9mnths on trt can I restart naturally without drugs if I stop TRT

[Tyler81]

@Tyler, You indeed have really gave me a boost to go for it. I may well have to settle for TRT at some point, but for now I think I really must give it a go and see what the outcome will be. Just not much fun, knowing that it's going to hurt pretty bad. I remember what I was like before TRT and I know that this will feel worse than then because I will be starting from zero T.

If you don't mind me asking, why did you stop TRT twice? I guess that you still had low T and decided to get back on that horse? But you have really helped me out , all you guys have. I will definitely report back with my results!

Hey, I stopped twice bc I was in my 20's and I did not want to be stuck on TRT for 30-40 years. But what ended up happening is I eventually got back to my old baseline but I had no libido whatsoever.

So after about 8-9 months the first time stopping, I went back on. Then I stopped again earlier this year for a few months but then got frusterated again so I decided to just make a commitment to TRT and not worry about stuff like kids, and longterm issues right now.

 

[angrydad]

Hey tyler, thankyou for giving me your own personal reasons for stopping and starting trt. I can completely sympathise with your predicament. I know compared with dialysis patients we cannot really complain. But I, have never felt great in trt...yet. Hence why I'm trying to get my own t working again. Seems like quite a thankless task with a very real risk of zero return. But nonetheless, still a journey I will need to attempt especially as now I am on the cabergoline. Perhaps resigning myself to trt will be so much easier, having actually going through a restart with little success. My only real concern is that perhaps the human body ready does not like dramatic change. So going from having low t (even while on trt), perhaps my own t may get back to the same region yours went to?

what was your diagnosis? Secondary? Our just ' low normal t' ? its remarkable with so many different diagnoses they still have the same half way house outcome.. I do hope that you can find the sweet spot on trt my friend. I too may be going back down this road at some point in the future.

Wishing all you guys a great christmas and a healthy new year.

Angrydad

 

[Tyler81]

Hey tyler, thankyou for giving me your own personal reasons for stopping and starting trt. I can completely sympathise with your predicament. I know compared with dialysis patients we cannot really complain. But I, have never felt great in trt...yet. Hence why I'm trying to get my own t working again. Seems like quite a thankless task with a very real risk of zero return. But nonetheless, still a journey I will need to attempt especially as now I am on the cabergoline. Perhaps resigning myself to trt will be so much easier, having actually going through a restart with little success. My only real concern is that perhaps the human body ready does not like dramatic change. So going from having low t (even while on trt), perhaps my own t may get back to the same region yours went to?

what was your diagnosis? Secondary? Our just ' low normal t' ? its remarkable with so many different diagnoses they still have the same half way house outcome.. I do hope that you can find the sweet spot on trt my friend. I too may be going back down this road at some point in the future.

Wishing all you guys a great christmas and a healthy new year.

Angrydad

My "diagnosis" is idopathic hypogonadism. Idopathic means unknown cause...

My guess is that I started lifting weights too early and did too much cardio when I was young. I was sort of obsessed with running when i was between the ages of 12-14 or so and i think that might have stunted my full growth and puberty - including hormone levels. Just my guess. I dont know.

I hope I can refind the sweet spot too. I am basically stuck with TRT whether I like it or not. I just dont see any other solutions for me. My natural T is too low, and i've spent hundreds of dollars on testosterone boosters (when I was off TRT) and it was just money flushed down the toilet. Right now my insurance covers Testim 100% so I am basically getting it for free. Whereas I was paying $200/month out of pocket until I was able to get insurance to cover it. So i have even more incentive to continue and stick with it since it costs me $0 per month now.

Wish u a merry xmas and new years as well. Happy holidys!! Cheers,

 

[mikes75]

I will need to attempt especially as now I am on the cabergoline.

Angrydad

U will be fine with cabergoline, u dont need anything else, i do 2x 0,25mg week and feel like im on high test even if they are under range cause im on second week end of my restart. Im going to continue the low dose cabaser to the grave if i feel like this all the time.....

 

[Michael Scally MD]

Righty oh! just want to update you guys on progress! Got my bloods back after being on levothyroxine for the last 5 weeks. Tsh down to 2 from 6 my T4 is increasing nicely. Only downer is my prolactin has increased to its highest level..from 1800 to 2200. So I have started a low dose of cabergoline with my endo. Having a few light side effects now, but hoping they wear off soonish. Going to give it a week or so and then stopping my TRT and going to see what happens.

I was really anxious to take the cab, but if I need cab to get my testes working again, so be it!

Wish me luck guys

Did you test for estradiol?

 

[foreveryoung]

U will be fine with cabergoline, u dont need anything else, i do 2x 0,25mg week and feel like im on high test even if they are under range cause im on second week end of my restart. Im going to continue the low dose cabaser to the grave if i feel like this all the time.....

how long have you been on the cabaser?

 

[mikes75]

how long have you been on the cabaser?

Only 3 weeks but i have felt shutdown for two years now and have had low test since i messed my
body and been doubtful of my abilityes to have sex, i didnt like nebido or any other trt so stopped them and goes now only with cabaser and my sex drive is good and mood is very clear and happy!
I hope this feeling lasts. (i did few hcg shots when i stopped my second short trt try but it didnt my balls much bigger??)

 

[foreveryoung]

Only 3 weeks but i have felt shutdown for two years now and have had low test since i messed my
body and been doubtful of my abilityes to have sex, i didnt like nebido or any other trt so stopped them and goes now only with cabaser and my sex drive is good and mood is very clear and happy!
I hope this feeling lasts. (i did few hcg shots when i stopped my second short trt try but it didnt my balls much bigger??)

ok, that is a very short time period to really know at all, I have tried cabergoline multiple times over the last decade, and it always ended up not being a good thing after a while, it's a pretty powerful drug and the halflife is long and the effects are variable as you go along

 

[angrydad]

Hi Guys,
Update time!!

Been on Cabergoline 0.5 x 1 per week. Then went down to 0.25 per week as I was getting some bad side effects. i,e felt really wired and couldn't sleep for longer than 4 hours. let alone get to sleep the first few days after taking my dose. Not forgetting the constipation!
Feel alot better on the 0.25 per week and it has cut my prolactin down now to just inside the 'normal' range. which is at about 350 ( I know thats still a bit high but it was up at 2200. If it creeps up then of course I will up the dose again.. but hanging fire with that for now.
Still on levo to keep my tsh at a low level.

I have been off the testogel and today is my 4th day off. Not feeling quite as bad as I thought I might. But I am getting joint aches, dizzyness and just feeling really weak like I have the flu. (But not quite that bad!!)

Just wondering how much worse it's going to get? I would have thought that the testogel would be well out of my body now?

I have been getting a dull ache in both my testicles (and they feel warm if that makes sense?) and I think and hope that this is a good thing?? Could that be them trying to fire up?

I have been taking some fish oils the last few days to help and also some zinc and vit c. Didn't think it would hurt?

So that's day 4 almost over. I so struggle at times, especially at night if I wake up aching and wonder if it's all worth it. I guess this is all part of why getting off trt is so difficult for us? Why would we deliberately want to make ourself feel worse in the hope that in the long term things will feel better.

So what do you think guys? Am I doing ok?

best wishes

Angry dad

 

[bax]

To me the easy part of going off yet is actually the early days because you can explain the fog, pain, fatigue,etc.. For me the problem comes 4-5 months down the road when I just feel "ok".. But nowhere near optimal and my levels are always naturally in the low 400s.. It's hard to know what to do.. It's like I feel "ok" but somethings off.. Memory probs,cofnitive issues, random pains, lack of drive, but my natural test is "fine". Not saying this is how it will go for you and I hope of doesn't, but for me I'm thinking that trt is really my best bet to feel somewhat normal, even tho my natural levels are technically fine.

 

[angrydad]

Thankyou Bax for your reply.

I do understand what you mean when you say it's easier in the early days to stick with stopping TRT. It's the same principle for me when I was actually on TRT. You tolerate feeling rubbish (I did anyway because I feel that it really was just a case of them injecting me at the surgery. then going back every 3rd week for another shot). That was my regime. I only got a follow up or bloods when I complained of panic attacks etc. But the longer it went on either the jabs or having to spread on gel every morning religiously the more peeved off I got.

I am an advocate of TRT definitely, BUT I think it should be a last resort, only if low T cannot be improved any other way. I will definitely get back on it whole heartedly If I cannot naturally produce my own T but only AFTER I have exhausted all over possibilities. I got put on TRT without going further.

Low T and High prolactin discovered , empty sella syndrome . They should have tried to lower my PRL before starting TRT. Now I am doing the 'hard yards' trying to go back and see IF it is the high PRL causing my Low T. I may now find I never properly produce T like I used to. But I really NEED to know before settling for a life with supplementing T.

I have been on TRT now for about 10 months, during these 10 months I never really felt great and I never got a med to high blood level of Test. In fact even on TRT most of my readings have still been below the bottom of the range!! eek!

Anyone know how long it takes for testogel to completely leave the body?

How soon does it take for the testes to actually 'start' producing ANY T after being shutdown? My Testicles have been aching for the last 2 days and I am hoping thats a good sign?

Also is it likely that I will feel even just a little better than I do now after 2 weeks or so? I do feel awful right now and it feels like an endless road.

Thanks guys

 

[foreveryoung]

anytime I've been on a long time and stopped, there was about a week of feeling like hell, but then it starts to improve so that you actually like the natural feeling as it gets better, forget about worrying about libido though, that is something that takes a while and is unpredictable so just let it do it's own thing and concentrate on being healthy, eating and sleeping well, being on test never feels completely "right" for some reason and the thought of natural recovery feels good even if the levels aren't high

there is so much a person can do naturally to feel better in life, a full non-drug affected night's sleep every day is so important, as is a healthy diet of real balanced foods, and regular light exercise.

 

[angrydad]

Hey Foreveryoung,
Really grateful for your reply mate. I reckon it's pretty bloody tough stopping something that actually prevents us from feeling worse. A bit like saying no, it's ok I don't want pain relief I WANT the operation to hurt lol. Of course I am only kidding here. But the whole point of feeling the pain (not that it's a good thing) just keeps it simple trying to get your own bodies HPTA working again.

If there was a miracle drug that could just transport us back to those happy days when our balls worked properly (without a shutdown or sides) I'm sure most would jump at it.

Really appreciate your comment as I have been feeling at a really low ebb. Not so bad in the day when I can occupy myself. But the evening and night when I feel worse.

I'm sure that the Testogel should be out my body? It's day 5 without TRT now.

Does it really get easier after the first week? I do hope so, even if just a little better would do. Even a gradual improvement from week to week would be welcome. I just don't want to feel much worse than I do right now. So I'm going to just stick at it and hope I start to feel better.

You are so right when you mention getting a proper nights sleep that I have come to realize is often taken for granted. My sleep has not been so good while on TRT. Especially as I am on Cabergoline to keep my prolactin down. That really is a drug for me that keeps me awake. I take my dose in the morning so that it doesn't keep me awake all night!!

Thanks for the great advice guys, Here's to getting through the first week!

 

[bax]

Hate to disagree with foreveryoung, bit there's nothing that "feels good" about being natural immediately following trt or in many cases the months after..however I don't wanna bring negativity into angrydads restate attempt so I'll just wish him good luck. Just good to know the good/bad going into it.

 

[angrydad]

Hey bax, no worries.. Lol i'm feeling the pain so I know it's no bed of roses right now. I just hope that THIS is the worst it gets.. Otherwise I may have to reconsider my restart. It's like giving up smoking & starting again and letting myself down by NOT going the distance.

I know what you mean though bax and I appreciate both sides ;-)

 

[bax]

Cool. I'll just say if you do in the long run end up on trt make sure you get on a better protocol- like once a week injections at the minimum. But I hope the restate goes well!

 

[angrydad]

Thanks for your kind wishes Bax! I guarantee if I do ever go back on trt. I will try and get them to let me our my wife inject x1 a week. My endo said he would consider a smaller dose but every week. But that is maybe in the future for me.

Best wishes
Angrydad

 

[foreveryoung]

Hate to disagree with foreveryoung, bit there's nothing that "feels good" about being natural immediately following trt or in many cases the months after..however I don't wanna bring negativity into angrydads restate attempt so I'll just wish him good luck. Just good to know the good/bad going into it.

guess we shouldnt speak for everyone but for me there was definitely a "feels good" thing happening,

the first week or so off was horrible, like just wanting to lie in bed feeling very shitty, but then it suddenly started to improve, and the "feeling good" thing was multifaceted, I had grown to hate the testosterone and hcg and needles and relying on them and the feeling of being unnaturally 'regulated' hormonally, honestly just got sick of it all, and it felt like such a glorious relief as things improved to know I was functioning free of the external continual manipulation. Even though I was still low, it felt better, much better

 

[angrydad]

Cheers forever young! How long were you on trt for at it's longest? It must be 10months for me now and that was the first 5 months as sustanon and the rest was testogel. I have had no AI our hcg during my trt. Do you think I should feel some difference after a week or so? Even if only slight?
I am now 38 and up until this trt I have never taken any drugs or steroids (I'm not a bodybuilder or weightlifter) anything you can recommend to help with the sore joints?

I am pretty much gambling here that the original reason for my low t was caused by high prolactin at the time. This was never looked into properly..i wss just gave trt. I really hope that now my PRL is close to normal my balls,WILL make the right amount of T !!

I'm also hoping that it will prove to my endo that he should have looked into this PRL before putting me on trt

Thankyou for your advice

 

[angrydad]

Hey guys,

Into day 6 and just got a question for you all. especially those guys that have been there and done it so to speak!

Both my testicles are dull aching and hanging a little lower and both feel quite warm as though they are generating heat.

Should I expect this to happen? It's not an infection or anything like that as far as I'm aware. Just twinges in the daytime and it increases at night in bed while trying to sleep! Got a very poor sleep last night because of it.

How long can I expect this to continue on for? Is this normal please guys?

Thanks

Angrydad