Got the following data from a recent blood test. In my mind it substantiates how I feel, i.e. Like a train wreck, but my doc and an Endocrinologist who she concacted for me are not keen to take it further.
SHBG high, free test in bottom end of “normal” and TSH not in a desirable position either. Have I missed something because I’m far more concerned than my doctor.
Your TSH from what I understand is actually in a decent spot. Hard to say what everything else it is doing as you don’t have free t4 or free t3 tested on the thyroid side. Everything I’ve read you want your TSH closer to 1 though. I agree your in a tough spot with the high SHBG and low free T.
This is the type of case you need to get the Doctor to treat you for your symptoms and not treat you as a number on some scale. Describe to him/her all the symptoms you are having. Stress the importance of getting back to normal levels. If you cant make progress then dump him and move to a different Endo. Most Docs/Endos will require 2 consecutive blood tests maybe followed by an MRI. My second blood test actually had me in the range but very bottom. He still prescribed Test for me. AND he was a VA doc
Your main problem is low Free T do to high SHBG, SHBG scanvanges sex hormones and when high it binds more and more of your Free testosterone. Your endocrinologist isn’t very knowledgeable is she’s missing the SHBG connection. Doctors only care about in range and will not treat you unless you are below ranges.
You need to seek care outside of insurance or find another doctor within insurance. Insurance is all but useless because none of the doctors inside insurance networks are any good at TRT. This doctor wouldn’t know the first thing about designing a proper TRT protocol if she is missing something so obvious as high SHBG.
It means she doesn’t know jack about hormones, most do not as most don’t specialize in TRT. Endo’s are more into thyroid and diabetes. Urologists are more about bladder and prostate and again don’t specialize in TRT, it’s why they are so bad at it.
There are no hormone specialists in insurance based healthcare, TRT has been done for decades in private practices, sports medicine and anti-aging. TRT has been taboo for decades so the medical community has ignored it for the past 70 years which is why they are no specialists.
We patients know more than the doctors, that’s saying something!
Thanks for quick replies so far. I’m definitely not giving up easily that’s for sure. The problem for me is patience. I’ve felt this way for so long and now I’ve got a grasp on the fix, I want it yesterday.
Zero medications. Never done keto or any wacky diets except for the V-Diet 9 years ago. The only fasting I do is the 3/4 hours between meals. I don’t know what Finasteride or Accutane are.
Perhaps it’ll help if I list some symptoms:
Poor sleep, noticeable loss of strength (at least 25% in the past 2 years), low libido (sometimes I’d rather sleep instead, despite having an attractive girlfriend I’m very into), body fat creeping up for no real reason, muscle loss (my Dad commented last week after not seeing each other for several months), mood swings, lack of focus.