Low Testosterone problem

[purpleozzie]

Hi guys,

I need your advice. I am 38, otherwise healthy apart from the fact that since the age of becoming sexually active I have suffered from impotency, sometimes it worked, most of the time it didn't. A long with this I have had constant fatigue, brain fog, Muscle aches, anxiety, depression, irritability. I waited until I was 28 before I seeked help. Had the blood tests, all came back normal, so was prescribed Cialis, which at first worked now is a little bit hit and miss. When Viagra came off patent I tried that as it was cheaper but that didn't work at all. I have decided that I want to find out the root cause as nothing seems to help. So I had anopther blood test, which again came back as normal. This time I asked for a copy of the results..

Low testosterone seems to fit the bill, my levels were 12.6nmol/L which equates to 363 ng/dl.. This is within normal levels but looking on the internet they say that anything under 400/500 could cause problems. according to one website under 400 will cause hormonal hell..

I think I need hormonal replacement therapy however how do I talk my doctor into this when my levels in their eyes are normal...

Do you guys think I need HRT??

[growerJoe]

I am 10ng/dl higher than you at 30 years old.
I am attempting the natural route. I've dropped 50lbs and have had massively improved my EQ.
An average doctor will tell you that you are in the normal range. Find a testosterone specialist and a urologist and work with them.
Next month I will be having my levels checked again to see what improvements I have made.

[purpleozzie]

I eat healthyish, I am 14stone at 6ft1, well build, even though I am high on BMI most people would consider me quite lean and not much fat only 11% and go to the gym quite a lot. So there's not really many other lifestyle changes I can make. The test was also taken first thing in the morning when levels should be at their highest.. Should I go to my doctor and get referred to a urologist?

[TheZZMan]

HRT may help, but it won't be the save-all you think it is. It will help with the depression and sluggishness, but the erectile issues may still need discussions. I am on HRT and still struggle at times. There is a big mental component that I need to get past as my brain likes to think of everything else at the wrong times. Maintaining focus is my biggest challenge.

[Big Al]

Something not often discussed is mindset can affect hormone levels. Negative emotional stress induces the release of cortisol- a catabolic hormone. This effect can also increase the susceptibility of other diseases like diabetes.

[Pegasus]

I eat healthyish, I am 14stone at 6ft1, well build, even though I am high on BMI most people would consider me quite lean and not much fat only 11% and go to the gym quite a lot. So there's not really many other lifestyle changes I can make. The test was also taken first thing in the morning when levels should be at their highest.. Should I go to my doctor and get referred to a urologist?

Your test is on the low side and most docs would not recognise it including many urologists.

Huh there are a slew of possible lifestyle changes . You covered weight training and bodyfat .
This partial list contains 100 methods of which 3 or 4 deal with how to get max test increase out of weight training .
https://www.pegym.com/forums/exercis...testerone.html

[rippem]

Most doctors Will tell you that your levels are fine FOR YOUR AGE. I take test and it does help with your sluggishness but depression? Lol..just don't know about that..I keep my levels high..I'm 46 years old and I keep mine around 1000..some doctors will tell you for my age 300 to 500 is good..Lmao maybe for a old guy! I have good insurance and they don't cover test on the insurance and it's pretty pricey if you get it from the pharmacy..it runs after tax 97 dollars for 5cc..test is important for all types of reasons. And you can work out and do what ever else someone tells you to do to raise your natural test levels and the fact is you can only do so much to raise it..and it no matter what you can't Rais it to the point your gonna see a difference. There is no substitute for test. I used to get a script from my doc and got tired of paying the prices..and to make sure my levels were always were he wanted them to be I had to play games with the test to get it to lower for my blood test so he kept giving it to me..I would take anadrol 50 to lower my test levels but would give me crazy strength gains..if you took 1cc, of test a week you will see a difference in your sexual performance and strength and it's a low does were you could stay on it year round..but you would need anti estrogen pills or forma, to keep them in check..I probably spelt forma wrong..lol. sorry..you want test anthenate 1cc a week..if you lived in IL I could give you a doctor to go to..

[purpleozzie]

I actually live in the UK so I think I'll be able to get it on the NHS if I can talk the doctor into writing me a prescription.. If I'm honest with the Doc about how I'm feeling do you think they would prescribe it to me?

[AlpineNewt]

Have you tried zinc supplements? They helped me a lot, especially when I used to do a lot of exercise.

You said you go to the gym plenty, could you be overdoing it? It certainly sounds a lot how I used to feel when I went to the gym and put in well over an hour's cardio throughout my late teens and my twenties.

[Saskman]

i am 32 and started testosterone replacement therapy last year with clomid, this year is switched to test-e and hcg.

i was diagnosed with venous leak, which i had since i was 16 at least.

test ranged from 7-11 without drugs, also subclinical hypothyroidism.

hypothyroidism mimicks nearly all symptoms of hypogonadism (low test), so check your tsh and if possible t3 and t4 as well.

how long have you been suffering for? for me it was most of my life, still not sure of the cause but we are waiting for an MRI referral to check for a tumor.

you need to get repeat testing done to confirm the low t and then find a competent knowledgeable doctor who can assist you and will not tell you that you are perfectly normal with those levels.