TRT and Libido: Has Anyone Had Consistently Acceptable Libido?

[falconberg]

After a few years of reading forum posts, it seems that there is a pattern of people starting TRT, going through a "honeymoon" phase where libido skyrockets, then trying to figure out what to do when libido drops below pre-TRT levels. Sometimes we add something else (like HCG), go through another honeymoon phase, then come back again after libido tanks again.

Google searches for "trt" and "low libido" queries shows literally hundreds of posts from men in this same predicament. It matches my experience as well. It's starting to feel like a big scam where the industry sells us solutions to the problems that the industry itself is creating.

Here's my question: Have any of you been able to consistently (over a period of years) maintain a satisfactory libido while on TRT?

I realize that there are other benefits to TRT besides improved libido. It just seems like that is one of the promises that the industry advertises and fails to deliver. In my case, I wouldn't have sacrificed a healthy libido for the other benefits had I known what I know now.

 

[MarkM]

I've been on TRT for over 13 years. I had a very good libido prior to beginning TRT and have had the same since going on TRT. Libido has never been one of my concerns. My initial reason for going on TRT was trying to find out why I was so tired all the time.

Remember, forums like this are to help individuals with all kinds of TRT related concerns, libido being one of them. That's why you read so many posts about libido issues. We typically don't have the millions of people doing well on TRT, with good libido, posting on the forums.

 

[falconberg]

We typically don't have the millions of people doing well on TRT, with good libido, posting on the forums.

That's exactly why I'm asking. Thanks for the response and for sharing your story.

 

[Vince]

I've been on TRT for over 3 1/2 years, originally it may have been too strong. Now I have a very healthy libido, I have a very strong sexual desire but it is under control. I do like sex daily but there are times when we do miss some days. I do though stay away form all porn.

 

[falconberg]

Thanks for the response, Vince. When you say "originally it may have been too strong," are you referring to your libido or to your initial TRT regimen? If referring to your libido, is it fair to say that TRT has decreased your libido?

 

[CoastWatcher]

My libido was totally dormant prior to the initiation of TRT. I'm happy to say that, four years in, my sex drive is strong and responsive. I am 60 years old, and couldn't be happier. Small, daily injections of testosterone form the foundation of my protocol. It has been a total success.

 

[sh1973]

I’ve been on TRT 8.5 years and libido or lack there of has been the biggest hurdle. I had great libido prior to starting and it improved for the first couple years but had steadily declined since. Not much I haven’t tried and labs all look good. I’ve did a lot of reading over the last decade regarding trt and it seems libido is hit or miss with trt. For me orgasms, desire for sex, excitement during sex is nothing like being natural. I feel pretty decent overall since I’ve lowered my dose but libido is still very elusive.

 

[Vince]

I've been on TRT for over 3 1/2 years, originally it may have been too strong. Now I have a very healthy libido, I have a very strong sexual desire but it is under control. I do like sex daily but there are times when we do miss some days. I do though stay away form all porn.

I would say my libido is the same as it was when I began trt. I just had to learn how to control it, when I see a beautiful lady walked by I always take a second look, something I probably shouldn't do. I love having sex and I thoroughly enjoy orgasm, I have learned to tone down my sexual desires when necessary, I don't let it interfere with my life.

 

[Vince Carter]

Libido (interest in sex) is way different than be able to achieve an erection and act on that interest, I like that to be an important distinction as libido such as it's used is too broad. I would say on TRT my libido and interest in the opposite sex is very high, normal for me, but the physical portion is problematic to different degrees and TRT hasn't resolved that part.

 

[ratbag]

I agree with Vince Carter. Most misuse the term Libido. My Libido has always been strong even pre TRT when I could barely get it up. But after 10+ years on TRT I'm perfectly normal. Age 60 and wish the wife was as excited as I am about it.

 

[Nashtide]

Libido is also very personal. There is a large range of what would be considered a good libido. My libido wasn't a problem before starting TRT and it's as strong as ever after three years on TRT.

 

[madman]

After a few years of reading forum posts, it seems that there is a pattern of people starting TRT, going through a "honeymoon" phase where libido skyrockets, then trying to figure out what to do when libido drops below pre-TRT levels. Sometimes we add something else (like HCG), go through another honeymoon phase, then come back again after libido tanks again.

Google searches for "trt" and "low libido" queries shows literally hundreds of posts from men in this same predicament. It matches my experience as well. It's starting to feel like a big scam where the industry sells us solutions to the problems that the industry itself is creating.

Here's my question: Have any of you been able to consistently (over a period of years) maintain a satisfactory libido while on TRT?

I realize that there are other benefits to TRT besides improved libido. It just seems like that is one of the promises that the industry advertises and fails to deliver. In my case, I wouldn't have sacrificed a healthy libido for the other benefits had I known what I know now.

As long as one understands that trt does not equal a raging sex drive 24/7 than when ones hormones are in a healthy range TT,FT and e2, prolactin,dht and thyroid function is optimal than one should have a normal healthy libido (what is normal can very from person to person).

Where many go wrong is comparing the honeymoon phase or when one increases testosterone dose (change in protocol) and it is common to experience an increase in libido sometimes intense but it is always temporary and short lived once the body adapts to the new testosterone levels.

Most mens seem to think going on trt is going to have them waking up every day of the week constantly having sexual thoughts and a raging sex drive with titanium erections ready to take on the female population.....sometimes even feeling they are wearing a RED CAPE!

If one is suffering a low libido/poor erectile function due to low testosterone than in most cases trt can improve ones libido/erectile function as long as overall hormones are balanced and at healthy levels.

Testosterone can have positive effects on libido and erectile function but do understand that even if ones hormones are in a healthy range other factors can negatively impact ones libido/erectile function (lack of quality sleep, excess stress, neurotransmitter imbalance,underlying health issue, poor endothelial/vascular function).

Testosterone is not always the end all be all when it comes to libido/erectile function as it is more complex than simply having healthy T levels!

 

[falconberg]

Where many go wrong is comparing the honeymoon phase or when one increases testosterone dose (change in protocol) and it is common to experience an increase in libido sometimes intense but it is always temporary and short lived once the body adapts to the new testosterone levels.

I may not have been clear enough in my post, but I'm not talking about TRT being a magic cure for remediating low libido. I'm talking about TRT actually decreasing libido.

In my case, I and my partner were perfectly happy with my libido before getting on TRT. TRT then ramped it up beyond baseline, which was nice. But if it had simply returned to baseline, that would have been acceptable. But my libido (and erection strength) is actually much lower than it was before TRT, and that seems to be a common complaint across this and other forums.

I realize that there are lots of factors that affect libido, but I find it dubious when people raise their hands and say "you can never know." I have no more stress, am in no worse health, and am getting no worse sleep than I ever have. In fact, I have improved on those metrics in the past several years. My endo has tested me thoroughly and I am within range. But I am completely convinced that TRT (and not some other cause) has actively decreased my libido by altering my hormonal axis. I'm now chasing the right ****tail to fix that and am starting to lose hope. Hence my request for success stories.

 

[madman]

I may not have been clear enough in my post, but I'm not talking about TRT being a magic cure for remediating low libido. I'm talking about TRT actually decreasing libido.

In my case, I and my partner were perfectly happy with my libido before getting on TRT. TRT then ramped it up beyond baseline, which was nice. But if it had simply returned to baseline, that would have been acceptable. But my libido (and erection strength) is actually much lower than it was before TRT, and that seems to be a common complaint across this and other forums.

I realize that there are lots of factors that affect libido, but I find it dubious when people raise their hands and say "you can never know." I have no more stress, am in no worse health, and am getting no worse sleep than I ever have. In fact, I have improved on those metrics in the past several years. My endo has tested me thoroughly and I am within range. But I am completely convinced that TRT (and not some other cause) has actively decreased my libido by altering my hormonal axis. I'm now chasing the right ****tail to fix that and am starting to lose hope. Hence my request for success stories.

What is your current protocol (dose/injection frequency).....your SHBG and where do your TT, FT and e2 (sensitive assay) levels sit?

As far as permanently decreasing ones libido highly doubtful and if anything it is usually ones protocol TT,FT or e2 levels not optimal as long as thyroid/adrenals are also functioning well.

 

[Pringle]

As some have stated, my libido was strong prior to trt and has remained that way after. My larger issue is I am very sensitive to E2 levels....too high and then some minor ED....too low and then some minor ED....finding the sweet spot “Priceless”!

 

[falconberg]

What is your current protocol (dose/injection frequency).....your SHBG and where do your TT, FT and e2 (sensitive assay) levels sit?

I inject @180 mg of testosterone cypionate on Wednesdays and @500 IU of HCG on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. SHGB is 11.8 (16.5 - 55.9 range), total testosterone is 1032 (264-916 range), free testosterone is 28.4 (6.8 - 21.5 range), and estradiol is 29.2 (8.0 - 35.0 range).

 

[Gman86]

I inject @180 mg of testosterone cypionate on Wednesdays and @500 IU of HCG on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. SHGB is 11.8 (16.5 - 55.9 range), total testosterone is 1032 (264-916 range), free testosterone is 28.4 (6.8 - 21.5 range), and estradiol is 29.2 (8.0 - 35.0 range).

Wow, ur SHBG is super low. I'm not sure if it will cure ur libido issue entirely, but switching to EOD or ED testosterone injections should help greatly. I would also get your E2 down a little bit, either by lowering testosterone dose or HCG dose. With such a low SHBG, you would probably benefit from having your E2 closer to 20.

 

[Systemlord]

Its common for men to start TRT and have an amazing libido that is short lived only because most doctors don't manage and monitor estrogen, low or high estrogen is a libido killer. It killers your mood and that kills your libido. It doesn't help that there's no standard of care model for TRT, so doctors have no one to turn to to figure it out. They don't have time, they have 30 patients to see in a 8 hour shift.

It's the doctors who are failing, not TRT.

 

[Mountain Man]

My experience seems a little different than many who answered. I had a good libido pre TRT,not great. Sex once per week if wife felt up to it. Post TRT it improved initially. After a year it hit a plateau that is perfect for me and my wife. Sex every other day is the norm. Libido is what it was at age 30, but the sex is better because of the ability to take my time and we are able to savor the experience, rather that hurry as we did during our child rearing years. We are empty nesters now and can have sex whenever we want, and that is also a factor. I do use daily cialis 5, with more when sex is planned, but that has nothing to do with libido. Never in my wildest imagination who I have thought sex would be better in my 60s.

I think a lot of guys think of libido as something independent of the environment and opportunity. Porn creates a false sense of opportunity. An opportunity to masturbate is not really an opportunity like a real partner. A big factor in my situation is that my wife wants sex more and the interactions of two people that want each other creates a give and take that increases libido. If she is not wanting it, he may be able to arouse her and vice versa. Being older, I find the idea of”solo sex” as hard to understand. I wonder how many guys who complain of low libido on TRT are lucky enough to have a willing partner that they are attracted to available? Would libido rise if that partner was also very hot for you as well? I have to think that libido is far more intricate that I get a shot once or twice a week and wait for a tingling sensation and an erection.

 

[Ardoc]

To answer your initial question,yes I have had consistently acceptable libido on TRT but only since moving to an everyday protocol. I too have very low SHBG, and like most/many on this forum who do, I improved greatly when I switched to more frequent injections (ED in my case). Prior to that, on weekly and twice weekly injections, I had good and bad patches but nothing consistent. If you have not already done so, you should search “low SHBG” on this forum. It really seems that SHBG is becoming one of the most important indicators of HOW an individuals TRT should be administered. Also FYI it seems with low SHBG that lowering the weekly dose is often beneficial There are quite few of us in the same boat on here and I only improved after reading about their progress and adopting a similar protocol.