Had full blood work up done, doctor isn't going to do anything

[PsychoFox]

So I started another thread about a week ago about my growth hormone test results, found here:

https://steroidology.com/forum/men-general-health/693279-had-my-growth-hormone-levels-checked-confused-about-my-results.html


But I got my full blood work up results and I am going to post them here.

The back story:

I am 38 years old and I went to the doctor after I noticed I've lost 2 inches in height. I didn't check my height in more than 10 years so it came as quite a shock. I've had no medical conditions (than being severely vitamin D deficient for probably more than 10 years), no surgeries, and I've been on no medications at all. The way I discovered I was severely vitamin D deficient was I developed shingles when I was 32 years old and in search for the cause (by myself, the doctors had no interest in finding the cause they simply said it happens) I requested a vitamin D blood test after researching the subject for 2 months and linking the symptoms with possible cause, and it turned out I was right. It was low, very very low (9 ng/ml). The doctors were shocked how low it was and said they never would have tested my vitamin D levels because I wasnt a senior. I realized then that I probably had been that low for a long time because I worked long hours and worked indoors. So I immediately began high dose vitamin D3 supplementation (20,000 IU per day every day for 6 months). Got blood levels checked and my levels were within "acceptable" range, so I lowered it down to 10,000 IU per day every day and have been taking that amount for the last 6 years.

What happened:

When I realized I shrunk by 2 inches I called my GP and booked an appointment. He didn't believe me when I said I shrunk so they took measurements and confirmed I did in fact shrink by 2.03 inches compared to the last height measurement they had on record for me. So he requested a complete blood work up. I had to specifically request testosterone/hormone level testing because I had read that low T can cause height loss. I literally spent 4 hours one morning getting blood drawn for all of the test.


Here are the results:

TSH:           1.9 mIU/L    (Range: 0.32 - 4.00)
Free T4:       12 pmol/L    (Range: 9 - 19)
Free T3:       3.9 pmol/L   (Range: 3.1 - 6.2)
Reverse T3:    17 ng/dL     (Range: 8 - 25)



FSH:                   3.1 IU/L      (Range: 1.0 - 8.0)
LH:                    2.2 IU/L      (Range: 1.0 - 7.0)
DHEA-S:                9.9 umol/L    (Range: <15.0)
  - 9.9 umol/L = 3650 ng/mL
Total Testosterone:    11.1 nmol/L   (Range: 8.4 - 28.8)
  - 11.1 nmol/L = 319 ng/dL
Free Testosterone:     235 pmol/L    (Range: 196 - 636)
  - 235 pmol/L = 6.5 ng/dL
DHT:                   2400 pmol/L   (Range: 860 - 3406)
SHBG:                  29.3 nmol/L   (Range: 10.0 - 70.0)
Estradiol:             17 ng/dL      (Range: 8 - 25)
Estrone:               268 pmol/L    (No range given)


Growth Hormone hGH (all 8 samples):   <0.1 ug/L  (Range: <3.0)
   - 0.1 ug/L = 0.1 ng/dL


WBC:                    10.0 x E9/L   (Range: 4.0 - 11.0)
RBC:                    4.82 x E12/L  (Range: 4.50 - 6.00)
Hemoglobin:             150 g/L       (Range: 135 - 175)
Hematocrit:             0.43 L/L      (Range: 0.400 - 0.500)
MCV:                    89 fL         (Range: 80 - 100)
MCH:                    31.1 pg       (Range: 27.5 - 33.0)
MCHC:                   350 g/L       (Range: 305 - 360)
Platelets:              243 x E9/L    (Range: 150 - 400)
RDW:                    13.5 %        (Range: 11.5 - 14.5)
Ferritin:               162 ug/L      (Range: 22 - 275)
Folate:                 >2500 nmol/L  (Range: > 1186)
Vitamin B12:            509 pmol/L    (Range: 138 - 652)

Neutrophils:                        4.0 x E9/L (Range: 2.0 - 7.5) 
Lymphocytes:       HI               4.8 x E9/L (Range: 1.0 - 3.5) 
Monocytes:                          0.9 x E9/L (Range: 0.2 - 1.0)
Eosinophils:                        0.2 x E9/L (Range: 0.0 - 0.5)
Basophils:                          0.1 x E9/L (Range: 0.0 - 0.2)

Glucose Fasting: 	            5.1 mmol/L  (Range: 3.6 - 6.0)
Hemoglobin A1C/Total Hemoglobin:    5.4 %       (Range: <6.0)
Sodium:                             138 mmol/L  (Range: 135 - 145)
Potassium:                          4.2 mmol/L  (Range: 3.5 - 5.2)
Creatinine:                          85 umol/L  (Range: 67 - 117)
Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR):  100         (Range: Greater than or equal to 90)


Urate:                            269 umol/L  (Range: 230 - 480)
Albumin:                          46 g/L      (Range: 35 - 52)
Bilirubin Total:                   9 umol/L   (Range: <20)
Alkaline Phosphatase:       LO    35 U/L      (Range: 40-129)
Alanine Aminotransferase:         23 U/L      (Range: <50)
Aspartate Aminotransferase:       25 U/L      (Range: <35)
Lactate Dehydrogenase:            173 U/L     (Range: 110 - 230)


Creatine Kinase:                  264 U/L       (Range: 44 - 275)
Triglyceride:                     1.90 mmol/L   (No range given)
Cholesterol:                      5.72 mmol/L   (No range given)
HDL Cholesterol:                  1.14 mmol/L   (No range given)
Non HDL Cholesterol:              4.58 mmol/L   (No range given)
LDL Cholesterol:                  3.72 mmol/L   (No range given)
Cholesterol/HDL Cholesterol:      5.0           (No range given)

1, 25 Dihydroxyvitamin D:       120 pmol/L  (Range: 60 - 206)
   - 120 pmol/L = 46 pg/ml
25-Hydroxyvitamin D:            145 nmol/L  (Range: 75 - 250)
   - 145 nmol/L = 58 ng/ml

After having a follow up with the results the GP is not doing anything and he said all seems within normal range and I'm not going to refer you to an endocrinologist. (Note: I live in Canada and without a referral to a specialist you're pretty much shit out of luck, and it also means its impossible to get a second opinion since all the other GPs in my city aren't accepting new patients and there is a wait-list that takes at least 8 months before you get assigned a new doctor.) My only option may be to drive 8 hours and go see a doctor in the US, but I have no idea how much that would cost or if they would even see a Canadian citizen.

So here I am, asking what you guys make of my results.

I've got a feeling my growth hormone results are low. But there is nothing I can find online that can confirm this.

I also have a feeling my testosterone results are low.


But the problem I find with the ranges they provide doesn't really state what is too low and what is too low or too high for someone my age.


What do you guys think?

 

[scorob777]

Your total test of 11.1 nmol/L is equal to 320 ng/dL in units we use. This is high enough to not treat, but low enough to have symptoms.

View attachment 567378

Above is a reference chart per age showing the ranges. You can see at 38 years old you are right on the curve at the bottom of the range, in terms of school a D student.

 

[clman8585]

Height loss is caused by vertebrae compression.

 

[PsychoFox]

Your total test of 11.1 nmol/L is equal to 320 ng/dL in units we use. This is high enough to not treat, but low enough to have symptoms.

View attachment 567378

Above is a reference chart per age showing the ranges. You can see at 38 years old you are right on the curve at the bottom of the range, in terms of school a D student.

That's depressing. So it shows my level is the bottom 1 percentile for my age group (or in other words the mid-average of the 80 - 100 year old group).

Is there anything I can try to boost those levels without actual TRT since no doctor would even consider it?

 

[PsychoFox]

Height loss is caused by vertebrae compression.

But isn't that caused by long-term heavy loads and pressures on the spine? (which I've had none).