# Anyone on TRT and SSRI?



## Trendkill (Jun 24, 2021)

I've been on SSRIs for the past 12 years as part of a long term treatment for anxiety/panic attacks and OCD with a little depression thrown in the mix.  Escitalopram (lexapro) 20mg/day for first 9 years then switched to fluvoxamine (luvox) 200mg/day for the past 3.  I'm strongly considering TRT in the near future.  From reading the board and doing additional research there seems to be a positive effect on overall mood from TRT.  It seems to benefit those with depression the most.  There is some research that test has a positive effect on raising serotonin levels.  SSRIs don't raise serotonin but they block the reuptake thus allowing more to stay in your system.  Is anyone here on TRT and also using an SSRI longterm?  If so, have you been able to drop your SSRI dosage or eliminate it completely?  As of right now I will be on an SSRI for the rest of my life unless there are more advances in these types of drugs and treatments for OCD and anxiety.  If I'm going to be on something the rest of my life I'd rather it be TRT.  Looking for experience and opinions.  Thanks.


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## Jin (Jun 24, 2021)

I take strattera. It’s not an antidepressant but it is a SSRI. I take it for my ADD. 

I was extremely depressed and emotionally unstable before trt. Fixing my hormones solved that. 

If you are low T you have a high chance of improved mood by going on trt. Whether you continue taking your SSRI or not.

My ADD requires me being medicated to function. I foresee taking that medication for the remainder of my life. It cannot be helped. 



仕様がない


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## Trendkill (Jun 24, 2021)

Were you on Strattera before starting TRT?  Any change in dosage or effectiveness of the SSRI while on TRT?


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## Jin (Jun 24, 2021)

Trendkill said:


> Were you on Strattera before starting TRT?  Any change in dosage or effectiveness of the SSRI while on TRT?



Yes. I started strattera 8 years ago and trt about 6 years ago. I am not sure that it’s correlated but I did, in fact, drop my dose from 75 to 50 at some point after starting trt. But I believe that was well after. 

Might be a coincidence. Or maybe you’ll have a similar experience. 

Are you negatively affected by your SSRI meds?


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## Mind2muscle (Jun 24, 2021)

I’ve been on an SSRI for years to help with moderate to severe anxiety.  Been on TRT for 2 months now.  No side effects or anything negative to mention.  Like other with low t just reaping the benefits of TRT.


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## Jin (Jun 24, 2021)

And I am reading your other posts correctly? You have not used aas?


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## bvs (Jun 24, 2021)

Im on SSRI and trt. And a very high dose of ssri at that, with no issues


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## Trendkill (Jun 25, 2021)

Jin said:


> Yes. I started strattera 8 years ago and trt about 6 years ago. I am not sure that it’s correlated but I did, in fact, drop my dose from 75 to 50 at some point after starting trt. But I believe that was well after.
> 
> Might be a coincidence. Or maybe you’ll have a similar experience.
> 
> Are you negatively affected by your SSRI meds?



I have some minor sexual/libido sides.  It's not severe but enough that I want to do something about it.



Jin said:


> And I am reading your other posts correctly? You have not used aas?



Correct.  I have never used AAS.


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## Trendkill (Jun 25, 2021)

bvs said:


> Im on SSRI and trt. And a very high dose of ssri at that, with no issues



Do you mind sharing which SSRI and at what dosage?


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## TODAY (Jun 25, 2021)

Shouldn't cause any issues unless you're like me and suffer from anorgasmia while on SSRIs.

Elevated libido+complete inability to orgasm is a shade of hell.


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## Jin (Jun 25, 2021)

Trendkill said:


> I have some minor sexual/libido sides.  It's not severe but enough that I want to do something about it.
> 
> 
> 
> Correct.  I have never used AAS.



Wow. Your strength is super impressive brother. On or off. But having never used aas it’s pretty mind blowing. Kudos.


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## bvs (Jun 25, 2021)

Trendkill said:


> Do you mind sharing which SSRI and at what dosage?



Im on sertraline 60mg and quetiapine 300mg currently 

I have been on some crazy high doses like venlafaxine 450mg with quetiapine 1000mg and zyprexia 10mg with no problems, although i wouldn't recommend doses that high, its what i needed at the time


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## Trendkill (Jun 25, 2021)

TODAY said:


> Shouldn't cause any issues unless you're like me and suffer from anorgasmia while on SSRIs.
> 
> Elevated libido+complete inability to orgasm is a shade of hell.



That sounds like hell.  I don't have anorgasmia but I do lose some sensation and my libido goes up and down in big waves.



Jin said:


> Wow. Your strength is super impressive brother. On or off. But having never used aas it’s pretty mind blowing. Kudos.



Thanks Jin.  I've always been naturally strong but when you invest 30+ years in something and do it right you're bound to have good results. 



bvs said:


> Im on sertraline 60mg and quetiapine 300mg currently
> 
> I have been on some crazy high doses like venlafaxine 450mg with quetiapine 1000mg and zyprexia 10mg with no problems, although i wouldn't recommend doses that high, its what i needed at the time



Wow, those are some big doses.  Hopefully it is helping you manage your mental health and keeping you in a good place.  Was there ever any concern of serotonin poisoning at those high dosages?


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## ken Sass (Jul 11, 2021)

Trendkill said:


> I've been on SSRIs for the past 12 years as part of a long term treatment for anxiety/panic attacks and OCD with a little depression thrown in the mix.  Escitalopram (lexapro) 20mg/day for first 9 years then switched to fluvoxamine (luvox) 200mg/day for the past 3.  I'm strongly considering TRT in the near future.  From reading the board and doing additional research there seems to be a positive effect on overall mood from TRT.  It seems to benefit those with depression the most.  There is some research that test has a positive effect on raising serotonin levels.  SSRIs don't raise serotonin but they block the reuptake thus allowing more to stay in your system.  Is anyone here on TRT and also using an SSRI longterm?  If so, have you been able to drop your SSRI dosage or eliminate it completely?  As of right now I will be on an SSRI for the rest of my life unless there are more advances in these types of drugs and treatments for OCD and anxiety.  If I'm going to be on something the rest of my life I'd rather it be TRT.  Looking for experience and opinions.  Thanks.


lexapro and a couple of other antidepressants and an anti anxiety med. lexapro for a couple of years now try for 15+. test is the best anti-depressant around. it fits right with the others stuff


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## JoelR314 (Jun 3, 2022)

When I started TRT I was on 300mg Effexor (Venlaflaxine). A few years later I tapered and ended up with what is being called protracted withdrawal or what SSRI harm specialist Stuart Shipko is calling *Tardive* Akathisia (an agitated/depressive state). After a few years of trying all sorts of stuff my psych settled on occasional benzo use because no other treatment has been found.
I'm on year 4 of that, no improvement. I feel better while I'm training at least.  Life outside of the gym has mostly been destroyed so it turns out SSRIs can be more harmful than advertised.


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## Trendkill (Jun 3, 2022)

JoelR314 said:


> When I started TRT I was on 300mg Effexor (Venlaflaxine). A few years later I tapered and ended up with what is being called protracted withdrawal or what SSRI harm specialist Stuart Shipko is calling *Tardive* Akathisia (an agitated/depressive state). After a few years of trying all sorts of stuff my psych settled on occasional benzo use because no other treatment has been found.
> I'm on year 4 of that, no improvement. I feel better while I'm training at least.  Life outside of the gym has mostly been destroyed so it turns out SSRIs can be more harmful than advertised.


I experienced the tardive akathisia you are describing when I came off lexapro 4 years ago. It took about two months and then I was constantly in an agitated state although not so much depression. I would get extremely angry just by sitting in the couch for no reason.

im researching tms and also ketamine as possible therapies in place of SSRI. There’s just very little information out there for either one as it relates to OCD and anxiety.


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## bvs (Jun 3, 2022)

I got full on opiate style withdrawals coming off 450 effexor, it was a hell of a time. Other antidepressants have been much better for me personally 

Also CBD oil was a game changer


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## Butch_C (Jun 3, 2022)

I started having panic attacks in my late 30s. I didn't know what was happening, I thought it was a heart attack at first. Dr put me on Lexapro, didn't work, then Paxil which worked great for panic attacks but lost sexual sensation. After 2 years of that dr put me on quetiapine (biggest mistake of my life) I started piling on weight, felt lethargic all the time, it came on slow and I didn't realize it was the drug. I started trying to lose weight and exercise every day weight didn't budge. I looked into all the meds I was on and bingo quetiapine was known for this. I tapered down my dose to half. I also got checked for hormones. Ding ding ding, low t. Doctor put me on trt. I felt better but still struggling. Decided to drop quetiapine and the weight started falling off strength went up and no panic attacks. What has been messed up is my sleep. Ever since stopping quetiapine it takes sleep aids to even get 6 hours. If you ever google quetiapine and permanent issues after sleep is there. So in wrapping up. I have only suffered a couple small panic attacks since going off ssri and being on trt. Did I just get past them or did the trt fix it idk.


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## TomJ (Jun 3, 2022)

It seems to me like a lot of the symptoms being commonly treated with SSRI's are also symptoms of low T. 

Given how readily SSRIs are handed out, i wonder how many people could avoid them entirely from the start just by getting basic bloodwork. Sounds like another failing of doctors and the medical community. 

Treating symptoms instead of causes


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## Trendkill (Jun 5, 2022)

bvs said:


> I got full on opiate style withdrawals coming off 450 effexor, it was a hell of a time. Other antidepressants have been much better for me personally
> 
> Also CBD oil was a game changer


What dose for cbd oil?


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## JoelR314 (Jun 10, 2022)

Trendkill said:


> I experienced the tardive akathisia you are describing when I came off lexapro 4 years ago. It took about two months and then I was constantly in an agitated state although not so much depression. I would get extremely angry just by sitting in the couch for no reason.
> 
> im researching tms and also ketamine as possible therapies in place of SSRI. There’s just very little information out there for either one as it relates to OCD and anxiety.


This Dr Shipko has several articles on it, he specializes in SSRI harm








						SSRI Withdrawal's Elephant in the Room: Tardive Akathisia - Mad In America
					

Slow tapering off antidepressants may be more comfortable. However, success or failure after stopping mostly relates to tardive akathisia.




					www.madinamerica.com
				




Ketamine might help. I have to use intermittent benzos and walk the line between getting some relief and not getting a dependence.


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## JoelR314 (Jun 10, 2022)

bvs said:


> I got full on opiate style withdrawals coming off 450 effexor, it was a hell of a time. Other antidepressants have been much better for me personally
> 
> Also CBD oil was a game changer


Effexor is brutal at high doses. The people who claimed the WD are not bad should be forced to use 300mg for 1 year then stop. Even a short taper is a nightmare.


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