Hi. After 10 years of fatigue, depression, etc, did some blood test and these are the results:
Both my T and free T are below minimum.
I have another appointment next week to show the exam to the doctor. Meanwhile, can someone with some experience give me some points on whats wrong?
Thanks.
LH is pretty low as well. Could this possibly be a pituitary issue? If so, this could suggest secondary hypogonadism.
Thanks for the response. I thought the same, but since I am new to this I am kinda confused. Never had an issue sex wise, never had a time where I failed to have an erection. But I don’t think I have a good libido. What took me to do the exam is my mental state. I’m tired and depressed all the time.
Is secondary hypogonadism treatable?
Yes it is. Hypogonadism, both primary and secondary, is the primary focus of TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy).
That being said, I am no doctor and would not be so bold as to say that is your case. I am NOT qualified to make a diagnosis. I’m merely putting it out there as a possibility based on my very limited understanding and looking at your blood tests.
ED is symptomatic of a testosterone deficiency, but I don’t think that low test is the direct cause of the ED. If I’m not mistaken, low testosterone levels usually walk hand in hand with subpar E2 (estradiol) levels. E2 is usually the culprit IF ED is the result of hormonal imbalance. It’s been reported in both high and low E2 extremes. It would be just a guess as to say at this point for you because we don’t have the E2 as part of you blood work.
In a nutshell, ED is usually associated with testosterone deficiency (because of the effects of the testosterone deficiency on the E2 level), but I wouldn’t go so far as to say that if you are NOT experiencing ED that you are not having testosterone issues. You are clearly low. It could be that your ratio of E2 is in perfect harmony even though as whole, you are deficient in testosterone . Hope that makes sense?
Edit to add…assuming that I’m right and your E2 levels are good now even though testosterone is low, you may want to be careful approaching TRT. This could indicate that you have a very high aramatse rate (conversion from testosterone to estrogen) and going full bore on normal starting doses could very well result in a huge elevation of E2. This can lead to a very rocky TRT protocol and dilute any hopes in your mind that TRT could make you feel normal again. I’ve read of this type of thing happening a lot.
If I were you, and my diagnosis was confirmed by a competent medical professional, I would start very low with TRT and make any changes to protocol VERY slowly and methodically, constantly keeping an eye on E2 if symptoms start developing (itchy burning nipples, increasing ED, gynocomastia, anxiety, depression, mood swings, basically anything that makes you think you’re turning into your wife when it’s her time of the month lol…).
Hope this helps.
Thanks man, I appreciate the time you took to respond. I was about to go “rogue” on the treatment because I don’t think any doctor in my country will take this seriously and the doctor that I went was very reluctant in passing me the exams. With that said, I am very scared of increasing any E2 levels. Isn’t Estradiol the same that is E2? I don’t know what to do, to be honest. Some guys say that I should take Proviron and do a “PCT”, others say I should take Enanthate twice a week, but I am scared of the conversion, aromatase enzyme etc etc etc.
You didn’t post tests for SHBG, so I don’t understand why you would consider Proviron. Proviron isn’t going to effect “tired and depressed” IMO. And I say that because Proviron is one of the drugs I am experimenting with (outside of the USA) but only to work with my SHBG levels.
Full disclosure - I am out of balance and haven’t found my answers. But if it were ME in YOUR case, I would start off with the easy things … overall vitamins D, and others before getting on TRT. Other blood tests as some of the guys here will suggest. Some on this board will not agree and say you are only delaying the inevitable. But you are getting differing opinions and that is what you asked for.
If Mr Penis is happy, I would think long and hard before starting a TRT cycle.
If you do decide to go the route of TRT, I would start no more than around 30mg twice a week (Test Enanthate orTest Cyp). I would then get my bloods done in about 8 weeks including SHBG and E2 along with the tests you did before, and sooner if I started seeing negative sides.
This isn’t medical advice, but just trying to put myself in your shoes. If I didn’t have any medical assistance and it was completely up to me to take care of my issues due to incompetence or unwillingness to help on the part of every legal route I tried, this is how I would approach it based on the information I have obtained so far.
Now, speaking of legal routes, you may have options in going the private clinic route if you can afford it. I’m not familiar with private clinics on your side of the world, but I’m sure the info wouldn’t be too difficult to find.
Your TSH is also a little elevated (they recommend closer to 1 on here) and didn’t see any free T3 with your thyroid tests or reverse T3. I would ask those to be evaluated also to rule out hypothyroidism.
Thanks for the inputs. I have an appointment next monday. What exams should I ask for? I see a lot of benefits but also a lot of people that try the TRT route, and then feel even more depressed. I am not in for the steroids per se or for the physique, tbh I just feel depressed and tired all the time. I am an active guy, but it’s hard to focus or to have a conversation.