Coming Off TRT

[1 More Repp]

I am a 22 year old male that started TRT 1.5 years ago. I had natural levels between 150-200 every time I tested before starting. However, I believe it could have been corrected naturally by introducing more fats into my diet and slowing down my training. I lost around 80 pounds and was exercising excessively while restricting calories when I was tested.

I apply "natural" testosterone cream from a naturopath that I am no longer seeing every morning at 50ml. My GP suggested to go cold turkey and I am not able to see a specialist for another month. What should I expect to feel? I want to try quitting on my own to see if my natural production will start back up. I'm otherwise a very healthy guy.

 

[xhrr]

I wouldn't quit cold turkey that sounds like a terrible idea. Your natural production is likely shutdown and you would need something to restart your natural testosterone production. I'm surprised he actually suggested just cutting it out cold turkey. A clomid restart could be a viable option but your playing with fire just stopping on a dime. I'm not extremely well versed in endocrinology but I can't see that ending well.

 

[kenpoengineer]

Interesting, a natural testosterone creme. Does it actually contain testosterone? Anyway, for $65 you can get the "female hormone panel" from privatemdlabs dot com. This panel is CBC, FSH, LH, TT and E2. Start there to see how shutdown you are.

 

[sammpedd88]

You don't quit TRT like that. As already stated your natural production is most likely shutdown. You'll need something like clomid to see if there's a chance you can start up your natural production.

 

[Todd Garner]

Stopping all at once would put you into a free fall brother.

 

[B5150]

Ultimately exogenous test has to be eliminated entirely before any recovery of HPTA can be attained or even attempted. The key is to have an effective protocol in place before attempting it.

 

[bobi593]

I am a 22 year old male that started TRT 1.5 years ago. I had natural levels between 150-200 every time I tested before starting. However, I believe it could have been corrected naturally by introducing more fats into my diet and slowing down my training. I lost around 80 pounds and was exercising excessively while restricting calories when I was tested.

I apply "natural" testosterone cream from a naturopath that I am no longer seeing every morning at 50ml. My GP suggested to go cold turkey and I am not able to see a specialist for another month. What should I expect to feel? I want to try quitting on my own to see if my natural production will start back up. I'm otherwise a very healthy guy.

is your GP a female ?

 

[1 More Repp]

is your GP a female ?

Nope, male. I've been off for two days and I'm not feeling any different yet.

 

[bobi593]

He must be a retard...

 

[1 More Repp]

He must be a retard...

Can you explain? I tapered down a little on my own before jumping off. Do you I should be taking a SERM or something?

 

[bobi593]

I can't recommend you anything I'm not a doctor and if your GP suggest you to go cold turkey for one month he is not either....

 

[Captn_the]

What kind of quack prescribes trt to a 20 yr old?

 

[1 More Repp]

What kind of quack prescribes trt to a 20 yr old?

If I was more educated I would have never started taking it in the first place. Shouldn't have taken his advice. Do you think I have a good chance of getting natural production back?

 

[kenpoengineer]

If I was more educated I would have never started taking it in the first place. Shouldn't have taken his advice. Do you think I have a good chance of getting natural production back?

Did you get bloodwork to see how shut down you really are? Seriously! Feeling better is not a sign of recovery.

 

[1 More Repp]

Yes I did get blood work done. FSH was .8.

 

[kenpoengineer]

Yes I did get blood work done. FSH was .8.

Cool. What is TT, FT, LH and E2?

 

[1 More Repp]

Cool. What is TT, FT, LH and E2?

TT 930, FT 207... No test for LH or E2 but I will get those done in the next week or two

 

[kenpoengineer]

Excellent. This is the only way to accurately determine your recovery. At your age, and after reading about your PH use and weight loss in 2014, I suspect that your "Doctor" jumped the gun by prescribing TRT while you were still shut down. For now add vitamin D3 5000 IU per day and increase healthy fats (coconut oil, avocado, olive oil). You are going to feel terrible these next months while recovering. You might want to talk to your "new" Doctor about a Clomid restart. Research it. Also check out the Excelmale and PeakTestosterone dot com websites. There is a FB page called Testosterone Replacement Therapy Discussion that has some great information on it. Keep us posted and good luck.

 

[1 More Repp]

Excellent. This is the only way to accurately determine your recovery. At your age, and after reading about your PH use and weight loss in 2014, I suspect that your "Doctor" jumped the gun by prescribing TRT while you were still shut down. For now add vitamin D3 5000 IU per day and increase healthy fats (coconut oil, avocado, olive oil). You are going to feel terrible these next months while recovering. You might want to talk to your "new" Doctor about a Clomid restart. Research it. Also check out the Excelmale and PeakTestosterone dot com websites. There is a FB page called Testosterone Replacement Therapy Discussion that has some great information on it. Keep us posted and good luck.

Thanks for your advice. I'm seeing a specialist March 10th that will be able to give me some detailed feedback on my progress. I truly believe I was misdiagnosed like you stated and hope I can get my natural levels back.

 

[B5150]

TT 930, FT 207... No test for LH or E2 but I will get those done in the next week or two

Your LH/FSH is going to tell you how shut down you are.

 

[1 More Repp]

Your LH/FSH is going to tell you how shut down you are.

Thanks, FSH was 0.8. I will report back once I get LH. Is that considered pretty shut down?

 

[B5150]

FSH is usually most specific for semen/sperm production.

Depending upon which lab you reference I've seen the ranges for both form as low as 1.3-12 and and as high as 1.8-19 and some absurdly high as 5-20.

.8 is low but not like mine which is .1 (or maybe less iirc) but I've been on TRT for many years.

 

[1 More Repp]

FSH is usually most specific for semen/sperm production.

Depending upon which lab you reference I've seen the ranges for both form as low as 1.3-12 and and as high as 1.8-19 and some absurdly high as 5-20.

.8 is low but not like mine which is .1 (or maybe less iirc) but I've been on TRT for many years.

Thanks David, I'll continue to update the thread with progress. This is about 4 days off of
TRT and I'm feeling a little "off." Not terrible, but more fatigued and moody.

 

[B5150]

At 4 days you've not even exhausted the half life of a year and a half of weekly testosterone injections.

Don't "think" about your testosterone. A positive mental attitude goes a long way!

 

[Captn_the]

If I was more educated I would have never started taking it in the first place. Shouldn't have taken his advice. Do you think I have a good chance of getting natural production back?

Maybe. Have you been using any other gear in the past?

Best of luck buddy. There are worst things in life that being on trt. Just make sure the doses will assist muscle development

 

[1 More Repp]

At 4 days you've not even exhausted the half life of a year and a half of weekly testosterone injections.

Don't "think" about your testosterone. A positive mental attitude goes a long way!

Interesting, I didn't know test had a long half life. Mine was a bio identical testosterone cream that was applied daily after a shower in the AM. Would that change anything?

And thanks, that's great advice. I'm trying my best to stay positive.

 

[1 More Repp]

Maybe. Have you been using any other gear in the past?

Best of luck buddy. There are worst things in life that being on trt. Just make sure the doses will assist muscle development

I did an 8 week cycle of 1-t tren made by primordial performance when I was 17. I didn't follow through with pct properly either. Stupid, I know. Do you think that could have made a long lasting impact on my hormones?

 

[B5150]

Interesting, I didn't know test had a long half life. Mine was a bio identical testosterone cream that was applied daily after a shower in the AM. Would that change anything?

And thanks, that's great advice. I'm trying my best to stay positive.

yes. Cream can make but if the active testosterone in it is an enanthate or cypionate it can still be s bit long but not nearly as long as injection. You should be bottoming out here pretty soon.

 

[1 More Repp]

yes. Cream can make but if the active testosterone in it is an enanthate or cypionate it can still be s bit long but not nearly as long as injection. You should be bottoming out here pretty soon.

Ah I see. I'll check the prescription when I make it home but I think it was cypionate. I know it was compounded using yams and soybeans though making it more natural according to the doc. Hopefully it will be out of my system soon so I know what I'm facing.

 

[1 More Repp]

Does anyone here have experience with bioidentical hormones? Are they even any better? I was reading this http://www.ftmguide.org/bioidenticalt.html

 

[The Matrix]

There is no different then stuff you get from pharmacy ..It's the same damn thing...

 

[1 More Repp]

There is no different then stuff you get from pharmacy ..It's the same damn thing...

Thanks that's what I figured! Only difference is my insurance won't pay for the "natural" stuff.

 

[1 More Repp]

Tomorrow will be 6 days off TRT and I'm actually starting to breakout with some acne on my face and chest which I don't normally. Is that a side effect?

 

[1 More Repp]

Is there anything that is recommended to kickstart natural production? I've upped my healthy fat intake and have been incorporating more compound lifts into my workouts

 

[bobi593]

Clomid/Nolv. HCG

 

[1 More Repp]

Clomid/Nolv. HCG

Is that considered to be a safe option?

 

[kenpoengineer]

Is that considered to be a safe option?

Clomid does have side effects. Research "Clomid Restart".

 

[1 More Repp]

Clomid does have side effects. Research "Clomid Restart".

Thanks for the response, I'll look into it. Getting bloods done this weekend to see where I'm at about 10 days off.

 

[xhrr]

Tomorrow will be 6 days off TRT and I'm actually starting to breakout with some acne on my face and chest which I don't normally. Is that a side effect?

Hormonal fluctuations can cause acne

 

[1 More Repp]

I got my blood work done today and should have results in the next few days. I'm interested to see where I'm at ~12 days off TRT.

 

[1 More Repp]

Here's what I got for blood work 12 days off:
Testosterone, total: 99
Testosterone, free: 13.9
Estradiol: 15
Dihydrotestosterone: 8