Panic Attacks on TRT?!

[zerodarkthirty]

I've been on TRT now for about 6 weeks now. I have never had panic attacks before, but in the last month I've probably had a dozen. I have seen other threads on here from awhile back where others have reported the same, possibly while E2 is in transition. I did have a high E2 aromatization, and am now on an AI which I believe is helping to cut back on the panic attacks (too soon to say, truthfully).



Anyone else experience this, either in the early days of TRT or even now?

For me, the panic attacks came on without any warning. Several of them occurred in public spaces where I felt overheated and overwhelmed by too many people standing around.

[jwh7699]

I personally have felt overheated at random times of day too. I have always been a warm person, but now I am warm so often that it's hard to tell when it's warm out or I'm just feeling warm.

I did have my Thyroid levels checked and they came back normal. You may want to have your Thyroid levels checked too. It can sometimes cause the problems you are experiencing.

Good Luck!!

[Vettester]

If you have any labs, please post them. Cortisol & ACTH, complete thyroid + antibodies, and of course the gamut of other hormones upstream and downstream.

Also need to know your protocol, and other medication/supplements you are taking. Thanks.

[HRTstudent]

too high T is associated with panic attacks and increased anxiety. its one of the more common side effects. that would be my first "guess."

[J DIESEL3]

^^^^^^ I can't say I had full blown panic attacks but have had anxiety for sure!

[bass]

I never had these attacks even when I was on high doses and when blasting, but did when I was on prescription pain killers, same as described by the OP. are you on pain killers?

[zerodarkthirty]

No pain killers. I'm not talking about full-blown, fetal position in the corner of a room sobbing panic attacks, but an absolutely unpleasant "get me outta here!" kind of a feeling!

[dreadnok89]

No its not trt. Thats for sure. I had them before trt. Due to low t i bet

[blacktoppete]

I have been on trt for 5yrs. I had those nasty panic attacks and anxiety for a while when i first started. Once i hit my sweet spot of 100mgs aweek all the bs went away.

[HRTstudent]

I would simply lower the dose. There's no harm in going to a slightly lower dose, you're just trying to eliminate and mitigate side effects. I would, of course, talk to your doc before making changes.

[dreadnok89]

Also depenfs tho. If your taking the stuff just to take it you could run high. I was ridicolously low. So when i started taking it i normaled out. I was getting the attacks for being too low

[zerodarkthirty]

Thanks. I believe things are starting to improve. I'll monitor and report back.

[tinman2207]

I had panic attacks when I first went on Testosterone. Usually at night.

My Testosterone was really low. The guide line here in the UK is 20 - 7 and my Testosterone was 3.6 until prescribed Nebido. Specialist I am under made me have an injection there and then because he was worried about me and my levels being so low. He was shocked at the reading. I was shocked when I looked up Testosterone on the web....

Had panic attacks for about 6 months, and only disappeared when my Testosterone levels crept up to over 15. I told my specialist about my attacks and he gave me Testron Gel, which I apply every day. The extra boost really helped as attacks don't happen anymore.

I was told it takes time for Testosterone to kick in and it does.

My last visit to the specialist my reading was 19, just before I was due a shot of Nebido. I am on Nebido every 8 weeks and 4 daily pumps of Topstran 2%

Testosterone has totally changed me, by the way. Was nearly 20 stone and was going to work and then sleeping when I got home. Exhausted all the time. Dropped nearly 60lb in weight since March 2012. Got so much more energy.

Just got to keep with it, buddy and it should sort you out, but in time....

Tinman

[zerodarkthirty]

Thank you, Tinman. I appreciate the insights.

[zerodarkthirty]

Yet another panic attack (I bet I've had a half-dozen since I last posted). This time I was in the barbershop. Good times. WTF?! Really freaking annoying.

Waiting on BW....aren't us newbies always?

[Rusty11]

Hopefully bw will tell you what's going on. I had panic attacks two times in my life...when my thyroid was way out of whack and when my T level was too high.

[zerodarkthirty]

I didn't inject my 100 IU of HCG yesterday or today. I also have yet to apply any Test cream today. The result: not one panic attack today. I don't feel like I have electricity running through my veins and can't calm the F down. I feel pretty normal for a change.

I know without a doubt that I'm shutdown....I just shudder thinking about putting any T into my system. It has been a rare "ok" day since starting TRT. Waiting on E2 results to roll in (hopefully tomorrow). I am convinced that I'm aromatizing. A lot.

[J DIESEL3]

I would talk to your doctor first on this but maybe lower t dose..

I am also very sensitive to getting anxiety on testosterone.At times when my levels get on the high side of the scale or over it's on!Also when my e2 is up I can count on getting that shitty feeling....I think when your system gets dialed in you will be just fine.

The thing to do is see what your BW tells you and hang on a bit longer. Good luck

[zerodarkthirty]

J DIESEL,

I was thinking the same, but what I think is happening is: 1) poor absorber of transdermals. I say this because I was tested earlier this week 2 hours after 200 mg application of cream and total test was only 384. I already know I'm HPTA shutdown. 2) high aromatizer (waiting on latest E2 test, but last E2 was way high). So I'm not absorbing the cream AND what little I do, I'm converting to E2. This is my crackpot theory, anyway.

[J DIESEL3]

No your theory makes sense I didn't know you already tested high on e2..I would be willing to bet that is your problem.

Test cream is known to be poorly absorbed by males for some reason.Maybe see if your doc would go for using a gel or possibly test c or e shots.I have seen some including myself test way lower than 384 on gels and creams after 4 to 6 weeks.

How high was your e 2 on your last BW?

[zerodarkthirty]

E2 was at 49 (0-35 scale). I started with gels. Felt good for about a week, tops. Subsequent shutdown. Cream is much stronger, there's no doubt, but minimal improvement. I plan to switch to shots soon. This isn't working. One month on 120 mg Axiron got me to only 261 total test.

But it begs the question: won't taking LESS cream result in an even LOWER test level? I think gd would say yes.

[Trific]

It sounds like you are gonna be miserable until you get going with injections and I would try hard to do them twice a week, so you can get out of misery sooner...

[J DIESEL3]

I agree taking less will lower your level for sure..I didn't know at the time your level was only 384.

Well Maybe after your body adjusts and you get your e2 reduced to a healthy level u feel good at things will change.Best of luck to you.

[zerodarkthirty]

Trific,

I'm all over it. Doc is out this week of course. Shots are next.

[zerodarkthirty]

They're baaaaack. So since switching to shots, I've had no more panic attacks....until today.

Did my injection last night (50 mg, sub-q) and took 50 mg DHEA for the first time in a few weeks. Blam. High anxiety all day long about an hour or so after taking the DHEA. Not sure if it's just coincidence with the DHEA dosage or something real. I have not taken an AI in a week and a half, since my E2 had crashed to 9, two weeks ago. Could possibly be E2 creeping up again?

I know it makes no sense (or does it), but I'm laying off of the DHEA for a week and see if anything changes.

[badrad123]

Hey, sorry to hear. Are you talking HCG also? When I took HCG I would get a surge of adrenalin about 6-8 hours after the shot and this would almost trigger a panic attack. I've had experience with panic attacks in the past so luckily I was able to realize what was happening and then slowly calm myself down before I totally freaked out. Any way, I tried a low dose of HCG 100iu and the same thing happened. So I stopped taking HCG for now and will try again later. It's possible I had a bad batch or my doctor mixed it wrong.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[zerodarkthirty]

Yes, taking HCG (250 IU) MWF, so it had been awhile since the HCG. It still might be the HCG, but I don't think so. It's probably just E2 going up (and down). Either way, that is not a good feeling...wowza. I have a new-found sympathy for folks who deal with panic attacks/anxiety on a regular basis. Bad juju.

[Ryanmcd]

On Gels and HCG I had big time DHT issues like 3x the range, Crisler said that's okay but I felt wired all the time and it was close to panic attack levels. Once I went to shots 3 weeks later I feel MUCH better, I have not checked DHT but I know by testing this for the past 2 years that's what it is. Also if I do over 120 a week I get that way so 150 + HCG = panic attack levels, 100-120 for me is the sweet spot. ALSO I know for me HCG does ramp up the energy levels so that may help bring on the panic attack feelings.


Hope this helps some, it's just trial and error to be honest and play with it and see how you feel not the numbers.

[Ryanmcd]

Yes, taking HCG (250 IU) MWF, so it had been awhile since the HCG. It still might be the HCG, but I don't think so. It's probably just E2 going up (and down). Either way, that is not a good feeling...wowza. I have a new-found sympathy for folks who deal with panic attacks/anxiety on a regular basis. Bad juju.

250 was too high for me and 100 a day is great, even 80. over 150 start causing the "plugged in" issues. 200+ = acne the next day.

[zerodarkthirty]

Interesting. I took my HCG yesterday afternoon (200 IU) and actually felt BETTER than I had all day. I'm going to lay off of the DHEA and try to isolate one variable at a time. In any event, the cream/gel was not ok. I was a crazy man.

[Ryanmcd]

Interesting. I took my HCG yesterday afternoon (200 IU) and actually felt BETTER than I had all day. I'm going to lay off of the DHEA and try to isolate one variable at a time. In any event, the cream/gel was not ok. I was a crazy man.

Yep, HCG for me is the one that does the most. After you get a base test level I use HCG to tweek it, also I use a 50mg DHEA pill a day and 0 preg because preg makes me sleepy and brain fog.


try 100-120 a day HCG. Also I can run 500MG test a week and have 0 panic issues, when I add in HCG even at 100 I freak out lol so I know it's HCG that is the kicker, the other thing is HCG makes me feel better then running 500 test a week so just play around with the dose and see how it goes.

Also HCG dose changes seem to go quick as in 2-3 days after you change a dose.

[zerodarkthirty]

Ryan,


I think you're onto something. I took 200 IU HCG this morning and have been uncomfortably plugged into the electric anxiety socket ever since. So what is your current protocol? (Test, AI, HCG)? I'm thinking the panic stuff may be from rising T, rather than the E2 problems I first believed to be the culprit.

[Ryanmcd]

Ryan,


I think you're onto something. I took 200 IU HCG this morning and have been uncomfortably plugged into the electric anxiety socket ever since. So what is your current protocol? (Test, AI, HCG)? I'm thinking the panic stuff may be from rising T, rather than the E2 problems I first believed to be the culprit.

On the 1.62 Gel @ 4 pumps I did about 100IU a day, if I went over 150 a day I got the plugged in feel

On shots I did 100-120 a week in 1 shot. I did go as high as 500 for a few weeks just to see if I felt any better and I did not and also had to drop all HCG due to causing panic issues. But when on the norm 100-120 a week I do 80-100 HCG a day.

I have played around with this a LOT and have done 10+ labs in the past year of everything so play with that HCG dose, try 100 a day or even 80, and see how you FEEL. Once you feel good do some labs

Also I have never done a AI and e2 has always been 16-24. I did a AI 1 time and went to 3 and had sore knees and felt like crap.

[zerodarkthirty]

Thanks.

[warrior198]

Ryan,




I think you're onto something. I took 200 IU HCG this morning and have been uncomfortably plugged into the electric anxiety socket ever since. So what is your current protocol? (Test, AI, HCG)? I'm thinking the panic stuff may be from rising T, rather than the E2 problems I first believed to be the culprit.

its from a sharp rise in cortisol/adrenaline...happens to me, not my imagination. HCG stimulates cortisol production. For like 6 hours after i inject i feel like i just got a cortisol shot

[zerodarkthirty]

Opening up this issue again for suggestions. I have not had this occur in a little over 1 year, and then WHAM. I have been reading up on adrenal insufficiency/fatigue. I "think" I must be producing too much cortisol, particularly in the a.m. Any thoughts on ways to control cortisol? I have dramatically reduced my HCG dose, which I believe has helped.

[hammerheart]

Opening up this issue again for suggestions. I have not had this occur in a little over 1 year, and then WHAM. I have been reading up on adrenal insufficiency/fatigue. I "think" I must be producing too much cortisol, particularly in the a.m. Any thoughts on ways to control cortisol? I have dramatically reduced my HCG dose, which I believe has helped.

High cortisol is more likely to trigger irritability/nervousness not anxiety. What does your TRT consists of?

[zerodarkthirty]

.5 mL Test cyp every 5 days; HCG .1 mL every 3 days; aromasin 25 mg every 3 days.

[hammerheart]

I can barely see the need for AI with such protocol. What dictates the need for it? What were E2 levels before/after aromasin?

[zerodarkthirty]

I can barely see the need for AI with such protocol. What dictates the need for it? What were E2 levels before/after aromasin?

I'd have to go back an dig them up, but wildly high. Sorry I don't have the numbers in front of me. From the outset, I had extremely rapid aromatization, resulting in very high E2. HCG is particuarly good at spiking E2.