(03-06-2014, 04:41 AM)ClaraKay Wrote: Okay, thanks for the details. Puts things in proper context.
Doing HRT for 2.5 years will certainly destroy your male sexual function unless you take preventative steps. You say you are unable to achieve an erection anymore, even with physical and visual stimulation. That's not good, obviously, if you want to have sex as a man.
My advice is to see a doctor and have your serum total testerostone and free testosterone tested. Your doctor will prescribe a drug to boost your T back to normal levels. You'll also want to discontinue NBE for a time to allow your body to restore male sexual function. The whole process could take months. When your testes have recovered to the point of again producing testosterone, you should be able to stop the T medicine.
Eventually, you can go back on PM for NBE. To maintain male function, however, you have to take regular breaks to temporarily raise your T levels. It's during these breaks that you should be able to reach orgasm, although the amount of semen may be greatly reduced.
Clara
I don't want to rain on anyone's parade here, and as an ancillary medical provider myself this may seem strange, but I wouldn't go see your regular doc, or even an endocrinologist about this. Their primary response and possibly their only response will be supplementation with exogenous testosterone. Paradoxically, this will shut down your testicles faster than PM or even estradiol. And if used long enough, permanently.
The only medication I have been able to find that increases free T levels is Clomid which works by tricking the pituitary-gonad axis to secrete more FSH which in males stimulates the testicles to produce more T. It is easily available from overseas pharmacies. The reason your doctor will almost certainly NOT prescribe this for you (and will try to get you to use Testosterone cream, which is fiendishly expensive AND shuts down your natural supply to boot, nearly guaranteeing you will be buying it for life) is that it is considered an 'off label' usage to prescribe it for men. It's approved for use in women who are having trouble conceiving. The only studies with male subjects were specifically intended to increase the possibility of conceiving a child with their partner. Since you are neither female nor wanting children, I seriously doubt a regular physician will help you.
The suggestions so far seem pretty good and the only addition I would make, is actually progesterone cream. Progesterone can easily be converted into testosterone in males and is routinely recommended for older men who seem to have developed estrogen dominance symptoms as their natural T production dropped with age.
Also, just as many foods seem to promote estrogenic function in the body, there are foods that seem to promote testosterone production. You can google that yourself.
I would combine dietary changes that support testosterone production, exercise (such as high intensity interval training), the herbs already recommended and if you want medication, then get some Clomid online. Of course you could always see your doc and even ask for Clomid once your T levels are known to be low and see what they say. But consider their recommendations with heavy skepticism as most physicians DO NOT have much knowledge of the endocrine system.
Good luck and don't despair. I can't be sure, but I would guess (based on my own experience) that you haven't permanently destroyed your ability to achieve an erection.