a natural 91 ng/dL, far below the cutoff of 300 ng/dL. My energy levels are insane, lift weights intensely 7 days a week.
I don’t get tired until right before bedtime. I’m called the flash at work, people ask me if I feel tired at the end of my shift.
I walk fast, eat fast, talk fast and drive fast. I live life in the fastlane.
Your response to T therapy will depend on how low you are at the start of treatment. A little low, little improvement, way outside of normal will typically see the biggest improvement across the board.
If you have long AR gene CAG repeats (receptor sensitivity), then testosterone won’t do much for you.
Thanks for your story and experience. Sounds great.
My levels, when tested, ranged from 200-250 over a few years. I’ve had some good spells on nebido but, like I said, I wonder if I was at supraphysiologic levels when I experienced them. Hoping to get more blood work and insight with this new protocol and provider to know for sure. Thanks
What you’re asking is individual to me. Even though I said I have more shitty days than when I was younger, I’m usually energetic (that’s from my makeup, exercise, and diet), and motivated. I exercise on most days of the week and have interest in sex.
I have never made gains in strength and muscle on TRT at an alarming rate, and no one on real TRT does.
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