Hi, I have always suspected that I have had low T within the past year as I exhibited all the classical symptoms of low testosterone. I went to an endocrinologist and explained it to him. We did a blood test that measured total testosterone among several other hormonal tests (e.g. follicle-stimulating hormone).
He called me yesterday saying that I had “very low testosterone” and had me do another blood test but in the early morning today, in addition to undergoing a semen analysis tomorrow.
I’m probably not going to know the exact measurements until I request them when I meet with again, but I’m pretty sure he’s going to end up prescribing me some testosterone injectables/gel or whatever.
My question is, is there anything I should be aware of when taking TRT as a 19 year old with low T?
Ya there is.
You need to find out why you have low T.
Don’t start anything
Read the advice for new guys sticky.
Protocol for injections
Thyroid basics
Estrodiol and why it matters
Report everything you can and people here can help you,
Low testosterone is a symptom of an underlying problem
[quote]iw84aces wrote:
Ya there is.
You need to find out why you have low T.
Don’t start anything
Read the advice for new guys sticky.
Protocol for injections
Thyroid basics
Estrodiol and why it matters
Report everything you can and people here can help you,
Low testosterone is a symptom of an underlying problem[/quote]
Thanks, we’re going to evaluate and try to diagnose the underlying cause after these blood tests are processed. I recall him mentioning it could be a purity gland issue in my brain (my testicles are normal sized) and I remember him scribbling hypogonadism and hypogonadotropic as possible diagnoses. ‘Total testosterone’ levels were just one of the things tested in my blood.
Luckily, I get any blood test back in less than 24 hours after the blood sample has been taken.
Is there anything I should be concerned about with using exogenous T at a mere 19 years of age, despite my genuine medical need for it? Will I remain fertile provided that I follow the protocol in supplementing T with stuff like Clomid? Would I also be required to take this for life?
Your not catching what I’m saying.
Your doctor is most Likly an idiot, endos and uro’s are the worst kind of idiots.
I guarantee he will not run the right labs.
Did you read the stickys?
Yes it will effect firtility T on its own will make you infertile and cause testicular shrinkage and loss of important hormones.
Testosterone replacement is for life, you will need to be injecting several times per week in order to properly administer proper TRT. Hcg will be needed to prevent testicular atrophy.
Take it from me who started trt and still feels like shit,and you need to research the hell out of this and feel you understand what is going on you can then and only then make the life long choice to start trt.
Other options are available to try and restart the hptA and should be tried after you have the proper lab work.
As I already stated… Read the stickies… Edit first post and ad all labs with ranges and answer all questions.
You you will get more help here then most any doctors office.
Welcome to hormones 101
You do not know that u need trt do not get T tunnel vision
I just called my doctor and he told me that my total T levels were around 3.5 nmol/L (just above 100 ng/dL) which is very low. He also said that I have very low LH and follicle-stimulating hormone levels but with normal prolactin levels which means according to him there’s something up in my pituitary gland. My thyroid levels were also normal (I’ll get the full results next time we meet)
He said we’re going to run an MRI of my pituitary gland to see what’s wrong. I don’t think this is a case “t-tunnel vision,” but instead, an investigation to discover the underlying cause of low T.
Let’s say they found an anomaly (e.g. a tumor) in my pituitary gland that has been causing the low T. If that tumor is treated/removed, will that mean I will start to finally produce normal testosterone naturally? Would I need to be on TRT for life?
A lot of things would be factors exp size of the tumour what meds could possible shrink it. Is it large enough to operate. I don’t think anyone can answer that question until you get the results of the MRI bud.
Prolactin usually is elevated in the case if a pituitary tumour. Or we see other hormones elevated.
So after the semen analysis my endocrinologist changed his mind for some reason and said that the “very low T” I had was actually normal in the lab’s reference ranges. He said this after my semen analysis revealed a slightly higher than average sperm count. He recommended to go to another lab to make sure my levels are within their reference range as well. I’m going to do that, in the meantime, here are my results
TSH - 3.90 uiU/ml (reference range is 0.27 - 4.2 uiU/ml)
FSH 5.01 mIU/ml
Prolactin: 11.2 ng/mL (reference range is 4.04-15.2)
Total testosterone: 6.24 ng/mL
You have a thyroid problem… Your doctor is a flipping idiot. Get a new one
You need
Tsh
Ft3
Ft4
Tgab
Tpo
And a thyroid ultrasound… <~~~ this will most likely help you to show the docs there is a problem… I’m telling you right now your thyroid needs to be addressed… Do not ignore this
Well the new test I took at a different lab revealed I have 17.2 nmol/L in a 10.40-31.20 range (i.e. 495) total testosterone, wouldn’t that normal testosterone indicate that my thyroids are fine?
And yeah, I’m currently visiting Bahrain and it seems like most of the doctors here are trash. I could wait until I go back to California in August but I don’t have insurance there. I’m using my old insurance here that expires in October.
I will be taking these tests today:
Tsh
Ft3
Ft4
Tgab
Tpo
I will report back.
The thyroid does not make testosterone
Thyroid is not ok and testosterone levels do not deside or have a direct relative relationship to thyroid levels. Thyroid levels may lower T as the body works as a single unit and one system may effect other systems but they are not related per say
Test more then that if you can…
Read the lab work sticky and test all labs advised in that sticky
Everything is relative
[quote]iw84aces wrote:
Test more then that if you can…
Read the lab work sticky and test all labs advised in that sticky
Everything is relative [/quote]
I can’t unless it’s absolutely critical. Despite my insurance I still have to pay quite a lot for each test Wouldn’t it be possible to detect thyroid abnormalities with the tests I just took today?
Also, shouldn’t I have tested T3 and T4 instead of the FTs?
Yes as far as thyroid you should be ok.
Rt3 is something else to consider but I hear you about the money and sometimes we can only do what we can do
No ft3 and ft4 are the right tests
Alright I just wanted to say thanks in advance dude for bringing this up to my attention. My next post will be the lab results.
Also another question, is it possible that my 495 total testosterone could be rendered irrelevant by a low free test? I wont be able to test free T levels until I arrive back to California as no labs here do it as far as I know.
Despite having a 495 total T levels, I have a very low libido and drive for sex except for when I wake up in the morning and then it fades in a matter of minutes. My motivation is shit, I have difficulty putting on genuine muscle, depression, anxiety, lack of confidence etc. I’m 6’1 weighing at only around 150 lbs which is skinny. Everyone tell me that I look like I’m 14. I am unable to grow any amount of facial or chest hair besides a small light tint of a mustache under my noise.
Is all my total T being converted into something like E2/Is my free T possibly low? Or is all that attributed to thyroid issues which will be rectified upon thyroid treatment?
U should focus on the thyroid and getting as many labs as you can posted here.
So many variables and all we have is unknowns…
We can’t guess at this stuff.
Thyroid symptoms and T symptoms are very much alike and trt with untreated thyroid problems will not make you feel better and may actually make you feel worse as the body may not handle the metabolic demands on the higher T. Sometimes T lower to keep other systems in check. The body is a working unit and everything works together… We know nothing about you bud…
I went to a different lab located at a military hospital and holy shit…
TSH 4.67
FT3: 5.44 pmol/l (2.8-7.1)
FT4: 17.53 pmol/l (12-22)
TGA 25.92 IU/ml (0-51)
TPA 42.72 IU/ml (0-6.2)
My tpa is 42.72 with a 6.2 maximum reference range
I’m fucked right? I don’t really have any other options so I am going to back to the same endocrinologist and shove these results into his face.
You’re not fucked bro.
Your labs are not terrible.
Your have antibodies, which means you may have or may be prone to a condition such as hashimotos or graves disease. Tgab is ok though.
Look up the two and see if you fit in there.
Don’t get stressed about it, stress is worse.
Your doctor should prolly run further tests. He may or may not treat you and may choose to keep an eye on it. Although I think he should do something about this high tsh