@physioLojik and @ basically anyone else.
I’m not normally one to preface my texts, but I do feel that an apology is in-order up-front as hopefully I could piece all of this together from this thread and the stickies: however, I’ve lurked for a long time and information isn’t really sticking as well in my brain as it used to. So, while I’d read what comes next as someone that doesn’t want to put in the work I’ve just been horrid in compiling the knowledge shared on this forum into anything coherent.
I don’t have a thread on here, yet, but I’ll start with my question and then afterwards provide the background for anyone interested.
What test results would you, either you @physioLojik or @unreal24278 or anyone else on here for that matter that would care to chime in, need to be able to say anything with regards to the need for TRT? For instance, I’ve seen “sensitive assay” mentioned in several threads (and articles on T-nation), but I’m outside the US and have the inclination to believe the same terminology is not used here (Sweden, if it helps).
Background:
Early-2015: Burned out from doing too many things (studying 200%, working 50%, having an unhappy home life, drinking to fall asleep, coffee to stay awake). (Mis)Diagnosed with bipolar disease.
Early/Mid-2017: Noticed that I always felt better psychologically on days when I forgot to take my meds or couldn’t take them (prescription ran out, travelling, had a planned night out - the medication does not go well with alcohol). Successively tapered off the dose on my own out of curiosity.
Mid/Late-2017: Feeling great, career going strong, motivated. Not working out (“injuries”), but, life is good. Libido is normal to high. Just, all around pretty healthy. Pretty much the best I’ve ever felt. Ever. Updating the healthcare system on this has them recant their diagnosis of bipolar and replace that with a depressive episode resulting from burnout.
Early-2018: Libido declining, motivation rescinding, but still kind of okay. Start getting sick more often, healing from scrapes takes forever. Workout recovery is so-so. Putting on a lot of fat.
February 2018: Start having erectile issues, like, can’t get it up even though I’m with a lass. Chalk it up to body image issues.
April 2018: Too fat. Libido is completely gone. Can’t even get “excited” on my own, so something beyond body image issues is at play. Decide that I’m a fat bastard and need to get back on track physically.
Fast-forwarding: continue to get fitter and fitter, not staying on diet for more than 10 weeks at a time, but continue to have signs of hormonal issues. Immune system stays pretty poor, but with Superfood, Curcumin, Rhodiola, Vitamin C, et al. (and super clean eating) I can stay well for a few weeks at a time at least. Caught a nasty infection in my leg. Lost a piercing to another infection. Cry for the first time ever in 26 years of life to a movie. Emotional. Anxious. Sleeping uninterrupted is a forlorn memory. Erections are weeks apart, never spontaneous, just because I decide that I want to get one. They are always kind of soft. Never rock hard.
Eventually, seek medical help, they run a sweeping blood test panel. One thing sticks out, my total T is crap-low and then they hone in on that detail alone:
2018-07-27:
TSH: 1.79 (0.27-4.20)
SHBG: 38 (10-80)
Total T: 5.6 (7.6-31) nmol/L
2018-08-09: (TSH is dropped from the tests they run)
SHBG: 57
Total T: 9.4
2019-09-12:
SHBG: 44
Total T: 9.8
Now, I want to be able to go back to the doctor’s and have them have a proper look. I don’t want to start TRT without first feeling that due diligence has been done given the consequences it can have. Any advice, reply, or acknowledgement is appreciated. I get it if this information you’ve been presented with is too scant.
Thanks for reading,
Allberg