Low testosterone

[Scabutz]

Legacywr said:

Thinking of biting the bullet with the Leger clinic, purely for sexual performance improvements, but will I get any?

I’ve been on Tostran for the last 5 years, and everything else in my life is fine.

I obviously don’t want to stump up £195 at not get any benefit?

Depends what benefit you want/need. I found early on hardons were easier to get and keep, whereas before that had been hard.

Seemed to dip away after a while though.

[272BHP]

Legacywr said:

Thinking of biting the bullet with the Leger clinic, purely for sexual performance improvements, but will I get any?

I’ve been on Tostran for the last 5 years, and everything else in my life is fine.

I obviously don’t want to stump up £195 at not get any benefit?

Lots of other reasons why libido wouldn't be great - hormone levels are just one of many things it could be. But it's a reasonable place to start if you are already receiving treatment. What are your current levels of these markers?

Testosterone
Estrogen
SHBG
Prolactin

[Legacywr]

Damn, I don’t know?

[272BHP]

Legacywr said:

Damn, I don’t know?

If you are being treated currently then you really need to know these figures (and a bunch more) and be tested on a 6 month basis at the very least. If your doctor doesn't want to do all of them then go to somewhere like Medichecks and sort it yourself - they have specific packages for those on TRT.

Or go private and the clinic will be happy to get you tested, discuss everything at length and advise on action.

[westberks]

just got started with the menshealthclinic in Poole as they are the most conveniently located and seem to have fared pretty well from clients on here.

great thread for information so appreciate all that have contributed.

for my part i'm 54 and just feel things could do with a boost; currently suffer with afternoon lethargy and feel that little Westberks could do with some assistance. Still have an active sex life but feel that the drive is a little more forced than it should be at times. Occassionally use viagra equivalent and can notice the difference but not sure if i'm what a 54 year old should be or if I need to deal with it.

Also have prostate issues which have been present for the past 6 years and a ridiculously high PSA, but not cancerous after numerous scans and biopsies to make sure. Does become tiresome watching what you drink and needing to ensure you know where all of the toilets are in case you need them in a hurry.

wu=ill report back in due course.

[Legacywr]

I'm in Southampton, so not too far. Are they doing face to face appointments?

[Derek Smith]

Chris Stott said:

Astacus said:

Interesting thread. I am suffering from pretty much exactly the same symptoms as the rest of you and just about to try and get something done. I’ve fallen at the first hurdle in that I have spoken to the Dr who has agreed to do the testosterone blood tests, but has failed, twice so far , to remember to send me the test appointment.

Interested to know whether those who have had the treatment have seen any improvements.
Libido - none
Energy none
Can’t find the right words in the middle of sentences
Utterly exhausted permanently.
Go to sleep at my desk ( fortunately wfh)
Depressed
barely able to function some days

I had all those symptoms… turned out to be hypothyroidism.

That hypothyroidism is a bit of a bugger. I've had sub-clinical hypoT for decades. I've got prostate cancer, on pills to lower my testosterone, and those symptoms, which have been on and off companions for most of my life, seem to have got much worse, especially irritability. (Some of my posts appear to confirm this.) My doctor put me on hypoT pills. It was like a switch, for about 15 hours a day anyway. The irritability stays, but that's probably down to a particularly stressful few months with a very poorly grandchild.

I'd opt for a full blood test. Every damn thing they can think of. Most symptoms are non-specific and just because it's mentioned in one illness, it doesn't mean that's the one causing it.

[westberks]

Legacywr said:

I'm in Southampton, so not too far. Are they doing face to face appointments?

apparently so for initial consult post blood test.

I've booked the bloods and a nurse to come and make sure its taken right; could have tried local GP but would like it done before hell freezes over.

[Astacus]

Derek Smith said:

Chris Stott said:

Astacus said:

Interesting thread. I am suffering from pretty much exactly the same symptoms as the rest of you and just about to try and get something done. I’ve fallen at the first hurdle in that I have spoken to the Dr who has agreed to do the testosterone blood tests, but has failed, twice so far , to remember to send me the test appointment.

Interested to know whether those who have had the treatment have seen any improvements.
Libido - none
Energy none
Can’t find the right words in the middle of sentences
Utterly exhausted permanently.
Go to sleep at my desk ( fortunately wfh)
Depressed
barely able to function some days

I had all those symptoms… turned out to be hypothyroidism.

That hypothyroidism is a bit of a bugger. I've had sub-clinical hypoT for decades. I've got prostate cancer, on pills to lower my testosterone, and those symptoms, which have been on and off companions for most of my life, seem to have got much worse, especially irritability. (Some of my posts appear to confirm this.) My doctor put me on hypoT pills. It was like a switch, for about 15 hours a day anyway. The irritability stays, but that's probably down to a particularly stressful few months with a very poorly grandchild.

I'd opt for a full blood test. Every damn thing they can think of. Most symptoms are non-specific and just because it's mentioned in one illness, it doesn't mean that's the one causing it.

Thanks for all the advice and sorry I haven't been on here for a while to respond. I have just got a text saying I can go for a blood test for testosterone so will report back what I find.

Hormones are flipping complicated. They used to make my head spin in lectures with their multiple effects and sources and pro hormones and even pre-prohormones (Argh).

It was years before I realised that what people described as depression, was exactly what I was feeling. It then took me years to pluck up the courage to ask for help. (typical!) I now realise I also suffer from pretty awful SAD (seasonal affective disorder). The sertraline kind of helps, but by February I am essentially non functional. On top of that I coming round to the idea that I am also a little autistic. How I wish there was one pill....

So of course I may be grasping at straws with the testosterone.

[Chris Stott]

I’d strongly recommend getting a full set of bloods.

Could be something as simple as vit B deficiency… a side effect of my Hashimotos is I don’t absorb vit B properly, and a B deficiency can lead to quite serious depression (as I found out last year). Quite easily treated with a vit B shot - I got a friend to pick me a load up in Dubai at Christmas and I give myself one every month.

[Legacywr]

B12 you mean?

[Chris Stott]

Yes, B12.

[PArbor1]

Had my blood test back from the doctors, it had gone up slightly to 7.5. The blood was taken in the morning which apparently is when T is at its heighest and I hadn’t taken three of the medication that I am on which lowers T.
I’ve been referred to the endocrinologist.

[Derek Smith]

Astacus said:

Derek Smith said:

Chris Stott said:

Astacus said:

Interesting thread. I am suffering from pretty much exactly the same symptoms as the rest of you and just about to try and get something done. I’ve fallen at the first hurdle in that I have spoken to the Dr who has agreed to do the testosterone blood tests, but has failed, twice so far , to remember to send me the test appointment.

Interested to know whether those who have had the treatment have seen any improvements.
Libido - none
Energy none
Can’t find the right words in the middle of sentences
Utterly exhausted permanently.
Go to sleep at my desk ( fortunately wfh)
Depressed
barely able to function some days

I had all those symptoms… turned out to be hypothyroidism.

That hypothyroidism is a bit of a bugger. I've had sub-clinical hypoT for decades. I've got prostate cancer, on pills to lower my testosterone, and those symptoms, which have been on and off companions for most of my life, seem to have got much worse, especially irritability. (Some of my posts appear to confirm this.) My doctor put me on hypoT pills. It was like a switch, for about 15 hours a day anyway. The irritability stays, but that's probably down to a particularly stressful few months with a very poorly grandchild.

I'd opt for a full blood test. Every damn thing they can think of. Most symptoms are non-specific and just because it's mentioned in one illness, it doesn't mean that's the one causing it.

Thanks for all the advice and sorry I haven't been on here for a while to respond. I have just got a text saying I can go for a blood test for testosterone so will report back what I find.

Hormones are flipping complicated. They used to make my head spin in lectures with their multiple effects and sources and pro hormones and even pre-prohormones (Argh).

It was years before I realised that what people described as depression, was exactly what I was feeling. It then took me years to pluck up the courage to ask for help. (typical!) I now realise I also suffer from pretty awful SAD (seasonal affective disorder). The sertraline kind of helps, but by February I am essentially non functional. On top of that I coming round to the idea that I am also a little autistic. How I wish there was one pill....

So of course I may be grasping at straws with the testosterone.

I had a full med, including blood tests. Lots of them.

It's very complex, as you say, this hormone gubbins. I have a family history of low B12 - my brother is on injections every 5-6 weeks and an uncle died of it after having to eat raw liver for years. Mine showed borderline, but it was believed that was because I worked in a lead-filled atmosphere. I changed jobs and it went up, ever so slightly, ever so slowly. I assumed my occasional tiredness was because of it.

I had sub-clinical hypothyroidism, for years, but again borderline until recently. I'm on pills for that, and it's great. It has magical effects on my tiredness, right up until around now of an evening. Well pleased with the pills.

I have problems returning to normal blood-sugar levels after exercise, but no one seemed bothered and I was given workarounds. They work so I'm happy, although it was a bit odd in gyms eating chocolate after an aerobic session on the running machine. I carried on filming a long rugby match and I felt dizzy going into the clubhouse after the whistle. I asked for a KitKat and was told they didn't have any. My brain was going along with the rest of me, and another chap from the home side recognised the symptoms and said Mars and pointed. She then asked, 'What size'. I ate a big one, so to speak, in one go and got an appreciative 'Oooh' from the server. The odd thing is that I always feel better as I start to eat it, so before the sugar gets into my blood. These hormones are tricky little blighters.

I came away from the feedback on the test a bit down, but my GP said that I was, more or less, normal and not to worry. It appears that the old days of it being a problem if you are not within a narrow band are long gone. Everyone's a bit weird it seems.

So don't get wound up when you see the results of a full blood test. It would appear that most things can be sorted, either with pills, injections or changes.

[Astacus]

How did you manage to get the full bloods done? I seem to end up always with some sort of piecemeal approach.
Fortunately I now have my medical insurance back. I recently changed jobs and I am now out of the 6 m probation. I suppose I should try and get myself referred to a endocrinologist.

Before Covid, you could pick up a form from the GP and toddle off to the local hospital for a blood test when you liked. Same day if you felt like it. Now apparently you don't need to go to the surgery for a form, they send you a text and you can choose which hospital you go to, but you have to make an appointment for a 5 min slot. In my case, I have to wait 12days for that slot.
Apparently this is to stop the waiting room being full of the evil virus.

[Derek Smith]

Astacus said:

How did you manage to get the full bloods done? I seem to end up always with some sort of piecemeal approach.
Fortunately I now have my medical insurance back. I recently changed jobs and I am now out of the 6 m probation. I suppose I should try and get myself referred to a endocrinologist.

Before Covid, you could pick up a form from the GP and toddle off to the local hospital for a blood test when you liked. Same day if you felt like it. Now apparently you don't need to go to the surgery for a form, they send you a text and you can choose which hospital you go to, but you have to make an appointment for a 5 min slot. In my case, I have to wait 12days for that slot.
Apparently this is to stop the waiting room being full of the evil virus.

My GP thought that I had something seriously wrong and then I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He wanted things 'sorted'. I had some strange symptoms, including a singular lack of reflexes in arms and legs, no sensation in toes. He asked me how much I drank and when I told him I was tee-total he seemed to get worried. Had a full-body CT, ultrasound and an MRI as well. Found a lot of little problems - fatty liver particularly. Found I had bone growths, spurs?, where I broke 3 vertebrae back in the day. These growths were inches long.

My knees are not too good - as if I didn't know - and my gall bladder was infected. My problem was a combination of various things slowing down. The treatment for my thyroid got me feeling great. It was good to know that my B12 was not getting much worse - I think that concerned him a bit - and if I turn yellow, I have to report to a hospital. Not sure why.

Waiting for the result of a second CT scan, again full body. Bit nervous of that one as they finished and then did another one on a bit of me. Getting feedback on the 18th, and not looking forward to it.

They took four tubes of blood from me, so I've been cleared of most things, on the assumption they've finished. An ex colleague with medical insurance had an identical procedure and they found all sorts of serious problems. Was told to give up all alcohol, but he didn't. Not much point in having tests if you're not going to react to the findings.

[PArbor1]

I have the bloods from the doctors back.

Testosterone 7.6 nmol /L 8.64 - 29.0
SHBG 16.2 nmol/L 18.3 - 54.1
Free Androgen Index 46.9 35.0 - 92.3

Slightly up from when I had the initial blood test done as I hadn’t been taking methylphenidate, omeprezol for the week leading up to the blood test.

[272BHP]

PArbor1 said:

I have the bloods from the doctors back.

Testosterone 7.6 nmol /L 8.64 - 29.0
SHBG 16.2 nmol/L 18.3 - 54.1
Free Androgen Index 46.9 35.0 - 92.3

Slightly up from when I had the initial blood test done as I hadn’t been taking methylphenidate, omeprezol for the week leading up to the blood test.

Yeah that is pretty damn low - what did your physician suggest?

You really need to get this moving forward as soon as you can, you have both severe symptoms and also very low levels. There are lots of other blood markers that would be important to know here but get a doctor to explain them to you and take notes.

This could be life changing for you so you really should make this a priority from now on.

Best of luck.

[PArbor1]

This is the rest of the blood test.

[PArbor1]