First of all can I say a big thank you for whoever started this site, I have spent hours scouring the web for good info, ultimately resorting to research articles for reliable material.
To cut a long story short about 3 years ago I started to experience symptoms of depression and reduced libido, things just weren't quite what they used to be! I was 56 and was OK with the idea that life was not going to be the same as 36, but sexually it seemed a bit early. Based on some material I had read years before, I thought, OK, lets look at Testosterone, found an andrologist who explained everything and indicated need for a test, which seemed rather expensive so managed to see an endocrinologist through the national health service - full range of checks and he said depression not testosterone - still in denial went back to andrologist who said results were just outside the range to consider TRT and that maybe I should consider depression as a cause.
Finally accepted this and off to a psychiatrist, explained the journey, chat about life and that I was not going to top myself and she gave me serotonin re-uptake inhibitors.
After several weeks, feeling a whole lot happier with life and impressed with SRRI's, only to realise my libido had switched off! It really was like a switch, from OK but could be better, to not interested at all and erection a problem - getting it and keeping it! Read the small print and research to find that a small percentage of men are affected like this. How is that for irony?
Went through several alternatives to SRRI's and saw another psychiatrist, before coming off tablets after two years, a bit of depression here and there but more life stuff than the darker times. But my libido, erection and orgasm is just not the same.
I bit of a bummer really as the initial thought that got me on this path was lowered libido / satisfaction with life!!!!!!!!!!!!
I find that is starting to effect my marriage, not just sexually although desire has always been an important part of love for me, but that rows seem to hang around for longer and so on.................I'd really appreciate any ones thoughts on this, and whether I should consider TRT.
To cut a long story short about 3 years ago I started to experience symptoms of depression and reduced libido, things just weren't quite what they used to be! I was 56 and was OK with the idea that life was not going to be the same as 36, but sexually it seemed a bit early. Based on some material I had read years before, I thought, OK, lets look at Testosterone, found an andrologist who explained everything and indicated need for a test, which seemed rather expensive so managed to see an endocrinologist through the national health service - full range of checks and he said depression not testosterone - still in denial went back to andrologist who said results were just outside the range to consider TRT and that maybe I should consider depression as a cause.
Finally accepted this and off to a psychiatrist, explained the journey, chat about life and that I was not going to top myself and she gave me serotonin re-uptake inhibitors.
After several weeks, feeling a whole lot happier with life and impressed with SRRI's, only to realise my libido had switched off! It really was like a switch, from OK but could be better, to not interested at all and erection a problem - getting it and keeping it! Read the small print and research to find that a small percentage of men are affected like this. How is that for irony?
Went through several alternatives to SRRI's and saw another psychiatrist, before coming off tablets after two years, a bit of depression here and there but more life stuff than the darker times. But my libido, erection and orgasm is just not the same.
I bit of a bummer really as the initial thought that got me on this path was lowered libido / satisfaction with life!!!!!!!!!!!!
I find that is starting to effect my marriage, not just sexually although desire has always been an important part of love for me, but that rows seem to hang around for longer and so on.................I'd really appreciate any ones thoughts on this, and whether I should consider TRT.
