Low Test at 364; Many symptoms--miserable quality of life

Westshore

Westshore

Accelerating
I have a buddy (I have already posted my data here) that has maybe 8 of the 10 signs of low T. (sleeps after meals, life has become "meh", tired, no muscle tone, etc, etc). He just had blood work done at Private MD Labs / with Lab Corps. His Serum Test is 364.

So here is the question:

Since the "normal" reference range is 348 to 1197 ng/dL and he only 16 ng/dL over--what should he do?

Standard medicine is likely going to tell him he's "just within the range" but the Vermeleun and Simon (1996) and many other studies would put him in the 80 year-old man range. NOT ACCEPTABLE.

What should he do?

1. Sandbag a test with three beers on board and no sleep? (would that be enough?)

2. Avoid insurance and go straight to a "Life Enhancement" clinic or a TRT company advertising on this site?

Any ideas guys? I'm going to push him to seek treatment since he's having a rough go of it.

Thanks
 
Westshore said:
I have a buddy (I have already posted my data here) that has maybe 8 of the 10 signs of low T. (sleeps after meals, life has become "meh", tired, no muscle tone, etc, etc). He just had blood work done at Private MD Labs / with Lab Corps. His Serum Test is 364.

So here is the question:

Since the "normal" reference range is 348 to 1197 ng/dL and he only 16 ng/dL over--what should he do?

Standard medicine is likely going to tell him he's "just within the range" but the Vermeleun and Simon (1996) and many other studies would put him in the 80 year-old man range. NOT ACCEPTABLE.

What should he do?

1. Sandbag a test with three beers on board and no sleep? (would that be enough?)

2. Avoid insurance and go straight to a "Life Enhancement" clinic or a TRT company advertising on this site?

Any ideas guys? I'm going to push him to seek treatment since he's having a rough go of it.

Thanks
Click to expand...

he could just retest again... levels do vary and maybe he was having a good day?
 
True. He could just retest, but then he might also come in at 349. I know that's hypothetical.

Here is the back story: My buddy is more conservative and will likely not go with the same level of autonomy as many of us on here. I'm OK with going it on my own, UGL, doing my own labs, AI, whatever. But he's gonna need to AT LEAST start with his MD to feel OK with the process.
 
Westshore said:
True. He could just retest, but then he might also come in at 349. I know that's hypothetical.

Here is the back story: My buddy is more conservative and will likely not go with the same level of autonomy as many of us on here. I'm OK with going it on my own, UGL, doing my own labs, AI, whatever. But he's gonna need to AT LEAST start with his MD to feel OK with the process.
Click to expand...

if that's the case he can either go to an md and ask for the test again and see what happens naturally, or tank the test on purpose... his call. I don't see what other options there are... It just comes down to what he's comfortable with doing and if he's positive he wants trt for life or not.


edit: if he REALLY wants to hear a doctor say he needs trt he should go to one of those plastic surgery trt clinic like places... it'll be a bit more expensive but he will at least get a diagnosis and get dialed in. and you don't have to go to an online fly by place, there are places that do this local to me that were easy to find.... usually they'll have medical spa or something like that in the name, check with plastic surgery places as well, their pricing was in line with if not more affordable than the online places.
 
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Thanks Inhaus. I got a link from Xplicid a few weeks back (to Life extension clinics/docs) and there are maybe a dozen in the local area--so that's good. I'll have him start with his GP doctor first and see what happens. His doc is gonna order labs of his own (not likely to go by lab work hand carried in). So maybe it's good for him to sorta sandbag that test with a beer the night before and a late afternoon appointment time to get under 350 or 300.
 
did he test fasted?? is he currently cutting??

having a lower test reading doesn't immediately justify trt.. there are many factors involved..
 
Hi 3J. He's not a AAS user. Not cutting, but was fasting for the test. He is a Regular Joe.
But he describes his life as "meh" so somethings off. He has classic hypo symptoms all but maybe one or two of them.
 
Hi Megatron. He did the hormone panel for women (also for men) at PMlabs. He's on Tyroxine or Sythroid for a somewhat low thyroid--but that's all in range. (he gets checked for thyroid function and it's kept in range).

His Estradiol was fine (17), LH and FSH were at low midrange (also looked fine), No elevated liver issues, and CBC and other blood work all in range--actually everything was in range--not one thing was flagged.

I don't think that this test includes Prolactin and I know it did not include Free test. Should he order up the Free Test. and Prolactin and more tests?
 
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Westshore said:
Hi Megatron. He did the hormone panel for women (also for men) at PMlabs. He's on Tyroxine or Sythroid for a somewhat low thyroid--but that's all in range. (he gets checked for thyroid function and it's kept in range).

His Estradiol was fine (17), LH and FSH were at low midrange (also looked fine), No elevated liver issues, and CBC and other blood work all in range--actually everything was in range--not one thing was flagged.

I don't think that this test includes Prolactin and I know it did not include Free test. Should he order up the Free Test. and Prolactin and more tests?
Click to expand...

DEFINITELY Free Testosterone. It doesn't follow that Total T which is normal or even high automatically means high or normal Free Testosterone. My Total T was 484, but I felt like shit,getting fatter and weaker, tired and depressed and when I finally FORCED a doctor to get Free T done, it was almost zero.

Self medicating with T cyp, Arimidex, HCG and HGH and I feel GREAT!
 
Westshore said:
Hi Megatron. He did the hormone panel for women (also for men) at PMlabs. He's on Tyroxine or Sythroid for a somewhat low thyroid--but that's all in range. (he gets checked for thyroid function and it's kept in range).

His Estradiol was fine (17), LH and FSH were at low midrange (also looked fine), No elevated liver issues, and CBC and other blood work all in range--actually everything was in range--not one thing was flagged.

I don't think that this test includes Prolactin and I know it did not include Free test. Should he order up the Free Test. and Prolactin and more tests?
Click to expand...

Read that link I gave you and you will see that checking Free T and SHBG are called for given his symptoms and results.

Has he had a sleep study? Sleep Apnea or RLS can cause similar symptoms.

What is his TSH at?

Why isn't he here posting himself?
 
I can ask him to post. Since this is primarily (at least by it's name) a AAS site, I'm not sure it's for everyone. I also don't want to scare him away from TRT if he thinks its a fringe thing to do. I'm on TRT and I can tell you that 75% of the people I share it with are scruntching up their faces when it comes to the part about injections. I hear "Neeeeedles??" from those folks and get a sketchy look.

I'm coaching him to get blood work, posting his stats and doing all this because that's what friends do. I could share a bunch of my life stories of what I've done to help others out. It's just what I do. It's what we are all doing here on this site. I'll see if he wants to create an account and post for himself.

You all well know that many American's just go by what the doctors' "say" and that' a really hard mantra to break for many Americans. For those of us on this site...we are willing to stick our necks out for our own betterment and for that of others. That's just what I'm doing here....

Actually, I'm trying like hell for him to avoid the situation where the doctor says "your at 364 that's normal, go home." If he's really normal great...but I suspect that 364 for him is too low based on his flat affectation, and lack of muscle, and lack of energy, lack of drive, and every other symptom of hypo.

Just saying..

And thanks everyone for the advice--I fully appreciate it.
 
Westshore said:
I can ask him to post. Since this is primarily (at least by it's name) a AAS site, I'm not sure it's for everyone. I also don't want to scare him away from TRT if he thinks its a fringe thing to do. I'm on TRT and I can tell you that 75% of the people I share it with are scruntching up their faces when it comes to the part about injections. I hear "Neeeeedles??" from those folks and get a sketchy look.

I'm coaching him to get blood work, posting his stats and doing all this because that's what friends do. I could share a bunch of my life stories of what I've done to help others out. It's just what I do. It's what we are all doing here on this site. I'll see if he wants to create an account and post for himself.

You all well know that many American's just go by what the doctors' "say" and that' a really hard mantra to break for many Americans. For those of us on this site...we are willing to stick our necks out for our own betterment and for that of others. That's just what I'm doing here....

Actually, I'm trying like hell for him to avoid the situation where the doctor says "your at 364 that's normal, go home." If he's really normal great...but I suspect that 364 for him is too low based on his flat affectation, and lack of muscle, and lack of energy, lack of drive, and every other symptom of hypo.

Just saying..

And thanks everyone for the advice--I fully appreciate it.
Click to expand...

I think Ology has the preeminent TRT forum on the internet. That is how I found this site as did many other men. All my Google searches kept bringing me back here for the answers.

We are just a bunch of regular guys with Hypogonadism trying to help each other. I came here knowing nothing and a lot of guys helped me. I am just trying to pay it forward as are many here.

We are not a substitute for a good relationship with your doctor. But we can help you advocate better for yourself in getting your medical treatment.
 
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