ED during and after first TRT cycle - Can anyone help?

[1986xxt]

Hey everyone,

It's been a while since I did a low dose of Test Enanthate and GH back in March 2021. I was taking GH to speed up recovery from a couple of ligament tears at about 2IU a day, and Test to get in the best shape of my life after a messy marriage breakup.

I then started Test Enanthate at 1/2 ml once a week for 3 weeks before upping to 1ml a week split into 2 doses of 1/2ml. Probably ran the test for about 6-7 weeks total.

I felt great, confident, strong and all the good stuff until one night I was with a girl and my equipment literally just shut off midway.

I stopped the cycle soon after as I had a minor surgical procedure and was unable to train.

I spoke with my supplier who is also a close friend & bodybuiding coach and he said just wait it out and things should return to normal. They didn't so I saw an endocrinologist a couple of weeks later who ran tests, gave me a 30 day supply of Cialis and waited for my results. He felt everything was back to normal and released me into the care of my GP. I've since noticed that my test was a bit over half then, what is is now:

THEN (May 2021)
Test: 28 nmol/L
SHBG: 42 nmol/L
Calculated Free Test: 523.7 pmol/L

Most recently (Feb 2022) - I had also done a workout in the morning which the Doc says may have contributed to raised levels
Test: 36.8 nmol/L
SHBG: 37 nmol/L
Free Test: 847 pmol/L
Oestradiol: 184 Pmol/L

The following week (as the doc felt the test was unusually high, and Estrogen was a little elevated)
Test: 34.8 nmol/L
SHBG: 34 nmol/L
Free Test: 828 pmol/L
Oestradiol: 134 Pmol/L


PCT was not recommended by my supplier, GP or endocrinologist even though my test levels were quite low at the start, but my body seems to have gone back into homeostasis - My natural test levels are quite high at last check. E2 seems fine too according to the doctors but I don't really know what I'm looking at.

Things did get better, but now they tend to yoyo, but I've got unreliable equipment and am wondering if anyone has any ideas or advice? Seems to be getting worse over time. I've been on 5mg Cialis daily, but have had 50/50 success to failure ratio recently. Even using a "top up" of 5mg when needed recommended by my sexual health doc. Recently I went off it for about a week to see how I was, but took an "as needed" dose of 10mg and just deflated midway through, twice.

I'm 35 years old, pretty lean, train every other day, 69kgs, 175cm. Viagra and Cialis sometimes get the job done but are unreliable as of late. I don't drink, don't smoke and I am convinced this isn't psychological as I don't feel nervous or stressed before, during or even after, I am just looking at the problem as a problem with a potential solution. I also wouldn't say that I feel pressure to perform & I've been pretty conscious/mindful of what I'm feeling (stress/anxiety etc) so I can figure out what I can from my side.

Iv'e read that test speeds up the aging process, and potentially coupled with GH, I feel I may have brought on something that was coming for me anyway, but I'm not convinced it would have happened so fast.

Would love to get some opinions or ideas if possible. Happy to post full bloodwork from multiple occasions if anyone thinks it's helpful ��

[Cuz]

Trt isnt a “cycle” trt is a life commitment. By week 6-7 the testosterone would just be hitting its stride with good levels at 200mg split into two injections thats what i do. A tad less when i go visit my doc, my levels were 770 with estrogen sitting at 158. Some people like myself just convert more estrogen and this may be your case you may in fact need an AI I recommend it if you’re just trying to be normal and not huge like im trying to get. Estrogen is what you need to grow and get strong. To just function normally u wont need it actually need to keep it low 30-40 or even lower range and your test levels around 1000 total T.

So if i were i would definitely start trt again asap bc your body probably isnt making much if any rn. 6 weeks into trt pull ur hormone panel to determine if in fact your e2 is way to high then you will to dial in ur dose of adex and have fun with that its not easy but then again life isnt. Good luck

[Test Monsterone]

If I’m reading this right, you ran a six week cycle, got off the cycle, and now your testosterone levels are higher than before you were on a cycle but you have some lingering ED problems. At 35, who doesn’t have at least an occasional problem? I’ve been popping dick pills since my early 20s, way before I was on steroids or TRT. 6 weeks on a cycle is literally nothing, and didn’t do any long term damage, I can guarantee you that. I agree with your doc that you should just wait it out. You think it’s not in your head, but you’re on here asking for advice… so it’s in your head. I wouldn’t worry about it, having some ED isn’t the end of the world. You got a mouth and fingers… my girl gets the best orgasms when I eat her clit and finger her g spot. Literally takes her 2 min to orgasms. Keep those pills with you and if shit ain’t working right, go snorkeling.

[Test Monsterone]

Duplicate

[XnavyHMCS]

If I’m reading this right, you ran a six week cycle, got off the cycle, and now your testosterone levels are higher than before you were on a cycle but you have some lingering ED problems. At 35, who doesn’t have at least an occasional problem? I’ve been popping dick pills since my early 20s, way before I was on steroids or TRT. 6 weeks on a cycle is literally nothing, and didn’t do any long term damage, I can guarantee you that. I agree with your doc that you should just wait it out. You think it’s not in your head, but you’re on here asking for advice… so it’s in your head. I wouldn’t worry about it, having some ED isn’t the end of the world. You got a mouth and fingers… my girl gets the best orgasms when I eat her clit and finger her g spot. Literally takes her 2 min to orgasms. Keep those pills with you and if shit ain’t working right, go snorkeling.

TM strikes again...!!! (and he didn't even blame the TSs' ED on President Trump...)

Super advice here.

Remember: No muff too tough. We dive at 5.

[1986xxt]

Hey man, thanks for the input.

Snorkeling is my absolute favourite, so I'm with you 110% there. There are a few girls that are just 100% keen on the D. There's a few things that have me almost convinced that it's not psychological (yet I'm still open to the possibility).

I'd never had any issues with ED, not in the slightest prior to the Test E. I'd never even used PDE5i's. Once it was up, it was up. Now, when it's up, if it's left unattended for like 10 seconds, it starts to disappear. This also happens when I'm alone. Used to watch adult movies (can't call it what it is or I can't post this, lol), now I don't and haven't for a good 12 months. I did used to beat it a fair bit, especially when taking the Test, scaled back massively here too (Saw this as an idea from Derek at MPMD), no change. The part that has me (almost) convinced it's not psychological is the fact that it happens when I'm alone too and never did before running the Test.

I'm just some different perspectives and experiences - I didn't run any bloodwork prior, so I don't know my actual baseline. The low T results were a month or two after stopping. We're not talking occasional ED either, I'd say 70% of the time when taking Tadalafil too, which the docs agree is strange but they do think it might be psychological and I'm open to exploring it.

I'll chat with a psychologist and see what's up. Thanks for the input - Much appreciated. At least if it's in my head it can be fixed!

[1986xxt]

Thanks man, I very much appreciate the input. So are you saying my body probably isn't making much/any Test or Estrogen? I'm not sure I'm understanding that part :O

[Chicagotarsier]

When you are on TRT your Endocrine system is not working normally. Using external test can move the following significantly

FSH, LH, T3, T4, Prolactin, GH

The list goes on an on. For me I had to add HcG 4 shots weekly at around 500iu to get my junk to work better. HcG is an artificial LH. This allows precursor loops to behave as if your body was producing natural testosterone. Many choose to not afford this and go with Cialis and other pills which is fine.

There is a third factor that is very important to consider and that is carb intake/blood sugar. Most ED for people not on TRT comes from this (Ie Diabetis).

The more I do cardio the more pounding of the muff I can do. Completely a blood sugar thing from my point of view.

[Honkey_Kong]

As already said, TRT isn't some low-dose, 6 week cycle. It's you saying "I give up" and you replace your testosterone for life with a dose of gear that matches what your body should ideally make.

As far as your dick not working goes, fucking with your hormones probably didn't help it. But there's more that can affect it than just the usual panel of hormones. Did you get a comprehensive metabolic panel along with a CBC?

Caber might also be an option in treating your ED, but I think finding the cause and correcting that is probably more worth it than just trying to treat the symptoms (if possible).

[Ol_Wolf]

At 35, who doesn’t have at least an occasional problem?

Honestly will be 47 in July and never used or needed a dick pill in my life! Granted I have found After just 2 weeks on TRT I do have times of heightened desire so to speak and I am guessing those are just as my hormone levels are bouncing around still trying to find the happy spot.

Now on to the other guys topic, I don't see the pre Oestradiol level listed in the 2021 test. Not used to the Pmol/L unit so I had to convert the last test to 38.7 PG/mL which according to the sources I see is in normal range, but at the higher level. Your test just prior to that had you slightly elevated. Have you had or did you have any of the symptoms of high estrogen while on cycle or when you first came off? (Excess acne, sore boobs, ...)

Now I read a study on Viagra where after 14 days of regular use the test levels in men were found to be elevated. Not sure if the same can be said about Cialis or not. That could easily though explain the higher Test levels.

To me it looks like your body is trying to find a happy place and you keep doing different things that keep confusing it. Also were you honest with your doctors on the fact that you did the cycle of test? Unfortunately too many people who do anabolic or other controlled/illegal drugs see their doctor as the enemy when it couldn't be further from the truth. I mean yes I had to go to a TRT doctor to get on TRT, but I will let my GP know that is what I did as that could change diagnosis of other issues. One of the reasons I stopped SARMs was I was having stomach issues and my doctor, while not certain, thought that the SARMs could if nothing else be exasperating the issue. Stopped them and the gut has gotten better, but not perfect so we can now look into other possibilities.

[Fiskevatten]

I am around your age and like TM I have been popping the pills as long as I remember. In my case it was anxiety which became stronger for each time I failed, especially with alcohol which
is when you usually get laid and that didn't help my snorkle set at all....
Now at 34 I just use it with new girls or when we plan to do something hardcore and I wanna be sure I can walk the mile, no 70% hard crap..

However, I will say that since I started cycling and now during TRT, I am way harder and more active down there, so it's definitely a hormone issue as well.
Never got that hard natural, not even when I found the first set of sticky pron magz in the woods or saw my first real tittie.

To your issue, I bet it's the E2 combined with psychological.
Example: Now during TRT my E2 was 47 (low high) and Test 600 range, but I was h*rny as crazy! Doc wanted me on better levels, so I increased Test to
800 range and lowered E2 to 30 - d*ck went limp and has been for days.
We all have personal optimal ranges, even if small differences, it can make a huge difference overall.

You need to find and decide on a longterm solution that you can stick to, and avoid bro-science, read up on ped's if that is what you wanna do.
Trust me, the guys here helped me years back with an extreme PCT protocol just to hopefully get my life back - I got lucky.

EDIT: Oh! And truly honestly seriously massively - f*ck what endo and docs think is normal. If they had their way I would never be a father, be bloated
as f*ck, cry during action movies, and never be able to mastur again. All spectrums in western medicine is way to broad, everyone is normal until they
are suddenly not and it's too late.
Go to a specialist who treats athletes and has good reviews.