Okay, good. I’m glad there shows promise. All the other doctors are 30 miles, 45 miles, in other states. At least when I specifically narrow it to testosterone deficiency. I mean, I would drive 45 miles to see a good doctor, but I have to rely on the bus and other people. I’m just wondering if I should tell him I already had lab work done by a urologist, or just show him my initial lab results that have my Total T at 395. I’m just worried if I tell him I’ve already seen someone he might be more hesitant to help.
Anyway, thanks again.
It’s encouraging that the doctors aren’t paid by the insurance companies. No outside influence is a large benefit.
I would show the lowish T labs and document your symptoms. Tell them that it’s interfering with your ability to lead a normal life (it is) and you are concerned about losing your job. You don’t want to chase numbers, you just want to deal with your symptoms.
Since he specializes in this field, I’m sure he sees a lot of men who have tried getting treatment elsewhere…
I’d say you are on the right track.
I also found an anti-aging doctor that does HCG, but he’s not listed as treating testosterone deficiency; however that just might be a problem with the site. Healthgrades seems to only show certain filters for certain professions. So, I’m wondering if I should try the urologist that specializes in fertility first, or the anti-aging doctor. The urologist is close though.
Okay, I am definitely calling the anti-aging doctor. He even offers treatment with IGF-1. He offers everything from HGH to Clomid.
You said that you’re a college student, I doubt an anti aging clinic is for you, they work on an out of pocket basis and would be very costly, I would also be vary of misdiagnosis as some of them try to push Testosterone even when it’s not needed.
You seem to have extra ordinary anxiety, try to calm yourself down. Get your bloodwork first rather than thinking about everything in advance. For all you know, your t levels are okay and you’re already looking into hGH and all which is absolutely useless to think about.
Sounds like you have found a decent doc. Price may be a concern, if you are in the US, “anti-aging doctor” translates to “very expensive”. That may be different where you are at.
Well, I looked and he takes not only my insurance, but also my supplemental insurance. Ironically he accepts more insurance than the fertility doctor. I don’t know if the cost of treatment is covered though. I think injections ARE covered by medicare, but I’m not sure. I was told here that clomid is cheap, if that’s what I need.
1 Like
Okay, so the anti-aging doctor does not take insurance and the urologist is no longer there; so I’m seeing his replacement…in July. It cost $650 jsut for pellets from the anti-aging doctor. I’m going to continue to call around and I guess I’ll have to get my levels super low somehow before anyone will help me.
Could DHEA, Tribex, or an OTC aromatase Inhibitor help?
These were my other hormones in my original test when I got 395 TT. The urologist didn’t want to test any other hormones. Anyway, here are some other values. I don’t know if this will help you guys give me an idea if an AI would work.
Hematocrit 46.4 Range: 41.0-53.0
AST/ALT 0.5 No range given
Thyroid Stim. 1.11 Range: 0.5-4.50 u [IU]/mL
Luteninizing hormone, ser 4.0 m[IU]/ml
Ranges:
Pre-pubertal Child: 0.0-2.1
Adult Male: 1.7-11.2
Adult Female:
Follicular Phase 1.7-13.3
Mid Cycle: 4.1-68.7
Luteal: 0.5-19.8
Post Menopausal: 14.4-62.2
I don’t have any other useful values tested.
Do not get pellets.
Pellets don’t work well, there are a money making scheme whereby a dr can get a big payment for a one time procedure then not have to deal with you.
Thryoid function is pretty good.
LH is lowish.
There are studies that show when an AI is administered, T levels do go up, often doubling.
Your best route is to find someone who will give you a SERM + AI.
If you are absolutely stuck, you could try an AI, but you must realize that you can crash your E2. That has bad side effects and bad long term health effects.
If you were to go with an OTC AI (which I don’t really recommend) you should start very, very small and taper up. The theory behind SERM is that the SERM blocks the E2 receptors, which triggers T production, but doesn’t affect E2 levels directly.
With an AI, you are actually reducing E2 levels from a point that they are possibly healthy into a range where they are probably not. Again, you want to start small so your body has time to produce more T which will get aromatized to E2 (or not, because of AI).
IMHO, this could be workable, but you are playing with fire.
Read the thread on how to dose very small amounts of AI.
Found another fertility doctor. This doctor that I’m going to call has a blog about giving HCG injections and talks about how testosterone injections lower sperm count, which I knew. I don’t care about being sterile though, but hey if HCG works it works. I rather have a serm to avoid needles altogether though.
A fertility doc should be familiar with clomid and other SERMs, so that’s something.
“The doctor will only see patients in relation to couples wanting to get pregnant.”
Should I try and endocrinologist? I’m getting absolutely nowhere with urologists. Part of the reason is, most of the urologists in my area are associated with this one organization and seem to just go by their guidelines and basically are not specialists in the Low T field, or not willing to help. I tried searching for an endourology and get doctors in different states, which being a college student and not having a car makes it impossible for me to get to them. I found some “internal medicine” doctors that according to this site prescribe T gel. I don’t want T gel, but if they proscribe that than odds are they proscribe other things.
I have to say, the OTC AI idea keeps looking better and better.
Well, I talked to my primary doctor and I have an appointment tomorrow. I don’t know if she’s going to send me to see someone, but she is going to give me the right blood work. That’s a start at least and will at least tell me if an AI will work. I’m going to tell her I want all this tested. If I’m missing something, please let me know.
Total Testosterone
Free Testosterone
Estradiol
Luteinizing hormone
Follicle-stimulating hormone
prolactin
hematocrit
Complete Blood Count
AST/ALT
Cortisol
Comprehensive Metabolic Profile
Thyroid:
TSH
T3
T4
1 Like
Update: I am getting my blood drawn in a few hours and am currently fasting. I only got about 3 hours of sleep and cannot sleep any longer, especially due to being hungry and having to wait to eat. Anyway, I checked out the slips and my doctor forgot to put down cortisol. Is it even worth trying to get cortisol done? Here is what she has down to be tested:
Testosterone, Free, Total and Bioavailable
Sex Hormone Blinding Globuin
Comprehensive Medical Panel
Complete Blood Count (CBC) + Auto Off
Iron, TIBC, % Transferrin Saturation
Prolactin
Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Serum
Lutenizing Hormone, Serum
TSH
Estradiol
That’s a pretty good list. I don’t know why (due to my own ignorance, not saying KSMan is caprious) he sometimes recommends a cortisol test to some and not others. I did not get one.
I think that will be a solid base with which to choose a course of action. Get the labs from the office in advance of meeting with the doctor again so you can be prepared when you do meet with her.
How are “Internal Medicine” doctors? I saw a list of them in my area on a T gel advertisement website. Obviously, I don’t want T gel, but if they prescribe T gel, they prescribe other T treatment I’m sure. I put in a request at college pharmacy and they sent me a lsit of two doctors that are across the whole state. Sadly, no one is going to try me that far.
1 Like
What about one of those outfits that treat and prescribe remotely?