Help with sleep issues

[Novaman]

55 year old here and I’ve been on TRT for 4 years . It was originally for fatigue issues and I had total testosterone levels aa low
As 180. and have dialed my protocol in to 60mgs testosterone cyp. Twice a week, 125 IU HCG twice week, and .25 mg anastrozole once EOW. My total T is around 850 on bloodwork 24 hrs post injection and E2 nonsensitive is in the 30’s

My problem is I don’t sleep as well when on TRT, and notice my resting pulse is elevated. I also seem to have developed pelvic floor issues which caused more frequent urination. I’ve tried skipping doses periodically to improve the sleep and lower the pulse rate but they don’t stick once I resume injecting

I am very healthy, not over weight, workout regularly, have a good diet, good sleep habits, no sleep apnea

My wife is sick of me messing with this and not sleeping better. She wants me to quit. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Vince]

55 year old here and I’ve been on TRT for 4 years . It was originally for fatigue issues and I had total testosterone levels aa low
As 180. and have dialed my protocol in to 60mgs testosterone cyp. Twice a week, 125 IU HCG twice week, and .25 mg anastrozole once EOW. My total T is around 850 on bloodwork 24 hrs post injection and E2 nonsensitive is in the 30’s

My problem is I don’t sleep as well when on TRT, and notice my resting pulse is elevated. I also seem to have developed pelvic floor issues which caused more frequent urination. I’ve tried skipping doses periodically to improve the sleep and lower the pulse rate but they don’t stick once I resume injecting

I am very healthy, not over weight, workout regularly, have a good diet, good sleep habits, no sleep apnea

My wife is sick of me messing with this and not sleeping better. She wants me to quit. Anyone have any suggestions?

We do have a long thread on the subject, you may be interested in reading it over. Good luck with your sleep issues.

Need help with sleep management on TRT

 

[fifty]

When I went off trt the first things I noticed were improved sleep and lowered resting pulse rate. I was only on 1 year though so I didn’t try everything.

 

[Cataceous]

In the thread @Vince cited, @DragonBits has a couple posts on progesterone as a sleep aid. I would emphasize this as something to look into, especially because TRT can suppress natural production, and the blood test is inexpensive.

 

[cigpk]

I am getting about 6 hours of sleep a night at the moment using magnesium glycinate, 10 mg pregnenolone, 0.5-1 mg of melatonin a night

I have always been a bad sleeper. Trt didn’t make it any worse or any better. The above solution helps somewhat. I’m soon going to an EOD protocol to see if that helps at all

 

[Vince Carter]

.25 mg anastrozole once EOW

as a side note that really isn't doing you any good, at all. Whether you need an AI, or not, this is a terrible way to take it.

 

[Vince Carter]

My total T is around 850 on bloodwork 24 hrs post injection and E2 nonsensitive is in the 30’s

Nor is this how to draw blood for labs.

 

[Vince]

High Progesterone Levels in Men

Progesterone is a hormone in both men and women that is converted into testosterone and estrogen. According to MayoClinic.com, progesterone levels typically drop with age and affect testosterone production. At the same time, estrogen levels rise in older men, creating a hormone imbalance. Progesterone supplements often are used to treat hormone imbalances and to protect men against prostate cancer and other prostate-related conditions.


Effects

High progesterone levels in men cause an increase in estrogen production, which can lead to a number of problems. According to MayoClinic.com, excessive estrogen is linked to heart conditions, depression and fatigue. Higher estrogen levels can lead to an enlarged prostate. Other side effects of an increase in estrogen caused by high progesterone levels include prostate inflammation, urination difficulties and erectile dysfunction.

Features

Men produce approximately 5 to 15 mg of progesterone in their testicles each day, which in turn increases estrogen levels. In addition to the natural production process of the hormones, environmental factors and activity levels can increase the progesterone and estrogen levels, according to Health Fitness Australia. Increased exercise often lowers hormone levels and chemical exposure can affect hormonal balances. Household products that contain dioxin can enter the bloodstream and affect progesterone and other hormonal levels, according to the National Institute of Environmental Sciences. Dioxin commonly is used to manufacture plastics, cleaning products and lubricants.

Considerations

Progesterone often is prescribed for men to treat infertility and prostate conditions. The hormone is available in natural and synthetic forms, each of which carries various side effects, according to the National Institutes on Aging. Hormone replacement drugs for men usually are prescribed in pill or cream form and should not exceed 6 to 10 mg per day. Excessive amounts of the replacement hormone can cause lethargy and fatigue. Men who take progesterone replacement drugs often experience joint pain, glucose intolerance and swelling.

Other Potential Effects

Untreated, other complications can occur if progesterone levels continue to rise. Men with an increased level of estrogen in their bodies tend to develop additional fat around the abdomen, which has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease. They may experience a decrease in facial hair growth and an increase in fatty deposits in their breasts.

[Benefits

Natural increases in progesterone levels in men also can produce positive benefits as noted by researchers at the University of Michigan. Since progesterone reduces anxiety levels in men and can help to create an environment for attentive lovers as testosterone also rises. Watching a romantic movie with a partner can raise progesterone levels in men as much as 10 percent and coupled with the reduced tension, makes them calmer and more available to meet their partner's needs as well as their own.

High Progesterone Levels in Men

 

[S1W]

55 year old here and I’ve been on TRT for 4 years . It was originally for fatigue issues and I had total testosterone levels aa low
As 180. and have dialed my protocol in to 60mgs testosterone cyp. Twice a week, 125 IU HCG twice week, and .25 mg anastrozole once EOW. My total T is around 850 on bloodwork 24 hrs post injection and E2 nonsensitive is in the 30’s

My problem is I don’t sleep as well when on TRT, and notice my resting pulse is elevated. I also seem to have developed pelvic floor issues which caused more frequent urination. I’ve tried skipping doses periodically to improve the sleep and lower the pulse rate but they don’t stick once I resume injecting

I am very healthy, not over weight, workout regularly, have a good diet, good sleep habits, no sleep apnea

My wife is sick of me messing with this and not sleeping better. She wants me to quit. Anyone have any suggestions?

I can relate to a lot of this - my wife also gets tired of me messing around with TRT when I'm in between protocols and generally "off".

For me the sleep and elevated heart rate issues seem to be almost entirely related to using too high of a dose.

However, reading between the lines with your situation, you may want to consider a very slight decrease in your overall weekly dose AND more frequent injections. I say this due to your TT being around 850 24 hours after a 60mg injection.

 

[DragonBits]

In the thread @Vince cited, @DragonBits has a couple posts on progesterone as a sleep aid. I would emphasize this as something to look into, especially because TRT can suppress natural production, and the blood test is inexpensive.

For me, progesterone is cheap and works well.

It lowered my blood pressure and helps with sleep. Not like some sort of sleeping pill like ambien, but it helps for sure. I still wake up enough to know it (we all wake up during the night, most of us don't even know it happens). I more or less sleep 6-7 hours now.

I use progesterone cream about ~11 mg (1/8 teaspoon) an hour before sleep. How well it gets absorbed varies and if you read the studies, creams absorb in a very different way than a pill or injection.

 

[Systemlord]

It definitely sounds like the dosage is too high especially if sleep improves after skipping an injection.

Also did you also stop the HCG when skipping Test dosages?

 

[Novaman]

It definitely sounds like the dosage is too high especially if sleep improves after skipping an injection.

Also did you also stop the HCG when skipping Test dosages?

Yes

 

[Novaman]

as a side note that really isn't doing you any good, at all. Whether you need an AI, or not, this is a terrible way to take it.

I’ve been doing TRT under MD’s care. This is what I was titrated down to because I am so sensitive to AI and almost don’t need it

 

[Novaman]

When I went off trt the first things I noticed were improved sleep and lowered resting pulse rate. I was only on 1 year though so I didn’t try everything.

Did you end up staying off? I am on a long vacation and my wife was complaining and begging me to stop again so I haven’t dosed in over 1.5 weeks. My sleep improved immediately and the pulse rate has dropped by nearly 10 bpm.

 

[fifty]

Yes I am off. Did last injection about 3 weeks ago and on restart with hcg and now clomid only.

 

[Novaman]

Yes I am off. Did last injection about 3 weeks ago and on restart with hcg and now clomid only.

Fifty- you planning on going back on? Last year I went off for 3 months. I did sleep better, and I did have decent energy, but I felt my libido was lacking. I guess I could have waited it out to see if it would improve but I decided to go back on. I will also confess that I feel like the TRT improves my body composition and gives me better results for the effort in the exercise department but my wife says she doesn’t notice a difference.
The only things I haven’t tried are pregnolone and doing more frequent injections than 2x a week. I did try doing only test cyp with no HCG and no AI but it didn’t make a difference

 

[Systemlord]

The only things I haven’t tried are pregnolone and doing more frequent injections than 2x a week.

If levels are in excess or swinging between injections, sleep could be impacted negatively.

Some men are sensitive to fluctuating hormone levels and effects them negatively. Natural healthy older men only see about less fluctuations during the day versus younger men.

 

[Cataceous]

...
Some men are sensitive to fluctuating hormone levels and effects them negatively. Natural health men only see about 13% fluctuation during the day.

Young males can have daily fluctuations greater than 50% in serum testosterone.

 

[fifty]

Fifty- you planning on going back on? Last year I went off for 3 months. I did sleep better, and I did have decent energy, but I felt my libido was lacking. I guess I could have waited it out to see if it would improve but I decided to go back on. I will also confess that I feel like the TRT improves my body composition and gives me better results for the effort in the exercise department but my wife says she doesn’t notice a difference.

I am not planning on going back on. If I do, I may try creams. The problems weren’t worth it for me (sleep/hr/bp). I am not willing to go through years of issues trying to get “dialed in”. It’s like trying to find a way to enjoy peanuts when you’re allergic to peanuts.

 

[Novaman]

I am not planning on going back on. If I do, I may try creams. The problems weren’t worth it for me (sleep/hr/bp). I am not willing to go through years of issues trying to get “dialed in”. It’s like trying to find a way to enjoy peanuts when you’re allergic to peanuts.

I hear you. I’ve been trying for 4 years. I’m not even sure that the guys that are “dialed in” are truly all good. They just live with it.