How to Deal with Doctors in the UK?

Hi guys lookong for some help. Had alot of problems with low libido and drive. Started around 18-19. Have had little luck when at the doctors. I decided to get a private blood work done. Could any of you help me with my results thanks. I find myself constantly tired and do feel like I’ve lost a bit of my manliness.

When I was in my early teens I was always known for being muscle for my age but over the years my body is just bang average. When the sex drive dropped this was my biggest sign something had changed. Doctors initially tried to say it was all in my head. Have been patient over the years but nothing has improved.

ENDOCRINOLOGYHormonesD.H.E.A. SULPHATE 6.340 umol/L 0.44 - 13.40 FOLLICLE STIM. HORMONE 3.15 IU/L 1.50 - 12.40 LUTEINISING HORMONE *9.02 IU/L 1.70 - 8.60 TESTOSTERONE 14.2 nmol/L 7.60 - 31.40 FREE-TESTOSTERONE(CALCULATED)*0.28 nmol/L 0.30 - 1.00 SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOB 35.5 nmol/L 16.00 - 55.00 FREE ANDROGEN INDEX 40 Ratio 24.00 - 104.00 17-BETA OESTRADIOL 74.8 pmol/L 0.00 - 191.99

The very high LH and low testosterone shows you have primary hypogonadism, your testicles are dying, you better freeze some sperm before it’s to late. I’m not surprised your doctors missed, they most likely took one look at your Total T and made a decision without any more thought.

You’d think they had no training in hormone replacement. [Sarcastic] if I was that doctor I would be embarrassed.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Do you think I should be given help by the doctors ? I seem to get humour’d by them and told everything is within normal. I think aswell as we get free treatment in Scotland that they tend to hold back just given out treatment.

You need to try a different doctor and inform them about your high LH is indicating primary hypothyroidism. Your LH will become higher in time as testosterone drops, LH is basically screaming at the testicles to get to work, testicles are going to be able to comply.

In the U.K. With those levels you have to self treat or go private, end of story, the NHS cannot treat you as you fall well inside the normal range. There are some private clinics online e.g balancemyhormone but it is expensive and self treating isn’t much harder

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Are you saying even though he is primary and levels are within range, that they will still refuse treatment?

I’ve tried several doctors at the same practise but unfortunately they only see in numbers, even though I have had various symptoms which would lead to a problem of testesterone use in my body. I think as I get older aswell with the natural decrease I will only get worse. The numbers are low of the normal range but I think the age range is from 20-60 years of age for example so is really not exact indication as the low range could be for older men. Thanks for the replies, good to see what your thoughts are

State healthcare systems and insurance companies are the reason why doctors sometimes don’t take action, often insurance companies have rules doctors must follow so the denial of treatment may be to insurance preventing the doctor from taking action and therefore doctor tell you you’re within normal ranges. I don’t know about you but I’d rather be optimal instead of normal.

Yes. Nhs WILL NOT treat levels inside the normal reference ranges for anything. And his testosterone total is well within normal range. My friend has just been through the same thing with an even lower total. They aren’t interested in free test, free t3 or anything that isn’t in the NHS guidelines.

The NHS will only provide free treatment if Total Test is less than 9 nmol/l (last I checked) there are lots of clinics where he can go and pay. Most places will provide treatment at about £100-£200/month

Your only option will be to go private there are a lot of clinics out there most of which will do an ‘internet’ consultation. You pay them for a test and then they will treat you, it is normally £100-£200/month depending on where you go. You can get creams from around £50/month if you are happy with that.

If the NHS denies treatment and you can go private and easily get treatment, it’s telling you they are doing whatever they can to not have to divert NHS funding to pay for a life long treatment. It’s sad considering you’re paying taxes for healthcare and being denied!

Whilst I agree somewhat and I really don’t want to go down this rabbit hole with you. Most people in UK are proud of our system, they have a guide and unfortunately if you do not fall below that line then you wont be treated for free. I don’t see how this is much different to an insurance based system where you pay a premium and they still decide whether or not you can have treatment.

Sorry it would seem I am now taking us down that rabbit hole, but I have Crohns disease a life long condition for which the only additional cost I pay is £104/per year for unlimited prescription medication and that is all, no f***ing about with insurance companies and bartering etc.

I’ve ordered a another couple of test kits so I will see what they come back with. Testing the LH levels and my testesterone again. The testesterone one is for a online doctors so I may be able to get some treatment that I can pay for. But I think if it is within the level then they too will refuse treatment

See the internet companies that are being recommended, who would use recommend. I feel like this is the route I will need to go down. The websites say they will need to do there own testesterone test first but if my readings are coming back within range then surely there’s will be in range aswell and will not authorise any treatment that then I could pay for. My problem is that I feel that as I suffer symptoms of low testesterone then surely that itself should be enough cause for concern to start investigation possible treatments

In my experience they do there own test but they are not so strict with the levels providing you have the symptoms .

Where have you ordered them from? Medichecks? I am no expert in the field, but I always wondered of these home-finger-prick test are less accurate than going for an actual blooddraw at the GP.

Yeah I got it from medichecks to check for the LH level. I’ve ordered a test from a online doctor/pharmacy to check testesterone. More chance of them helping me than the doctor I use here

Thanks. Might give them a try… I had done some liver function tests recently and used a 4-8h turnaround service with GP appointment… Bloody expensive.

I take it you are 28 years old? I am 9 years older but I have similar hormone levels as to what you mentioned above. I have not experienced any issues, but I’ve been reading this forum a lot lately and the entire subject matter is quite interesting.