Depression and TRT

**juice2012** · 07-29-2012, 03:38 PM

I was treated for Major Depression Disorder in my early 20s on and off. I was put on many different medications and went completely off all meds in 2009. Since then I've had a feeling that is hard to explain. Something feels "missing" in my life. I'm not interested in any of my old hobbies. I'm not very optimistic about the future. I've just kinda chalked this feeling up to "getting older". And since this feeling isn't extreme like suicidal depression, I haven't sought mental healthcare treatment for it.

At the beginning of this year I got back in to lifting hardcore again and also was taking creatine. For the first time in years I felt that negative feeling I've been dealing with disappear. I legitimately could say I felt "good" when some one asked how I've been lately.

I'm currently in the process of being treated for fatigue that happened out of the blue and since then I quit lifting. I haven't actually started TRT yet, but all my progress can be read here

My question is: Has anyone else here who as previously dealt with depression had their depression lifted solely with TRT?

**steroid.com 1** · 07-29-2012, 09:39 PM

It's possible that your androgen levels were low and getting back into the gym increased your endogenous levels...it can happen.

More likely there are other underlying things going on where getting back to the gym just made you feel good...that's most likely the case.

Either way, happy for you man.

**lovbyts** · 07-30-2012, 01:46 AM

Ive read several post of the years where people's depression went away after starting TRT.

**edmundo22** · 07-30-2012, 06:03 AM

That's exactly why I started and can say yes, Iv also dealt with major depressive disorder, TRT is the only thing that got me feeling good / happy again after years of ineffective medications, drastic measure but it payed off.

**GotNoBlueMilk** · 07-30-2012, 07:54 AM

I had some depression before starting TRT. When I started TRT I also start vitamin D sups. My D was 25, like yours. I noticed a big mental boost right away. After a few weeks I was much better. Any kind of depression is unusual for me, so even though I had minor depression, it was a major change for me.

Get on some D (Superior Source sublinqual has worked best for me) and look into TRT. You do have low T and that will contribute to depression.

**Brazensol** · 07-30-2012, 08:57 AM

Been on trt (gel for a month or so and now injections) a total of ~8 weeks. Also started armour thyroid ~4 weeks ago and so far I don't feel much better. Same as OP with a general lack of interest in anything. I did feel a bit better after starting weightlifting again. I took last week off (tendenosis in right forearm) and now feel like I am back in the same old rut. Going back to lift today and will do my best to work around this damn forearm issue. My wife says my mood has improved but I can't honestly say I notice much difference. I see a lot of guys on this, and other forums, posting how shortly after starting trt how much improvement they feel but I am still waiting.

**tboney** · 07-30-2012, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by gdevine

It's possible that your androgen levels were low and getting back into the gym increased your endogenous levels...it can happen.

More likely there are other underlying things going on where getting back to the gym just made you feel good...that's most likely the case.

Either way, happy for you man.

I agree.

**juice2012** · 07-30-2012, 12:43 PM

Thanks for all the replies guys! I'm going back to the gym tonight for the first time in almost 3 months. I also went for a jog yesterday for the first time since all these health issues started. God it's amazing how out of shape you can get in such a short period of time.

**HRTstudent** · 07-30-2012, 01:26 PM

My TRT was off to a poor start because I had your average doc who knows just enough about TRT to hurt you. Long story short I ended up getting quite depressed through the ordeal. Changing docs and getting on a better protocol has helped that though. I don't feel nearly as bad as I did then.

**edmundo22** · 07-30-2012, 01:28 PM

What was your first protocol HRT and how did it change / improve?

**Times Roman** · 07-30-2012, 01:42 PM

not sure I've ever really been depressed before, not in a clinical way, so I don't know...

**Hackamaniac** · 07-30-2012, 04:37 PM

I still have depression...Trt hasn't helped me yet, but I need to get e2 under control, and get dialed in on tesosterone dose.... Hoping it will in the long run!

**jwh7699** · 07-30-2012, 06:35 PM

I have seen an improvement in my mood and energy levels since starting TRT and Vitamin D. Good luck!!!

**steroid.com 1** · 07-30-2012, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by Hackamaniac

I still have depression...Trt hasn't helped me yet, but I need to get e2 under control, and get dialed in on tesosterone dose.... Hoping it will in the long run!

Hormonal imbalance can and will cause depression as will other pathologies like Hypothyroidism among a whole lot of other things...not just E2.

Find a Doc who has his shit together in this space and get fixed...sucks where you are my friend.

**Hackamaniac** · 07-30-2012, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by gdevine

Hormonal imbalance can and will cause depression as will other pathologies like Hypothyroidism among a whole lot of other things...not just E2.

Find a Doc who has his shit together in this space and get fixed...sucks where you are my friend.

Not very many in my state G!! I found my doctor through life extensions..... This doctor will prescribe testosterone , hcg , and armidex...... He just won't do all the tests I want! Money is tight, otherwise I'd be seeing Crisler... Glad I have you guys for guidance!

**Bigfoot66** · 07-30-2012, 08:41 PM

Have battled depression since late adolescence. Family doctor prescribed Xanax. Made it worse. I never thought about T prob until a cancer scare. High level of TRT with arimidex and combo of wellbutrin and zoloft have kicked it. I am hesitant to try to get off zoloft and wellbutrin bc I can't fall in that hole again.

I feel much more like a man, if that makes sense, when I'm consistently in gym.

As GD suggested I think my estrogen and testosterone levels were never straight, starting my bout with depression. I'll tell youbalso that Accutane seems to make it worse.

Originally Posted by gdevine

Hormonal imbalance can and will cause depression as will other pathologies like Hypothyroidism among a whole lot of other things...not just E2.

Find a Doc who has his shit together in this space and get fixed...sucks where you are my friend.

**juice2012** · 07-30-2012, 11:39 PM

Bigfoot - I just got back from the gym for the first time in 3 months. I know what you mean about being a man while you're in there. I feel like some activities are "man-like" ones and most of today's culture is busy playing videogames or something.

During a 3 year stretch of my life I was on over 20 different medications for mental health and I always wondered what permanent damage those did to me. Probably starting TRT in 2 weeks so maybe I'll finally find some solace.

**SEOINAGE** · 07-31-2012, 07:38 AM

I will be honest about the gym thing, lifting on a regular basis has kept me more stable over the last 12 years or basically my entire adult life. Get less angry, am happier, don't have drastic rises and falls of emotions. Its become essential to my happiness. With that said as my T really was getting lower I believe, some more problems crept up even with lifting, and now that I am on trt and eating well again I have been doing really good. I noticed another thing about food, cutting calories is really a bad idea and a drain on me. I eat a lot but feel a million times better than if I don't. I don't think I'm getting much fatter either.

**Bigfoot66** · 07-31-2012, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by SEOINAGE

I will be honest about the gym thing, lifting on a regular basis has kept me more stable over the last 12 years or basically my entire adult life. Get less angry, am happier, don't have drastic rises and falls of emotions. Its become essential to my happiness. With that said as my T really was getting lower I believe, some more problems crept up even with lifting, and now that I am on trt and eating well again I have been doing really good. I noticed another thing about food, cutting calories is really a bad idea and a drain on me. I eat a lot but feel a million times better than if I don't. I don't think I'm getting much fatter either.

I totally agree with both you and Juice. I've lifted since 2005 (was 39 when I started). So I went for about 20 years wondering why I didn't "click" like my peers. Like you, I was always on a roller coaster in terms of mood and emotion. Always in a fog, stomach in knots..But I started back on meds about the same time so I don't know which had the better effect on my person. I did gain 50 pounds, and for most part it was all mass.

That leads to diet. I agree with you completely. When I limit my caloric intake I crash. I do eat a lot of calories, albeit decent food, and rather than gaining fat I've lost it. I attribute that, though, to combination of working out, TRT, and Arimidex . My fat was in my chest and love handles. All pretty much gone now.

**warchild** · 07-31-2012, 10:01 AM

trt made my depression vanish

**ZombieFred** · 07-31-2012, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by Bigfoot66

Have battled depression since late adolescence. Family doctor prescribed Xanax. Made it worse. I never thought about T prob until a cancer scare. High level of TRT with arimidex and combo of wellbutrin and zoloft have kicked it. I am hesitant to try to get off zoloft and wellbutrin bc I can't fall in that hole again.

I feel much more like a man, if that makes sense, when I'm consistently in gym.

As GD suggested I think my estrogen and testosterone levels were never straight, starting my bout with depression. I'll tell youbalso that Accutane seems to make it worse.

Accutane works great for acne, but the two times I used it I got Crohn's disease (high school) and major depression (after college). Had surgery for the Crohn's in 1990, and spent a couple years on antidepressants and a few weeks in a mental hospital in 1996. Fun times! I think my low testosterone (188) probably has something to do with the major illness (Crohn's) or the antidepressants. Some research says they can affect the brain's control over T production, but even my endo basically shrugged at the cause, once the MRI ruled out a brain tumor. The brain is too complex to figure out.

I started TRT in December and it took 6 months to feel any better (mainly, less tired). I haven't been depressed in 10+ years, but naturally my general doctor wanted to prescribe antidepressants last year when I kept telling him how tired I was....! Luckily I know the difference between depression and tired.......lol

**HRTstudent** · 07-31-2012, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by edmundo22

What was your first protocol HRT and how did it change / improve?

Messed aroud with testim and androgel for too long. Dose stayed too low for too long, then we ramped up the dose and my E2 went too high but the doc was a typical internist and I was the one asking for the pertinent labs. Waste of time, effort, money, emotion. Finding a good doc trained in HRT is paramount. I was better off being on nothing than being on TRT with a nice doc who didn't know enough.