Hi Guys,
My name is Michael and i am from the UK (specificaly England). I have a long story to tell which has lead me to your forums. If you have the time please take a read and chirp in with any information or opinion you may have.
First and foremost, let me tell you that in the united Kingdom even though we have the less than mighty (any more at least) NHS system (national health system), getting to the bottom of anything is a long and time consuming process.
Even when we have results back from bloods etc, its difficult to get access to even your own records and results.
I guess i should start around the age of 12/13 when i hit puberty. I had what i would consider at least a normal puberty. The usual changes kicked in and i would say i developed a very normal sized and looking penis and testicles. I began growing facial hair almost right away (around 14) and have had a beard ever since pretty much. I am very hairy (legs/arms/back/chest/face/hands) you name it, i have hair there (with the massive exception for my head), my hair starting to thin around 15 and by the time i was 19 i was having to shave my head. I would suggest my hair loss started around the time of my puberty but i didnt notice it until i was 15 or so.
So again what i’d describe as typical. What i did also notice was that i was bigger/stronger then most of the boys of my age. By 17 i was hard into the gym, i had my own free weight selection of weights etc in my loft. By 18 i was happily lifting 100kg+ on the bench press and more on the olympic bar with squats. I include this information as i know it was far to young now to be weight training. My weight was around 16/17 stone.
To add from 14-18 i smoked so much cannabis i can’t begin to describe the amount.
Whilst all this went on (17+) i started having panic attacks and general anxiety (this will become more apparent the later on into this we get).
At 19 i moved away from my home town with my then partner who was pregnant with my first child. (a very stressfull time as i was still a child myself).
For the next 3 years i had a very bad time, stopped the gym and gained alot of fat on my belly and chest (man breasts). I became depressed and anxiety had set in hard.
By the time i had finished that relationship and came home i was a wreck. Almost 20stone of fat. From then onwards although i have lost alot of weight i am still overweight (at 17stone approx). I am now married with 2 more lovely children and a lovely wife.
However i struggle very badly with anxiety and mood swings, low to none existant sex drive and the worst brain fog/memory loss and general lack of concentration.
I have only just been tested for testosterone levels and have been told “i am low” and to have another blood test done for an accurate reading.
In this country 200 is considered the threshold for testosterone levels so i can only assume that i am udner that level.
On top of the above issues I experience sore joints and huge fatigue, i can sleep for 10 hours and wake up tired and go to bed tired, however when i go to bed i find it difficult to sleep still. I have mood swings, and get angry easily. I seldom shout and have never raised a fist to my wife/children, but i do find my self being more blunt and less tactfull with them both.
I am back at the local GP tomorrow and will ask for the full bloods i have had done, if they will give me that information i dont know? but i will try.
If i can only improve my mental state (memory and cognitive thought) only it would be a massive improvement.
I would also say i have had bloodwork for thyroiod function and many other things which are all normal.
I will keep updating as i find out or remember more.
Thanks
mike