First of all, I’m a noob and searched, but didn’t find anything like my situation.
I’m 38 years old and I’ve been on methadone (70-80 mgs. daily) for chronic pain for about 12 years. Prolonged methadone use causes testosterone levels to go down bigtime. I spent lots of cash (Dr’s. and multiple tests) to find out this is a normal side effect of methadone and other opiates.
So… for a couple 2-3 years I’ve been taking AndroGel (2) 5-gram packets per day that are prescribed by my endocrinoligist. My test levels finally just started getting on the high side of normal according to my DR. Then a few months ago, she ordered a PSA test that came back 4.2 and she referred me to the Urologist. Last weeks test was 4.3 with a 6% Free PSA which the DR. claims is a 40% cancer chance.
Prostate was checked (finger) no swelling.I’ve had regular blood work done every 3 months. My test levels for the last 1 1/2 years have been on the high side of normal with 1 test barely going over the normal at one point. No change in scrip ordered.
I know from talking to my buds (and reading a few posts) that AndroGel is a very low dose of test and not thought of very high (bud said it’s “WEAK”). None the less, it’s helped me.
Does anybody know if this might just be a symptom of the 2-3 year usage of testosterone? It’s been nice to have my sex, strength, life back. If it is being caused by the test, are there other drugs that can keep my test levels normal due to the methadone use without a high PSA?
I also should add that I take the GNC multivitamins, 400 mg COG-10, and 1000 mg calcum/magnesium (this is also because of the methadone) on top of the methadone (70-80) mgs. and (2) 5-gram packets Androgel.
This is difficult and far more suited for an M.D… I am 40 and my PSA was 1.26 and my doctor said that was a bit high, however my prostate was unswollen so no immediate cause for concern was estdablished. Some have speculated that BPH is more of an estrogen issue than a DHT issue but according to your digital exam BPH is not necessarily an issue.
Next week I will start my first TEST cycle and for what it is worth, I plan on monitoring this exact issue. By the time I have my next PSA, I will have completed two TEST based cycles and should have more of an idea on how this issue related to myself.
What exactly is PSA? I assume it is prostate related, but what exactly?
You may do well at the Over 35 forum, but i also know of a ‘hard drugs’ newsgroup which, while aimed at current and ex users of hard drugs, has a few long term methadone users on who are either prescribed or self prescribe testosterone for TRT purposes.
I will email that to you if it is of interest, but only after you have ascertained that your estrogen is under control and all other obvious avenues have been exhausted - otherwise it is quite a private group of people due to obvious discrimination by the non-using community and i would rather not hand it out willy-nilly if you aren’t going to use it.
What exactly is PSA? I assume it is prostate related, but what exactly?
You may do well at the Over 35 forum, but i also know of a ‘hard drugs’ newsgroup which, while aimed at current and ex users of hard drugs, has a few long term methadone users on who are either prescribed or self prescribe testosterone for TRT purposes.
I will email that to you if it is of interest, but only after you have ascertained that your estrogen is under control and all other obvious avenues have been exhausted - otherwise it is quite a private group of people due to obvious discrimination by the non-using community and i would rather not hand it out willy-nilly if you aren’t going to use it.
Brook[/quote]
PM sent.
I’m not sure about my estrogen levels. Hopefully that info was also measured during my last blood test.
“PSA is prostate specific androgen”
After searching more on this site, I did find in the info section somewhere that a higher than normal PSA level can indeed be caused by prolonged, continued use of Test. The report from the University of Iowa on AndroGel rec’s that PSA levels be checked prior to beginning a testosterone therapy regimen. In my case, a new DR. that replaced my original was the one who ordered this these 2 tests.