Could TRT be my solution ? Advice !!

[mr2ster]

Hi all , New to this site , but have been researching the use of test in treatment of depression for a while but have not pursued it as Dr's say my levels r normal.
However I recently made an appointment at a clinic in Perth to have my Levels checked and was startled to find that my Test was on the borderline of being low.
I've been taking SSRI's for around 8 yrs and at first they eased my symptoms of anxiety/depression . However I have never been "Happy" .
I Have no energy and always feel tired and can easily sleep for 1-2 hrs after lunch , My moods are terrible and my libido is -10. I am also finding it hard to loose the fat building up around my guts and tits.
My results are as follows

Test 10.6nmol/l Range 10-35 (306ng/ml Range 288-1010)
SHGB 26nmol/l Range 10-50
calculated
free Test 230 Range 225-725
FAI 40.8 Range 20-160
FSH 4 U/L (<9)
LH 1U/L (<8)
Oestradiol 310 pmol/L (<190) ( 84pg/ml (<51pg/ml)

what is my best course of action , the DR at the clinic prescribed me ANDROFORTE 5 cream to rub on my balls (50mg T/ml) but the owner of the centre recommended I try Arimidex 0.5mg twice weekly .
Any opinions/advise would be much appreciated .


Thanks

 

[Megatron28]

It looks like you have Secondary Hypogonadism. Read the Basic TRT Overview sticky thread in this forum to learn more about that.

I am surprised how high your estradiol is given how low your TT is. That is unusual.

How old are you? I want to hold off on giving out advice until I know that. And when ia the last time you tried going off your SSRI? They are known to lower TT.

Did you check prolactin and TSH?

 

[PrinceDianabol]

It looks like you have Secondary Hypogonadism. Read the Basic TRT Overview sticky thread in this forum to learn more about that.

I am surprised how high your estradiol is given how low your TT is. That is unusual.

How old are you? I want to hold off on giving out advice until I know that. And when ia the last time you tried going off your SSRI? They are known to lower TT.

Did you check prolactin and TSH?

This^ Also, whats your body fat percentage (roughly)?

 

[IMT staff]

Yup should solve a lot of your issues

Edit: Barring age of course.

 

[mr2ster]

I am 40 years old and started taking ssri's at 32 , was always slim 78kg but since starting the meds weight has crept up to 92kg despite doing a very physical job.
Had a Prolactin test in june 2012 , don't know if it is significant but results where
Prolactin 351mlU/L (86-324)
Cortisol 614nmol/L (171-536)
Test 360ng/dl

I feel like I am carrying around 10kg of extra fat I don't need.

Tried to stoptaking the ssri's a couple times but always ended up on a higher dose but don't feel like they really work , just sort of blunt the symptoms

 

[Megatron28]

I suspect the SSRI is causing your prolactin to be too high. High prolactin in turn can lower testosterone. High prolactin should not be ignored.

I would suggest you not start TRT. Taking a daily dose of Arimidex would probably be better. About 1mg daily. See the following study.

Effects of aromatase inhibition in elderly men with low or borderline-low serum testosterone levels. - PubMed - NCBI

In the meantime, you need to get off the SSRI.. See a psychologist and begin Cognitive Behavioral Therapy so that you can wean yourself off the SSRI. They are good crutches for a short period, but not a long term solution in my personal opinion. Hopefully you can get off the SSRI and then not require the Arimidex anymore.

Make sure to get some calcium while on Arimidex.

 

[mr2ster]

Been and done the Phsychologist and CBT thing , at one stage I was so confident I could get off I actually got down to the lowest dose before the train wreck .
When I was put on these meds not 1 blood test was done until I saw a Phsychiatrist in 2012 , he said all was ok lets add another med from a different class !!!!!!!!!! No thanks .


Looking at the level of LH being 1U/L would this be considered low and what would cause this ?

 

[Megatron28]

Glad to hear it worked so well. Sounds like you just need to start it up again and/or use the coping "skills" you learned in your therapy.

 

[mr2ster]

It didn't work well , had many more sessions after that and tried different Psychologists , the coping skills sound so great when you're not the one trying to cope ..

 

[Megatron28]

It didn't work well , had many more sessions after that and tried different Psychologists , the coping skills sound so great when you're not the one trying to cope ..

You need to figure out how to get off the SSRI's. Don't you see what they are doing to you? They are a crutch that you have turned into an 8-year-wheel-chair.

Why are you on the SSRI? What happens when you stop taking them? What is your diagnosis?

 

[younggunz112]

I've been on an SSRI before for PTSD, depression, and anxiety, so I know the issues you're dealing with are real. I'm off them now, but it took some major life changes to get me there. The symptoms you have from those things are every bit as real as those that come from Low T...which we're all here for.

 

[mr2ster]

I've never been totally off , the "discontinuation" is worse than the original symptoms . I was diagnosed as having Generalized Anxiety/Depression , the psychiatrist I have been seeing most recently concluded that my social anxiety when I was younger (I was shy) escalated to general anxiety and has caused depression . I have never been confident (had big balls ) when it came to meeting new people or confrontation , though I practised martial arts for years and am more than capable too handle myself , Tai Chi is more my thing now.

I became interested in T from a newspaper article about men with depression being successfully treated with T and not requiring AD's , so after suggesting this to GP and Psychiatrist did not pursue until now when I decided to do more investigating and found that my T was low and that many guys have had excellent results . my GP stated that "you will stop producing you're own and possibly damage your liver" I said to him "so what if my balls shrink they are only decorations at the moment"

My plan was to see if T could help with my moods and energy levels, loose fat and gain muscle, and allow me to taper off the Zoloft.
If a Shot in the but every 6 weeks makes me feel good/normal/awesome I will b more than happy.

By the way I haven't turn them into a Wheelchair , the initial Dr who prescribed the Paroxetine to me said It would be for life anxiety is genetic !!!!!
a few clonazepams probably would have cleared my head and allowed me to see the forrest for the tree's so to speak allowing me to "reset"

 

[Megatron28]

Once every 6 weeks? Try twice a week for the rest of your life.

 

[mr2ster]

I'm in Australia were testosterone undecanoate is approved . recommended to have 1000mg (640mg test) at start then another shot at six weeks . The clinic provides a blood referral (we have medicare here, only have to pay for the testosterone) and asks that you have a test before next injection at 12 weeks or sooner if effects are wearing off to establish ideal Test levels.

I have a friend who has been injecting insulin for most of his life , seems to accept the fact , he now has a pump fitted in his abdomen.

I also have to wake up and go to work for the next 35 or so years and put the garbage out and take a shit everyday (though that allows some private time to read)

 

[PrinceDianabol]

I'm in Australia were testosterone undecanoate is approved . recommended to have 1000mg (640mg test) at start then another shot at six weeks . The clinic provides a blood referral (we have medicare here, only have to pay for the testosterone) and asks that you have a test before next injection at 12 weeks or sooner if effects are wearing off to establish ideal Test levels.

I have a friend who has been injecting insulin for most of his life , seems to accept the fact , he now has a pump fitted in his abdomen.

I also have to wake up and go to work for the next 35 or so years and put the garbage out and take a shit everyday (though that allows some private time to read)

I'm also Australian. Reandron is not to be injected every 6 weeks. Undecanoate is not that long of an ester. It should be pinned once per week. Your doctor, like a most doctors when it comes to TRT, is a moron... Whether he prescibes you that or not, I highly suggest dividing your dose by 6 and pinning once per week. Every 6 weeks will put you on a rollercoaster.

 

[IMT staff]

yea should do at least every 2 weeks with that one.

 

[mr2ster]

any recommendations on Perth Doctors ??