Question about Total Test level

[Back into it]

I am hoping for some advice. Lately I have been feeling lethargic and have been encountering one injury after another. To the point where I have taken the last week off hitting the gym to aid in recovery of some of these injuries. Anyway, I went to my Doc for my annual physical and requested my T to be checked. He tried to tell me that it wasn't necessary and that I would more likely than not have to pay for this out of pocket unless there was an underlying cause. Not that I want to put this out there but about 5 years ago it was declared I suffered from ED. So I asked him if that was a qualifier and and he then ordered the test with the rest of my labs. My total T came back at 276. He tells me this is normal for my age.

I am 55 and weigh in at 213 at 5'8". I hold a fair amount of muscle and my BF is probably at or about 20% (circumference method). That said I have busted my butt since last Feb and dropped down from 240# to 198 than the added weight mostly muscle.

What am I looking for??? Not sure because..... I don't know what I don't know. I can tell you sex drive is all but gone and honestly it doesnt bother me (That bothers me). I guess I am questioning if this is Low T? I have looked up in so many different places and the range for normal T is all over the place, yet quite a few sites have this number below what should be normal. I have no idea what to believe nor do I know how to approach my doctor.

So....have I done anything that can change things (GEAR). I have never (up until this past July) used anything. In July (prior to joining this forum and getting better informed) I started a 4 week stint on Superdrol taking 10mg twice a day split am/pm. After completion I took a PCT for 8 weeks recommended by the site I obtained the SDROL from. I honestly do not believe that has anything to do with my lab result. Personally I think this has been going down for the last few years or longer. Anyway no more rambling. Thoughts/ideas/advice appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Old Duffer]

I would start by contacting the docs who are a sponsor on this site. Ranges have changed recently so I don't know if you qualify for trt, but you need to start with full bloodwork. Darn good chance your levels are low just due to age (like myself) and trt will help. But it is a commitment. Needles the rest of your life plus once you start it takes months and months of tweaking to get it right.

For me, it was worth it

 

[oldmusclemike]

I would start by contacting the docs who are a sponsor on this site. Ranges have changed recently so I don't know if you qualify for trt, but you need to start with full bloodwork. Darn good chance your levels are low just due to age (like myself) and trt will help. But it is a commitment. Needles the rest of your life plus once you start it takes months and months of tweaking to get it right.

For me, it was worth it

OP I think Old duff gave you good info to get started on your problem. Contact Entourage_Doc on here.

Instead of everyone's input and guesses ask the doctor ya know

Good luck

 

[scorob777]

As far as ranges you will see lots of figures. I think the conservative docs shot for around 550 ish. More adventurous ones like you'll find on this board go higher up around 1,000 or so.

One thing for sure 276 sucks, and you will feel a world of difference even at 550.

If you decide to dabble in AAS again go over to the forum on this site to learn how, doing an oral only cycle is not helping your situation.

 

[Megatron28]

You have Hypogonadism. I would suggest running PCT again to see if you can get your HPTA working again. If that isn't successful I would recommend getting your doc to treat your wiht TRT.

 

[Back into it]

Thanks for the advice. Been busy so first chance to update. As I said I was told the 276 was normal......that was by the nurse that called me to tell me everything was normal. Abou 4 hours later the Doctor himself called me to ask me to return to redo some tests and he told me that my Test was low. They use 300 as the low bench mark. So I went back in yesterday to redo the blood work. He told me that my LDL was high (it was 112) HDL was 70's. Kidney function #'s off and that my test was low. I also took a Urinalysis. My wife laughed and said they are looking for juice. Well they are not finding a thing I am clean. I was using mk677 and Ostarine stacked about 3 weeks ago and was on that for about 4 weeks but I don't think that would cause any of this. Haven't gotten any of my new numbers back yet but I will update. By the way the doctor did say that "Before we consider TRT he wanted to run the test again"....so it would seem he is open to that possibility. Not sure I like the idea of getting stuck "for the rest of my life" but.....if it improves things then hell yeah.
The next time a nurse calls with my results I will ask her nicely to have the doctor call me.

 

[Megatron28]

So now you decide it's a good time to mention oh by the way I just took ostarine (a SARM) and didn't run PCT? Seriously. WTF dude? That stuff is HPTA suppressive. You need to run PCT.

Next time you run blood work make sure you get TT, E2, LH and FSH.

Seriously, you should learn what you are doing first before your start taking drugs and hormones. As you can see, doing them the wrong way can have lifelong consequences.

 

[scorob777]

What he said ^^^^^^

Anyway, just to reiterate a point 276 SUCKS. Any doc who wouldn't treat that level should be replaced.

And the Ostarine, wow. Yes it is suppressive. I don't think it is detectable, so just might work in your favor by lowering your test numbers for these panels.

At 55 I'm guessing you don't have any issues around wanting kids, so other than marrying a needle the rest of your life what is the downside? The sex drive all but gone, and it doesn't bother you??? Wait until you bump your test to 1,000 or so and look back, see what you think then about the sex life thing.

 

[casanovaaa]

best to ditch this doc and find yourself a reat trt doc.

 

[Slhardee]

^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^
What everyone else said. Run PCT and do comprehensive blood work after the PCT. If you are still low after the PCT, I would suggest trying TRT with a competent Doctor.

 

[LateStart]

Options for you seem to be a restart, which is needed after the other things you've done to your system, or trt for life. TRT is forever, but most would say worth it......especially coming from your level. Yes.....your level is low. It's low in anyone's book. Either way get a good doc, this site has some great ones, and get started feeling better. Don't worry there is help out there and you will feel much better very soon. Good luck
P.S. your sex drive WILL return if you get help needed. We are men and we are supposed to want sex A LOT enjoy the ride my friend

 

[Back into it]

Well I guess that one is on me. I read that the OSTA was only slightly suppressive and that a minimal PCT may be needed. Megatron you said it perfectly (WTF). I should have done better research. But things being what they are at my age I think i would consider the TRT anyway.....after I get info from the doc on all it entails. Married to a needle is the term I think that was said. Not sure if that means daily biweekly weekly or what but once I sit down with doc I can decide. For now I will be starting a pct. Seems to be the logical choice.

 

[Back into it]

I appreciate the advice. This is definitely on me. Thanks for putting me straight. The second lab came back with a test level at 290. Doc hasn't contacted me about it as of yet although I expect he will get in touch with me this week. So I can start taking a PCT and get my values back over that 300 threshold or just wait and see what the doc wants to do. Everything I have read so far about TRT (all on this site) seems to make me want to go for it. Not sure how far the OSTA would have allowed my Test to drop. If my current level is only in the 3 or 400's maybe TRT would be a great option (sounds that way). Then again if the OSTA cut me in half and I am normally in the mid 500's then I probably would be better off heading back that way with a PCT regimen. My gut tells me that it is was fairly low to begin with. This year I started getting back into fitness after a 15 year hiatus (or however you spell that). Never even heard of a SARM before although I do remember SDROL coming out and being sold at GNC. Didn't take it back then and as I said earlier I only did a 4 week cycle (20mg/ day split dose). Learned about the SARMS on the internet and figured I would give it a try. I did the OSTA with the MK and quit about a month ago now. That's the history of my use. With that being said, I have been getting treated for ED for the last 5 years. Of course doc told me that was age related. Sex drive being low definitely dropped a bit more over the last couple weeks but in all honesty its not been what I would have ever called stellar since my mid 40's. Also I can recall last year the doc noticing during my annual physical that body hair was going away. I remembering him asking me about it and I told him I really hadn't noticed....he wrote that (or something down at the time). Maybe a sign that although not super low at the time, but could be an indicator my test was dropping back then??? So the question I need to ask myself is do I just go ahead and try to get my T level back up naturally and it may not be that high anyway.....or should I just push for the TRT. Based on what I have read on the boards many seem to encourage it. I do not know all it would entail. It definitely sounds like once you start you definitely should not stop. Just curious to hear from anyone (especially those on TRT) that if you could get your test back to a mediocre level instead of doing the TRT which would you choose??? Have no clue even how expensive this treatment is. If my doc puts me on it or farms me out to someone else hoping my ins. would cover it. Just another consideration.
BTW THANK YOU ALL FOR THE ADVICE AND INFO up to this point

 

[oldmusclemike]

I appreciate the advice. This is definitely on me. Thanks for putting me straight. The second lab came back with a test level at 290. Doc hasn't contacted me about it as of yet although I expect he will get in touch with me this week. So I can start taking a PCT and get my values back over that 300 threshold or just wait and see what the doc wants to do. Everything I have read so far about TRT (all on this site) seems to make me want to go for it. Not sure how far the OSTA would have allowed my Test to drop. If my current level is only in the 3 or 400's maybe TRT would be a great option (sounds that way). Then again if the OSTA cut me in half and I am normally in the mid 500's then I probably would be better off heading back that way with a PCT regimen. My gut tells me that it is was fairly low to begin with. This year I started getting back into fitness after a 15 year hiatus (or however you spell that). Never even heard of a SARM before although I do remember SDROL coming out and being sold at GNC. Didn't take it back then and as I said earlier I only did a 4 week cycle (20mg/ day split dose). Learned about the SARMS on the internet and figured I would give it a try. I did the OSTA with the MK and quit about a month ago now. That's the history of my use. With that being said, I have been getting treated for ED for the last 5 years. Of course doc told me that was age related. Sex drive being low definitely dropped a bit more over the last couple weeks but in all honesty its not been what I would have ever called stellar since my mid 40's. Also I can recall last year the doc noticing during my annual physical that body hair was going away. I remembering him asking me about it and I told him I really hadn't noticed....he wrote that (or something down at the time). Maybe a sign that although not super low at the time, but could be an indicator my test was dropping back then??? So the question I need to ask myself is do I just go ahead and try to get my T level back up naturally and it may not be that high anyway.....or should I just push for the TRT. Based on what I have read on the boards many seem to encourage it. I do not know all it would entail. It definitely sounds like once you start you definitely should not stop. Just curious to hear from anyone (especially those on TRT) that if you could get your test back to a mediocre level instead of doing the TRT which would you choose??? Have no clue even how expensive this treatment is. If my doc puts me on it or farms me out to someone else hoping my ins. would cover it. Just another consideration.
BTW THANK YOU ALL FOR THE ADVICE AND INFO up to this point

Hi and no offense and maybe it's just my problem but could you please break your posts next time with some paragraphs. When I first look at posts like that I sometimes just move on.

Good Luck and again no offense I have heard many people having the same issue when they come across post this way.

Thanks , OMM

 

[jp4355]

I gotta Bump "OldMuscleMike's" post.

Yes, us older gentlemen have problems when there are No Breaks in a post, so please be kind to us.

Just wanted to touch on something your Doctor said.
That 276 Ng/Dl Total Test is normal for someone 55.
When I was 55, my Natty Test was 924 Ng/dl.
Now at 64, my Natty Test is in the Low 700's, don't recall the exact number.

While I might be somewhat of an Anomaly, there's Nothing Normal with Total Test in the 276................. JP

 

[Back into it]

OMM/JP I will remember that. I guess I started rambling. Will break up. No offense taken.

I will update again once I hear from Doc.

 

[LateStart]

I personally would try trt for a couple months (cypionate injections). If trt made me feel the way i think i should feel then stick with it. Just be prepared for a shot every week. You can administer this shot yourself in the privacy of your own home.
However, if trt did not begin making me feel better then I'd do a restart/lengthy PCT and try to get my natural levels as high as I could.

I am on trt and I also adjust my doses pretty high sometimes. This is the life I chose......right or wrong.

What to expect treatment wise ---weekly injection of testosterone, AI if needed, and probably bi-weekly hcg injections (considered optional by many docs). Once your dose is dialed in and desired effect achieved you will likely return to doc for bloodwork every 6 months for monitoring and another 6 month prescription. Also return for bloodwork as often as you feel necessary.
Good luck bro

 

[oldmusclemike]

I gotta Bump "OldMuscleMike's" post.

Yes, us older gentlemen have problems when there are No Breaks in a post, so please be kind to us.

Just wanted to touch on something your Doctor said.
That 276 Ng/Dl Total Test is normal for someone 55.
When I was 55, my Natty Test was 924 Ng/dl.
Now at 64, my Natty Test is in the Low 700's, don't recall the exact number.

While I might be somewhat of an Anomaly, there's Nothing Normal with Total Test in the 276................. JP

Thanks for bump

I also seem to always miss something when it is all in one long paragraph.
On another issue I myself have a hard time with Cycle's are listen in sentences and in a paragraph. Not OP but in general, I wanna say for the other noobs it should be in am outline format.

A few years ago , I guess 3 yrs , I was 63 yrs old and I posted my lab work on here ( I think ? ) and my natty was 619ng/dL I don't know now as far as natty, now 66yrs because , I have been on c r u i se for a very long time.

 

[Slhardee]

My input for Back into it,

Do the restart FIRST to see where you are at naturally and more importantly see how you FEEL at that natural range. If you are still Low and feeling shitty, definately jump on TRT. Get yourself dialed in and enjoy.

I tried two separate re-starts and I was still Low. I wanted to come off TRT, but being low, and feeling like crap is not how I want to live. It takes time to figure it all out. Be patient and have a plan. Once you follow the plan and feel better, it will be worth it.

 

[LateStart]

My input for Back into it,

Do the restart FIRST to see where you are at naturally and more importantly see how you FEEL at that natural range. If you are still Low and feeling shitty, definately jump on TRT. Get yourself dialed in and enjoy.

I tried two separate re-starts and I was still Low. I wanted to come off TRT, but being low, and feeling like crap is not how I want to live. It takes time to figure it all out. Be patient and have a plan. Once you follow the plan and feel better, it will be worth it.

Opposite of the order I suggested but definitely the most appropriate. I like this better than what i said I would do.

My suggestion was based on me favoring being much higher than "normal" but this way is the more responsible path.....