Hi!
I’ve received my blood test. Did it cause I feel no libido and & lack of energy.
I’m 35 yo.
Results:
FSH 0.5 (1.7-18.1)
LH 1.5 (1.5-9.)
Estradiol 23.5 (<52)
Prolactin 7.7 (2.1-17.7)
Total Testosterone 6.3 (2.41-8.27)
Free Testosterona 6.34 (13-33)
DHEA 58.3 (80-560)
SHGB 157 (13-71) …very high!!
Must I go on TRT?
I am hardly the most knowledgeable here but your Total Testosterone level is highish mid-range normal.
Something is clearly going on with your body but it seems that your Testicles are functioning.
At anyrate it does not seem like a TRT problem.
Thyroid/pituitary/hypothalamus issues? Dunno again I am not that knowledgeable.
What does the doctor say?
I will look for some links on interpreting labs and add them here:
Maybe worth looking at from that site:
Also from the SHBG faq:
[quote]Is there anything else I should know?
SHBG concentrations are normally high in children of both sexes. After puberty, SHBG levels decrease more rapidly in males than in females. Levels are normally stable in adults and then begin to increase in the elderly male at the same time that total testosterone levels begin to decrease. In postmenopausal women, SHBG, testosterone, and estrogen concentrations decrease as hormone production by the ovaries tapers off.
Bioavailable testosterone is becoming an increasingly important concept to both doctors and researchers. It may be measured by removing the SHBG-bound testosterone from the collected blood sample and then analyzing what�??s left. An estimate can also be calculated using the Free Androgen Index (see above).
Although SHBG is not usually ordered to diagnose or monitor these conditions, increases in SHBG are seen with liver disease, hyperthyroidism, anorexia, and estrogen use (replacement and oral contraceptive). Decreases in SHBG are seen with obesity, hypothyroidism, androgen use, and Cushing�??s disease.[/quote]
And from the DHEA section:
From the FSH section:
More general discussion of labs:
http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=461891
Level With Me, Doc… How Long Have I Got?
A Comprehensive Look at Lab Tests
by Cy Willson
I’ll visit Doc next week. He also did me a MRI for pituitary and was OK. Then he send me to do another blood test to see shbg. Hypogonadism is compatible with normal levels of TT if SHBG increased that means FT is blocked. In fact TT is not determinant as FT to diagnose hypogonadism.
I feel like crap!!
Damn!
P.D: Sorry for my english. I write from Spain.
Keep us posted. If it turns out you need TRT, you will be glad you went on it.
Hi everybody!!
Finally doc puts me on Androgel. I’ll take 1 tub per day for 4 week and then I re-test my testosterone total , free and SHBG.
We will see.
Great! There are plenty of guys who have great luck with androgel.
BTW, they don’t promote it but Solvay has a financial assistance program for those on androgel. Don’t know if this applies to you.
http://www.solvaypharmaceuticals-us.com/healthcareproviders/hcppap/0,,14010-2-0,00.htm
Again keep us posted.
–
[quote]Snowato wrote:
Hi everybody!!
Finally doc puts me on Androgel. I’ll take 1 tub per day for 4 week and then I re-test my testosterone total , free and SHBG.
We will see.[/quote]
T is like a one legged tripod…
When you add the T, your E will increase. Elevated E will ruin everything. You will feel great on the T … for a while. Enjoy your sexual reawakening. The intensity will not last. Have your wife/GF stick with you and know that this is a one time deal and make the best of it.
As E increases, SHBG will increase and that reduces your FT.
I would not test E2 without some anastrozole, so your first lab can be a dose adjustment instead of “that was expected”. And until E2 is known to be where it should be… for a while, I do not see the point of testing SHBG!
You need arimidex/anastrozole to get your E2 into the lower 20’s, it will not stay there with the T. 20pg/ml would be great if you can get there. Ask for 1mg per week. It is insane to wait until things go bad. You can have it on hand and start when you feel things start to fade.
If your TRT is working right, your HPTA and testes will shut down. Not a good self image when you testes are small and things never hang down again. hCG injections will fix that, 250iu SC EOD. The testes are the biggest single source of pregnenolone for men. You need that to make DHEA and your brain needs preg to make neural steroids. Preg is important for memory and other mental functions.
Getting a doctor who will do this or even to understand why can be a [common] problem for most.
The ideal start before labs and dose corrections is:
The tripod: T+AI+hCG
100mg/wk+1mg/wk+250iu EOD is an ideal start
(100mg/wk is injected)
With transdermals (TD), absorption rates vary wildly by individual and some who absorb well to start may stop absorbing.
Some on TD start well, E increases and T levels drop and can feel worse after 2 months than when they started. I am not trying to poop on your progress, but hoping that you will know what might happen and know what to do or ask if things become adverse.