I have a history of being overweight, but through diet and exercise I have managed to turn things around losing over 80lbs and keeping it off over the past 5 years, building a relatively muscular physique at 192lbs (6"0, 35 yo) now. Still, it’s not smooth sailing from here apparently…
I’ve had only one major symptom which gradually got worse and that’s a totally tanking libido. Zero sex drive over the past months. No ED issues though, just no drive. At first, I attributed it to the diet, as I buckled down about 7 months ago now and started tracking everyhting, eating about 2200 - 2600 cals/daily while lifting 5 days/week (High protein, carb cycling, moderate fat diet) Nothing extreme but still a deficit. Am currently losing about 2lbs/month on this diet.
Aside from the libido, I actually feel quite good. Still, the test showed not only low T, but also hypotheroidism, as well as autoimmune issues. Coming here to help me make sense of it all and learn from other people’s experiences. You can find the full lab results (bloodwork + 24hr urine ) here https://imgur.com/a/HMz9zNf
1. Low T
I tested in february at 330ng/dl, did a much more detailed test in June which came out at 296ng/dl and free T at 4,02ng/dl. SHBG 53,2 nmol/l
Doc has put me on testogel 2,5%, 4ml daily. She was contemplating putting me on nebido injections but since my inhibine B was at 249ug/dl (so apparently still relatively active own production as far as I understood) she decided to test the gels first for 3 months and see how it goes.
Q1: What do you think about this dosage, what can I expect in terms of T numbers next test (sheduled in 3 months). How does this compare to nebido?
Q2: I’m not going to front: of course I want the libido fixed but am also interested in the gainz. Will this gel (or nebido) have any noticeable impact? (btw I have 3 young kids with a 4th on the way so fertility is pretty low on my priorities list right now.
Q3: I worry about transferring the gel to my pregnant wife or 3 daughters. Doc said it was fine as long as I let it dry for 30mins before contact and wash my hands well, after that there’s no issue. From what I read online people seem to take much more precautions than that?
Q4: I noticed below range oestradiol levels. (<12 ng/l) Doc didnt say anything about this, any thoughts on that?
2. Thyroid
While I experience none of the symptoms, doc said the test showed thyroid issues.
TSH: 3,14 mu/l
T4: 16 pmol/u
T3:3,9 pmol/u
Doc prescribed me L-thyroxine (T4) 50ug first 2 weeks then go to 75ug. Also tested for all sort of vitamin deficiences so doc is also putting me on iodine supplementation, vitamin B12, Magnesium, Copper and D3 which as I understand should also help with the thyroid issues.
Q5: I read the thryroid sticky so understand these values as a sign of hypothyroidism but I have none of the common symptoms of fatigue. Eager for your input on this as it’s still not fully clear to me what’s going on…
3. Autoimmune
So this completes the trifecta apparently. ANA of 80 titers and ‘speckled’ pattern shows AI issues. Also positive tests on gliadine and Transglutaminase. Doc was talking of leaky gut, gluten intolerance. Again, no real symptoms though. I feel like have great digestion in general.
Q6: Going back to the thyroid, as far as I understood it the TPO of 10ku/l shows AI attacking the thyroid?
Q7: Not sure where to put this but doc also prescribed me hydrocortisonegel (5% 3ml daily). Free cortisol = 278, Transcortine elevated 78,4. Tbh I don’t understand this part in the slightest.
I know it’s a long text but I just have so many questions! Thanks for reading and any input you can give!
PS. I’ve started the treatment 5 days ago now. No spectacular changes. Libido does seems to be returning a bit, and workouts have been amazing. Sleep feels much deeper (also getting melatonin supplement 0,29mg). Maybe I did have symptoms of fatigue but just coped well with them? Not sure how much of it is placebo effect and what is real yet.
PPS some more background info: Not a lot of body hair, patchy beard. Started balding in early 20s, though hair loss did stabilise round 25 yo. Most fat deposits on lower belly/lovehandles, and chin/neck (chin/neck fat is the first to go when I diet). Still got stubborn lower belly fat despite this current cut. Always had a hard time keeping weight off, gain very easily though granted I never did pay much mind to nutrition either untill age 29. Never did any PEDs, struggled with soft drug addiction (weed) and alcohol from 16 to 26yo.