Messages

1

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Re: Became low SHBG

« on: July 21, 2019, 12:54:42 am »

I get reduced sensitivity with either high or low estradiol. It's possible that low SHBG is creating a high estradiol situation via the influence on free estradiol.

I'm not sure to what extent lifestyle modifications may raise your SHBG. I recently had my SHBG drop from 30 nMol/L into the single digits mainly as a result of stopping hCG, which in turn crashed estradiol. I'm certainly hopeful that it is reversible.

Yea hopefully. In my case I don’t think its E2 related as that was 33 and T around 600. In terms of mental symptoms I don’t have any at least though E2 never has affected me in that way. I used to think it did but 2 years ago realized it has no impact.

However, at this T level 2 years ago I would have an E2 around the low 20s consistently with either test. So it seems that gaining BF% has caused a lot more aromatization as would be expected.

I really need to get that down. I have a sort of “skinnyfat” look. Not noticeable with clothes on but still. I don’t know what I am supposed to do whether I am to cut or bulk. I am a hardgainer so I am afraid that by eating more and working out I would just gain more fat

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Became low SHBG

« on: July 20, 2019, 03:21:11 pm »

It doesn’t seem to be impacting things that much but I wonder if I am getting low sensitivity as a result of low SHBG.

I used to be normal SHBG around 25-30 but ever since my BF% went from 14 to 20% and I stopped cutting sugar, it seems like my SHBG has declined all the way to 15.

Is this kind of drop reversible just my losing body fat and cutting sugar again? It doesn’t seem to be genetic since I used to be fine before, even on TRT.

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Re: questions about post finasteride syndrome

« on: May 20, 2019, 03:23:57 pm »

PFS is more related to Allopregnanolone depletion in the CNS than Testosterone.

Allopregnanolone is a GABAergic neurosteroid. And yea that temporary recovery and crash is possible. The brain and body are not fully understood.

Interestingly there is Brexanolone which is being investigated for depression. But looks like for postpartum for now and its also going to be ridiculously expensive to the point it doesn’t seem viable for most. Its some kind of insanely expensive infusion at the docs office. But anyways its supposed to be an allopregnanolone analog so in theory perhaps it is the cure to PFS.

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Re: Dr. John Crisler has passed away

« on: January 20, 2019, 08:28:04 am »

Wow I had no idea until I just randomly checked  here right now to see what was up as Im not here aa often these days.

RIP Dr Crisler.  Your work and forum was definitely instrumental in advancing the knowledge of HRT and was very useful in my (and many others’) journey as well although I never directly was your patient.

Edit: Oh man once I figured out the reason was not what I assumed I feel really sad.....

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Re: Mid 20s hair thinning and TRT

« on: January 05, 2019, 07:56:34 pm »

You say you are on TRT. But what is your protocol?

If a topical gel/cream, that can raise DHT which is bad for hair loss in men.

Just asking.

Injections 20 mg E3D

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Re: Mid 20s hair thinning and TRT

« on: January 01, 2019, 02:57:24 am »

My impression is that if you're genetically predisposed to androgenic alopecia then you're going to lose hair sooner or later. TRT may speed it up a little, but I think it's still inevitable unless you adopt the risky strategy of blocking or reducing androgens. I'd give you the usual platitudes about bald guys still attracting women, but it's a delusion to think it doesn't put men at a disadvantage.

Haha except my game even without that disadvantage sucks, so its probably a really bad thing for me. But I am smart enough to know women are not worth risking your neurosteroids.

Guess I probably still have some years where it will pass. I guess it unfortunately means I need to work even harder though ugh.

I have a trophy GF mindset I need to work on.

Probably at this point with my inevitable fate its even more important to build muscle and get some real game. Basically work on everything thats in my control :/. Im still a skinny guy and that probably turns some girls off and even more so if I ever go bald. 

The advice of “girls don’t care about muscle” is total sugarcoated BS imo. Although honestly I should be working out for myself and these issues that got me on TRT to begin with lol.

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Mid 20s hair thinning and TRT

« on: December 31, 2018, 11:31:55 pm »

My hair has started thinning

I have no idea how but just randomly started this year. Ive been on TRT on/off for years now and mostly on so can it still be because of TRT?

Would it have happened anyways despte TRT?

What are things I should check? Obviously ive been here long enough that stuff like Sp and Fin are never options. Even minoxidil i wouldnt touch. I don’t want to mess with anything chemical that affects neurosteroids for the sake of hair. I would rather be single my entire life cause of hair loss than get suicidal depression from Fin.

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Re: Low SHBG and sexual issues

« on: November 22, 2018, 12:58:54 am »

Dropping SHBG from 28 nmol/L to 17 doesn't affect calculated free T as much as I thought it would. Free T goes from 17 ng/dL up to 21. One possible implication is that this level of SHBG is still borderline, and not severely low. It would be interesting to know the change in free estradiol. Free estradiol is generally assumed to be the culprit when low SHBG is associated with problems. Unfortunately the doctors commenting here have not gone into detail about their results in treating these "challenging" cases.

The margin of error for the algorithmic predictions are massive as SHBG approaches out of range low values.  I made a detailed post about this.   By calculation, you'll still have normal range FT with even zero (0.01) nmol/L SHBG.  This is incorrect, and we have a real world no-SHBG male in the literature to prove it.

(Quoting you bc I know you have done a lot of research on SHBG over the years but the following is for anybody)

In case my SHBG change is leading to the sexual issues via high free E2, I need to get my SHBG back up.

I know this is not a TRT induced SHBG decrease bc over the years I have had SHBG in the mid 20s even on TRT. So its likely due to something else.

I know James you say (in other posts—just from my memory over the years)  its not possible to increase SHBG with just lifestyle. But should it be possible for soemone like me who had previously normal SHBG to get back to that with lifestyle changes? Such as cutring out sugar again. I used to cut out sugar but this year was like whatever about it and have too much now.

I think my SHBG decrease is msot likely some lifestyle factor. Maybe I should also test A1C/insulin/glucose all fastint too? Havent done those in a long time but I have previous numbers.

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Re: Low SHBG and sexual issues

« on: November 11, 2018, 01:38:01 am »

What do you mean by " im wondering could this SHBG be a culprt in poor sensitivity?" 

I think you are right that your poor diet contributed to lowering your SHBG.  The consensus I have heard seems to be that low SHBG points to metabolic dysfunction which could lead to diabetes.

I mean if people with low SHBG issues here have had problems with orgasm/sensitivity as a result of it. And if it can be fixed by raising SHBG, which presumably for me would require changing my lifestyle back to what it was when my SHBG was in the mid-high 20s.

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Low SHBG and sexual issues

« on: November 10, 2018, 09:12:26 pm »

Recently my SHBG has been low around 16-17. Mentally I feel alright with my T around 700 and E2 sensitivr at 40 ish but im wondering could this SHBG be a culprt in poor sensitivity?

I used to have my SHBG around 28.

I suspect that because I am having too much carbs/sugar since I recovered (lmao I know....) it tanked. Basically once I felt good I sort of went back to my previous lifestyle LOL. Aka not exercising as much and not caring as much about diet...

And I think it is biting me now. Its hard to get it up, I have low libido,and terrible sensitivity.

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / PAS--Post Arimidex/Aromasin Syndrome

« on: October 15, 2018, 06:44:37 pm »

Was just reading around  and saw some posts about it.

https://www.excelmale.com/community/threads/permanent-damage-from-estradiol-crash.14742/

Holy shit wow. And at one point in my journey I used AIs not even knowing about this stuff. I don't really need them though as I figured out a couple years ago somewhat high E2 didnt affect me. Seems extremely rare but apparantly possible...

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Re: Doctor thinks higher SSRI dose will help my testosterone

« on: October 15, 2018, 03:14:14 am »

I would avoid increasing the SSRI.  Those things are murder to get off of.  And you should want to get off of them if at all possible.  The reality of it is, your hormone profile is whack right now.  So of course you are not going to feel well.  I do not think adding more SSRI is going to fix that.  It will probably just make the situation worse.

its so crazy. Back when I was in my late teens early 20s I had bad anxiety and I was on a hefty dose of Paxil for 2 years. I quit cold turkey and had no side effects.

I now take 2.5 through 5mg of lexapro and I got off for a little while a few months ago and i did have some sides. Mostly brain zaps for a few weeks but nothing crazy

Dont forget the effects of low dose SSRI on Allopregnanolone!

Both cortisol and allopregnanolone get affected by SSRIs. Both also get affected bg Preg supplementation. I think Allopregnanolone is very important and a missing piece for some. Its not so simple as Preg supps always bc it comes from 5-AR enzyme.

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Re: HCG, DHEA and pregnenolone

« on: October 15, 2018, 03:10:52 am »

Pregnenolone but not HCG seems important for me at least. I minimize HVG but still use it 2x a week ish.

Missing pregnenolone for a few days I do feel like my HPA axis gets affected

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Re: Hate Prolactin

« on: September 17, 2018, 11:05:49 pm »

Maybe the prolactin (and hopefully u didnt orgasm 48 hrs before and also fasted overnight) is because your dopamine is affected by the amps you take. Just a theory you may want to ask the doc about.

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Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Re: Stimulant Addiction+ Testosterone

« on: September 17, 2018, 11:04:26 pm »

Stims can mess with HPA axis and T levels but the reason for the addiction I dont think has to do with that. Its an effect not a cause. The addiction is bc of the properties of the drug itself.