Short Version:
Did a steroid cycle consisting of Test, Tren, and T3. Issues maintaining erections began during the cycle. I tried controlling prolaction and estrogren to no avail. Cialis and Viagra worked for erection quality and frequency, but not for erection maintenance. I ran post cycle therapy and the issues persisted. Two months after post cycle therapy, the issues persist. Blood work at the bottom.
Long Version:
My problems started about six months ago with the beginning of a anabolic steroid cycle consisting of testosterone (250mg/wk), T3(~100mcg/day), and trenbolone (400mg/wk). The main issue, that still persists, is mostly maintaining erections during penetration. The quality has become inconsistent but, more importantly, my erection will begin to go down after just a few minutes of sexual intercourse. I didn't have any of these issues pre-cycle. The issues began almost immediately after starting the cycle. About two weeks into the cycle is when I first noticed because that is when I got together with my current girlfriend. It may be of note that we had had sex before the cycle with no issues whatsoever.
At first, I assumed the ED was some sort of side effect from elevated estrogen or prolactin (from the testosterone or trenbolone, respectively). After getting E2 in range using Arimidex and taking prolactin to undetectable levels with Cabergoline, the problems persisted. I began taking Cialis, but beyond improving erection quality, the issue with maintaining erections still persisted. To be clear, I was almost always able to achieve an erection but it would go down immediately or very soon after penetration. At this point, I decided it would be best to abort the cycle and begin post cycle therapy.
I stopped taking T3 and Trenbolone for about three weeks before I stopped taking Testosterone (which I lowered to 125mg/wk) in order to avoid having multiple systems recovering at the same time. In the first few days after I had stopped taking T3, my symptoms subsided. That is, I was able to have a normal erection with no issues whatsoever. However, the symptoms soon returned after those ~2-3 days.
In any case, I waited for about a week and began post cycle therapy. The protocol was 2000iu of HCG every other day for 20 days, 30 days of Clomid at 70mg/day, and 45 days of Nolvadex at 40mg/day. The issues intensified during PCT and, at times, I was no longer even able to achieve an erection. Erection quality was massively decreased as well. Cialis and Viagra did not help much at all during this period.
Fast forward to about after I completed PCT, I was now able to achieve erections with some difficulty, but the problem with maintenance persisted. Additionally, the quality was far lower than when on cycle or before I started the cycle. Fast forward another four weeks after PCT and I have an easier time achieving erections, but sex drive is still almost non-existent compared to what it was and I still cannot maintain an erection for longer than a few minutes during intercourse. Additionally, Cialis and/or Viagra now certainly help with erection quality, but they now tend to cause premature ejaculation (an issue I've never ever had in the past).
So, as you can tell, things are a mess and I'm really a loss here.
Blood work is attached below.
Any thoughts as to what may be causing this problem? T is obviously a bit on the low side here, but this is approximately where I'm usually at off-cycle. Perhaps my thyroid still isn't fully recovered? 2.4 TSH is a little towards the slow side and my Free T3 is more mid-range than upper-quartile, but I really don't know.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Did a steroid cycle consisting of Test, Tren, and T3. Issues maintaining erections began during the cycle. I tried controlling prolaction and estrogren to no avail. Cialis and Viagra worked for erection quality and frequency, but not for erection maintenance. I ran post cycle therapy and the issues persisted. Two months after post cycle therapy, the issues persist. Blood work at the bottom.
Long Version:
My problems started about six months ago with the beginning of a anabolic steroid cycle consisting of testosterone (250mg/wk), T3(~100mcg/day), and trenbolone (400mg/wk). The main issue, that still persists, is mostly maintaining erections during penetration. The quality has become inconsistent but, more importantly, my erection will begin to go down after just a few minutes of sexual intercourse. I didn't have any of these issues pre-cycle. The issues began almost immediately after starting the cycle. About two weeks into the cycle is when I first noticed because that is when I got together with my current girlfriend. It may be of note that we had had sex before the cycle with no issues whatsoever.
At first, I assumed the ED was some sort of side effect from elevated estrogen or prolactin (from the testosterone or trenbolone, respectively). After getting E2 in range using Arimidex and taking prolactin to undetectable levels with Cabergoline, the problems persisted. I began taking Cialis, but beyond improving erection quality, the issue with maintaining erections still persisted. To be clear, I was almost always able to achieve an erection but it would go down immediately or very soon after penetration. At this point, I decided it would be best to abort the cycle and begin post cycle therapy.
I stopped taking T3 and Trenbolone for about three weeks before I stopped taking Testosterone (which I lowered to 125mg/wk) in order to avoid having multiple systems recovering at the same time. In the first few days after I had stopped taking T3, my symptoms subsided. That is, I was able to have a normal erection with no issues whatsoever. However, the symptoms soon returned after those ~2-3 days.
In any case, I waited for about a week and began post cycle therapy. The protocol was 2000iu of HCG every other day for 20 days, 30 days of Clomid at 70mg/day, and 45 days of Nolvadex at 40mg/day. The issues intensified during PCT and, at times, I was no longer even able to achieve an erection. Erection quality was massively decreased as well. Cialis and Viagra did not help much at all during this period.
Fast forward to about after I completed PCT, I was now able to achieve erections with some difficulty, but the problem with maintenance persisted. Additionally, the quality was far lower than when on cycle or before I started the cycle. Fast forward another four weeks after PCT and I have an easier time achieving erections, but sex drive is still almost non-existent compared to what it was and I still cannot maintain an erection for longer than a few minutes during intercourse. Additionally, Cialis and/or Viagra now certainly help with erection quality, but they now tend to cause premature ejaculation (an issue I've never ever had in the past).
So, as you can tell, things are a mess and I'm really a loss here.
Blood work is attached below.
Any thoughts as to what may be causing this problem? T is obviously a bit on the low side here, but this is approximately where I'm usually at off-cycle. Perhaps my thyroid still isn't fully recovered? 2.4 TSH is a little towards the slow side and my Free T3 is more mid-range than upper-quartile, but I really don't know.
Any advice would be appreciated.
