Greetings everyone. My name is Jesse and I am just starting out with TRT.
I have been struggling with being overweight since my early teens and in retrospect I have had many of the low T symptoms since then as well.
I have never been obsessed with sex, I enjoy it when it happens but I have never had the primary drive to go an get it at all costs. I have a hard time loosing weight, I have no motivation.
My roommate works out and after some discussion he seemed to think I may have low T. After doing my own due diligence I decided to make an appointment. It turns out that I have an issue as my T level is 64.
The doctor was concerned and asked me to come back tomorrow morning so they can take it again to see if it is a bad reading or id there is a major underlying issue of some sort.
I just wanted to feel better, more alpha and loose some weight now I am freaking out. He said that they would get me started tomorrow as long as my levels are under normal but we would run a battery of tests if it is under 100 again.
Has anyone else had levels this low? How long does it take to start feeling better once you start? I have had good luck in the past with low carb and my weight so I am going to start that up in addition to the TRT to try and jump start the weight loss.
You need these labs:
TT
FT
E2
**LH/FSH - DO NOT START TRT before this prolactin!!!
CBC
hematocrit
fasting cholesterol
fasting glucose
TSH
fT3
fT4 - please not T3, T4
AM cortisol
Please post all labs with ranges.
There may well be more problems than low-T. At your age, low-T is a symptom, not the disease. Most doctors will not do proper diagnostics unless pressed to do that and may chicken out and send you to an endocrinologist - often a bad move.
Weight gain can also be from low thyroid function and that can be from something as simple as not using iodized salt. See if cafeteria food at school is prepared with iodized salt. Most of the time, restaurants do not and prepared foods not. So its up to you and your salt shaker and you are not cooking. Iodized salt at home?
The problems with male hormone care is not unknowns about labs and treatments, its all about doctors who are idiots. You need to understand the things in the stickies and not be passive. It is typically a struggle.
We can guide you with labs and what should be done.
Your time-line suggests that this has been going on for a long time.
???
age
weight
waist/jeans size
gyno?
where do you carry fat
do you get cold easily? when changed?
outer eye brows sparse?
dry skin, general hair thinning, brittle nails
thin facial hair?
width of peripheral vision - should be near 180 degrees
energy level and initiative
mood
Do not start TRT before suggested labs. Diagnostics needed.
Where are you located? This affects your diagnostic and treatment options.
What are you studying?
You can eval overall thyroid function by checking oral body temperatures as suggested in the thyroid basics sticky. Thyroid hormone fT3 regulates mitochondrial production of ATP, the universal currency of cellular energy. This has a huge effect on energy balance and weight gain/loss. Something that you can do on your own. Note that the ranges for thyroid hormones are rather useless and that makes almost all doctors useless as they have no concept of optimal and only understand disease states. Many here have thyroid and low-T issues. Even when on TRT with optimal levels, one can suffer if thyroid function is low, with lab numbers that docs thing are really good.
Thanks for the quick reply. I just went to a “Low T” clinic based off my symptoms. I had no idea about these other labs. I will take this with me tomorrow to my appointment.
Your time-line suggests that this has been going on for a long time.
??? - As long as I can remember.
age - 36
Height - 5’ 9"
weight - 300lbs
waist/jeans size - 46" - 48" (depends on brand)
gyno? - Not really
where do you carry fat - All over
do you get cold easily? when changed? - No, Usually hot nature
outer eye brows sparse? - Kind of
dry skin - in winter
general hair thinning - No
brittle nails - No
thin facial hair - Very much so, as is other body hair. My legs have super fine hairs that are so light they are near invisible.
width of peripheral vision - should be near 180 degrees - Yes
energy level and initiative - Low and Low
mood - Down most of the time