TRT update - libido still low

[dabigcheese]

After the last discussion, I introduced some changes to my TRT programme.

I first introduced Aromasin but after two weeks I got nothing out of it. So I switched to Armidex instead. I also introduced some pramipex to deal with prolactin.

The first night after I took arimidex and prami, I can only describe as a libido explosion with vivid dreams like I was 19. Then two days later, zero. so I took another 1 mg of arimidex. That night again, libido was like the first night on arimidex and prami.

I soon received my HCG and added that to my programme (Im on 300 iu twice a week). Libido is insipid again. Im still taking 1 mg every week of arimidex and taking 0.25 mg of prami every night but the libido is almost gone. It is better than before but it is nowhere near where I would like it to be.

Instead of trying to guess what is wrong, Ive decided to get bloods done. What should I be testing for apart from the usual - Test, Free Test, Estradiol, FSH, SHBG, T3, TSH, progesterone, prolactin? Is there anything else I should be testing for? Anything Ive missed?

[forrest_and_trees]

I'm still pretty new to all this stuff but I'm surprised to hear such a quick reaction to Arimidex . I've been on it for a little over a month now and not experienced anything like you described. For me it's been a gradual process of improvement which is how I've understood it to work. I realize everyone is different but your situation doesn't seem to follow the standard scenario as I understand. Is it possible your getting a placebo effect? That it might be psychosomatic?

[dabigcheese]

I had the same experience last year. For three months on test, my libido was shit. Then I took some arimidex and within a day, my libido went nuts. Last year, I was able to keep my libido high as long as I kept taking the arimidex regularly.

The problem though, was that last year I only got an increase in my libido when I was running test at 500 mgs a week. At 250 (which is what Im running now), I feel nothing.

How long has it taken for your libido to improve and what are you currently taking? Im running out of ideas as to what I should do.

[Vettester]

Blood work is definitely the place to start. We can all sit around and speculate your situation, but your BW will get the facts.

Make sure you run E2 on your labs. I'd try to break up your adex dosage. Go at least .50 mg x 2/wk.

Since you're doing labs, might as well run the gamut and make sure lipids and CBC are included. I would also include DHEA. Get the lab results and give us a post. Also, how long are you going to take the Brami for? Maybe you just need a rest from it for awhile.

[dabigcheese]

Thanks Vetteman.

So to sum up, I will check the following:

Total test
Free test
E2 (is this the same as 17 Beta Oestradiol)?
Prolactin
Progesterone
SHBG
FSH
Lipids
CBC (Is this part of the Haemataology check)?
DHEA
T3

Is there anything else I should check?

Would be grateful for any suggestions if Ive missed something important.

Im going to break up the Arimidex dosage but the branded stuff I have comes in 1mg tabs - can't figure out a solution for this at the moment. Do you take liquid arimidex?

Going to stop the Prami for now. It makes me extremely sleepy.

[forrest_and_trees]

For me, the improvements began around the third week and have continued to improve. Aside from my libido, I've also noticed I've begun to get morning wood again for the first time in years.

As far as dosing goes, you can pick up a pill cutter at any pharmacy. It makes life much easier. I too am taking the pill form, I just cut it in half before I take it. I'm currently on .5mg [half a pill] every other day. You can even cut them in quarters if need be.

[dabigcheese]

I am hard like a rock in the mornings but my desire for sex is very low. I really want to get back the drive and desire I had three years ago.

Interestingly, my libido disappeared when I ran HGH in 2008. I ran 2 IU a day (which is not an aggressive dose) - it killed my sex drive in a few weeks (I only ran it for a month) and it has never recovered since. In all the reading I have done, I have never heard of HGH doing this. But it had this effect on me.

I will be hesitant to run HGH again.

[lifeforce0019]

For me, the improvements began around the third week and have continued to improve. Aside from my libido, I've also noticed I've begun to get morning wood again for the first time in years.

As far as dosing goes, you can pick up a pill cutter at any pharmacy. It makes life much easier. I too am taking the pill form, I just cut it in half before I take it. I'm currently on .5mg [half a pill] every other day. You can even cut them in quarters if need be.

Hi FT. Can you share your protocol?

I have not had much improvement from 3 months of test cream and am considering asking for test cyp injections,hcg , etc. at my next doctor's appointment.

[flatscat]

I am hard like a rock in the mornings but my desire for sex is very low. I really want to get back the drive and desire I had three years ago.

Interestingly, my libido disappeared when I ran HGH in 2008. I ran 2 IU a day (which is not an aggressive dose) - it killed my sex drive in a few weeks (I only ran it for a month) and it has never recovered since. In all the reading I have done, I have never heard of HGH doing this. But it had this effect on me.

I will be hesitant to run HGH again.

As you know there is a huge difference between desire and your physical ability to get hard and stay hard until you shoot. Sounds like you may need to read your own post and rethink what you are trying to fix here. Don't forget to get your SHBG checked. If you are lowering your prolacting with a drug that effects your dopamine, you could experience what you described as an almost instant libido. I can not see how a-dex could work that fast as it's half life is a lot longer that a day. Good luck!

[forrest_and_trees]

Hi FT. Can you share your protocol?

I have not had much improvement from 3 months of test cream and am considering asking for test cyp injections,hcg, etc. at my next doctor's appointment.

Currently I’m taking .25 of Arimidex EOD, and 150mg of Test Cyp weekly, broken up into two .75mg injections; one on Sunday and one on Wednesday. However I didn’t start that way. It takes time to dial in what works for you. I'm still searching for that, "sweet spot" as Vetteman would call it.

Did you have a blood test at the beginning of your treatment for a base-line? Have you had any follow up tests since then? When you say you haven't had much improvement, is that based on how you feel or your test results? Have you had your E2 checked? Are you taking an AI? Sorry for the deluge of questions but it's important info to know.

[ReBilly]

I had the same thing, seems I have an estrogen sensitive libido. My estradiol was 44.9 which is barely high, but it was enough for me to not want sex. I upped my arimidex from .5 2x a week to .5 4x a week and noticed some improvement (no bloods done yet) and spoke to my HRT doc, he said I could up it to 1 3x per week and see how I feel. Will letcha know in the next few weeks. My test was under 1k, free is always good for me when I'm on TRT, so it wasn't a test thing. Also checked prolactin, for me, that wasn't it. Pretty sure it's the estro for me.

Today and yesterday was bonerville tho, seems that's from last week's increase in arimidex. So prospects look good for now :-)

[Spartans09]

At first glance it sounds like elevated estrogen.