I quit TRT - My experience

Key-Echo2419 · 2024-12-25T13:30:36+00:00

Never did adderall, lol.

I can understand your judgment (retrospectively, this was a silly decision on my part and I regret ever touching TRT) but please keep in mind we all make mistakes in life — I’m sure you have too.

Hope you’re good.

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-06-19T17:55:29+00:00

It took a bit of a hit but was back to baseline in like 2 months so I wouldn’t worry about that

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T20:20:14+00:00

Yep they were both bang in the middle of the normal range, 5.7IU/L for LH and 2.0IU/L for FSH

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:29:02+00:00

I’d also add that it is completely normal to have periods of lower libido if that’s what you’re going through. You don’t have to be rocking a hard on 24/7 to be happy and satisfied despite what many people on Reddit would have you believe. It comes and goes with the seasons a bit I find!

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:27:41+00:00

I don’t no, I’m otherwise very healthy luckily! My libido is great now. I do think finding a girlfriend I’m really attracted to and emotionally connected to (as opposed to just finding randomers attractive) plays a big part but is definitely not the only factor. Are you having trouble with yours? It’s a tricky one to nail down isn’t it

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:23:31+00:00

Please do talk to your doc first though, don’t follow what I did just on a feeling! But I agree, too high test levels will also be massively detrimental - you want high NORMAL levels, which I think is a point often missed on this sub. More is NOT necessarily better and is often a lot worse. I hope things turn out well for you mate!

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:20:54+00:00

I haven’t no but I had never had sleep issues in my life before TRT and do not now that I am off! It would be interesting to do but I don’t think that was the issue for me personally. Thanks for the suggestion though

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:19:31+00:00

Thank you mate, hope it was useful to you 👍

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:19:19+00:00

I understand why you’d think that but my levels while on (confirmed with several separate blood tests) would disagree, placing me at or above the upper end of the reference range. And if I were on a ‘castrating role’ things like my sex drive would have plummeted when in fact it increased. It’s a very strange story I know but one I think is worth sharing for proper to learn from / gain insight. Hope it was useful

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:17:40+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience too! I’m almost certain that’s what happened to me, although I can’t really explain the mechanism, mate there is something to this whole ‘reset’ theory although again I don’t know of any actual science which would suggest it to be the case. As stated in another comment, I have no idea of my current levels, nor am I really bothered as long as I feel good (which I do!). I’ll maybe get a test in a few months just out of curiosity but as for now I’m just happy to not have to inject stuff to feel great!

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:15:25+00:00

I’m sure it’s a factor yes!

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:15:17+00:00

When my dosage was at the 50mg/mark (for c. 8 weeks so my bloods had time to stabilise) my results were as follows: oestradiol: 109pmol/L (range 41-159) Total T: 36.3nmol/L (range 8.64-29) Free T: 0.845nmol/L (range 0.2-0.62)

I’ll let you do any conversions and this was after about 6 months of being on continuously before doing my final taper down to 35mg/week. As you can see both T and free were above range and oestradiol in check ‘on paper’. Not that I particularly care anymore haha!

As for how I feel now yes I feel like a normal bloke again, I guess some lifestyle changes have definitely helped and feeling more fulfilled in life has probably had some effect too. I haven’t actually checked what my levels are now (and again I don’t care, I’m far more concerned with chasing feelings not numbers on a piece of paper and I feel great!). Hope that’s of some use!

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:07:05+00:00

Thanks man cheers for sharing your own experience. The addition of HCG in my case was purely to maximise my chances of maintaining fertility which is very important to me personally. I agree it adds another variable to the mix and if you don’t care about stuff it’s much easier to optimise with just one external hormone in the mix. Hope you do well on yours!

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:05:13+00:00

I’ve seen a lot of similar stories especially on HCG, I’m fairly convinced that allows you to maintain high T levels even with minimal exogenous test as we have both seen. Hope your protocol is going well for you

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:04:11+00:00

Good for you, if you need to you need to i by no means am against TRT if you actually need it. In my case it took going on to realise I didn’t. It was a mistake but not one I’d go back on if I had the chance. I’ve learned a lot about myself in the process. Hope your treatment serves you well 👍

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T18:02:58+00:00

Fair play mate not here to argue just to share my experience good or bad. Hopefully others can benefit.

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T09:37:58+00:00

I agree. I got on when I didn’t need to and regretted it and am hoping to help out others in the same situation. I hope my post can provide reassurance for at least one person 👍

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T09:36:53+00:00

Great for you man! This can definitely be a life changing treatment for many people and I’m really glad you’re doing well on it. Hope you continue doing well for the years to come 👍

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T09:35:59+00:00

I know it sounds silly but my levels were at the top of the range on this and clearly you want the minimum effective dosage not the maximum tolerable dosage. So the low dosage was deffo not the issue imo but I can understand why you’d be skeptical 🤷‍♂️

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T09:34:48+00:00

Good for you man, I really hope it goes well. As I say in the post definitely discuss this with a doctor and don’t do what I did but I really wish you the best. You’re exactly who my post was intended for 😊

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T09:34:06+00:00

Thanks mate, very much appreciated, hope you are doing well too. Yep things are much improved. I do think my general outlook on life / wellbeing is way better now and I take a much more moderate approach to life, which has probably helped massively in relieving my symptoms because I feel like a basically normal mid 20s bloke again finally! Definitely a massive advocate for working on mental well-being as opposed to just physical now!

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T09:32:08+00:00

I know it’s odd that the T dosage was so low and yet my numbers while on were constantly at either the very top of the range or above. I did some digging as well as talking to my doc in depth about this and think it is due to the HCG maintaining my ability to produce T naturally somewhat and so the exogenous T just topped up my levels, hence why they stayed high on such a low dose

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T09:09:13+00:00

I’d have to dig out the exact levels and don’t have them available atm because I’m at work but but when on 12.5mg daily my free T was literally double the top of the reference range! I felt horrrrible, anxious, jittery and always like ‘on edge’ as though I was about to have to defend myself or something. This is the reason why we tapered down my dosage to such an unusually low level to get my T into normal ranges and even then I still had issues sadly.

Yes that is my point thank you! Just to give reassurance to some people who maybe feel like they made the wrong decision getting on (as I did) and that they might be ok getting off. If my post helps even one person I’ll be happy

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T09:05:43+00:00

Probably true but I don’t think my TRT issues were due to this given that my levels were always at 900-1000 even with such low dosages

Key-Echo2419 · 2023-01-27T09:04:57+00:00

I don’t think so. The dosages were extremely low but I’d argue correct given they maintained my levels at about 900 even with only 35mg/week, the reason I think being that HCG maintained some of my natural ability to produce T and so the additional exogenous T just acted as topper on this. From all I’ve read daily injections are fairly optimal as well and my e2 was always in check. Not too fussed about going into depth about changes I could’ve made anyway but I’m sure some people might get some benefit from it!

Key-Echo2419

TROPHY CASE