Taking a Break From Cialis

[DixieWrecked]

So I have noticed that Cialis just doesn't do it for me anymore. Even dosages up to 40mg. I have tried a couple different generic brands and its very spotty at best. I read a post from Dr. Saya that stated a holiday from the meds could help my body resensetize to the drug and have it start working again. ANyone tried this and for how long and was it successful?

 

[jdthoosier]

So I have noticed that Cialis just doesn't do it for me anymore. Even dosages up to 40mg. I have tried a couple different generic brands and its very spotty at best. I read a post from Dr. Saya that stated a holiday from the meds could help my body resensetize to the drug and have it start working again. ANyone tried this and for how long and was it successful?

How long have you been on it? I've been using cialis 2.5mg for about 10 months and it still works fine. 40mg would put me in the hospital.

 

[DixieWrecked]

Its been about 15 years actually.

 

[jdthoosier]

Its been about 15 years actually.

15! What dosage did you start at, and what kind of history with respect to increasing the dosages with respect to efficacy?

 

[DixieWrecked]

I didn't take it every single day. I always took it as need with 5-10 mg. I always focused on taking the lowest dose. Recently just nothing though. Really it's effectiveness dwindled when I got on TRT

 

[jdthoosier]

I didn't take it every single day. I always took it as need with 5-10 mg. I always focused on taking the lowest dose. Recently just nothing though. Really it's effectiveness dwindled when I got on TRT

I don't pretend to be an expert on this class of meds, but my understanding cialis is most effective when taken daily. For more of an ad-hoc basis, Viagra or Levitra may be more effective.

 

[Vince]

I like to have sex regularly, and time of the day. So I’m a daily user of Cialis

 

[Golfboy307]

I would comment that many of the PDE-5 inhibitors can be enhanced if you are doing other things to boost your NO like: citrulline, Beet root powder, arginine, pyncnogenol, etc. Second, your T and E need to be optimized. These drugs should work better if your hormones are locked in since they both regulate eNOS in the penis. That all being said, a break is a good idea, and trying Viagra or Levitra makes sense too. At Age 52, I want these meds to work as long as possible before I need Trimix injections. Right now I am doing fine on 2.5mg Cialis daily and a pop of 50mg Viagra if I need an extra boost before sex. I have found nightly beet powder before bed really helps.

 

[Robotics]

how is your Total T, Free E2, Free T, SHBG? i found cialis much less effective when my labs were off.

 

[DixieWrecked]

Total T: 1250
Free T: 26
Sensitive E2: 41
SHBG: 38

My libido is definitely worse than before TRT. Wondering what could be off. I am right there with you thinking that my ED issues are hormonal. Before TRT my prolactin was 15 which is right on the border of being high. I've thought about looking further into that.

I just dropped my dose from 25mg eod to 20mg eod. It's been only 2 weeks and so far I feel worse. But I am going to be patient and give it a 2 month try.

 

[Vince]

Total T: 1250
Free T: 26
Sensitive E2: 41
SHBG: 38

My libido is definitely worse than before TRT. Wondering what could be off. I am right there with you thinking that my ED issues are hormonal. Before TRT my prolactin was 15 which is right on the border of being high. I've thought about looking further into that.

I just dropped my dose from 25mg eod to 20mg eod. It's been only 2 weeks and so far I feel worse. But I am going to be patient and give it a 2 month try.

Personally I think 20 mg for daily injections is still high. I would try 16 mg for daily injections. I haven’t seen too many members go higher than that and feel good. Just my two cents.

 

[DixieWrecked]

I think my estrogen is high for me personally. I suspect I am sensitive to estrogen. Even at the numbers I have which don't seem too high i still can get nipple sensitivity, emotions, and low libido, night sweats.

Debating the use of an AI. I know they are frowned upon nowadays but thought I might give it a shot.

 

[Vince]

I think my estrogen is high for me personally. I suspect I am sensitive to estrogen. Even at the numbers I have which don't seem too high i still can get nipple sensitivity, emotions, and low libido, night sweats.

Debating the use of an AI. I know they are frowned upon nowadays but thought I might give it a shot.

Your symptoms could be just coming from testosterone. It’s pretty common, people think it’s from estrogen but it’s really just the testosterone.

 

[Robotics]

I think my estrogen is high for me personally. I suspect I am sensitive to estrogen. Even at the numbers I have which don't seem too high i still can get nipple sensitivity, emotions, and low libido, night sweats.

Debating the use of an AI. I know they are frowned upon nowadays but thought I might give it a shot.

E2 was the bulk of my issues, libido and ED problems. It also seemed to contribute to an elevated prolactin. At your shbg i would think you have much more room to reduce dose to reduce your e2. 1250 trough is quite high. Since i am low shbg i had to resort to AI but it helped a lot so far.

 

[Golfboy307]

I can tell you that when I am over 1000 total T (which causes my E2 to be in the 30's), my erections are weak with very low sensitivity. Cialis etc are very ineffective during those times. It hard to wrap your mind around but sometimes with T replacement "less is more". Certainly true in my case. For me erections and libido are best at 600-700 total T. If you cut your dosing you may not need an AI. Definitely look at prolactin as well.

 

[DixieWrecked]

If my test levels only need to be at 900 or less then I will probably bail on TRT and hop on enclomiphene. I like certain aspects of having a 1200 test level but my libido is not one of them. I have taken serms before as test boosters and they worked so if I can't figure out this TRT thing in 4-6 months I'll probably quit it.

 

[MNguy]

I think my estrogen is high for me personally. I suspect I am sensitive to estrogen. Even at the numbers I have which don't seem too high i still can get nipple sensitivity, emotions, and low libido, night sweats.

Debating the use of an AI. I know they are frowned upon nowadays but thought I might give it a shot.

On T-nation forum you stated that you’re already on a small dose of AI and feeling good. What happened? Did you crash your estrogen?

 

[DixieWrecked]

Nah. Actually I was taking .25mg a week. I got my blood test back and my E2 hadn't changed at all.

 

[MNguy]

Did you stop the AI then? Sounded like it had you feeling better.

 

[DixieWrecked]

Well admittedly I have been bit by the impatience bug and I returned my test dose to it's original dosage and I increased my arimidex dose to .25mg EOD. I figured before I start changing test dosages I'd experiment with the AI dosage a little. I know ots on the high side but I'll get blood work again soon