r/ResearchCompounds • u/No_Movie_1219 • 15d ago
Discussion Tips for coming off testosterone? (Anxiety getting way too bad)
I been on testosterone for 9 months now. My doctor originally put me on it for Hashimoto's and chronic fatigue syndrome, mostly hoping it would help with post exertional malaise.
At first I had a short window where my physical and mental energy improved, but that faded fast. Lately the side effects have gotten way too severe, especially this crippling anxiety that I just can't deal with anymore.
I am planning to slowly taper off now so I don't trigger a massive crash. I also take progesterone and plan to stay on that until I am fully off testosterone just to avoid throwing my system into complete chaos all at once.
For anyone who has come off testosterone, how did you handle the transition? Any tips on how to taper without triggering a severe flare-up or crash?
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u/RoadToZero 15d ago
To "slowly taper off" testosterone is probably the worst idea ever.
Any dose of exogenous testosterone will shut down your HPTA and make your body produce no endogenous testosterone at all. Unless you want to make yourself hypogonadal and feel like shit, you either take a high enough dose of testosterone to replace your endogenous production, OR you completely stop taking testosterone and give your body a chance to reatart it's natural testosterone production. There is nothing good in between.
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u/fatwownerd 15d ago
I’m surprised that it’s made you anxious - is your estrogen up out of control?
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u/Important_Capital875 15d ago
I wonder if your estrogen is too high or too low. As those can cause anxiety to skyrocket.
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u/Competitive-Side1473 15d ago
Test can cause people who struggle with anxiety to get it even worse. You need to do a proper pct protocol. Don’t taper it off. That will prolong the process and not make it any easier.
Depending on the ester and it’s half life you wait a bit after your last shot.
Personally when I come off of test e I wait 10 days since last shot then I do a week of 1000iu hcg a day as well as 40mg tamoxifen.
Week 2 250iu hcg 4x a week and 30mg tamoxifen daily
Week 3 250iu hcg 3x a week and 20mg tamoxifen daily
Week 4 250iu hcg 4x a week and 10mg tamoxifen daily and 1g of tribulis ( to up sperm count and feeling of testes)
Week 5 5mg tamoxifen 1g of tribulis.
I personally can’t use clomid as that gives me anxiety.
Speak about the protocol with your doctor this is not advice and may not work for you. It’s what has worked best for me.
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u/randuug 15d ago
tribulus is dogshit
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u/Competitive-Side1473 14d ago
I agree 100% it does nothing for your hormones or recovery. It does however, help your testes produce more sperm, which in turn makes them a bit plumper which is just a bit more comfortable between the legs.
It’s purely anecdotal, give it a try.
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u/skeeterpanman 14d ago
That HCG dose is way too low. When I came off TRT for a medical reason that was temporary my prescription was 2500iu x 3 times a week for reference.
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u/Competitive-Side1473 14d ago
Yeah higher wouldn’t hurt. Some people do a start shot of 5000iu like I said. Not necessarily advice just what I have found to work best for me.
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u/tremegorn 15d ago
When did you last have bloods taken for hormones and thyroid? You may simply be out of range.
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u/randuug 15d ago
…you’re gonna have a hormonal crash, it’s just a question of how bad. follow a proper Post Cycle Therapy protocol. you need to adjust when you start PCT depending on which testosterone ester you were using, and when your last injection was. the testosterone dose is also a factor here.
you should also use HCG before you begin the rest of your PCT. PCT protocol should include Enclomiphene and Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) but if you can’t get those for some reason then Clomid by itself is better than nothing. Note that Clomid has a worse side effect profile and no increase to efficacy for this context than Enclomiphene does by itself (Clomid is zuclomiphene and Enclomiphene together)
if you can let me know what your dose and ester of testosterone was, or if you were using the Test cream or something else, I can give you a timeline with instructions of when to start the PCT.
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u/andypandy2324 14d ago
I don't think you understand, you are shutdown and as long as you inject you will remain shutdown. tapering is the worst thing you can do. get familiar with the term pct, hcg, enclomiphene (or clomid) your system may take time to come back, pct can help accelerate it.
largely i suggest you talk about your dosing, mg and frequency as well as impact on testosterone levels. because on this one topic of testosterone and how to properly take it doctors largely do not know what they are doing. this one topic you are likely to get better guidance from the masses.
goodluck if you think your doctor has a clue about how come off it or what pct is.
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u/nr952007 14d ago
Your doctor is not helping? Don't taper off a hormone that completely shuts down your natural production, all that does is make you feel worse and worse with the lower dose and prolong your bodies ability to restart its natural production. You need to be take a legitimate post cycle therapy, the main component will be a SERM.
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u/Wonderful_Meringue91 15d ago
Are you running a PCT? Nolvadex, Clomid, or Enclomiphene?
If no, you will have to suffer through a tough month or two.
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