HRT Is killing my Libido - Need advice

[rob30023]

Loss Of Libido - HELP!!

To All --- I have read tons of posts here and have found all of them to be very helpful. This is my first post/question and I am seeking as much educated advice as I can get. It's not exactly a true steroid or cycle question, however I think you guys just may know some answers.

I am 42 years old, 5'11, 190lbs,. I was athletic and fit up until 24 years old. From then until I was 40, I was in terrible shape, 40 pounds overweight, smoked, and drank too much. No exercise to speak of. At 40 I decided enough was enough and started a solid diet, exercise plan, weights, cardio, etc. About a year and a half ago, after reading a lot on the subject, I went to a local doctor to evaluate my test levels. They were at 260 or so. He prescribed HRT. Since then I have been on 130mg Test shot weekly, and 500 units (.5/ml I think) of HCH 2x per week, and 1/2 mg arimidex per week. Since then test levels have been 700-900.

The first 6 months all was well. Great energy, libido was great, and was able to perform normally. Then slowly my libido dropped. At one year on same protocol my libido completely vanished as did my ability to achieve an erection on any consistent basis. I had no libido and if I did, could not get it up usually. My testes felt somewhat shrunken but not by alot. At 1.5 years (just recently) I have zero libido, my testes ache on a regular basis and see like they are shrinking. So I read alot and decided to start a 6 month HGH cycle of Norditropin 3.5/mg per week. Now, two months in, I have good strength and muscle size gains from exercise but no improvement in the sex area. I have discontinued the arimidex as the Dr said to based on blood tests and low estrogen levels.

So here I am in the best shape of my life, the doctor telling me all is fine, and I have a self imposed HCH cycle, yet I cannot perfoem and have zero desire. And until I got in shape,, I NEVER had issues with libido or performance.

Any questions please ask, and PLEASE give me a hand with this.

[EZ E]

We would need your latest bloodwork before anyone can really do more than speculate. If you haven't had a full work up lately then have it done.

[1standarduser]

I have never taken any injections in my life, so the case may be different.
However, I have had some libido issues and have taken Test patches (from doctor, so low dose).

This may not work for you, and you should probably consult a new doctor for an opinion, but it has worked for me and for a friend of mine that is 39 years old:
We stopped taking all medications, including if you are on opiates, testosterone, whatever.
Instead took a very low dose of Clomid (which is usually prescribed for female fertility) that my doctor thought was worth a try and it's very cheap.
No joke, in just a couple days libido was returned.
In fact, the Clomid alone rose my testosterone scores from 220 up to around 500.

Again, I may be atypical, so take this with a grain of salt.

[Bio-Active]

are you running hch or hcg?

[grilla]

E level is probably off. You definitely need bloodwork.

grilla

[rob30023]

Jim,

Running 500units HCG twice a week and HGH 3.5 MG/week. I'll try to post up my latest relevant bloodwork, but every time I have it done (which is often) test levels are b/w 600-800 or so

[grilla]

Test level may be fine; E2 may not be.

Has your Dr been checking your estrogen level via estradiol sensitive assay?

Low estrogen could certainly bring about your symptoms (though I think aching testes is more commonly associated with too much estrogen).

If your E2 level crashed, which sounds possible, it can take quite a while to return it to normal. How long have you been off the arimidex?

grilla

[steroid.com 1]

Understanding libido is very complex.

One needs to understand the sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways just to begin to understand how both need to work in harmony to make libido function.

The fact that you state when you are in the "mood" but can't sustain an erection can point to a number of issues; some mechanical and others physiological.

For starters you need a complete and thorough blood work done including about every male hormone known to man...and of course a complete Thyroid panel as well.

That's a starting point, and it may tell you something and it may not.

Libido is so freaking complex it's not even funny.

[HRTstudent]

Were you getting estradiol SENSITIVE tests done during your TRT?

If you were not, that is a mistake.

But if your doctor told you your estrogen was too low, its quite possible you overdid it on the AI and that killed your libido and erection quality. That's really the low hanging fruit based on your brief post.

Healthy e2 levels are critical for mens sexual health. Its easy to over do it on anastrozole/arimidex as well. Too easy....

[rob30023]

These are really great questions. I will get fresh bloodwork done on Monday and come back and post. Thank you guys for some direction on this.

FYI - Dr discontinued arimidex 2 weeks ago as bloodwork they did two weeks ago showed estrogen levels too low.

[Brohim]

If your E2 is too low your libido will be off. You may have been taking too much AI. Bloodwork would be a good starting point. How long have you been off your AI?

[Renholder]

Libido is so freaking complex it's not even funny.

No doubt.

Frustratingly so.

[rob30023]

Off for two weeks. I am gonna get bloodwork done and re-post. That seems to be the best way forward.

[rob30023]

What dose clomid did you take and for how long?

[rob30023]

Instead took a very low dose of Clomid (which is usually prescribed for female fertility) that my doctor thought was worth a try and it's very cheap.
No joke, in just a couple days libido was returned.
In fact, the Clomid alone rose my testosterone scores from 220 up to around 500.

What dose clomid worked for you?

[jwh7699]

You can take Arganine as a Libido, erection enhancer while you wait on the blood work to be done. Arganine helps with blood flow and circulation. It's a supplement so you can buy it pretty much any where. Do a search on here and you will find more info on dosage for libido enhancement.

Defintley get complete b/w done. Sounds like your E2, Estradiol levels are too low.

Good Luck!!!

[xcraider37]

These are really great questions. I will get fresh bloodwork done on Monday and come back and post. Thank you guys for some direction on this.

FYI - Dr discontinued arimidex 2 weeks ago as bloodwork they did two weeks ago showed estrogen levels too low.

Rob, I notice you keep calling it estrogen, what you need to measure is estradiol as many have stated.

[rob30023]

Rob, I notice you keep calling it estrogen, what you need to measure is estradiol as many have stated.

Yes - You are correct. My bad. Still getting my arms around all this.

[Bio-Active]

besides the libido how do you feel? Energy well being?

[rob30023]

besides the libido how do you feel? Energy well being?

Workouts, energy, eating, emotions - all is great with the exception of Libido combined with ED. Even the little blue V pill does not help (viag)

I'm not ruling out the possibility of it being psychological at this point, but it simply feels like such a physical/chemical thing as it came on fast and I have never had ED/Libido issues prior to now.

[jasondd1]

You can take Arganine as a Libido, erection enhancer while you wait on the blood work to be done. Arganine helps with blood flow and circulation. It's a supplement so you can buy it pretty much any where. Do a search on here and you will find more info on dosage for libido enhancement.

Defintley get complete b/w done. Sounds like your E2, Estradiol levels are too low.

Good Luck!!!

L-Arginine really helps me, along with Tribulis. 30 minutes before and boom ready to go.

[rob30023]

Loss Of Libido - HELP!!


Any questions please ask, and PLEASE give me a hand with this.

Blood work has been as follows:

3/17/12 - Estradiol 16.7 pg/ml Test serum ng/dl - 905
5/1/12 -Estradiol 34 pg/ml Test serum ng/dl - 838
8/9/12 -Estradiol 10.4 pg/ml Test serum ng/dl - 599

Thoughts?

[rob30023]

Were you getting estradiol SENSITIVE tests done during your TRT?

If you were not, that is a mistake.

But if your doctor told you your estrogen was too low, its quite possible you overdid it on the AI and that killed your libido and erection quality. That's really the low hanging fruit based on your brief post.

Healthy e2 levels are critical for mens sexual health. Its easy to over do it on anastrozole/arimidex as well. Too easy....

Blood work has been as follows:

3/17/12 - Estradiol 16.7 pg/ml Test serum ng/dl - 905
5/1/12 -Estradiol 34 pg/ml Test serum ng/dl - 838
8/9/12 -Estradiol 10.4 pg/ml Test serum ng/dl - 599

Thoughts?

[EZ E]

Your E2 on 5/1/12 was probably ideal. It is too low on the 8/9/12 test. Since your issue started well before any of this blood work E2 is not the (only) culprit. Need a full blood workup in order to give you any kind of insight, otherwise it is all speculation. You mentioned that you were in horrible shape, smoked, etc.. How about now? Do you still smoke? Are you exercising? What is you body fat %?

[bp2000]

10 is too low, can affect libido. Lay off Ai for a second a see if you get mourning wood again.

[HRTstudent]

Blood work has been as follows:

3/17/12 - Estradiol 16.7 pg/ml Test serum ng/dl - 905
5/1/12 -Estradiol 34 pg/ml Test serum ng/dl - 838
8/9/12 -Estradiol 10.4 pg/ml Test serum ng/dl - 599

Thoughts?

E2 is too low... post up the ranges and were these the e2 sensitive/ultrasensitive?

Testosterone looks good, and really needs no further tweaking IMO if those are trough numbers.