# Stopping TRT for fertility



## xbigshot123 (Jul 30, 2021)

35yrs old, been on TRT for 3 or 4 years now.  We tried to conceive our first born for over a year before seeing a top notch fertility doc.  I explained my situation, they run blood and semen analysis = super high test, zero swimmers and this was on low dose HCG + 150mg test cyp/week.

He upped HCG to 3000iu weekly (1500iu 2x week) added 50mg clomid EOD and advised I stop the test cyp.  About 6months later my semen levels were through the roof and we conceived our only child.

Wife wants to try for one more, so I'll be stopping test again this week, upping HCG to 3000iu/week and adding same dose of clomid.  Figured it worked the first time, not going to screw with it the 2nd time.  Will use this to kind of log the progress and hopefully the end of the thread is baby #2.  Wish us luck


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## MrRippedZilla (Jul 30, 2021)

Good stuff. Your doc is following a routinely recommended protocol for those wishing to conceive asap. I'm going to leave this beautiful chart in here to educate others who may not be as educated on the topic:


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## xbigshot123 (Jul 30, 2021)

MrRippedZilla said:


> Good stuff. Your doc is following a routinely recommended protocol for those wishing to conceive asap. I'm going to leave this beautiful chart in here to educate others who may not be as educated on the topic:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Where was this chart 2 years ago, could've saved me thousands of dollars at the fertility clinic haha


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## MrRippedZilla (Jul 30, 2021)

xbigshot123 said:


> Where was this chart 2 years ago, could've saved me thousands of dollars at the fertility clinic haha


The chart was waiting for you right here on UG, but you never joined 2 years ago. If only we could time travel


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## Strikeclinch (Jul 30, 2021)

xbigshot123 said:


> 35yrs old, been on TRT for 3 or 4 years now.  We tried to conceive our first born for over a year before seeing a top notch fertility doc.  I explained my situation, they run blood and semen analysis = super high test, zero swimmers and this was on low dose HCG + 150mg test cyp/week.
> 
> He upped HCG to 3000iu weekly (1500iu 2x week) added 50mg clomid EOD and advised I stop the test cyp.  About 6months later my semen levels were through the roof and we conceived our only child.
> 
> Wife wants to try for one more, so I'll be stopping test again this week, upping HCG to 3000iu/week and adding same dose of clomid.  Figured it worked the first time, not going to screw with it the 2nd time.  Will use this to kind of log the progress and hopefully the end of the thread is baby #2.  Wish us luck


Fuck bro I was on for like 4 years straight came off cyp did my first shot of hcg banged my old
Lady that I had been with for 3 yrs already so obviously we’ve fucked hundreds of times no contraceptive ever and no pregnancy. But after that hcg shot boom pregnant first fuck hahah so good luck but id say u won’t need much look it should happen


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## xbigshot123 (Jul 30, 2021)

Strikeclinch said:


> Fuck bro I was on for like 4 years straight came off cyp did my first shot of hcg banged my old
> Lady that I had been with for 3 yrs already so obviously we’ve fucked hundreds of times no contraceptive ever and no pregnancy. But after that hcg shot boom pregnant first fuck hahah so good luck but id say u won’t need much look it should happen


Yeah this protocol worked once already, but I'd love for it to be a few weeks instead of 6 months haha


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## xbigshot123 (Aug 5, 2021)

Update #1:

Stopped TRT last week, not feeling too different, a little more tired in the morning, appetite has increased a little, but not much else.

Started 50mg clomid EOD and 3000iu HCG/week today.  Testicular atrophy is present currently and I remember the massive size increase from my last run of HCG/Clomid, so that's the first sign I will be looking for over the next 2 months.  Will go in for a semen analysis after 2 months to see where I stand as I know without a doubt I am shooting blanks at the moment. 

Went from zero viable swimmers to well above average volume in 3 months last time, let's do it again this time.


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## Strikeclinch (Aug 5, 2021)

xbigshot123 said:


> Update #1:
> 
> Stopped TRT last week, not feeling too different, a little more tired in the morning, appetite has increased a little, but not much else.
> 
> ...


Give it a few weeks Ull def feel way crappier. Sorry not to be negative but the crappy off feeling takes a about 3 than Ull notice


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## xbigshot123 (Aug 5, 2021)

Strikeclinch said:


> Give it a few weeks Ull def feel way crappier. Sorry not to be negative but the crappy off feeling takes a about 3 than Ull notice


Oh yeah, I remember the feeling. Pre-TRT was the worst, with clomid/hcg being slightly better likely due to recovering T levels, but it still sucks compared to my standard 150mg/week


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## Strikeclinch (Aug 5, 2021)

xbigshot123 said:


> Oh yeah, I remember the feeling. Pre-TRT was the worst, with clomid/hcg being slightly better likely due to recovering T levels, but it still sucks compared to my standard 150mg/week


Ya having crushed t levels is vastly diffrent than 150 especially if that’s gets you into upper normal u feel great. Coming off really fuckin sucks haha only way I’m ever coming off is to have kids other than that no fuckin way never again


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## Adrenolin (Aug 5, 2021)

Our first girl I came off, used hcg and clomid and conceived after about 3mo.

Our second girl, I upped the test to 2g cause I didn't want to come off, and did hcg/hmg eod with daily clomid, took a little less than 3mo.

Wife still wants a boy. I think I might just fork out the $30k to the fertility clinic to pull an xy sperm for artificial insemination to guarantee a boy instead of playing my cards again.


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## quackattack (Aug 5, 2021)

I was under the impression that 500iu HCG twice a week will keep you producing for TRT.  Is that not true?


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## Strikeclinch (Aug 5, 2021)

Adrenolin said:


> Our first girl I came off, used hcg and clomid and conceived after about 3mo.
> 
> Our second girl, I upped the test to 2g cause I didn't want to come off, and did hcg/hmg eod with daily clomid, took a little less than 3mo.
> 
> Wife still wants a boy. I think I might just fork out the $30k to the fertility clinic to pull an xy sperm for artificial insemination to guarantee a boy instead of playing my cards again.


Did I read that right? U still got your wife pregnant on 2 grams of test?


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## xbigshot123 (Aug 5, 2021)

quackattack said:


> I was under the impression that 500iu HCG twice a week will keep you producing for TRT.  Is that not true?


Most studies say 500iu EOD while on TRT to maintain, but I'm sure 1000iu/week would suffice. I have to come off because I was not doing maintenance HCG and we don't want to wait the potential 12months it could take if I were to start the cruising HCG dosage vs coming off for 3 months.  Mid 30's, so don't really want to waste time


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## xbigshot123 (Aug 5, 2021)

Adrenolin said:


> Our first girl I came off, used hcg and clomid and conceived after about 3mo.
> 
> Our second girl, I upped the test to 2g cause I didn't want to come off, and did hcg/hmg eod with daily clomid, took a little less than 3mo.
> 
> Wife still wants a boy. I think I might just fork out the $30k to the fertility clinic to pull an xy sperm for artificial insemination to guarantee a boy instead of playing my cards again.


We paid a shit ton to a fertility clinic for our daughter, only for me to self-administer HCG/clomid, find out my wife is 100% good to go, and conceive naturally anyway lol


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## Adrenolin (Aug 5, 2021)

Strikeclinch said:


> Did I read that right? U still got your wife pregnant on 2 grams of test?


Yep, she's a little firecracker too.. or maybe it's terrible 2's. My older daughter is about to graduate from threenager 3's to little fucker 4's.


I've had my fertility tested a few times out of curiosity. On lower trt level test I'm definitely sterile as fuck, but super high test seems to help restart the spermatogenesis cycle (even without the hcg/hmg/clomid).


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## Adrenolin (Aug 5, 2021)

xbigshot123 said:


> We paid a shit ton to a fertility clinic for our daughter, only for me to self-administer HCG/clomid, find out my wife is 100% good to go, and conceive naturally anyway lol


Ya they said it would be about $22.5k for the insemination procedure, and another $5k for gender selection.


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## xbigshot123 (Aug 5, 2021)

Adrenolin said:


> Ya they said it would be about $22.5k for the insemination procedure, and another $5k for gender selection.


Insurance covered the first half of our treatment, then our insurance changed and things got serious quickly.  The only thing that was worth it was the semen analysis like every 2 weeks and the doc telling me to up my HCG dosage.


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## Strikeclinch (Aug 5, 2021)

Adrenolin said:


> Yep, she's a little firecracker too.. or maybe it's terrible 2's. My older daughter is about to graduate from threenager 3's to little fucker 4's.
> 
> 
> I've had my fertility tested a few times out of curiosity. On lower trt level test I'm definitely sterile as fuck, but super high test seems to help restart the spermatogenesis cycle (even without the hcg/hmg/clomid).


You just changed my life bro hahaha now I’m never coming off ever hahahah


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## xbigshot123 (Aug 6, 2021)

Going to up HCG to 5000iu/week once I can source enough to last me 4 months, until then I'll be on 3000iu/week as before. From the studies I have read advocated for 3000 to 9000iu per week, so I figured I'll just split the difference and hopefully see quicker results in the 2 month range.  The day we get a positive pregnancy test I will be back on TRT with the addition of 1000iu hcg per week to maintain testicular function at least until our child is born

Added in armodafinil for increased focus for work as a way of heading off some of the sides from low T levels. Appetite gone, alertness increased.
I know I will 100% lose muscle, but my bigger concern when coming off TRT is always fat gain. Intermittent fasting has always been a great way for me to assist in staying within my macro/caloric goals and the armodafinil just makes the fasting even easier.


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## xbigshot123 (Aug 12, 2021)

Workouts are suffering, but still feel pretty decent. Probably the armodafinil keeping me fully functional during the week. 
Want to bump to 5000iu/week but there is a massive delay in HCG delivery at the moment...so i'll be sticking to 3000iu until that is resolved.

Not noticing any sides from clomid, but I didn't really notice anything last time either until my balls went from raisins to to golf balls overnight.


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## xbigshot123 (Aug 15, 2021)

Hello darkness my old friend...

The hammer dropped yesterday. Low T lethargy in full force, have barely done anything this weekend.  The low T life is not for me lol.

Hopefully doesn't last too long as HCG/Clomid do their thing.


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## xbigshot123 (Aug 18, 2021)

Update:

Libido is gone, thank you for the assistance cialis.  
Armodafinil is a saving grace during the week for work. Feel perfectly normal during the day in terms of energy/alertness.


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## stinger (Sep 30, 2021)

Good luck!


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## Be_A_Hero (Oct 31, 2021)

Definitely tuning in to this thread


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## shackleford (Nov 1, 2021)

Here is a link to a paper titled "Recovery of spermatogenesis following testosterone replacement therapy or anabolic-androgenic steroid use".

`https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290529081_Recovery_of_spermatogenesis_following_testosterone_replacement_therapy_or_anabolic_androgenic_steroid_use`

I came across this article a while ago and found it very interesting. Hope it helps you, or someone else.


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## xbigshot123 (Dec 9, 2021)

Update:

After 3 months of stopping TRT, 50mg clomid EOD, and 3-4k iu of HCG per week

I think baby #2 is on the way.

So now I have come off of TRT completely 2x in the span of 3yrs and been able to induce spermatogenesis via HCG/clomid

I'm sure my test levels are low, but not in the dumps like they were 3 months ago.  Ran bloodwork w/ the doc and all labs are normal so far, just waiting on total/free test labs to come back before moving forward again.


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## stinger (Dec 10, 2021)

xbigshot123 said:


> Update:
> 
> After 3 months of stopping TRT, 50mg clomid EOD, and 3-4k iu of HCG per week
> 
> ...


That's great to hear.  Congratulations.  You always read about those protocols and that they should work.  But it's good to hear first hand experience!


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## j2048b (Dec 10, 2021)

I just staid on, fed her some clomid and 9 months later out popped the first one, every time after i staid on and same outcome.....i even thre in some clomid and made another one, all while on full blown trt and hcg


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## Brawn8468 (Feb 22, 2022)

Congrats man! I have a 17 month old boy and he was conceived while I was running a Tren and sust cycle. I always use low dose HCG throughout my cycle. That probably helped.


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## Regretfulbill (Apr 16, 2022)

xbigshot123 said:


> Update:
> 
> After 3 months of stopping TRT, 50mg clomid EOD, and 3-4k iu of HCG per week
> 
> ...



Congrats man, this thread and your story may have just saved my life haha.


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## Skullcrusher (Apr 16, 2022)

Can I resurrect my balls from the dead??


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## Regretfulbill (Apr 16, 2022)

MrRippedZilla said:


> Good stuff. Your doc is following a routinely recommended protocol for those wishing to conceive asap. I'm going to leave this beautiful chart in here to educate others who may not be as educated on the topic:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks for sharing this. You responded in one of my other threads and this might the route ill be taking. Could you explain the >12 months, cycle off TST q6 months with a 4 week cycle of 3000 iui HCG q.o.d?




Getting off T and then blasting 3k HCG for 4 weeks?


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## MrRippedZilla (Apr 16, 2022)

Regretfulbill said:


> Thanks for sharing this. You responded in one of my other threads and this might the route ill be taking. Could you explain the >12 months, cycle off TST q6 months with a 4 week cycle of 3000 iui HCG q.o.d?
> 
> View attachment 20765
> 
> ...


If you desire to have kids at some point in the future but not within the next 12 months, you have the option of cycling off TRT every 6 months with a 4 week hCG cycle of 3000iu QOD (every other day). So TRT for 6 months, stop for 4 week hCG cycle, then jump back onto TRT for another 6 months. Rinse and repeat.

I'm not a fan of that option personally because spermatogenesis (the process of making sperm) takes on average 3 months. So, at some point, I suspect those 4 week cycles are going to be insufficient. Better to stick to hCG permanently (maybe bump up the dose to 750iu 2x week) alongside TRT and then, close to the time you actually want to have kids, make the big changes. Semen analysis > really poor numbers > come off TRT and bump up hCG to 3000iu QOD (lower dose if Clomid is also in the mix) > repeat semen analysis every 2 months > add HMG at 75iu 2-3x week if necessary > done.


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## bigrobbie (Apr 18, 2022)

xbigshot123 said:


> 35yrs old, been on TRT for 3 or 4 years now.  We tried to conceive our first born for over a year before seeing a top notch fertility doc.  I explained my situation, they run blood and semen analysis = super high test, zero swimmers and this was on low dose HCG + 150mg test cyp/week.
> 
> He upped HCG to 3000iu weekly (1500iu 2x week) added 50mg clomid EOD and advised I stop the test cyp.  About 6months later my semen levels were through the roof and we conceived our only child.
> 
> Wife wants to try for one more, so I'll be stopping test again this week, upping HCG to 3000iu/week and adding same dose of clomid.  Figured it worked the first time, not going to screw with it the 2nd time.  Will use this to kind of log the progress and hopefully the end of the thread is baby #2.  Wish us luck


Do you feel rough dropping the test.or does the increase in HCG (masquerading as LH) help with the T level drop? 
I'd be terrified. My depression and all round well being plummets when my T numbers are low.
Despite my negative thoughts, congratulations on #1 and good luck getting #2 in the oven.


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## Be_A_Hero (Apr 19, 2022)

I’ve been on HCG with my TRT since December , still trying for baby number 2


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## Regretfulbill (Apr 26, 2022)

Be_A_Hero said:


> I’ve been on HCG with my TRT since December , still trying for baby number 2



Have you gotten an SA done?


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## bigrobbie (Apr 26, 2022)

xbigshot123 said:


> Update:
> 
> Libido is gone, thank you for the assistance cialis.
> Armodafinil is a saving grace during the week for work. Feel perfectly normal during the day in terms of energy/alertness.


How yq feeling?


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## Be_A_Hero (Apr 27, 2022)

Regretfulbill said:


> Have you gotten an SA done?


Nah


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## DrkrTnBlk (May 10, 2022)

Reading through posts.... FML. I was really hopping i can stay on TRT and get my lady pregnant, but seems the cards are stacked against me. 46 here, been on TRT for 4 years now.


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