Antidepressants and TRT

**clarkster** · 02-27-2013, 01:25 PM

I've been on antidepressants since I've been 25. I'm 43 now and since I've started TRT almost a year ago (on the protocol here of 50mg. of Test Cyp twice weekly and 250iu M-W-F of hCG for about 2 months) things are going great and I'm learning from you guys on here everyday. (Sub Q Test shots? Who knew?) My Dr thinks I might be able to go off my antidepressant meds. Has anyone had any success or experience with this? He thinks that *maybe* my depression has been because of having Low T in the first place. Any thoughts?

**austinite** · 02-27-2013, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by clarkster

I've been on antidepressants since I've been 25. I'm 43 now and since I've started TRT almost a year ago (on the protocol here of 50mg. of Test Cyp twice weekly and 250iu M-W-F of hCG for about 2 months) things are going great and I'm learning from you guys on here everyday. (Sub Q Test shots? Who knew?) My Dr thinks I might be able to go off my antidepressant meds. Has anyone had any success or experience with this? He thinks that *maybe* my depression has been because of having Low T in the first place. Any thoughts?

Hey Clarkster.

Low T can certainly contribute to depression. I'm glad you're feeling better and would love to hear that you managed to get off the meds. Are you supplementing with DHEA at all?

**clarkster** · 02-27-2013, 03:24 PM

Hey Austinite- A fellow Texan, good to hear from you brother. I haven't supplemented DHEA. Have heard of it, but didn't know the importance of it until I read GD's hCG sticky. I'll give it a try. And yes, hope to be med free very soon. Oh, and congrats on being named a HRT Specialist.

**LevMyshkin** · 02-27-2013, 03:34 PM

Hi Clarkster,

I can only speak for myself and relay info from my best friend who's also on TRT.

About 3 years ago I had my test level check by my primary doc. I rang in at 270. He said I was, "fine" and as to my depressive symptoms wanted to be me back on Wellbutrin (I had previously been on that med.) long story short, I did everything to naturally raise my testosterone (lost weight, ate peanuts/almonds/etc., avoided soy) and got rechecked last April - I was then at 190 ng/dl.

I can say that I've not felt this emotionally stable since my college years. I still have a tough days now and then, but I'm not on any anti-depressant medications, my emotional self is less like Eeyore and more like Thor, and can rationally think through the hard times now instead of contemplating eating my deer rifle.

My best friend was worse off than I was. He was on two different anti-depressant meds. He got checked after seeing how well I was doing physically, mentally, and emotionally, and found out he was operating with low test as well. (I was 33 at the time, he was 39.) That was six months ago. He's now off both of his anti-depressant meds and literally every week I get a text or something saying, "thank you" from this bud because it changed his life for the better.

Depression and low test levels are a bit of a "chicken and egg" situation. Is low test causing the depression? It can/will do that. Or is the depression causing low test? That can also be true. For me and my bud, the former seem to have been more true than the later. What I gather from those who I've know who've done something about their hormonal health, they inevitably feel more emotionally stable. I don't think test is a panacea by any means, but for depressed males in particular, I think it's certainly one of those weapons we should utilize.

For myself, I know there will always be some part of my brain susceptible to depression. I also know that I'll never win the war against it, but by God, I'm not losing another battle. And I'll add that it's really nice to not have that psychological-physiological pain just getting out of bed in the morning.

My only regret is that I didn't get a second opinion sooner when that idiot doc told me a 270 test level or a 33 year old was, "fine."

**LevMyshkin** · 02-27-2013, 03:35 PM

And I live in Texas as well, but not a native. LOL!

**EverettCD** · 02-27-2013, 03:54 PM

All that matters is that you found your way here to Texas. WELCOME !!!

Originally Posted by LevMyshkin

And I live in Texas as well, but not a native. LOL!

**dfwo** · 02-27-2013, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by clarkster

I've been on antidepressants since I've been 25. I'm 43 now and since I've started TRT almost a year ago (on the protocol here of 50mg. of Test Cyp twice weekly and 250iu M-W-F of hCG for about 2 months) things are going great and I'm learning from you guys on here everyday. (Sub Q Test shots? Who knew?) My Dr thinks I might be able to go off my antidepressant meds. Has anyone had any success or experience with this? He thinks that *maybe* my depression has been because of having Low T in the first place. Any thoughts?

I was feeling so great on my TRT, that I decided (against my Dr's advice) to go off my antidepressants. My thinking was the same as yours. Well, my mood and energy level bottomed out almost immediately.

Don't mean to be a debbie downer, but I guess for some people the meds are necessary.

**EverettCD** · 02-27-2013, 04:01 PM

Clarkster,

Depression runs on my Mom's side of the family & I had issues with depression myself prior to starting TRT. My Doc put me on a few different antidepressants & none of them worked, Zoloft dam near killed me (that shit is poison). Finally my Doc talked to me & asked me a bunch of questions about my symptoms, I answered YES to all of them. That's when he started the BW for low testosterone . Sure enough my Test was tanked.

To make a short story longer, I have been on TRT for a 5 months now & 98.6% of my depression symptoms are history. If I were in your shoes & your Doctor is on board I would do what it takes to get off all of the anti depression meds. I'll bet a pile of cash that you will feel even better once off of the meds. Be sure to talk with your Doc & do your own research on the withdrawal symptoms & how to minimize them.

The best of luck to you & keep us informed on how things go.

**EverettCD** · 02-27-2013, 04:03 PM

Did you taper off of the meds? I know personally that some of the anti depressants has severe withdrawal symptoms for a period of time after stopping administration.

Originally Posted by dfwo

I was feeling so great on my TRT, that I decided (against my Dr's advice) to go off my antidepressants. My thinking was the same as yours. Well, my mood and energy level bottomed out almost immediately.

Don't mean to be a debbie downer, but I guess for some people the meds are necessary.

**dreadnok89** · 02-27-2013, 04:10 PM

I was on them for anxiety. Bad move. Life was worse on them. Gained mega weight and was always tired. I think my low t is because of them

**colorado75** · 02-27-2013, 04:10 PM

I have been struggling with depression for 17 of the past 38 years....I went on test last spring and felt better than I have felt in years....my psychiatrist words were 'I think testosterone was the best thing you have taken for your depression'.....I tried about 15 meds in the past 17 years.....now my trt is 120mg test cup (2x60mg per week) with 10mg lexapro and 2 mg ability....not sure if I will attempt to come off meds all together as I feel pretty good now....I can say for sure though that I have felt better since coming on test and my depression has lessoned considerably....

**dfwo** · 02-27-2013, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by EverettCD

Did you taper off of the meds? I know personally that some of the anti depressants has severe withdrawal symptoms for a period of time after stopping administration.

I did, yeah. I was feeling so great that I was pretty sure the TRT was taking care of what I thought was depression.

**APIs** · 02-27-2013, 06:44 PM

I was on various antidepressants during my 20's also. I took them for treating really bad Migraines. A certain class of these drugs are used successfully for pain management in some patients. It worked well, until my Migraines improved with age & Imitrex was invented. There's no shame in any medication it if helps you IMO...

**clarkster** · 02-27-2013, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by LevMyshkin

Hi Clarkster,

I can only speak for myself and relay info from my best friend who's also on TRT.

About 3 years ago I had my test level check by my primary doc. I rang in at 270. He said I was, "fine" and as to my depressive symptoms wanted to be me back on Wellbutrin (I had previously been on that med.) long story short, I did everything to naturally raise my testosterone (lost weight, ate peanuts/almonds/etc., avoided soy) and got rechecked last April - I was then at 190 ng/dl.

I can say that I've not felt this emotionally stable since my college years. I still have a tough days now and then, but I'm not on any anti-depressant medications, my emotional self is less like Eeyore and more like Thor, and can rationally think through the hard times now instead of contemplating eating my deer rifle.

My best friend was worse off than I was. He was on two different anti-depressant meds. He got checked after seeing how well I was doing physically, mentally, and emotionally, and found out he was operating with low test as well. (I was 33 at the time, he was 39.) That was six months ago. He's now off both of his anti-depressant meds and literally every week I get a text or something saying, "thank you" from this bud because it changed his life for the better.

Depression and low test levels are a bit of a "chicken and egg" situation. Is low test causing the depression? It can/will do that. Or is the depression causing low test? That can also be true. For me and my bud, the former seem to have been more true than the later. What I gather from those who I've know who've done something about their hormonal health, they inevitably feel more emotionally stable. I don't think test is a panacea by any means, but for depressed males in particular, I think it's certainly one of those weapons we should utilize.

For myself, I know there will always be some part of my brain susceptible to depression. I also know that I'll never win the war against it, but by God, I'm not losing another battle. And I'll add that it's really nice to not have that psychological-physiological pain just getting out of bed in the morning.

My only regret is that I didn't get a second opinion sooner when that idiot doc told me a 270 test level or a 33 year old was, "fine."

Thanks for sharing your story. Good point on the chicken and egg theory. I'm like you as well. If only I'd have known sooner or I only wish I know now at 43 when I was 25. But, I found TRT now and that's all that matters. I'm tweaking things here and there, but hope soon to be dialed in where I need to be.

**clarkster** · 02-27-2013, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by EverettCD

Clarkster,

Depression runs on my Mom's side of the family & I had issues with depression myself prior to starting TRT. My Doc put me on a few different antidepressants & none of them worked, Zoloft dam near killed me (that shit is poison). Finally my Doc talked to me & asked me a bunch of questions about my symptoms, I answered YES to all of them. That's when he started the BW for low testosterone . Sure enough my Test was tanked.

To make a short story longer, I have been on TRT for a 5 months now & 98.6% of my depression symptoms are history. If I were in your shoes & your Doctor is on board I would do what it takes to get off all of the anti depression meds. I'll bet a pile of cash that you will feel even better once off of the meds. Be sure to talk with your Doc & do your own research on the withdrawal symptoms & how to minimize them.

The best of luck to you & keep us informed on how things go.

Will do. Good point about tapering off. I was all over the place and my Dr suggested BW to see if I had low T. I was thinking there's no way it can be Low T. I've been lifting since I was 15 and ate pretty clean, got the right amount of sleep etc. Results came back at 175. Started TRT that day and can't imagine my life without it now.

**clarkster** · 02-27-2013, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by dfwo

I was feeling so great on my TRT, that I decided (against my Dr's advice) to go off my antidepressants. My thinking was the same as yours. Well, my mood and energy level bottomed out almost immediately.

Don't mean to be a debbie downer, but I guess for some people the meds are necessary.

What meds were you on? What is your TRT protocol? Yes, I agree for some meds are necessary.

**dfwo** · 02-27-2013, 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by clarkster

What meds were you on? What is your TRT protocol? Yes, I agree for some meds are necessary.

I've made some changes since then, but at the time I was taking wellbutrin and celexa. I really got my TRT dialed in and was feeling so good I thought I would try it without the other meds.

**clarkster** · 02-28-2013, 02:00 PM

How long before you felt like you needed to go back on your meds? Are you still taking Wellbutrin and Celexa?

**clarkster** · 02-28-2013, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by APIs

I was on various antidepressants during my 20's also. I took them for treating really bad Migraines. A certain class of these drugs are used successfully for pain management in some patients. It worked well, until my Migraines improved with age & Imitrex was invented. There's no shame in any medication it if helps you IMO...

I agree. No shame at all. Your migraines improved with age? It seems for me as well. Imitrex has been a lifesaver and sounds like for you too.

**dfwo** · 02-28-2013, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by clarkster

How long before you felt like you needed to go back on your meds? Are you still taking Wellbutrin and Celexa?

I'm currently taking Wellbutrin and Pristiq and it's working well for me. My mood, etc pretty much bottomed out a week or two after weaning myself off my meds. It was a pretty dramatic difference for me.

**Vahevahe** · 02-28-2013, 02:31 PM

Im also in the same situation, i have recently started prozac(about 2 months) and take pamelor (another anti-d) for headaces and i am attempting a restart for my testosterone levels . The thing that scares me about the anti depressents are the dependence on them. I have heard stories of even when wheaning off the anti-d the side effects are bad.

**clarkster** · 03-05-2013, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Vahevahe

Im also in the same situation, i have recently started prozac(about 2 months) and take pamelor (another anti-d) for headaces and i am attempting a restart for my testosterone levels. The thing that scares me about the anti depressents are the dependence on them. I have heard stories of even when wheaning off the anti-d the side effects are bad.

I think the key point you mentioned is properly weaning yourself off them without experiencing the side effects and then seeing how you feel.

**AlterEdge78** · 03-05-2013, 10:10 PM

I've been on prozac for manic.depression bipolar for about 20 years. I started trt and felt so good I cut back my prozac and then.stopped taking.it, especially cause I noticed I would put up much heavier weight when not on the pprozac. But i started feeling a little too aggressive and loopyi. So I would say always take your Medicines for depression.

**powerlifterty16** · 03-05-2013, 11:23 PM

lol i had 270 test at 18 doc said im normal.

Originally Posted by LevMyshkin

Hi Clarkster,

I can only speak for myself and relay info from my best friend who's also on TRT.

About 3 years ago I had my test level check by my primary doc. I rang in at 270. He said I was, "fine" and as to my depressive symptoms wanted to be me back on Wellbutrin (I had previously been on that med.) long story short, I did everything to naturally raise my testosterone (lost weight, ate peanuts/almonds/etc., avoided soy) and got rechecked last April - I was then at 190 ng/dl.

I can say that I've not felt this emotionally stable since my college years. I still have a tough days now and then, but I'm not on any anti-depressant medications, my emotional self is less like Eeyore and more like Thor, and can rationally think through the hard times now instead of contemplating eating my deer rifle.

My best friend was worse off than I was. He was on two different anti-depressant meds. He got checked after seeing how well I was doing physically, mentally, and emotionally, and found out he was operating with low test as well. (I was 33 at the time, he was 39.) That was six months ago. He's now off both of his anti-depressant meds and literally every week I get a text or something saying, "thank you" from this bud because it changed his life for the better.

Depression and low test levels are a bit of a "chicken and egg" situation. Is low test causing the depression? It can/will do that. Or is the depression causing low test? That can also be true. For me and my bud, the former seem to have been more true than the later. What I gather from those who I've know who've done something about their hormonal health, they inevitably feel more emotionally stable. I don't think test is a panacea by any means, but for depressed males in particular, I think it's certainly one of those weapons we should utilize.

For myself, I know there will always be some part of my brain susceptible to depression. I also know that I'll never win the war against it, but by God, I'm not losing another battle. And I'll add that it's really nice to not have that psychological-physiological pain just getting out of bed in the morning.

My only regret is that I didn't get a second opinion sooner when that idiot doc told me a 270 test level or a 33 year old was, "fine."

**devildog1967** · 03-06-2013, 08:42 AM

i have bipolar and found my hormone levels where low, iv been on nebido for 3months and the depression is still bad and no sex drive . i stopped my meds slowly but had to get back on quick . t levels will not really affect depression in my opinion , always go with what your doctor advise . p.s all people are different

**clarkster** · 04-16-2013, 12:45 PM

Well, that didn't last long. I had to go back on my anti-depressants.

**badrad123** · 04-16-2013, 02:53 PM

Damn. I've been slowly weaning myself off celexa. From 20 to 15 to 10mg now. I've been slowly doing this for the past 3 months. However, once I got to the 10mg dose I really started to notice the blah feeling and the anxiety come back. Not a lot but enough that I'm reconsidering going back up to 15mg or maybe 20mg.

**guner1904** · 04-16-2013, 03:01 PM

do you know what your test levels were when you tried to quit the antidepressants ? some people say it dosn't matter...

my belief and the opinion of others it that less than optimal test levels can cause and keep you severly depressed but it is true everyones body is different. but ive not seen someone with depression post bloodwork showing normal test levels... just a thought wait till your test is "normal" then try to kick the anti depressants