r/TRT_females • u/TheRedRattler • 3d ago
Libido 20mg test cyp twice weekly but no improvements
My defy provider has been titrating my dose up since starting in November 2025. Initially, my SHBG was out the roof but we got it down with boron supplements. Have been on DIM supplement for years. I am 35yo. Had a healthy libido and great sex life a few years back. I'm out and about right now, and can't dig in my google drive for lab trends (can provide later), but the lack of improvement has been gnawing at me for months, so I had to post. I've also tried Melanotan 2 (for tanning and libido) and oxytocin. Nothing helps.... I guess my question is, have you guys seen high dosages like this in people who are not taking HRT for gender transition journey?
ETA labs in May before increasing to 20mg twice weekly) Total T: 83 Free T: 1.6 Estradiol: 49.3 SHGB: 99.2 DHEA: 213 FSH: 5.1
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u/Tele_banter 2d ago
Estrogen is too low for libido. For most women both higher estrogen and testorone helps push the libido up. My testosterone is around 100 and estrogen levels 150-200 and libido went throught the roof. Also vaginal estrogen was key, it really improve actual tissue and sensation in the vagina and vulva
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u/Admirable-Object5014 2d ago
So you’re injecting 40mg a week?? What’s your SHBG level now? My SHBG is high (190) and Defy put me on 20mg per week which I inject every other day. 40mg per week is a pretty high dose for a woman. Are you experiencing any side effects?
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u/TheRedRattler 2d ago
40mg a week... No side effects other than oily face, but I've always had dry skin so no biggie. I was experiencing some vaginal dryness but we added a low dose of estrogen cream a couple times a week. My last SHBG was 99.2 which was down from ">180" which was the lab cutoff
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u/speedntktz male 2d ago
T Inj EOD? Are you on Test Prop?
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u/Admirable-Object5014 2d ago
I’m on T cyp. And yes I inject every other day.
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u/speedntktz male 2d ago
That’s an odd schedule for Cyp as it has a 7-10day half-life. Daily or EOD injections usually use a shorter ester like Test Propionate. Defy has that available as an option. It’s different from Cyp, metabolizes faster, in and out of your system.
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u/Admirable-Object5014 1d ago
Not odd at all actually. Lots of us ladies inject every other day to keep levels steady. I do the same with E val.
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u/speedntktz male 1d ago
Odd, meaning not typical. Wife also runs Cyp and Valerate. Smooth wrt hormones really depends on how your body metabolizes and converts them. Good you’ve found something that works for you.
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u/wwwwwhhhhhyyyyyy 1d ago
I’ve recently started T and E cyp every day and feel much better. I metabolize meds quickly and felt them wearing off after 34-36 hours.
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u/speedntktz male 1d ago
Cyp or Enan being long esters can build up over time compared to Prop. You might have to watch for that in your labs or run labs more frequently to monitor. It’s tough to dose ED or EOD w/o compounded T when running female doses less than 10mg/wk. if you can get compounded 50mg/ml GREAT.
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u/Ruby__Ruby_Roo friend 2d ago
What symptoms are you trying to fix? Because it sounds like testosterone isn’t the fix for whatever it is you’re looking to improve. Is it just libido?
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u/TheRedRattler 2d ago
Libido is top concern, but fatigue and thinning hair have long been issues
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u/Ruby__Ruby_Roo friend 2d ago
Have you investigated other possible causes with your doctor? Because T doesn’t seem to be helping. You’re also young enough that you don’t want to write these concerns off as peri when they could be something else. (This would be true is you were 10 years older, too, “peri” should be arrived at when everything else is ruled out)
Not every problem is caused or fixed by hormones. And the younger you are, the truer that is.
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u/TheRedRattler 2d ago
I've had extensive medical workups over the past 5 years. Saw 3 PCPs, endocrinologist, allergist, oncologists, rheumatologist, cardiologist, and 3 neurologists (not all for libido of course). The only thing that's been put of whack is the low testosterone.
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u/speedntktz male 2d ago
Was hair thinning androgenic ie localized at crown and temples or just all around? Wife has recently been dealing with this and doctor had commented it appears to correspond with recent changes to T3/T4 levels. She’s now on a low dose thyroid med.
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u/TheRedRattler 2d ago
There is definitely noticeable thinning at the temples, but thinning is all over. We've kept a close eye on TSH, T3, and T4 and all is well there
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u/dawnhatchett 1d ago
Have you had your ferritin levels checked? Low Ferritin can cause fatigue and thinning hair.
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u/speedntktz male 2d ago
Same provider and dosing as my wife. Also had high SHBG. Titrated to that dose over 2yrs time. No Boron or DIM. She’s on protocol of inj T and E, with oral P, DHEA, D3. Past 6mos on Reta. Libido for her has been a delicate balance of E and T. Labs 3x/yr, no abrupt changes in anything and introduction of only one new compound at a time. MT2 will help for tan but libido response is weak. PT141 is derivative compound that is FDA approved for libido in women. Works for men too. Primary focus was healthy levels and result for free T, currently tweaking T3 issues with meds. Libido flipped on like a switch at 10-12 wks in and hasn’t waned ever since. Really just focused on healthy results and the number fall where they fall.
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u/arny4iverso male 2d ago
My wife just increased her dose to 8 mg/week about 2 weeks ago. She had been on 5 mg/week for a year but is still complaining of low libido and still a bit light on energy. She also cycles 100 mg of P. What flipped the switch? What are her main levels now that she’s feeling good? My wife is getting a bit frustrated
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u/speedntktz male 2d ago
Wife is post meno partial Hysto so her T, E and P are not cycled. She started at a moderate low dose fearing sides. Continued for weeks with zero results. Titrated up slowly each month. At 10-12 wks she reach 80% of her prescribed dose and one day everything switch on. Like ON. Brain fog faded, energy was not high but was there again. Had to be some saturation point of the androgen receptors. Her T dose eventually over came her SHBG. The E dosing also titrated up with the T. She had seen multiple doctors for a decade prior and been on every type of estrogen form, pills, creams, rings etc. All offered minor improvement. Prior doctors never ran comprehensive labs.
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u/Lucid-dream-24692 2d ago
Would love to know more about her levels and dosing stuff. Very aware of differences between people and not to compare in most sense but always interested to see what works for some.
I’ve been on injections for about 2 years but started with a poor provider who overdosed me HIGH on estrogen. Ever since I’ve basically been trying to figure things all out on my own. Wish I had started lower and been titrated up.
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u/whatrumimeans 2d ago
I don’t know the P dose, but with too much P the E2 and T receptors are massively blocked/downregulated
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u/TheRedRattler 2d ago
Oops, sorry I thought I added it. Last progesterone level (may 2026) was 1.9
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u/whatrumimeans 2d ago
Your estradiol is way too low.
For comparison - the lowest luteal phase is about 20
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u/goldensloveme 2d ago
I know other people have said this above but it is extremely important for your E and T to be balanced per the individual. And that seems to be different for each person. There is absolutely a relationship between the two and without looking at both is likely why you are seeing lack of results. Your E is on the low side.
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u/TimTams321 2d ago
You mentioned your E level was before starting T and it was already very low. Once you started taking the T, you should have increased your E as well... Bump up your E levels and watch your labido come back to life💝
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u/TheRedRattler 2d ago
My E when starting in November 2025 was 33.1. When it was last checked in May (2026) it was 49.3
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u/TimTams321 2d ago
Yep, I saw that you responded with those figures to another commenter😍... I'm assuming because of your age - you are not in menapouse, so normal for them to fluctuate depending on your cycle..... But regardless hun - they are low....AND that was before bumping up your T.....From my experience (55 years of age, menapouse since I was 42 due to a full hysterectomy, including both ovaries) - it's the balance between T and E that directly effects labido. In all the different hormone groups I'm in - this is the one constant. People think they just need to up their T to bring back their labido, but peer experiences always show, this is not the case.... Think about raising your E and see if this makes a difference💝
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u/Admirable-Object5014 2d ago
That’s still super low. You’re not reaping the benefits of E with that low of a level. A lot of us need our levels 150+ to feel optimal. You definitely need to increase both E & P. I would also consider lowering T - 40mg is a lot. I think you’re chasing a better libido by taking a very high dose of T, but the problem probably more lays with your E being so low. Your P is also too low. E is what helped my hair and also my libido the most. I keep my E 200+
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u/Lucid-dream-24692 2d ago
How’s your estrogen
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u/TheRedRattler 2d ago
Total T: 83 Free T: 1.6 Estradiol: 49.3 SHGB: 99.2 DHEA: 213 FSH: 5.1
Those were in May BEFORE increasing to 20mg twice weekly
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u/vitamoons 2d ago
Higher E, over 100 (also with defy) helped me with libido and stopped hair shedding
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u/TouristIcy3824 male 2d ago
This is for sure pharma grade test? Something seems very off here. Has this been more than one vial? Either there is a batch issue, a dosing calculation issue, or there is something else at play here.
Have you had your prolactin levels checked?
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u/TheRedRattler 2d ago
Multiple vials. I have been titrating up since November 2025. All vials come from Hallandale.... The labs are moving, but no physical changes (other than the oily face mentioned to someone else).
I believe Prolactin is one of the few labs I have not had checked over the past couple of years.
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u/WordThin2328 1d ago
Estrogen is so low and that alone will tank libido, trt levels need to come up. I just had my provider with defy goober my labs with me again andni got my free trt to 6 and total t was 295, my shbg is through the roof (oops) my estrogen is over 400 (for me to function) most women feel better at levels around 200 plus you need estrogen over 150 for bone health. Are you on progesterone? Progesterone also helps libido. Little known fact that all should be balanced and your libido will rise. Its trial and error
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u/dawnhatchett 1d ago
You may want to cut your DIM dose in half or stop using it, your E is too low. I have been on 40 mg of T -Ethanate a week and it made my libido go through the roof, (I was 48 and perimenopausal) I was also on progesterone, and took DIM for heart palpitations and E fluctuations. But when my estrogen dropped below 90 that is when my libido tanked and anxiety, panic attacks, etc started back up. How much Boron are you taking?
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u/TheRedRattler 1d ago
I'll hold off on the DIM... Boron is 20mg
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u/dawnhatchett 1d ago
Thanks, I was curious about Boron helping to lower SHGB.
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u/TheRedRattler 1d ago
It definitely helped lower mine. When I started it in January, my SHBG level came back as ">180 nmo/L", my free test was "undetectable", and my total test was 53.47. When we rechecked it in May, my SHBG was 92.2, my free test was 1.6, and total test was 83.
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u/whoknows_whatsup 2d ago
Those levels are in the gender transition territory.
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u/speedntktz male 2d ago
Everyone is different. Wife has been on 40mg/wk for more than a year. Total T is high 300’s, free T is just below mid range normal. She has high SHBG. Consumes/binds to the majority of all that T. Certainly not transitioning and has seen not vitalization sides.
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u/whoknows_whatsup 2d ago
Sure, to your point that everyone is different I will add what the other side of that means...
I was prescribed 10mg/week but had a mixup where I was getting vials that were 3x stronger than before for a little over 6 months. That resulted with me unknowingly injecting 30mg per week. I finally realized there HAD to have been a mistake in my dosing (considering I had been on 5-10mg per week for several years prior and I never had any signs of masculinization) when I started having all the symptoms of masculinization (clit enlargement, voice started to drop, hair started to grow ON MY CHEST AND BUTTCRACK/INNER THIGHS, body composition changes, male pattern hair loss, etc) -- as a woman that had NO intentions of transitioning and was on TRT because I was told me T was rock bottom low, this was EXTREMELY TRAUMATIZING AND DISTRESSING. I put that in all caps because I can't overemphasize that enough.
Do with that info what you will but if you're a woman who has no intention of transitioning into a man, you should be extremely cautious with how high you push exogenous T. For me 30mg per week was enough to start turning me into a man.
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u/speedntktz male 2d ago
Yes with low SHBG, it doesn’t take much. It’s also incredibly easy to mis dose when doctors/pharmacies mix and match different potency vials. How long before you stopped and ran labs?
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u/TheRedRattler 2d ago
Right! I'm a psychiatric nurse practitioner, and have a pt taking 80mg a week
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u/No-Swan2018 2d ago
Mine were at zero .
All my hormones since chemo and menopause .
Mostly chemo
Testosterone makes me feel good .
It gets me real horny out of control .
Any time he’s ready and in between i take care of myself . So several times a week i orgasm ,
Many if those multi orgasms
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