Libido/erectile function peaks in late evening

[tropicaldaze1950]

I take my Test E injection between 6 and 7 in the morning but its effects are felt between 9 and 10 in the evening. This has been for about two months. I do experience some nocturnal erections but no morning wood. Libido/erectile function is mostly flat during the day. A couple of days ago, took my weekly injection at 6 pm. Still had my 10 pm erectile function, but vivid sexual dreams, along with three erectile episodes.

I suspect this relates to desychronized circadian rhythms, even with exogenous T. On another forum, posted several years ago, a guy had the same experience and he found that when he injected at 7 pm, he had erectile function around noon the next day. When I first was on Test C(2013) and injecting at 7 am, I'd have erectile function between 1 and 2 pm. I have an rx vial of Test P but not ready to change my protocol.

 

[Systemlord]

I take my Test E injection between 6 and 7 in the morning but its effects are felt between 9 and 10 in the evening. This has been for about two months.

If your levels are barely high enough, then it would stand to reason that when you're are your highest point T wise, this is when erectile function would be at it's best.

Where do your levels currently sit?

A couple of days ago, took my weekly injection at 6 pm.

If your T levels are sufficiently elevated, then you may need very frequent injections and weekly isn't optimal for you. Erectile function and libido can be finicky on TRT and injection frequency is key.

If you had these T peaks more frequently, you just might have erections more often.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

If your levels are barely high enough, then it would stand to reason that when you're are your highest point T wise, this is when erectile function would be at it's best.

Where do your levels currently sit?

If your T levels are sufficiently elevated, then you may need very frequent injections and weekly isn't optimal for you. Erectile function and libido can be finicky on TRT and injection frequency is key.

If you had these T peaks more frequently, you just might have erections more often.

Thanks. TT: 889 FT: 240 Switching my injection to 6 pm increased libido during the day with an increase in semi erections. Too early to know if improvements will continue. Not wanting to suddenly change injection frequency, I'll stay with weekly for another 6 to 8 weeks, get new labs and speak with my urologist.

 

[Systemlord]

TT: 889 FT: 240 Switching my injection to 6 pm increased libido during the day with an increase in semi erections.

I had 690 ng/dL trough levels on twice weekly injections and was a non-responder to TRT at anything beyond EOD injections.

Now I'm on Jatenzo twice daily and get peaks twice per day.

Too early to know if improvements will continue.

I doubt things will improve beyond this point as it's clear your injection frequency isn't anywhere near optimal.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

I had 690 ng/dL trough levels on twice weekly injections and was a non-responder to TRT at anything beyond EOD injections.

Now I'm on Jatenzo twice daily and get peaks twice per day.



I doubt things will improve beyond this point as it's clear your injection frequency isn't anywhere near optimal.

It worse before. Zero erectile function, including nocturnal erections.

What I'm experiencing on 100 mg E5D is a major improvement. When I get my evening erection, it's super hard and I've been experiencing some nocturnal erections that wake me up. Yes, this could all fade, but you and I and everyone else knows that you've got to give a protocol 2 to 3 months; maybe even longer. On top of that, using T3 and T4, my sleep is finally improving, which is allowing me to reduce my dose of clonazepam, which I've been taking for 16 years. ED and inability to orgasm are side effects of that drug. I look to a future without needing a drug for sleep and improved erectile function.

 

[Systemlord]

which is allowing me to reduce my dose of clonazepam, which I've been taking for 16 years.

I was on clonazepam for 30 years, came off and T declined rapidly and is why I'm on TRT in the first place. The withdrawal destroyed my quality of sleep.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

I was on clonazepam for 30 years, came off and T declined rapidly and is why I'm on TRT in the first place. The withdrawal destroyed my quality of sleep.

I tried several times to withdraw from it and it was always impossible. T3 & T4 at night are restoring my sleep. At some point, I'll reduce my clonazepam from .5 to .25 .

 

[Systemlord]

t some point, I'll reduce my clonazepam from .5 to .25 .

I was on 1mg twice daily and used a pill cutter to slice them into smaller pieces. I found reducing the pills to quarters just produced too much negative side effects.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

I was on 1mg twice daily and used a pill cutter to slice them into smaller pieces. I found reducing the pills to quarters just produced too much negative side effects.

I congratulate you for getting off of clonazepam. I was on 1 mg in the evening. It took me two years to reduce the dose to .5 mg and that's where I've been for a year and a half. If I continue to have improved sleep from thyroid meds, I'll begin reducing the clonazepam dose.

 

[Systemlord]

I was on 1 mg in the evening. It took me two years to reduce the dose to .5 mg and that's where I've been for a year and a half.

It took me 10 months to go from 2 mg per day to none. The worst 10 months of my life.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

It took me 10 months to go from 2 mg per day to none. The worst 10 months of my life.

The fact that it's highly addictive is probably the worst kept secret in medicine, especially among psychiatrists. With me, it's been the only medication I could tolerate, but my current psychiatrist encourages me to slowly reduce the dose. She told me the damage it causes to the brain is similar to chronic alcohol use/abuse. Bad enough that bipolar illness has trashed my memory. That's common I was told when I had neuropsychological testing a few years ago.

 

[Systemlord]

She told me the damage it causes to the brain is similar to chronic alcohol use/abuse.

When I tried to reduce by a quarter tablet, I got a headache from hell and couldn't walk for a week.

I was crawling around the house.

My doctors suggestion was to just stop the medicine after telling her of my experience.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

When I tried to reduce by a quarter tablet, I got a headache from hell and couldn't walk for a week.

I was crawling around the house.

My doctors suggestion was to just stop the medicine after telling her of my experience.

I knew those type of headaches when I'd get a severe manic episode. They're horrible and, like you, I had to crawl to the bathroom. Regarding clonazepam withdrawal, the worst was sleeping 3 to 4 hours every night. I started to feel suicidal after several days. That was in 2015. Ended up going back to 1 mg in order to sleep. But, now, .5 mg, with a taper starting soon.

 

[Dicky]

I knew those type of headaches when I'd get a severe manic episode. They're horrible and, like you, I had to crawl to the bathroom. Regarding clonazepam withdrawal, the worst was sleeping 3 to 4 hours every night. I started to feel suicidal after several days. That was in 2015. Ended up going back to 1 mg in order to sleep. But, now, .5 mg, with a taper starting soon.

That is an interesting story. You are the only person I've ever "known" that had bipolar. What does it feel like when you are having a manic phase? I have used Ambien for many years for sleep issues. Did you try that med? It comes with its own set of issues, but the withdrawal is not nearly as painful as the benzo's.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

My illness has changed over time. The severe manic episodes were like having several movies running in your head at the same time, along with a migraine. Even in a dark room with the covers pulled over my head, massive sensory overload. The room felt like it was spinning and rocking. Haven't experienced those type of episodes for about six years. I suspect there was damage caused to the brain. More depression and anhedonia, though with the improvement in sleep over the past few weeks from levothyroxine and liothyronine at night, feeling calmer, though taking care of my wife who has early stage dementia can leave me stressed, anxious and depleted. Good days and not so good days.

Ambien was seriously weird. About an hour after taking it I'd become mildly manic, experienced balance issues and developed a serious case of the munchies, LOL. Yet it was approved by the Air Force Chief of Medicine for pilots who need to sleep after a long flight.