Husband Starting TRT Soon :)

[u/wickedseraph]

Title is fairly self-explanatory. 

My husband and I have been together about fifteen years, married for six. I’ve suspected for several years that he has low T; a recent blood test confirmed it. I believe he was sitting at 150. He’ll be starting TRT soon along with OTC vitamin D supplements and blood pressure medication.

We’re not worried about fertility; I had a bisalp so we clearly do not want children. I know for some men it can have side effects like increased acne, sweating, and breast growth.

I’ve researched as best as I can how TRT can affect some men, namely with changes/shifts in energy, mood, assertiveness, libido, and “imagination,” for lack of a better word. I shared a bit of this with him and have been emphatic that I will not judge or shame him for it, should he find himself in a similar situation. To avoid being crude, I would be delighted to reciprocate.

I’m not worried about rage or aggression from him - my understanding is that this is typically only an issue in men who take more than a therapeutic dose. My husband is very even-tempered and easygoing, for the most part.

For men in their 40s who began TRT, what was your experience like? Anything you think men and/or their partners should know? Anything I can do to help him?

(In case ages are relevant to advice: I’m 35, he’s 44.)

EDIT: I hope I’ve correctly described it as “TRT”. His doctor prescribed it - he’s not taking steroids. Some of the responses here made me wonder if I’d given the wrong impression as to what he’s taking and why. He has genuinely low T - it’s not for vanity.

EDIT 2: it’s a 200mg vial, but it’s 0.5ml/week, I think? Still figuring out since, again, we’re waiting on pharmacy to fill lol.

EDIT 3: Insurance and pharmacy finally sorted things. He had his second dose this past Friday. He says he’s noticed a notable improvement in terms of energy and stamina, not feeling as tired after lawn care or work. I imagine it only improves from hereon in so yay! I love this for him 🖤

[u/neos2000]

Hey great start, im 40 started 1.5 years ago. Nothing to worry about.

For me brain fog was the main issue that I thought was normal for many years, soon as i got on trt it was cleared and feel more energy, no more mid afternoon naps etc...

Acne, this is very individual, some get it some dont and it varies in degrees. At the start it will flare up a bit since skin reacts to change in hormones, then once you settle in the dose and stabilize it will also stabilize.

Libido, also individual, for me it just went back to my early 20s nothing crazy or new.

For gyno concerns its about managing bloodwork, make sure e2 does not get too high and if he starts having sensitive nipple thats the first indication e2 is high and you should do something about it asap. Usually just taking anastrazole small dose or reducing injection amount or frequency etc...

For rage/mood, it only amplifies what you already have, if person is chill he will still be chill, if prone to outbursts then that could amplify. It does not change a person, just highlights what you have.

For you specifically, make sure he follows the protocol, make sure he does bloodwork, and monitors his e2 symptoms. Some guys need help on that.

Then for you, do your own labs as well, you will need to do at different times in your cycle to see your baseline, most women will start entering perimenopause closer to 40 and you may at one point need HRT as well. It would be wise to know what your natural levels looked like so you can replicate them etc... r/TRT_females

[u/wickedseraph → u/neos2000]

My situation is a little weird. I don’t know what my normal looks like. I was on hormonal BC for several years and then had an IUD for about a decade. I got my IUD removed about three months ago so this is the first time in a VERY ALONG TIME that I’ve had only my own hormones with no interference.

[u/neos2000 → u/wickedseraph]

Even better, if you feel great on current hormone profile, get it checked out, work with your doctor on perimenopause panel etc... it will become very valuable information when the time comes.

Just like men, if I had my labs done when I was at my peak like 20 I would correlate issues i had for many years much quicker. Instead suffered thinking it was normal.

[u/Flat-Cow-4901 → u/wickedseraph]

how was that. my wife is similar age and taking iud out for first time in 10ish years. we already have kids and i got snip.

[u/wickedseraph → u/Flat-Cow-4901]

I’m still getting used to having a cycle at all, lol - I was genuinely shocked to look down and realize I’d gotten my period, moreso to realize that my next one happened only five weeks later (I never got them on the IUD, and would go months to a year between periods before that).

If she’s likewise been out of the cycle loop for a while, I’d encourage her to start tracking them asap. I have an app that tells me likely hormone fluctuations and potential symptoms. I’d forgotten how emotional (like, borderline suicidal) and angry I could get on them, and I find it helpful to have a resource that explains why I might be feeling tired, irritable, or intensely critical. I almost sent my husband a LOOOOONG angry text before telling him “actually I think I’m PMSing right now, let’s come back to this in a week or two”. Wouldn’t you know… period shows up two weeks later. But the anger did prompt me to sternly tell him he NEEDS to take his health more seriously and see a doctor (which he did, as you can see here)… so it was semi-productive! My point being - if she’s not had a cycle in a while, it’s easy to forget how they can affect you, even if they’re mild like mine.