TRT/GP help

[clayton6]

Hi

Finally signed up after being an avid reader for the last year or so, although I thought it would be slightly better circumstances.

Just got back from seeing a specialist after being referred for low test levels (1st test came back at 6.1nmol/l and the 2nd was 11.9nmol/l). Bear in mind the 2nd was taken as soon as the surgery was open in the morning which I believe your levels can be up to double your average.

Anyway I knew from the second I walked through the door to the see the specialist he was having none of this "low testosterone" level. Apparently mine are perfectly fine and above average. I asked about the extremely low 1st blood test to which he replied it was just a freak anomaly. I just felt like walking out and not wasting my time. Have waited for this appointment for SIX months (weirdly even with slight excitement to finally be getting somewhere) from my first blood test, I felt like cracking up inside especially when he moved onto sex therapy. Showed me a graph of average levels (which bare in mind the bottom is 12nmol/l)....the dot for my higher test wasn't even on the line for the bottom of the average yet he used this as a get out and basically showed me the door. Took me for another blood test for my thyroid and some other gland (beginning with 'P' I think). Had lost all interest tbh and wasn't taking notice, just wanted to get out of there.

I'm 25 years old and have had "low test" symptoms for as long as I can remember.....absolutely zero get up and go, would rather be in bed, totally dis-interested in sex, no facial/body hair (you get the picture)...just feels like a mope from day to day, and also to top it off I found out last month that my partner of 4 years fancied hopping on another guys dick so to me this was massive, and felt like a kind of kick start to begin my life again.

So disappointed and don't really know where to go now....I just see another pointless cycle if I report back to my gp (who was also useless).
Any help/advice would be hugely appreciated

Adam

 

[riprockwell]

Well, Adam, sorry to hear about everything man. The good news is that you can fix your problem. It may take time and energy on your part and a lot of research but everything is fixable in my opinion. Generally, TRT clinics have a harder time putting someone on TRT that is under 30 years of age but it is possible. So first off, I would talk with the TRT forum sponsor IMT (IncreaseMyT) and see if they can lend some help. Again, with your age, not sure if that is possible. You have a few other options. If you feel that you have had low T for several years now, this is something you need to investigate further. Your doctor was referring to the Pituitary gland. I would recommend getting an MRI done on it and researching some local clinics that specialize in Hypogonadism. Additionally, I am curious to see where your estrogen reading is and other hormones such as thyroid, Cortisol, SHBG, etc.

 

[clayton6]

Thanks for the reply.
Would the other hormone levels likely be with my original 2 blood tests or would these require another blood test. I'll need to try and go down to pick up a full copy of the results because I forgot to do so today I was that annoyed!

Just solely based on the 2 testosterone levels, are they looking on the low side in regards to being put forward for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)? I actually gained no knowledge/information at all off my gp/specialist!

 

[300winmag]

I was 29 when I started and it was battle. But be sure you have the whole picture MRI of your pituatary glad, blood test for not just T but Estrogen, thyroid, cortisol, cholesterol, prolactin, basically a whole panel basically, and if you can not get the doctor to do it check out private labs on the internet for blood test.

At your age which was close to mine be sure you are looking at everything, are you sleeping 7-9hours a night, are you abusing alcohol or other drugs, any perscriptions that could be interferring, mental heath issues that might need to be checked, hows your diet, and exercise. At you age TRT would be the last resort for me. I tried and looked at everything before I started and TRT was the last option. But TRT alone would not change how I felt, it didnt take until I cleaned up my diet and worked out 4 times a week before I really started to feel on top. If you have an issue TRT is definitely a good solution, but take it from a younger guy who has been doing it for a while, its not all roses and is a PITA to deal with, multiple blood test and doctors visits for the first 6-12 months until you get on track, needles every week, just sucks. But it is worth it in my situation.

Really if you are over weight before I did anything I would make myself lose 10-15lbs and see what that does before I did anything.

 

[clayton6]

Appreciate the reply.

How do I go about an MRI, can I request that through my GP? I can imagine his face when I re appear....so not very hopeful of him sorting anything out for me!

Sleep is fine for me but always fatigued when I wake till through after dinner (no matter what i'm doing), rarely drink and never touch drugs. Have smoked for the last 2 years but knocked that on the head 4 months ago. I'd say my diet is good and I workout 3 times a week, 70kg with a good build.

Suffer huge confidence issues, anxiety problems and in my eyes that is down to these low levels and causing me to feel how I do within myself.
I could reel off a list of symptoms/thoughts and 99% of people including these 'specialists' instantly think depression (i'm in no way depressed).....it's a no win.

If I was to head down the private route (which I can't really afford, but already feel it's like the last way at the moment to go forward), would it be an endocrinologist or urologist I should be looking at?

 

[300winmag]

Appreciate the reply.

How do I go about an MRI, can I request that through my GP? I can imagine his face when I re appear....so not very hopeful of him sorting anything out for me!

Sleep is fine for me but always fatigued when I wake till through after dinner (no matter what i'm doing), rarely drink and never touch drugs. Have smoked for the last 2 years but knocked that on the head 4 months ago. I'd say my diet is good and I workout 3 times a week, 70kg with a good build.

Suffer huge confidence issues, anxiety problems and in my eyes that is down to these low levels and causing me to feel how I do within myself.
I could reel off a list of symptoms/thoughts and 99% of people including these 'specialists' instantly think depression (i'm in no way depressed).....it's a no win.

If I was to head down the private route (which I can't really afford, but already feel it's like the last way at the moment to go forward), would it be an endocrinologist or urologist I should be looking at?

MRI will check your pituatary gland for a growth which dont worry is rarely cancerous, but can be a reason for low T. If this is your issue, sometimes they do surgery and cut the growth and sometimes they will use meds and both are very successful ant voila your fixed no need for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Depending on your insurance works which chances are you will will be this way an MRI would have to be reffered by a GP or specialist. You may just ask to get a referral to an endo or uro to start with. Whether you go private or use insurance a uro or endo would be a better route than your GP as it seems most do not have the greatest luck with GP. Most people go back and forth and between an ENDO and a URO till they find what they want, results are mixed as far as which one is better. Personally I would do the endo first as they are looking at your complete hormone system vs an endo is more or less looking at sex hormones and such.

It may be useful to get something like this if you havent Private MD - Buy Lab Tests Online plus add in estrogen test and maybe cortisol am and PM. That way you can get some ammuniton.

You may not have depression, but anxiety and stress can both lead to issues that you have and make be worth while to take a futher look at it. At 25 it may be tough for even a clinic to touch you unless you had a severe case such as missing a nut or something.

It also may be worthwhile for the time being and its cheap to go a natural route, ensure you are taking a multi vitamin, and maybe add in vitamin B12 and vitamin D can aid in test production. For $20 bucks you can probably get all three that will last you 2-3 months.

Also keep in mind TRT can diminish your sperm count and affect your ability to have children. There are medications that can help prevent this and people are successful with having kids. But just know at your age it can lead to the possibility of not being able to have kids or least add some difficulty.