Finally get to see the Endo tomorrow

[theguy9129]

Finally after 2-3 months of back and forth with the Va I get to see the end tomorrow. I have a few questions for you guys again and any tips or tricks to get what I need from the endo would be appreciated. Little background info I am 29 and was diagnosed with Low T I was at 210 and 173. Went on patches against my wishes but I did feel an upward spike in energy, libido, foggyness gone etc. After 4 weeks I was only at 234 with free at 8.4, but overall did feel better. Finally went on Test E 100 per week again for about two weeks felt the upward trend. After 4-5 weeks I had lost 12-13lbs and was about 15-20lbs away from where i was. Well about week 6-7 I felt a downward spiral and magically gained 8lbs back and am now after 10-12 weeks right back to where I weighed, with mental foggyness gone and libido still there but fatigue started in a little, and sleeping has been horrible.

With the weight gain I know some of it has to do with my muscles tightening up but my face feels bloated, and does my gut. And I get bloated feeling after eating a granola bar. I did switch to every 6 days and now do 140mg per week for the last three weeks and seems to have cut my fatigue a little.


I got a blood test about a week ago on everything, I can see some results online but not all is there and curios to where my T level is and E levels. My prolactin is within range about high middle, FSH was 3.6(1.4-13.6 range) and LH was 5.2(.57-12.07 range) before TRT.. The blood test that I jsut did have did show low CO2 levels, does this mean anything, also on creatine I was within range but was at .8 out of a .7-1.4 range, these two mean anything. Also I was high cholesterol before testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) but since being on it my levels have dropped 40 points, but Triglicerides have raised 18 points.

I must say overall I do feel better than 3 months ago when this started, brain fog is gone, libido is through the roof at times and overall higher, my junk is bigger well besides my balls. But I dont even feel 50% better anymore.

 

[theguy9129]

I guess good and bad news after today. I went in to the endo at the Va some good news and bad news. total T is now 634 up from 234. Estradiol 52 out of a 7.6-42 range. LH and FSH are getting lower almost below range or already below range which is to be expected. Question though prolactin is now a 22 and high what does that mean, it was middle range before testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) started.

Good news is levels are rising, bad news I went in today wanting to get an Aromatase inhibitor (AI) and HCG. As for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) endo didnt disagree but the Uro does that for the Va and she ordered a sperm analysis, so well see on that. As for Aromatase inhibitor (AI) she told me not to worry about it yet. Bad news she took me off Test E and on to Androgel. Which Im not a fan, but if androgel is anything like the patches which I hated really bad and due to adhesion created ups and down. But the overall I lost the most weight and felt the best on the patches, so beyond the pain of everyday thing, if they work better I dont care.

She also ordered a Ferratin(spelling) test and a Cortisol 24hour urine test. So what it kind of sounds like the GP I had the right idea but didnt check everything first and the endo is kind of back tracking. the endo also ordered an MRI for next week which was never done.

So needless to say I will have all test done in the next week and have a blood test in 4 weeks. I guess we will go from there. Still ping ponging around, but at least were doing everything were supposed to now.

 

[THE-DET-OAK]

Ferritin has to do with Iron and honestly she is checking that stuff to make sure nothing is going to change in your values, the problem is when you go on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) shit changes.

Now she probably read some book or something on how the number one thing to watch for when prescribing testosterone is elevated HH numbers ( Hemo )

Fact is it usually happens to everyone on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) but when a well know doc, Morgentaler, from Harvard looked at the available data he could not find one person who had stroke or heart attack from it. So its one of those things. There is lots you can do to control these numbers but she is clueless cause she probably has only done this a time or 2.

Now the reason she put you back on gel is cause your numbers came back high so she is bringing you down. She did this cause someone has informed her that anything on the high range is bad for you, this is an assumption drawn from research on BB'ers mega dosing these meds, so again she is green.

So this endo is going to keep doing this with you , I have seen it a thousand times, she will get so wound up in what your numbers are ( even though lab testing is far from accurate at this point ) instead of treating your symptoms like every single other medical issue is treated.

You will go back and forth and every time she adjust's your protocol something else will change and she will adjust further leading you into a circle of feeling like shit over and over again.

I hate to be debbie downer on this but some of us have been on this board for years and you guys don't realize its a cycle, we have seen 100 of you in this exact position before.

I doubt she checked creatine it was probably your creatinine levels to see how your kidneys were functioning, hopefully its not high cause she will freak out again not realizing that many men who weight lift and are active have a tendency to carry high creatinine levels since muscle is broken down by the kidneys.

So to you maybe its sounds like she is doing everything right, to me it sounds like she doesn't know here ASS from a hole in the ground.

This irritates me so badly cause these docs playing Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) specialist drag you through the mud for months, telling you they know what they are doing when in all actuality your are in a long line of guinea pigs.............and they are just learning testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on you.

Just keeping it real man.

 

[theguy9129]

Thanks for the info. creatine has been checked a few times and is normal. As for my t level it wasnt high compared to the range it was about middle high in the range. But her reason from going to gel is she said its not as hard on the body things like the liver etc and is the most stable form she has found, meaning you get it everyday vs getting a shot and waiting like a kid for xmas for your next shot. But your probably right, but I guess well see.

She did point out that there she is starting to see a trend in rescent vets coming back that have low T with really no explanation.

But well give it till that first blood test in August and if the same back and forth is going on, I will use my private insurance and try that route.

Question if I can get the T and the blood test through the Va, is there anyway to get an Aromatase inhibitor (AI) or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) through the internet, if so how much per month.

 

[THE-DET-OAK]

yea man you can do that, contact IMT. Prices will be on an individual basis based on the Dr rec.

I will have to blast her one more time for the gel being stable, it is actually the least stable and has a tendency to convert to estrogen after being on it for some time. On top of that you never now how much of what you rub on you will actually get, its different every single time, so stability is out the window with that stuff. Im not saying you can't make it work, but the whole idea of injections is a better overall for stability.

On top of that who told her it was bad on the liver? High testosterone is not bad for you, otherwise we would have a bunch of ill 20 year olds running around. Thats the first thing she has to get out of her head.

Good Luck

 

[theguy9129]

thanks well see. Ill check back in, in a few weeks after rest of these test are done and I get my first blood test done in 4 weeks. Like I said ironically enough I felt the best on patches but it had the lowest t level so far compared to injections and I was only at 234, but i suppose my E level wasnt as high at that point and my own system hadnt shut down yet, not to mention the I was really pushing for injections so the day before I didnt wear a patch and that night slept less on purpose so I suppose that number was probably a little off. Dont get me wrong I wanted to keep the shots and i just may have to find another way. Either way I have a new bottle of it and can pin for another 5-6 weeks if I wanted, lol. Maybe Ill use that as mini cycle someday when i get everything straight.



Its just frustrating because it seems as if all docs are different and the best info I have found is on here but even then there is a lot of variability. Whats funny about this doctor though is she more concerned with how I felt and symptoms vs numbers, which is usually the opposite.

 

[THE-DET-OAK]

that is a good thing, keep stressing that you want to do what it takes to get rid of the symptoms.

 

[theguy9129]

Been on Androgel for a week now. I can definitely tell that I will need to bump up from 2 pump to probably 4 but that will have to wait till my first lab in 3 weeks. One postive is my bloat feeling is gone in face and chest/stomach area. Negative I have more of that itchy burn feeling in face an nipples than before, have a call in to the doc basically demanding to try a low dose of Aromatase inhibitor (AI) to start.

Overall the androgel isnt to bad it dries quick, but the part of having to mess with it every day I do not like and having to remember to wait an hour or two before getting wet, lotions etc. And having to wait 6-8hours before playing with the Mrs otherwise a shower first.

Anybody have any other ideas supplement wise to bring your balls back. Not that I had them but i always liked the look of big ones, but it would be nice to get mine back as I would guess they have shrunk 30-40%. Doc had me to a swimmer test and upon that will send me to the URO who gives out the HCG. but knowing the Va that will be 1-2 months down the road.

I would like to say I am making progress but im really not but I think Im at least making progress towards a better diagnosis, the GP started me on T without completing the MRI and without even examining the junk. The 24hr Cortisol Jug test goes in today and MRI should be within the month. After all of those and Im not getting anywhere I will be calling my private GP and or somebody like an IMT. For now I do overall feel better than I did 3 months ago, mental fog has been gone 100% libido is up probably 50% and spikes at like 200% sometimes. Fatigue and motivation up but would say marginally improved. I did lose 12lbs but gained it all back mainly to what I think was because of HIGH E. BUt I am hoping in the next 2-3 weeks Ill be on 4 pumps with the Gel and have an Aromatase inhibitor (AI).

HCG sounds like something I want at least something that I will want to have in the next 6-12 months for a period of time as its time to get the wife pregnant. It seems as if there are benefits but from reading a lot of times it seems HCG is just another part of equation and can cause higher E problems and equals more pain of adding more T or an Aromatase inhibitor (AI) to the mix. really after the wife gets pregnant and I feel great the less medication the better in my mind, if I had to deal with smaller balls then I guess whatever. But for now having kids and the aches Im getting in them is less than desirable. I guess I could come off T while working on the wife, how long does this stuff take to leave the system and natural system to kick back in.

 

[theguy9129]

I must also add that after being on the GEL after a week join pain in the ankles has disapeared. But I can tell that two pumps is not enough, but well wait till Aug 7th to bump it up.