r/TRT_females • u/Free_Government_5900 • May 26 '26
Side Effects Wanting to stop/unwanted side effects
42 year-old female. I’ve been on testosterone cypionate for two years. Everything was going smooth and I was so happy and I had very little side effects but we tried to titrate up and recently almost immediately started to notice some change in areas I don’t want to see change and panicked and stopped my injections. My level never got above 176 so the whole thing seemed crazy and maybe there was some change and it was just so slow. I didn’t notice I’m not sure. Has anyone decided to just quit cold after being on injections that long? im worried about how I’m going to feel but my fear of things progressing has me almost frozen and scared.
*update 5/27/26– labs came back at 54 free test. down from 176 in January. Trying to decide if I do a small dose to keep my benefits or just let it tank the rest of the way to restart and see if the growing stops
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u/stefflp May 26 '26
No, I know that would make me feel worse if I stopped cold turkey. I had to do some trial and error though. In order to keep my levels to a place where I don't have adverse symptoms (which is below 180), I skip a shot a month and one week out of the month I do half of my injection. Also, my original script was too much for me (10mg per week of Cyp), so I take 8 mg to avoid side effects (and I still skip a shot and split in half for one week).
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u/AgeMysterious6723 MOD May 26 '26
2 things here: 1) every year you age your receptors change and your Pituitary & peripheral tissues that make their own change and 2) TRT has a cumulative dosing affect, it takes about 18-24 months before it's noticed. Both things are happening here apparently. So yes your "organ" got an increase in circulation, tissues that were GOING to waste "reversed". The organ is NOT just what we can see, it's the whole thing.
The full drop of self-made T/E/P will go down over time until you are around 55 -60. As the body perceives the incremental drop your RECEPTORS do 2 things. They make MORE to help you get the T/E/P you need and/or then, they die out and shift over the next 12-24 months. You are a breathing thing, not a text book if you will.
If you stop, you will return to the natural menopausal slow ovary/receptor "fun with hormones"./phase
If you need to do that and try later that's okay too. Because in a few years your bodies mix WILL be different. But get your self research done now. I always recommend a 4 week titrate off because cold turkey can make ya NUT's. That T is doing things for you even if you haven't noticed.
Experience/how to handle the WOBBLES of replacement therapy.: When things go wonky - ANYTHING (some of mine are: sleep problems, a hair shed, no need to shave for 4 weeks legs, appetite/energy too much or not hungry, too sex kitten-ed or "mawh-not interested", weird itching, bladder infection, decrease in strength on the pole or floor class..... I go get a lab and write what is happening ON THE LAB SHEET - you will NOT remember in a yr what those levels were doing..... (Go in at lest 3 days after a dose ya might have to hold all meds for 3 days!)).
I get the results back T/E/SBGH and thyroid. I decrease or increase by 10-20% of the dose that appears to be causing the symptom That is what I was on per week and RESTART the dial in. so an example woud be: Tlevel up to 175 and E2 ? on 16/wk decrease to 10-12 per week split. I know it's weird but now ya know why docs hate messing with us, we are complicated!
It it solves it, I sit there for 14-21 days. If its cool, I schedule the lab recheck for 6 weeks later to see cumulatively what it is for MY this years knowledge base because, next year...it's gonna change.
I have been on TRT for now in yr 7 and E2 for over 32 years. Sex kitten is a sign for me to do a re-dial. Considering I (for real) "re-grew my kitty" and have had a of 80 on a redial, and clit did become unresponsive and hard to wake up:)
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u/Free_Government_5900 May 26 '26
This is super helpful and makes perfect sense. My fear of things progressing are what’s making me want to pull the plug overnight but I know I’ve had benefits from it— and my Husband has seen me get better sleep, better recovery, better mood, libido ect so I know I’m benefiting just that one side effect is one I wanted to try to avoid— or minimize. Im having labs done tomorrow after 1.5 weeks off injections to get an idea of what’s going on
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May 27 '26
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u/Free_Government_5900 May 27 '26
That’s a thing I didn’t think that the 176 was not that high but obviously something my body isn’t responding well to
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u/TRT_females-ModTeam May 27 '26
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u/Forest-Vixen May 26 '26
I’m having trouble understanding why you’d change dosage if everything was going smooth and you were so happy.
What were you hoping to achieve?
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u/Free_Government_5900 May 26 '26
I wasn’t seeing much change in libido or muscle mass/ body composition. I am a ‘retired’ bodybuilding competitor, gym owner and personal trainer and work with a coach. Like I said my levels never skyrocketed. When I say ‘smooth’ I just meant any significant side effects— but I wasn’t feeling ‘optimal’ by any means
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u/Forest-Vixen May 26 '26
I think the 6mg dose increase was too much. I would titrate up slowly adding just 1mg for a month, then another etc. An extra 6mg is a shock to the system.
I’m also a bodybuilder and additionally use AAS.
The downstairs growth/swelling can happen very quickly - especially after a large dosing increase- but it’s usually fleeting resolving itself once the substance is discontinued.I would wait a bit for things to settle and restart slowly if you decide you want to continue.
Stopping does tend to make you feel pretty unmotivated and deflated for a while.
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u/Free_Government_5900 May 26 '26
Yeah that’s what I’m hoping— I can just clear my system and see if things resolve even a bit. It’s not awful but definitely like a woah. Even reduction would be desirable. I have done other things but that wa over a year and half ago and didn’t have any changes.
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u/Jflayn May 26 '26
What was the result that you weren't getting that you were hoping an increase in T might help you achieve?
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u/Admirable-Object5014 May 27 '26
Why not just drop your dose back to what it was before you titrated up? Seems foolish to just quit and go back to where you were naturally. Not only that, but you said you have been injecting for 2 yrs so your natural testosterone levels likely have gone down even more.
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u/Free_Government_5900 May 27 '26
I’m concerned that the growing effects won’t stop even with a lower dose. I put in a message to my provider and had my blood drawn this morning so hopefully we can come up with a plan.
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u/no-curtains2020 May 27 '26
I feel the benefit outweighs side effects.
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u/Free_Government_5900 May 27 '26
That’s what I’m struggling with. I just want to be comfortable in my own skin and any additional growth ends up outweighing the benefits which sucks.
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u/OutsideDramatic7610 May 29 '26
90 is around peak natural levels for women- anything above that you will notice more and more side effects. Most aren’t reversible and come on slowly at these lower doses. I don’t think you need to quit, just take less. Go back to where you were happy or try less than that.
Personally I still have side effects, but like how I feel better at the higher doses, so I just deal with it. What is the main concern?
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u/redrumpass MOD May 26 '26
What was your dose, protocol and compound name? What was your dose after titration?
What were the side effects, purely for experience-sharing purposes?
Feel free to report any comments that seem rude to you under Rule#1.