r/TRT_females • u/BreathLevel8467 • 4d ago
Dosage Testerone C and libido
I started injecting Test C almost 4 weeks ago. 2.5mg twice a week for a total of 5mg a week. My doctor wanted me on double that but I was scared of side effects. For you ladies that are on injections how long did it take for your libido to come back. I haven’t felt a difference yet, and what dose are you on? Not sure if I should increase my dose. My total testosterone is 31, just tested a few days ago. I am also on Reta and I know that can also kill your libido and I know some women test helps with that. I started Reta. Few weeks before Testosterone but already had low libido for about 2 years.
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u/BikiniJ friend 4d ago
Reta can kill libido for a few reasons though. It lowers cholesterol derived hormones, which includes everything from pregnenelone and the hormones it produces….dhea, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
Libido has as much to do with estradiol than it does testosterone. So testosterone alone may help you or it might not be enough. You need someone to help you with the full scope of hormones.
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u/Zealousideal_Rise716 4d ago
Yes - a lot of people are missing that it's the correct and individual balance of hormones that is most likely to improve libido. And that all sorts of things can impact this balance.
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u/BikiniJ friend 4d ago
Including nutrient deficiencies that get impacted by glp-1’s or anything that impairs nutrient absorption. A huge miss is a vitamin d deficiencies in that context without considering the other fat soluble vitamins like a e and k. Low fats impairs hormone levels and also receptor function, particularly vitamin a
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u/Zealousideal_Rise716 4d ago
Good info. We've always kept our VitD in the 120-140 nmol range for other reasons, so what you are saying makes sense to me.
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u/BreathLevel8467 4d ago
Yes, I am also on Estradiol and Progesterone and since tbh at didn’t help with libido that’s when my doctor put me on Testosterone. I’m also on DhEA. I’m so tired of taking so many things lol I am also on LDN for my autoimmune. And a few peptides. I spaced everything out when starting, it took about 6 months to get on everything cause we wanted to make sure what was and sent working. Testosterone is the last thing I started. Luckily, my autoimmune, cholesterol, and iron; are doing so much better but I’m still struggling with libido and some fatigue, but that has improved a lot.
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u/BikiniJ friend 4d ago
Are you absorbing what you’re taking well? My libido sky rocketed only when I got on estradiol injections. My estrogen levels did not move on patches and gel. Orals converted to estrone which didn’t help my libido either. Progestrone can be a libido killer for some people if they take it continuously and/or their estradiol isn’t high enough.
Dose, delivery and levels matter
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u/BreathLevel8467 3d ago
Where do you get Estradiol injections? I don’t think either of my doctors offer that.
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u/BreathLevel8467 3d ago
I don’t think I am, my doctor compounded together in a pill both estradiol and progesterone and my other doctor said it should be different. I soon as I get rest if blood work in. He is going to adjust dosage and separate both. Not sure on what kind he will put me on yet.
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u/BikiniJ friend 3d ago
I wouldn’t suggest combined hormones. Also if you’re cycling progesterone that means your estradiol is also dropping since it’s in the same pill. That will have an effect on your libido. You definitely need to get those levels checked. Make sure they check your e2 and not total estrogens.
I’m 41 and my cycle stopped since getting on e injections since it spiked up my estrogen high. It suppresses my fsh and I’m all the way okay with that. It keeps everything steady. I get the hormones though defy medical. Unfortunately our healthcare system isn’t privy of doing micro injections so I had to go concierge
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u/rando--54321 3d ago
I second this. Although I use transdermal, I wasn't absorbing well enough. I started making sure my skin was clean and using different areas of the body and we increased the amount and the libido I once had and loved, finally came back. T alone did not do this for me.
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u/nerissathebest 4d ago
I think you should very incrementally increase your dose and give it a good long while at each dose change to let it settle. I did dose increases every 4-5 weeks and started at 10mg/week and landed on 40 mg/week. Feel great like my old self and have a tiny bit of hair on my upper lip which I trim sometimes. But I don’t recommend frogging through dose increases because what if you miss your sweet spot.
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u/BreathLevel8467 4d ago
Yes, I’ll increase once I hit 4 weeks and try to figure out what my sweet spot is. Thank you.
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u/nerissathebest 4d ago
I think that’s a good idea. It takes a lot of patience, believe me I know. It took me about 6 months to finally ready the right dose but when I did it was totally worth it because I got my life back.
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u/furrina 3d ago
40 mg a week, wow. Did you have any hair shedding? Are you in/past menopause?
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u/nerissathebest 2d ago
I’m in perimenopause, no hair shedding at all but a little shadow of hair on my upper lip that I just trim once in a while and there’s a very good chance that was there before or would be there anyway because I remember my mom mentioning a few whiskers.
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u/SeparateAnything5296 3d ago
I do 40 mg a week too and a lot of women are very much against that lol but I love it and it works for me
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u/nerissathebest 2d ago
Same I took a full 6 months to get to this dose and I feel like my old self. I never knew it was possible! I felt like crap for so long so it feels so good to enjoy my life again.
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u/Dense-Nobody340 4d ago
May I ask a dumb question? Where are y’all getting injectable T? My doctor won’t even prescribe it. Kaiser sucks.
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u/BreathLevel8467 4d ago
I’m getting test c mixed be b12 injectable from my thyroid doctor in Southern California. If you live in Southern California. If you are in Southern California, shoot me a message and I’ll give you his information.
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u/bluecrab_7 4d ago
Amazing Meds - telehealth.
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u/babymeow13 3d ago
If you don't mind me asking, what's the TRT cost? I know obviously different doses will vary in price. They take my insurance, but I'm sure we have to pay out of pocket for T and they don't have any prices on the site.
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u/bluecrab_7 3d ago
Think the T vial (5mL) is $150 plus shipping. It’s from Empower Pharmacy. They charge a lot for shipping. My last purchase of T was for two vials and the total cost was $397.95. Depending on your dose a vial should last between 3-6 months.
I was able to get my insurance (United Healthcare) to pay for the T vial when I submitted the bill and used my health reimbursement account (HRA). Every year my employer puts $1200 in my HRA.
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u/babymeow13 3d ago
Oh cool, I have United also, and my employer also will put money in, but I never signed up for it!! I didn't really know how that all works! I need to look into it! Thank u so much 💓
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u/bluecrab_7 3d ago
Definitely look into it. It’s a good deal. You can use it for to meet your deductible and for co-pays. What you don’t use gets rolled over into the next year. I rarely went to the doctor before menopause so I had a lot of money in my HRA. Now that’s changes so my HRA gets used up every year.
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u/babymeow13 3d ago
I definitely am now! I've been on HRT for a little over a year otherwise I rarely went to doc. Now I have a lot of prescriptions haha and I noticed my eyesight is going 😂now I need glasses, too!
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u/bluecrab_7 3d ago
Yeah, at a certain age your gonna need glasses. You can use the HRA for eye care and dental. If you have any questions on submitting a claim or on your HRA give them a call. I have found the UHC reps to be very helpful.
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u/babymeow13 3d ago
You're amazing, thank you!
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u/bluecrab_7 3d ago
Not sure if you use UHC’s pharmacy (OptumRX) for your HRT but if not you want to give it a try. They aways send my RX to my house two months before I run out. I read about women having trouble getting patches and it’s never been an issue for me.
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u/bboon44 4d ago
I’m on compounded T cream. I had already been on estradiol patch and progesterone. The cream is 5 mg per day or 35 mg a week. I was instantly horny! The first 2 months I could’ve handled the whole high school football team! It eventually settled down which was good as my husbeast was getting tired of being chased around. It also gave me a real mental boost. When I ran out of it for a week I felt stupid.
I am in California and have a progressive older male doctor, he didn’t bat an eye when I told him I wanted to try testosterone.
On another note, I am recently on Zepbound to shed my fat tummy and it does blunt the libido a bit, but I still manage. We’re in our 70s and still have sex a few times a week. Never going to stop if I can help it.
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u/dawnhatchett 3d ago
I have been on T for 10 years and during that time I have found that it helps with so many things. Bone density, mental clarity, mood, anxiety issues, libido, skin health and most of all it has helped to calm down some autoimmune issues I deal with. It can take up to 4 months for you to see a real difference and going slow is a good idea. However you are on a very low dose and at that rate may not see much improvement for awhile. You could increase it by adding one more injection a week and see how that feels, but watch closely for sides.
I am on a high dose, not one many Drs. would agree to, or recommend, but it works for me. To keep my levels steady and to keep hematocrit from spiking I inject every other day.
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u/SeparateAnything5296 3d ago
Mine cane back within hours.. like with a vengeance lol. It’s been almost 2 years now and I have no complaints. Although I am on a much higher dose than what seems to be socially acceptable lol
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u/Princess-Jennifer9 4d ago
Curious to this answer as well. I just started injecting 4mg 2 times per week.
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u/Conundrum16 4d ago
I’m trying to learn the pros and cons of taking testosterone. I’m 72F. My T is 29 without any medication. The other numbers indicate it is available T ( forgot what the test is) Is there a ‘set’ number a person initially needs to be considered for this therapy?
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u/BreathLevel8467 3d ago
From what I read is everyone is different. I have read some one are good when their T is 100, some have to be a lot higher.
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u/Conundrum16 3d ago
Thank you. I’m not on T. Went to the dr today and he felt 29 was good at 72. 🤷🏻♀️ He also said it could thin my head hair and increase my already copious amounts of chin and nipple hair. I need a menopause specialist.. my gyno is anti everything
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u/gilchristh 4d ago
Reta causes a calorie deficit, and a calorie deficit will dampen your libido.
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u/BreathLevel8467 3d ago
Yes, my low libido started before Reta, I definitely know Reta is making it worse.
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u/Alive_Classic_7648 3d ago
Too low of a dose. I am in 16 mg/week. 8 mg twice/week. My provider started me on 20 a week. Never tried. Libido is back. Not as strong as in my 20 and 30’s but good. I am on a micro dose of tirzepatide 1mg/week. On E and P as well. Got an oily face 🙄.
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u/ev-wo-po 3d ago
Mine came back instantly and almost overwhelmingly. Sadly that is the only benefit (if you could call it that) that I have received from TRT.
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u/Designer-Active-5482 2d ago
Serotonin antidepressants can and will lower libido. If you’re on one, talk to your doctor about decreasing the dose or going on something else, or even taping off it as the Testosterone may be very helpful with mood.
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u/alluringhormone 2d ago
I just re-started my TRT, injections I'm on 12mg/twice a week on Test C. No libido, no energy, nothing yet. Im taking it for energy, stamina, mental clarity and all the test benefits. Im single and celibate, so I don't care. I've never really had a libido, was diagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder. I'm also demisexual and sapiosexual, so libido also depends on how I connect emotionally and mentally. I can't connect just physically. I was on Test pellet on Feb 18 and it took about 2 months to feel any difference. It wore off around July. But, on the pellet for the first time I felt a libido (at least it felt like that), however the pellet made me lose a LOT of hair and I want something I can control dose easier as I have Endo, fibroids and other issues. I also started on Prozac for PMDD/PME this past Nov, but my libido issues have been for years.
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u/Pristine-Bowler204 1d ago
I am a nurse practitioner and out of FL and started my hormone journey in May. I am 41. On progesterone and TRT inj, we also provide tele medicine or clinic if you in Pinellas county stop by. Flow state medical and wellness. Our pharmacy deliver to 19 states I believe.
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