Pregnenolone CRUSHED my libido

[anxiousbeginner]

Hello all, newbie here on a protocol from DEFY of 150 mg test cyp/week and 25mg DHEA and 25mg Pregnenolone due to low DHEA-s levels. I realize a lot of my issues may be beginners anxiety. I'm currently on day five. Anywho, to make a long story short, I was going to hold off on all supplements but I caved and decided to try the pregnenolone before bed on day three. Results: slept the best I have in YEARS but since then I have had the worst libido and non-existent erection quality. Anyone know how long until the preg subsides? Anyone know how to lower progesterone levels? I've been in a panic and started downing the DHEA as well, which is kind-of-sort-of not really helping with EQ but definitely helping with fatigue. Thoughts? Should I cut out the DHEA as well and just wait it out? my DHEA level was 180 in a range of 160-500. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Systemlord]

From the sound of it, it seems the DHEA is benefiting you, the pregnenolone not so much.

Stick with the TRT and DHEA.

You may very well experience ups and down for the next 5 weeks. Get you mind on every day normal things.

Hang in there.

 

[anxiousbeginner]

That’s definitely the plan from here on out. Any idea as to when i can expect the pregnenolone’s effects to clear from my system? Or if there’s anything I can do to speed up that process?

 

[Systemlord]

Any idea as to when i can expect the pregnenolone’s effects to clear from my system?

My personal experience was several hours after taking 50 mg one time, worse 8 hours of my life.

 

[Simbarn]

Was the Pregnenolone a slow release tablet?
Have you been on TRT for just 5 days?

 

[anxiousbeginner]

Was the Pregnenolone a slow release tablet?
Have you been on TRT for just 5 days?

it was just the compounded 25 mg pregnenolone from empower. Yes i’m on my fifth day now. I just took .125 mg of an anastrazol to hopefully ease what i’m now thinking are high e2 symptoms. We’ll see how that helps — i realize this is risky and i’m definitely jumping the gun with an AI this early, but i seem to be ticking all the high e2 symptoms lately. Fingers crossed

 

[Gianluca]

Hello all, newbie here on a protocol from DEFY of 150 mg test cyp/week and 25mg DHEA and 25mg Pregnenolone due to low DHEA-s levels. I realize a lot of my issues may be beginners anxiety. I'm currently on day five. Anywho, to make a long story short, I was going to hold off on all supplements but I caved and decided to try the pregnenolone before bed on day three. Results: slept the best I have in YEARS but since then I have had the worst libido and non-existent erection quality. Anyone know how long until the preg subsides? Anyone know how to lower progesterone levels? I've been in a panic and started downing the DHEA as well, which is kind-of-sort-of not really helping with EQ but definitely helping with fatigue. Thoughts? Should I cut out the DHEA as well and just wait it out? my DHEA level was 180 in a range of 160-500. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

Was your Progesterone and Pregnenolone low that you started supplementing with Pregnenolone?

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

For me, 2 or 3 days for preg to clear my system. The late Ray Peat PhD, an expert on pregnenolone, said the initial negative reaction to it was due to it detoxifying the liver. I'm not advocating anything. I've always had problems with it yet, I believe there are benefits to be had from it and DHEA, as well. Some of us, though, seem to get more negative than positive results.

 

[anxiousbeginner]

Was your Progesterone and Pregnenolone low that you started supplementing with Pregnenolone?

No. Just based off DHEA-s levels. Gauging from those, should i stick with 25mg DHEA? i'm an anxious wreck lately and don't know what to do with all these options

 

[Gianluca]

No. Just based off DHEA-s levels. Gauging from those, should i stick with 25mg DHEA? i'm an anxious wreck lately and don't know what to do with all these options

you don't start taking Pregn based on Dhea levels, you start a trial of Pregn based on Progesterone and/or Pregnenolone levels. IF your Dhea-s is low, you need DHEA.

 

[anxiousbeginner]

you don't start taking Pregn based on Dhea levels, you start a trial of Pregn based on Progesterone and/or Pregnenolone levels. IF your Dhea-s is low, you need DHEA.

That's what I get for blindly following a cookie-cutter online clinic protocol. Truth is I may need DHEA after all, my levels were barely in range. That said, I'm too much of an anxious wreck about starting TRT to start throwing everything in at once, so I'm going to be patient and stick with just the TRT until a few weeks in when I'm more comfortable.

 

[Gianluca]

That's what I get for blindly following a cookie-cutter online clinic protocol. Truth is I may need DHEA after all, my levels were barely in range. That said, I'm too much of an anxious wreck about starting TRT to start throwing everything in at once, so I'm going to be patient and stick with just the TRT until a few weeks in when I'm more comfortable.

If I can give you some good advice, really do one thing at the time, especially since taking hormones and understanding what they do to you is new. Testosterone levels takes about a month to stabilize, then after the month you see how you doing with it, Preg and DHEA are relatively fast, within a week or two you know what they will do for you. Also, Pregn and DHEA are out of the system in about 3 days. Something is wrong, it is easy to understand the issue was caused by one of them.

 

[anxiousbeginner]

If I can give you some good advice, really do one thing at the time, especially since taking hormones and understanding what they do to you is new. Testosterone levels takes about a month to stabilize, then after the month you see how you doing with it, Preg and DHEA are relatively fast, within a week or two you know what they will do for you. Also, Pregn and DHEA are out of the system in about 3 days. Something is wrong, it is easy to understand the issue was caused by one of them.

Will do. Thanks for the helpful information. This forum has been a blessing. In it for the long haul.

 

[Keepfit1]

Will do. Thanks for the helpful information. This forum has been a blessing. In it for the long haul.

Some feel good on Preg but some like me dont, one Doc said Preg can convert into things you dont want it to convert into and go places you dont want it to go, as Gianluca said best to test before staring any hormones or vits incase you dont need them, I personally like the add one thing at a time and let it settle and retest, having said that Dr Hertoghe likes to throw the whole lot in at once, mind you not everyone agrees with a lot of his stuff.

 

[sifter]

you don't start taking Pregn based on Dhea levels, you start a trial of Pregn based on Progesterone and/or Pregnenolone levels. IF your Dhea-s is low, you need DHEA.

The above advice is pretty good-

I have used assays that accurately measured Pregnenalone and Progesterone. When I found my levels were just about out of range low, I supplemented with oral Preg to bring them back in line. I titrated the dose to 10mg of preg 3x a week and that was plenty to bring me into a reasonable range. Preg (and Progesterone ) is one of those things you DON'T want too much of...
Personally I probably would not supplement with these without an accurate way of measuring the levels...

 

[Mastodont]

The above advice is pretty good-

I have used assays that accurately measured Pregnenalone and Progesterone. When I found my levels were just about out of range low, I supplemented with oral Preg to bring them back in line. I titrated the dose to 10mg of preg 3x a week and that was plenty to bring me into a reasonable range. Preg (and Progesterone ) is one of those things you DON'T want too much of...
Personally I probably would not supplement with these without an accurate way of measuring the levels...

Is there a reason you did not use 5mg preg daily instead of the above protocol? I ask because i have been wondering if preg would be better taken less frequent.

 

[sifter]

Is there a reason you did not use 5mg preg daily instead of the above protocol? I ask because i have been wondering if preg would be better taken less frequent.

I generally try to take as few supplements a day as possible- when I titrated to the above schedule, it got my numbers back into range so I did not try to optimize any further-