How Much Testosterone is Too Much

[scottsdaleprincess]

Hi, my husband has been on testosterone injections for two years. It has been a pure living hell. The doctors have experimented with him with different levels. He is currently taking 50mg of the testosterone injections twice a week. His total testosterone as of the last lab draw was 750 on the third day. The shots have completely changed his personality, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He is now really moody and mean and this is not who he truly is. It has been a horrible roller coaster ride. He is going back to the doctor this week to discuss this, but he really does not see that he has any problems with this. Have you seen other people on the shots that have such a traumatic change in personality? What is a good level where a man still has a sex drive but doesn't act like a cave man?

[tkd4u2]

Well I've only been on the injection for about 7 weeks. I've read that the mood swings are obviously different to each person. I've noticed myself that around the last two days before my next injection my moods swing to the poor side but not too bad really.

I mainly went on testosterone to help with my extreme lethargy. My sex drive was ok but I did have problems with ejaculation quite frequently. After taking the injections for this length of time now, the sex issues have disappeared in fact, have increased so my wife tells me to settle down!  But my general energy levels haven't come up that much so I'm concerned why.  I'm just missing that extra umph to get up and do things. Maybe that will increase over time.

[rmprdl1964]

Hi,

I have been on monthly testosterone shot for the last 7 hears now. My reason for being on the shots was after having seen a urologist in regards to sexual dysfunction.
It was found that my testosterone levels were low. After a few months my sexual problems in the form of ED did not improve and the urologist put me on Caverject.
Another reason that testosterone replacement therapy was decided is the prevent problems with bone density and muscle tone.

I give the shots myself after I had been given the OK by the urologist. So far my wife and kids have not complained about mood swings. Part of this reason might be due to having numerous medicl problems and having learned to cope with things. I'm currently disabled and know that this has changed the way that I look at things. Previously my mood was effected since I had to deal with some real idiots of doctors. I have learned not to waste my time on them. While I was still working it effected me as I did not have the time to consult with these doctors in a normal manner. I only had coffee breaks and lunch time to get a hold of the specialist. Most of the time I was unable to speak to them and they would not disclose information to my wife, due to a so called privacy issue. I had even suggested a release to share medical information, but they refused to do so. Most of the times I was unable to talk with these doctor. Seeying them in person was another waste of time since they could only spent a certain amount of time per patient, so some issues were not discussed. I would have times with frustrations no knowing things regarding my own health. The mood swings from this were most definitely noticed by my wife and children.
I'm glad that I was able to come to a point where I did not let these doctors get in the way of how my life was being effecive. I now consider thes doctors idiots and have the family doctor refer me to a different specialist.
The funny part is that I had to end my career first in 2003 before this other urologist placed me on testosterone replacement therapy. My wife and children remarked on how much stress was relieved and how my moods had improved.

Even with testosterone effecting moods we as patients still have a choice as to how we deal with things. I have noticed other males, some of them friends (I now debate if they indeed are friends) behave completely different when they are out in public or hwo they behave in the work place. They behave in public and work because they realize that other people around them will not put up with their attitude (mood swings.) Once home or my wife and I being at their place, they are a completly different person form what we used to know them from work other public functions. At home to their wife and children they behave like complete jerks. Personal will power has a lot to do with this.

I most likely will need to be on testosterone for the rest of my life. In 2000 I lost my left testicle following a severe infection. I was born with undescended testes, the left one descended before I was one year old, the right however did not untill I was about 12.
When testosterone level were checked they were found to be quite low.

All the best.

Ron

[tjylk]

My husband started the testosterone injections last summer and was doing a lot better at first (more energy, no sex problems, etc),  Now he has become very moody, depressed, angry - all of this is everyone else's fault - as his testosterone levels climb.  I've been with him for 12 years and this is all new behavior for him. I am afraid for our marriage now as he doesn't see his behavior as a possible change due to what he is taking.  Any advice?

[stacey_prater_090854]

oh--my heart is aching right now because of the same thing. Our 12 year old daughter whispers " Daddy's home" as warning.  His reactions havent' been normal anger--it's waaaay over the top.  
   He wants to have sex more and that's great, but when I was too tired the other night he became very angry with me and raised his voice and stomped around like a big gorilla.... now THAT'S romantic......sheesh.. just go away!    Im so very sad, I might have to leave if this keeps up Weve been married 15years. I keep looking  all over the net for drug info re: testosterone cyprionate and mood.  Anger , Aggression, and mood swings are NOT listed as a common side effect.  

[HHC239]

Hi, I am relieved to know someone is experiencing the same thing that I am with my husband. My 13 and 11 year old say the same thing about their dad I as well have come to dread my husband coming home. It all started when he was dx with low testosterone and is prescribed injections 200mg 1 time per week that my father in law gives him a shot. He started taking shots about 4 years ago. It has been a downward spiral since. He is not the same person I once knew we have been married for 14 years. His mood swings are awful. He loses his temper easily and it is almost like a rage. He expects sex 5 or 6 times a week and gets angry and moody if he doesn't get what he wants. I have researched it and there are some sites that do list these side effects. I have tried many times to talk to him about it and he will not listen responds with do you know I could die from having low testosterone. I just wonder if it produces some kind of high effect they like. Please feel free to message or reply if you need someone to relate who is experiencing the same issues.

[GodlyMom221]

I've been experiencing the exact same thing. EXACT! I'm glad I'm not alone... but I'm not glad this is something we have to endure. I've asked my husband if he will discontinue the injections. We'll see how that goes...

[pyshie]

I have been taking Testosterone injections prescribed by Cenegenics for15 months.  At first, my sex drive was through the roof.  I also started a weight-lifting regimen and became very buff for a 56 year old.  I lost a lot of body fat and had a ton of energy.  I noticed (but chose to ignore) a change in my personality about 6 months ago.  And recently, I have been introverted, sad, moody and down-right rude to my friends and family.  I am going to call the doctor and talk about this.  And I believe it might be time to quit taking the injections.  

[Norm9]

Hi Princess,

I went through precisely what you are describing at age forty after a bilateral orchiectomy. The shots were the problem because they had me high on testosterone one week and low a week later. My wife complained that it was like I was constantly and repeatedly going through puberty. Things reached a happy medium only after she had a talk with my doctor. The dosage was evened out and the mood swings went away. You need to see the doctor who is prescribing testosterone and tell him what's happening. Then, he may be able to rectify the problem.

Like your husband, I didn't see a problem. My wife did, and after her talk with him I got more even moods on a lower dosage.

Hope this helps.

[epphllps]

I am experiencing this problem as well. I am young, 28, and have been on these shots since June 2013. I have been experiencing severe mood swings and have become someone I have never been. I am ruining the people around me and lost someone I care for very much. It did make me feel so much better as far as energy and such goes, but at this price I can't take it. I would rather be myself again than this negative person I have become. Losing something of this magnitude has drawn the line for me. I believe I'll have to look for alternative ways to feel better and avoid this route for the foreseeable future. This truly is a sad time in my life.

[Lowtwife2]

My story is so much like yours.  I was happily married for 15 years before my husband was diagnosed with "Low T" and given testosterone injections.  That was seven years ago and his moods and personality changes keep getting worse.  I explained the problem to his endocrinologist and that doctor told me that he doesn't do marriage counseling.  The general Practitioner wanted to increase his dose, the urologist was not concerned and said we should just keep getting the PSA tests, the naturopathic did recognize that he has been testing too high on testosterone levels, but didn't suggest any changes.  We are trying a new endocrinologist next month, but my expectations of getting help from the medical community are getting pretty low. I too have searched the internet for answers but almost all was pro-testosterone until the testosterone heart attack and stroke lawyers started advertising.  I am so happy to find this blog to confirm that it isn't just me.

I am hoping you other wives and testosterone patients that have had trouble with testosterone are still involved in this blog.  I am hopeful that if enough of us could put our experiences together, we could find some answers to this.

LowTwife.

[MSL123]

I am experiencing the same thing since my husband started taking testosterone injections for low T.  It is getting progressively worse.  He is more aggressive and the mood swings are bad.  I just don't know what to do.  I have tried talking to him about it but he gets furious and says it is my fault.  This is not how he used to be.  We have been married for a long time but I just cannot imagine continuing to live like this.  It almost seems like he is addicted to the stuff.  When I say anything about the change, he really becomes so angry.  I never know who he is going to be from day to day.  He used to be  pretty even tempered person.  I just wish I knew what to do.  I thought about calling his doctor but if he finds out he will be livid.   I just can't believe what this medication has done to our lives.

[Norm9]

Not sure what options for testosterone replacement are available these days because I've been totally off it for a few years. I don;t have the sex drive I used to but it's no longer at the top of my priority list, and I'm more comfortable without it.

I don't know if oral testosterone is still available, but it's what I was put on when the shots, and their side effects, became too much for my wife to handle. Like your men, I was having chronic puberty problems. The oral medication cured that and the mood swings disappeared. I was on Androgel for a time, but there is a caveat about that. Being a topical testosterone it can rub off on your wife while being intimate and cause her problems. I know of one woman who was so affected. Perhaps a consultation with your husband's urologist would be in order. We had to work with mine for a time to find what was right for me.

I'm willing to post any information I have available that may be of help so don't be shy to ask.

Norm

[shortgirl1979]

Can u post what you know about the shot please

[Norm9]

"One thing I notice in many of the posts here, is that the wife notices a big change in the husbands personality or mood for the worse after an injection, but the husband using the testosterone seems to think the time period right after he takes the injection is when he is happiest and at his best."

That's right on target Oregon. Testosterone provides a lift and a feeling of well being. I didn't recognize it till my wife broached the subject. Then I began to realize I was 'going through puberty' frequently.

I would suggest you have a conference with his doctor; just the two of you. If your hubby isn't there you can get better information on how to correct the situation.

[Norm9]

Keep us posted how things work out.

[Elbow512]

Thanks so much for the resources you've shared. My sweetheart has been on T-injections for about 3 months now, and I have been searching and searching for information regarding elevated T-count and irritability/aggressiveness/mood swings, and I've not found much. We have been together for about 9 years, and he is a very sweet, loving, generous man, but - lately - he is extremely moody, and it is definitely affecting our relationship. (BTW: his count went from 270 to 711 and is probably higher now). Unfortunately, as some of the other commenters have noted, he is "like Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" and never feels he's at fault for his outbursts or overreactions. It seems much worse with alcohol - I wonder if anyone else noticed this.

I am considering reaching out to his doctor. Thanks to you and to every one else for all of the advice and resources.

What's the name of the book your husband was reading?

Thanks again,
Elbow512

[MSL123]

I posted back a couple of months ago and the problems are getting worse.  My husband is acting like a 14 year old boy.  He is distracted easily, easy to anger, and is very irritated that I am not responding like he thinks I should to his groping and aggressive behavior.  He is always irritated, whether it is at me, people at work, traffic, etc.  I have begged him to stop taking the stuff but he says his doctor knows better than me and he likes the way he feels.  I would love to know if any men on this forum can suggest something that might help me change his mind.  I really think he is addicted to it.  I feel like there is no reasoning with him.  And, for the first time in decades, I think he may have an affair because he thinks he is a teenager again, and I am not nor do I want to be.  Is this stuff addicting?  Can you come off of it and return to normal?  Can my life ever be the same?  

[Norm9]

You need to have a one-on-one with his doctor without your husband present. Explain to him what is happening and he can adjust the dosage accordingly.

As I stated in a previous post, I've been through that and my wife caught on to it before I did. I was on shots, and the doctor switched me to an oral testosterone that made things much smoother. I've been totally off testosterone for several years and not certain oral medication is available.

It will be worth your time to have this conversation with his doctor.

[Norm9]

Post those questions. They may be of help to someone. The more information, the better.

[Norm9]

Good questions, all, and I remember going through some of the things they describe. My wife was much more in touch than I was at the time. She described me as 'going through puberty every month'. Fortunately, violence and possessiveness weren't among the things she had to put up with. We had a good rapport, and when she pointed them out to me I realized some adjustments needed to be made in my dosage. Things got ironed out in a couple of months.

In retrospect, it was tough being a teenager when I was 45. LOL.

[Norm9]

Well, Oregon,

I'm somewhat at a loss for words about the lack of cooperation you're receiving from his doctor. Ours was quite cooperative, but we both had been his patients for several years prior. The numbers do appear to place your husband  in the normal range. I would hazard a guess that the best option at the moment is to wait the two months and keep written track of developments and changes along the way.

Something you haven't mentioned is your husband's age or whether he's in a stressful occupation. I wonder if he could have a situation at work he's not willing to discuss. Bad things happening there could account for the anger. That, however, is a topic for a different discussion. If you don't feel comfortable sharing, I will understand.

That's the best I can offer at the moment.

[Soulhelp3]

Thank you so very much for this forum!  Out of desperation, I myself looked on the web for help and "proof" that my husband' s change in personality, mood swings, anger, disrespectful attitude towards sex, etc., etc., etc., were associated with the injections of testosterone that he has been taking for 2 years now.  He is 50, I am 46, and after 25 years of marriage, there is a horrible and painful harm in our marriage due to his low T that was treated by gel, then injection, then gel, back now to injection as perceived and poorly monitored by a physician.  Thankfully, my husband recognizes this, and he is scaling back his injections with the hopes of discontinuing all together. I wonder if anyone on this forum can testify that they themselves, or there spouse had a vasectomy prior to needing the Testosterone.  I feel that there is a correlation, but no physician would dare comment other than emphatically stating that there is none. Thank you all for sharing, as I have been able to breath a sigh of relief knowing that I am not alone.

[Norm9]

I had a vasectomy when I was around thirty but did not notice any changes.

[Soulhelp3]

Thank you so very much Norm9 for commenting.  Below are some articles that seem to support my theory.  In my case, my husband also suffered from stress, on BP meds, Cholesterol meds, diuretics, and of course this can create an environment of depression which can in fact lower testosterone production. However, the marked drop mostly occurred post-vasectomy. I have no numbers to prove this since his T levels were not checked by a physician prior to the vasectomy, I am only going on what I observed from a wife's point of view.  Taking the testosterone in any of the forms ( gels/ injections) makes a marked difference in his behavior.  He exhibits ALL of the descriptions above mentioned by Oregonbeekeeper, with the exception of a few, and the survey was incredibly accurate.  My husband usually manifests his symptoms on the 5th or 6th day after the injection, and the symptoms last for no less than 3 days.....sometimes longer.  He was taking .5 ML every 10 days, but just this week changed to .25 every 5-7 days to see if it makes a difference.  Yesterday was day 5 post injection, and like clockwork, the symptoms are there.  He scheduled himself for a vasectomy reversal in the hopes of returning to a healthy state, and eventually off the T all together.  I hope and pray for his success.


http://www.testosteroneproblems.com/causes-of-low-levels-of-testosterone-in-men/

http://www.vasectomy-information.com/moreinfo/fahey.htm

https://www.gynecomastia.org/smf/1/vasectomy-linked-to-low-testosterone-and-gyne/?wap2

[Norm9]

Not quite sure what to add at this point. I read the articles Southelpl3 posted but don't agree with all their findings. That said, I've only my own experience to go on and can't speak for other men. It is subjective for each of us so we will likely see it differently. I do, however, believe there is a psychological aspect.

Of medical necessity I was on testosterone for fifteen years. When I decided to get off it I went through all the symptoms of a woman going through menopause. It did give me some understanding of how women feel about that. Despite the uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing hot flashes I didn't have any other problems that I recall. I'm now comfortable without the testosterone and simply plan on aging gracefully. I do not know any other men who are in the same boat I am so I can't compare notes with anyone. The information you ladies have presented has given me some insight to how other men perceive the situation.