Antidepressants and TRT...How do they mix together?

[KenLowT]

Hi guys. I've posted a few times about my beginner's journey with TRT. The reason I started TRT was because of lack of energy and more importantly lack of libido w/some ED. I've had the lack of libido for as long as I can remember and low T numbers have been there for quite a while as well. However, after sitting here for several weeks I've come to realize that anxiety is one of my biggest problems and TRT has not and will not do anything to control that aspect of my life. For years I have battled social anxiety disorder and some general anxiety. This also has reared it's ugly head in the bedroom in the form of performance anxiety, in my case (anxiety about being able to get up for the occasion). I have been on antidepressants two times in my life and both times the medication made me feel whole again. The first time I went on Zoloft it was work related. I had a lot of stress at work due to my social anxiety and a new job really put my anxiety over the top. The medication worked great, I lost some weight, was able to be more at ease at nighttime and my performance anxiety was controlled. After a few months I stopped the medication and the anxiety returned when I switched jobs. This time I took the max dosage, gained tons of weight, but my performance anxiety was lessened. My libido never went down because well my libido has never been good. The only sexual change I felt during the medication was an inability to orgasm as quickly or at all.

Right now I'm in a bad place with my anxiety which I believe is at the core of why I've been struggling with some ED. My thinking now is that I need to get a hold of the anxiety so that TRT will actually be more effective for me. I want to be able to feel the full benefits of finding my TRT sweet spot when it does occur and I DO NOT want my sexual and social anxiety to nullify that effect. Therefore, I'm going to be talking to my shrink in the coming weeks about getting back on Zoloft at the starter dose that I experienced great benefits from the 1st time I took the medication. My anxiety is not like where it was the 2nd time I took Zoloft, I needed the high dosage then. This time it's definitely not fun, but not to the point where I'm having panic attacks. My question for you guys is this? Have any of you had success taking an antidepressant and going on TRT? What was the experience like for you? Can these two co-exist? I believe I need both to be at full capacity. The TRT has done wonders for me so far in the gym and energy wise, but it hasn't given me that elusive libido yet. However, I know that having anxiety will kill your libido so you need to control one to have the other. From prior experience I know that Zoloft will do nothing to increase my sexual urgings, but it won't decrease them either. If anything, it'll help with that fear I get whenever my wife wants to initiate sex which at this point is crippling. All of your opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks for all of your help.

 

[Vince Carter]

We typically don't see those two things as being compatible but your reaction to one drug may be different than what we think is the norm. Anxiety seems to a more prevalent thing around here that get's in the way and we(?) haven't that I can think of found a way thru that. The guys the present here with any kind of anxiety really don't seem to do well on TRT, not because of TRT itself, it just becomes the new thing that they fixate on and the overrides literally everything else.

 

[Tommy Wall]

I´m been battling with anxiety most of my life so I know what you mean. So I´m on a lower dosage of Lexapro but it happens I need to increase the dosaged sometimes and after a while to come back to my normal dosage. (In SOS=xanax only helps). However I also suffer to a some extent the same side effects like you and I talked to my shrink about it and he put me on Wellbutrin to counteract some of the SSRI´s sidies.

 

[KenLowT]

Just from previous experience, Zoloft never decreased my sex drive because like I said, my sex drive stunk anyway. Plus, I never had ED problems while on Zoloft. My main problem was that I was unable to orgasm, but then that eventually improved as well. The biggest positive was that I wasn't anxious about getting intimate and I was generally in a great mood all day. In my opinion, my anxiety is not due to low testosterone. I've always been a little anxious, I'm introverted, and I put a lot of pressure on myself when trying to please others, i.e. at work or in the bedroom. I feel like my reaction to TRT will only be enhanced if I'm able to manage my anxiety effectively. Otherwise, I can certainly imagine an improving libido being squashed by the effects of stress at work and the stress of getting intimate.

Something I think to take under consideration is the dosage level. My plan is to only use the beginning dosage of 50 mg of Zoloft. This tends to give you less side effects as I experienced the first time taking it. Others taking antidepressants might be taking very high dosage that would all but negate the effects of TRT. My plan is to start low and stay low. My anxiety is not so bad that I can't make it to work, but it does affect my mood which further exacerbates the problem in the bedroom. I figure if I can get the stress down, my body will then respond better to the increased testosterone in my system.

Some people on this forum claim their depressive symptoms have been resolved due to TRT, but what about those who suffer from anxiety due to some kind of chemical imbalance in the brain and not because of hormone issues? I believe my lack of libido, trouble losing weight, and low energy levels were due to low T, however the anxiety may be from a different source. I've been on TRT for close to two months, sure it isn't a long time, but I can safely say it has done nothing to erase the negative thoughts I have when it's time to get intimate. I could have all the libido in the world, but if my head keeps telling me to be worried anytime we get intimate for fear of losing an erection, then I know it's not a hormonal issue, it's a head issue. My hope is to hear from others on antidepressants and TRT to see how they are doing and what they are going through.

 

[Systemlord]

Zoloft made me overly positive that wasn't natural, it was as if I was high on happy. It gave me 100% sexual dysfunction and zero libido. I've never had depression and doctor thought it would help to control my tourette syndrome, combined with Klonopin (30 years) and your in a heavenly happy high that is too far removed from reality.

TRT has done more for me than any medication, increase happiness, increase sex drive and no side effects. Those medications caused my low testosterone.

 

[WrenchHead80]

Zoloft made me overly positive that wasn't natural, it was as if I was high on happy. It gave me 100% sexual dysfunction and zero libido. I've never had depression and doctor thought it would help to control my tourette syndrome, combined with Klonopin (30 years) and your in a heavenly happy high that is too far removed from reality.

TRT has done more for me than any medication, increase happiness, increase sex drive and no side effects. Those medications caused my low testosterone.

I was high on being completely worry free with everything lol. . Problem was half the things I were doing had risk. Didn't have the sexual dysfunction problems though. Definitely didn't feel "natural" either. I also feel it was the cause of my low T. I've been on it for close to 20 years. I've been on a lower dose (100mg) for the last few years. Now I'm on 50mg. Was taking 150-200mg for the first 5-10 years of use.

 

[WrenchHead80]

Hi guys. I've posted a few times about my beginner's journey with TRT. The reason I started TRT was because of lack of energy and more importantly lack of libido w/some ED. I've had the lack of libido for as long as I can remember and low T numbers have been there for quite a while as well. However, after sitting here for several weeks I've come to realize that anxiety is one of my biggest problems and TRT has not and will not do anything to control that aspect of my life. For years I have battled social anxiety disorder and some general anxiety. This also has reared it's ugly head in the bedroom in the form of performance anxiety, in my case (anxiety about being able to get up for the occasion). I have been on antidepressants two times in my life and both times the medication made me feel whole again. The first time I went on Zoloft it was work related. I had a lot of stress at work due to my social anxiety and a new job really put my anxiety over the top. The medication worked great, I lost some weight, was able to be more at ease at nighttime and my performance anxiety was controlled. After a few months I stopped the medication and the anxiety returned when I switched jobs. This time I took the max dosage, gained tons of weight, but my performance anxiety was lessened. My libido never went down because well my libido has never been good. The only sexual change I felt during the medication was an inability to orgasm as quickly or at all.

Right now I'm in a bad place with my anxiety which I believe is at the core of why I've been struggling with some ED. My thinking now is that I need to get a hold of the anxiety so that TRT will actually be more effective for me. I want to be able to feel the full benefits of finding my TRT sweet spot when it does occur and I DO NOT want my sexual and social anxiety to nullify that effect. Therefore, I'm going to be talking to my shrink in the coming weeks about getting back on Zoloft at the starter dose that I experienced great benefits from the 1st time I took the medication. My anxiety is not like where it was the 2nd time I took Zoloft, I needed the high dosage then. This time it's definitely not fun, but not to the point where I'm having panic attacks. My question for you guys is this? Have any of you had success taking an antidepressant and going on TRT? What was the experience like for you? Can these two co-exist? I believe I need both to be at full capacity. The TRT has done wonders for me so far in the gym and energy wise, but it hasn't given me that elusive libido yet. However, I know that having anxiety will kill your libido so you need to control one to have the other. From prior experience I know that Zoloft will do nothing to increase my sexual urgings, but it won't decrease them either. If anything, it'll help with that fear I get whenever my wife wants to initiate sex which at this point is crippling. All of your opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks for all of your help.

"TRT has not and will not do anything to control that aspect of my life" coming from a person who's only been on it a short time. Don't take it as a attack but maybe you had it in your head from the start it wasn't going to help you and you also convinced yourself your dick doesn't work when you need it to. I went into TRT with positive vibes and telling myself it was going to help. It ended up helping a lot. I realized I had to change my thinking also if I wanted positive results.

 

[WrenchHead80]

We typically don't see those two things as being compatible but your reaction to one drug may be different than what we think is the norm. Anxiety seems to a more prevalent thing around here that get's in the way and we(?) haven't that I can think of found a way thru that. The guys the present here with any kind of anxiety really don't seem to do well on TRT, not because of TRT itself, it just becomes the new thing that they fixate on and the overrides literally everything else.

So others with Anxiety have hope, I had bad anxiety when I started TRT and my anxiety went way down after starting and being on TRT. So much so that after I get my thyroid straitened out I want to drop the zoloft totally.

I do agree for most "it just becomes the new thing that they fixate on and overrides literally everything else." Does seems to be a reoccurring theme here. Maybe it was a blessing for me to go to bad places to start. Was so pissed off trying to figure out if and how they were screwing me and reading everything on TRT I could find, I had no time to worry about what the stuff was doing or not doing to me LOL.

 

[Mountain Man]

So others with Anxiety have hope, I had bad anxiety when I started TRT and my anxiety went way down after starting and being on TRT. So much so that after I get my thyroid straitened out I want to drop the zoloft totally.

I do agree for most "it just becomes the new thing that they fixate on and overrides literally everything else." Does seems to be a reoccurring theme here. Maybe it was a blessing for me to go to bad places to start. Was so pissed off trying to figure out if and how they were screwing me and reading everything on TRT I could find, I had no time to worry about what the stuff was doing or not doing to me LOL.

Wrenchead is right. Meds should be the last thing attempted for anxiety or depression. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the first thing that should be diligently attempted for a few months and meds could be adjunct treatment. Stands to reason that guys like us on TRT will tend to seek a medical cure for issues and expect to have a miracle happen. For example, how many guys with issues from TRT work out, watch diet and sleep? Psych meds are extremely potent and should not casually be prescribed as they are by primary care doctors.

Antidepressants and TRT can work together, but you must expect the side effects. Somewhere around 40% of men on SSRIs will have some sexual side effects and if you are anxious and expect to have sexual side effects, it jumps to close to 100%. The placebo effect is a very real thing. Cognitive behavioral therapy should be the first thing attempted. And, guys who are disciplined do very well with it.

 

[WrenchHead80]

Check out this video Nelson put up.

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/threads/nelson-recommends-this-is-why-you-may-not-be-happy.15927/

This video really touches home with me. I had a bad experience in my teenage years and instead of addressing it head on I let it consume me and rewire my thinking. I was young and my parents felt me seeing a psychiatrist was the answer. His answer was zoloft for my anxiety before the first visit was over. If I saw a person like the one in this video, I can only image how my life would have been different. I also switched dr's so many times threw those first 10 years cause I felt they were all just going threw the motions every visit. Point being I don't think its only hard to find good TRT doctors like we have all learned here, buts it hard to find good Dr's in general.

Question the people that are involved in your well being. Don't just assume they know what their doing cause their a DR. One of the best lessons I learned here. Was a scary eye opening experience but I'm glad I learned it sooner then later.

If you need to be prescribed something so be it. Not trying to say it's not a valid option. But I do feel as Mountain Man has mentioned it should be a option after all other options have been tried but you still have to put the work in also. No easy pill or shot in life.

We as humans like fast fixes especially when we have a problem that effects are day to day life. In my experience so far in life I don't feel anything great comes easy, you need to put the work in to see great results.

A perfect example of this is my start on TRT. I didn't want to learn anything about this stuff. I wanted a dr to give me a shot or give me the stuff to shot in my ass once a week so I'd feel great soon. Simple and easy is what I wanted. Well the results sucked and continued to suck intill I decided to become proactive in learning all this stuff and searching for a place that knew what they were doing. Wasn't exactly the easy route taking time reading books and everything here to learn and better understand this stuff but the results I'm having now are far better and continuing to get better then when I left my health up to others to play with.

 

[NicholasFrench]

I can only speak for myself and relay info from my best friend who's also on TRT.

About 3 years ago I had my test level check by my primary doc. I rang in at 270. He said I was, "fine" and as to my depressive symptoms wanted to be me back on Wellbutrin (I had previously been on that med and if you are interested I ordered it with a discount http://www.rx-discountcoupons.com/pharmacies/1-pills-com/) long story short, I did everything to naturally raise my testosterone (lost weight, ate peanuts/almonds/etc., avoided soy) and got rechecked last April - I was then at 190 ng/dl.

I can say that I've not felt this emotionally stable since my college years. I still have tough days now and then, but I'm not on any anti-depressant medications, my emotional self is less like Eeyore and more like Thor, and can rationally think through the hard times now instead of contemplating eating my deer rifle.

My best friend was worse off than I was. He was on two different anti-depressant meds. He got checked after seeing how well I was doing physically, mentally, and emotionally, and found out he was operating with a low test as well. (I was 33 at the time, he was 39.) That was six months ago. He's now off both of his anti-depressant meds and literally every week I get a text or something saying, "thank you" from this bud because it changed his life for the better.

Depression and low test levels are a bit of a "chicken and egg" situation. Is low test causing the depression? It can/will do that. Or is the depression causing low test? That can also be true. For me and my bud, the former seems to have been truer than the later. What I gather from those who I've to know who've done something about their hormonal health, they inevitably feel more emotionally stable. I don't think a test is a panacea by any means, but for depressed males, in particular, I think it's certainly one of those weapons we should utilize.

For myself, I know there will always be some part of my brain susceptible to depression. I also know that I'll never win the war against it, but by God, I'm not losing another battle. And I'll add that it's really nice to not have that psychological-physiological pain just getting out of bed in the morning.

My only regret is that I didn't get a second opinion sooner when that idiot doc told me a 270 test level or a 33-year-old was, "fine."

 

[joshuatafoya]

Hello everyone,
I currently take zoloft 150mg and abilify 2mg I just started training to compete in body building but Ive been working out for years im 31 Ive been on the fence of trying trt how does one go about this? with my psychiatrist?