Low T - Results? What to Do Next?

Hi all - I have done some reading and now I have some questions. To make a long story short I have low T and I am being treated with 1% androgel. I have a feeling my doctor does not know shit about what is going on and would like some input. I have read the newbie thread and will try to make a very informative first post.

-age 26
-height 5 10
-waist 32 inches
-weight 182

-describe body and facial hair - Seemed to be a ectomorph, slim built have put on some weight recently, been working out on and off 3 years, started at 167lbs. I get a decent amount of facial hair basically a full beard. Not sure if this means anything but I dont “smell” like a normal guy after I work out. I can exersice without putting on deodorant and I really dont smell.

-describe where you carry fat and how changed - Seem to have put a little more fat on my waist area.I can still see the outline of my abs (top 2)

-health conditions, symptoms - Nothing serious

-Rx and OTC drugs, any hair loss drugs or prostate drugs ever
Just androgel

-lab results with ranges - listed below

-describe diet [some create substantial damage with starvation diets]
I generally eat healthy but not very strict. I make very healthy choices but will eat pizza etc every now and then. I do go on a very strict diet when I am lifting hard.

-describe training [some ruin there hormones by over training]
Now, 3 days a week compound movements- chest, back and legs - no more than 9-12 sets per workout

-testes ache, ever, with a fever? - No
-how have morning wood and nocturnal erections changed - Never get morning or nocturnal erections, Have no sex drive, but when sexual contact is iniated I have no problems.

lab results 12/21/11

Description value min max
Test Serum 285 348 1197 ng/dl

Thyroid panel with TSH 1.280 .450 4.500 uIU/ml
THyroxine (T4) 8.5 4.5 12.0 ug/dl
T3 Uptake 33 24 39%
Free Thyroxine index 2.8 1.2 4.9

COMPREHEN METABOLIC PANEL
Glucose serum 84 65 99 mg/dl
BUN 19 6 20 mg/dl
Creatine serum .99 .76 1.27 mg/dl
eGFR if Non african am 105 >59 >59 ml/min.1.73
BUN/Creatine 19 8 19
Sodium serum 136 134 144 mmol/L
Potassium serum 4.2 3.5 5.2 mmol/L
Chloride Serum 100 97 108 mmol/L
Carbon DIoxide total 23 20 32 mmol/L
Calcium serum 9.6 8.7 10.2 mg/dl
Protein total serum 8.0 6.0 8.5 g/dl
Albumin serum 5.0 3.5 5.5 g/dl
Globulin total 3.0 1.5 4.5 g/dl
A/G Ratio 1.7 1.1 2.5
Bilirubin total .5 0 1.2 mg/dl
Alkaline phosphatase 93 25 150 IU/L
AST(SGOT) 26 0 40 IU/L
ALT(SGPT) 26 0 55 IU/L
CBC with differential platele
WBC 5.5 4.0 10.5 x10E3/ul
RBC 5.14 4.10 5.60 "
Hemoglobin 15.5 12.5 17.0 g/dl
Hematocrit 45.9 36 50 %
MCV 89 80 98 FL
MCH 30…2 17 34 pg
MCHC 33.8 32 36 g/dl
RDW 12.8 11.7 15 %
platelets 218 140 415 x10e3/ul
neutrophils 55 40 74 %
lymphs ) 36 14 46 %
Monocytes 8 4 13 %
Eos 1 0 7 %
Basos 0 0 3 %
Immature cells
Neutrophils (Absolute)2.9 1.8 7.8 x10E3/ul
Lymphs (Absolute) 2.0 .7 4.5 "
monoocytes(Absolute).5 .1 1.0 "
Eos(Absolute) .1 0 .4 "
Immature Granuoctyes 0 0 2 %
Immature Grans(Abs) 0 0 .1 x10E3/ul
NRBC
LIPID PANEL
Cholestrol 161 100 199 mg/dl
Triglycerides 190 0 149 mg/dl
HDL Cholesterol 58 >39 >39 mg/dl
VLDL Cholesterol CAl 38 5 40 mg/dl
LDL Cholesterol CAlc 65 0 99 mg/dl
LDL/HDL ratio 1.1 0 3.6 ratio units

I have been on the androgel for about a week and I feel better mentally. I am not as tired and I have more motivation. I complained about being tired/motivation/trouble concetrating for 3 years now, my doc ran tests 3 years ago and said my T levels were good. I never seen those results but I will get them next month. I had a brain MRI done and the results came back normal. I am getting more tests done in 6 weeks to see if my T levels go up.

I guess my questions are - what do these results mean as a whole? Are they good/bad/normal? And what should I ask for when I go into the office to get more tests done?

Any feedback of any will be helpful

I would like to add that I did not fast before these results.

your thyroid tests are not ideal, not horrible, but not ideal

the fact that your doctor is running T3 uptake means that he doesn’t know what he is doing. You need TSH, FT4, FT3, Reverse T3, 8am Cortisol, Estradiol (E2), ferritin, D25-OH, B12, Free T, SHBG, and many others per the blood test sticky.

Did they ever test LH/FSH before your MRI?

with less than ideal thyroid there is a better than average chance that gels/creams will do you no good - as many with thyroid issues seem to experience problems absorbing gels/creams.

did you read the finding a doctor thread? can you call around to compounding pharmacies and get a referral?

you also have low sodium which is another sign of adrenal problems.

[quote]PureChance wrote:
your thyroid tests are not ideal, not horrible, but not ideal

the fact that your doctor is running T3 uptake means that he doesn’t know what he is doing. You need TSH, FT4, FT3, Reverse T3, 8am Cortisol, Estradiol (E2), ferritin, D25-OH, B12, Free T, SHBG, and many others per the blood test sticky.

Did they ever test LH/FSH before your MRI?

with less than ideal thyroid there is a better than average chance that gels/creams will do you no good - as many with thyroid issues seem to experience problems absorbing gels/creams.

did you read the finding a doctor thread? can you call around to compounding pharmacies and get a referral?

you also have low sodium which is another sign of adrenal problems.[/quote]

No lh/fsh test was done. Haven’t checked in the doctor thread yet. But if the gel does absorb would it be ideal to just stick w the gel and get checkups bi monthly ? Or should I demand the test that should be done?

Also I just wanted to add when I was over training a couple years back I woke up in the morning angry and pissed/deep depression. What could this be? Cortisol levels?

LH/FSH are needed pretreatment to determine if you are primary or secondary. If secondary, then an MRI is usually called for.

do you need more tests? well that depends.

if you have favorable reaction to your current treatment program, then no, you don’t need the tests, but if your current program does not help or helps at first, but then fades away, then yes, you will need the tests. having a baseline pretreatment is best. 2nd best is regular interval testing to see what is happening with all major systems, 3rd is randomly testing an ever changing list.

Thanks for ur help