Women, Steroids & Hormonal Issues

[WickedT]

Women, their 40s, previously taken lots of gear and hormonal issues. ..no one seems to discuss what happens in their forties...the effect these substances have or had on them...the only comments seem to be the same thing..men commenting that a woman never should have taken this or that..regardless that is NOT the information I am seeking.
Although lengthy, I feel it needs to be addressed or spoken about, and what better place than on a forum that we can openly share these trials and tribulations. Over a year ago, after being off all substances for numerous years, I began experiencing horrific mood swings, anxiety and severe depression. Far worse than the general PMS type shit. I attributed the feeling to being over worked, not sleeping much, and stress. I let a year go by before I had my hormones checked...the result was not what I expected. My E3 was normal, 65...my progesterone normal range but my testosterone was a mere <0.5. Immediately I started HRT, low dose of test cyp 50mg 2x per week which I get from Monster Gear (it's the only place I trust) Within a few weeks I was able to make it through a whole day without nodding off, but still not feeling like myself. Not to mention I still train hard but am steadily losing size, except in my waist. That's gone from 29 inches to 33 inches. .I look like a barrel. (Yes, diet is clean. Same as it's always been)
Here we are 5 months later, I switched to test prop 25mg 4x per week, and in less than one week my mood swings are back in full straight jacket form. I cry, I hate myself, I hate people, then I'm fine, then tired, then angry and all for NO GOOD REASON. I've seen 2 doctors both simply suggest some form of anti depressants ...that's NOT the answer I'm seeking. What is the cause of this, is it because I took so much stuff years ago, is it just menopause, is it both, and what the hell do I need to do to feel like my old happy self again???? Anyone??? I appreciate the time it took to read this, and I'll be posting regularly in case anyone else wants to follow my roller coaster of crazy.

 

[GGG]

whats your cycle history ?

sorry you are going thru this , but you will get it figured out im sure.

 

[Intense]

You're posting this here? I just saw it over at ProMuscle.




See your doc and lower that testosterone dose. Avoid the anti depressants for now. Same thing I said over there.

 

[chocolatemalt]

Your "E3" was normal at 65... your Estriol? Usually E1 & E3 don't get looked at much for men since they're far less numerous or as effective as E2 but maybe it's a different story for women. Did you mean E2 instead?

Also, 100mg/wk Testosterone for a female sounds huge. Isn't 10mg/wk the normal sort of HRT dose?

I'd consider getting LOTS of bloodwork maybe even every two weeks to see how things are changing, and adjusting doses -- T, E2, progesterone, thyroid panel.

Also easy to check for mood/lethargy causes like B12 deficiency, hep C, anemia, etc. May as well rule things out. Are you supplementing for vitamin D and magnesium? Cheap solutions for very common and commonly overlooked problems.

 

[JRotten]

I see 20-25mg/cyp a week as hrt for women when it's discussed.

 

[Mrsrobinson]

This sounds EXACTLY like me...to a T. The thing is, I've lifted for years but was totally natty up into my 40's, and these feelings, or "symptoms" if you will are what led me to trying different things. Busting my ass harder and harder and looking worse. Thickening waist, feeling exhausted from my workouts rather than energized. Mood swings to where I come off like a natural born killer - NO libido. Horrible anxiety and heart palpitations, bloating and water retention to the point I had my heart checked, ekg and ultrasound all ok.

Was told its part of Peri menopause and then menopause and that it can go on for YEARS - WTF??? I gotta deal with this for years ? My pcp wouldn't do any HRT for me, too worried about breast cancer, which I ended up getting anyway. BUT, because of that I've pretty much been tested for EVERYTHING and repeatedly, I'm a freakin pincushion and have bloodwork all the time. The only thing that has been a little off is slightly high blood sugar and vit d has been a little low (normal with the cancer from what I understand) Thyroid is also borderline, but they wont even discuss it :/ I was offered up anti depressants though .... Uh, No thanks.

I do the same, my own HRT, small doses of cyp 25-30 a week, it helps, but by no means do I feel totally back to "normal". Its beyond frustrating, the only answers Ive gotten from my doctors are "its normal" and you just have to wait it out and that its a permanent change and what worked for diet and exercise in the past wont work now and I have to "get used to" my new metabolism. If this is normal and lots of women go through this, keeping it a secret certainly doesn't do the rest of us any favors because I sure as hell wasn't prepared for this.

I take a week or 2 off every few months to give myself a break and see if its "overtraining". That hasn't helped and sometimes is worse since I gets harder and harder to get back to it. I am my own best "experiment" at this point, and I'm not just talking AAS, if people saw my supplement cabinet they would LOL. Its ridiculous. Just not ready to give up yet though. So far the thing that has helped the most is the thing I like the least. Haven't ever been a big fan of eliminating things completely but I went totally Keto for about 8 weeks recently(I have resisted this for years, no carbs makes me look FLAT lol) and after about a week the fog cleared the aches subsided and I lost 15 lbs - BOOM. I had family in for a visit and it went flying out the window, the pounds are creeping back on and I'm bloated and tired again, so I'm going to TRY and do it again and see what happens. Regular cleanses have seemed to help as well. You just have to keep trying until you find what works for you I think. But just know, you aren't alone, you aren't just "depressed" and NO, you are NOT crazy

 

[TripleOvertime]

^there she is. I just knew mrs. R. Would come to help. Thanks.

 

[Mrsrobinson]

^there she is. I just knew mrs. R. Would come to help. Thanks.

MUAAAHHHHH Hi sweetie

feel bad for her, totally get this but doubt its past aas use.
And ALL of us know what its like beating our heads against a brick wall with our doctors

 

[OfficerFarva]

MUAAAHHHHH Hi sweetie

feel bad for her, totally get this but doubt its past aas use.
And ALL of us know what its like beating our heads against a brick wall with our doctors

Well hello!

 

[Tall Deck]

.... I've seen 2 doctors both simply suggest some form of anti depressants ...that's NOT the answer I'm seeking.

Bravo! My hat is off to you for not giving in to the anti-depressant drug craze that has been fueled for years now by doctors who throw them at their patients like they're candy. I wish I had the answer for you, but unfortunately I do not. But I commend you for staying away from anti-depressant drugs. I've seen people get really screwed up on them, and ironically they often cause depression instead of treating it effectively anyway.

This sounds EXACTLY like me.... I was offered up anti depressants though .... Uh, No thanks. ..... you aren't just "depressed" and NO, you are NOT crazy

I also commend you too for your refusal to just use anti-depressant drugs as a band-aid. When I was in my late 30's I went to my doctor complaining of being tired all of the time. I never said I was depressed. What I did tell him is that since I had mononucleosis when in my late 20's it seemed that I never regained the energy level I had before getting the mono. And the guy throws me a script for Prozac, (anti-depressant drug). I didn't know what it was at the time, (this was back in the late 90's) so I went straight home and cracked open my Physicians' Desk Reference and looked it up. I was ticked off at my doc for giving that crap to me, and I tossed the script in the trash.

I know you don't want to hear the following, but the only thing I can tell the both of you is that I'm a guy, and since I hit my 50's, I have been experiencing very similar symptoms as the both of you are, but on a smaller level/lesser degree. The mood swings you speak of are the only thing that I don't experience, but pretty much all the rest, and the only thing that isn't in order with my blood work is that my glucose is very slightly high, (hi point of normal range is 99 and mine is 102). I don't like it, but now that I'm 55, I've pretty much concluded that this is just old age. Sorry, I know it sucks, but we will not be what we once were. However, that doesn't make it right for your doc, (nor mine) to throw scripts for anti-depressants at us. I swear they must get kick-backs of some type from the drug company reps. But then when I'm in pain from an injury or from kidney stone issues, those same docs refuse to give me a couple dozen of lousy 5mg Percocets!!! OK rant OFF

And ALL of us know what its like beating our heads against a brick wall with our doctors

Yep, doctors suck. They're just as bad as attorneys. There was a time 20 and 30 years ago when it wasn't so difficult to find a good and caring doctor, (or a good attornery who would be truthful with you for that matter). But unfortunately, those days are gone.

 

[WickedT]

Thank you

Thank you Brutus!! I'll be sure to post the bloodwork results this week when I get them!

whats your cycle history ?

sorry you are going thru this , but you will get it figured out im sure.

 

[WickedT]

I cant thank you enough for taking the time to write about your experience. I honestly feel that if we discuss some of these issues we may help other women avoid the problems later in life. It seems some women (lets say Pro BB's) never seem to have any issues...which kind of perplexes me, as I know I have not done nearly the amount of things they have. Could be part genetics, could be just bad luck, no one knows. For me the hardest thing to deal with is the extreme lethargy, GOOD GRACIOUS I could sleep standing up or an hour after being awake I can go right back to sleep, I used to be so full of energy and it's really effected my business and overall life in general. Some days I can train and some days I can't, at least not in a way that would be worth lifting anyway. My weight holds steady, up a total of 5lbs so far in total but my overall shape seems to have changed. The weight or water seems to love sitting in my lower back and stomach. (It couldn't just go to my boobs or create an ass right??!!)
I am having more blood work done tomorrow and I will be sure to post the results. I am running .25mg of cyp but again I'll post all the info with the results.
In closing, I hope that you are having a feel good day today and I wish you the best in the fight, thank you again for the most heartfelt answer!

 

[WickedT]

I am having more blood work done this week and hopefully we can eliminate a few causes. I have heard that Vit D and Mag could be an issue, or maybe just part of the cause. I am going to be 44 and Lord knows its about that time in life us women go a little bat shit crazy!

Your "E3" was normal at 65... your Estriol? Usually E1 & E3 don't get looked at much for men since they're far less numerous or as effective as E2 but maybe it's a different story for women. Did you mean E2 instead?

Also, 100mg/wk Testosterone for a female sounds huge. Isn't 10mg/wk the normal sort of HRT dose?

I'd consider getting LOTS of bloodwork maybe even every two weeks to see how things are changing, and adjusting doses -- T, E2, progesterone, thyroid panel.

Also easy to check for mood/lethargy causes like B12 deficiency, hep C, anemia, etc. May as well rule things out. Are you supplementing for vitamin D and magnesium? Cheap solutions for very common and commonly overlooked problems.