Being open about nutrition and exercise with doctors

[T-Power]

Does not seem like a good idea while trying to get help for hypogonadism, at least in my experience so far.

If you don't conform to the typical 60% carb intake, eat every 3 hours, cardio only exercise, and mention weights/muscle it seems to set off alarm bells in their heads. I guess it's somewhat understandable since they probably have a lot of gym goers coming in wanting "legal steroids", but if you're truly seeking help I feel it's better to withhold any nutrition/fitness information, initially at least, if it deviates from the norm.

Just this morning I went to see a GP about getting follow up tests suggested by my endocrinologist. I mentioned the endo suggested (off the record) I supplement with DHEA and I wanted my levels checked before I did. Next question from him was "do you go to the gym/lift weights?". He started going on about muscle building/looking good and paying the price because of side effects when I didn't mention anything about that at all. Needless to say he didn't order the test.

It took me 3 visits to the endocrinologist before he saw I wasn't making my symptoms up and actually wanted help. I have a feeling this was because in the first two visits I talked about lifting weights, my diet and body composition. Even though I emphasised my main concerns didn't have anything to do with that he probably didn't believe me.

The first endocrinologist didn't offer any help because my testosterone was in the "normal" range and because I "look like an athlete" (I was +20% bodyfat and bloated). He told me to "be confident" regarding my anxiety and depression/mood swings.

I think I'll hold back with any new doctors in the future until I've built some rapport with them before revealing too much information. I don't want to trick anyone but I don't want them jumping to conclusions when I'm being honest with them.

Anyone else have any similar experiences?


PS - I'm just venting, feel terrible today and feels hopeless when the professionals won' t help and/or are clueless.

[PeakT]

Are you saying that he thought you were doing steroids?

[T-Power]

Are you saying that he thought you were doing steroids?

The guy from yesterday? Either that or he thinks I want to take substances and get free blood tests to monitor myself. In this case regarding DHEA it's true but under the suggestion of the endocrinologist. Either way thanks to all the information posted in my other thread I feel there isn't much risk in trying DHEA, for a short period of time anyway, to see if it makes a difference.

But I mean in general, every time I've mentioned the gym they get suspicious. Or if I mention any supplements or my eating pattern (intermittent fasting/leangains) they point to those things as being why I feel crappy even though I've had symptoms way before I changed any of these things. Or they blame it on depression

[PeakT]

Okay. 

Well, what really bothers them imo is that throws additional variables into their diagnosis.  Weight lifting, for example, modifies many lab results.  Fasting can do the same thing.  So it just makes it harder for them.

Question for you: 

Are you on many meds for the depression?

[JackAndy]

Anyone else have any similar experiences?


PS - I'm just venting, feel terrible today and feels hopeless when the professionals won' t help and/or are clueless.

Yeah lots of people get this. The doctors aren't really there to help you and they don't really know that much. The doctor isn't going to be that concerned with anything that isn't killing you. Unless you're bleeding or dieing, you can't get much reaction out of a doctor. They want to treat symptoms and if you talk about working out and the gym they just see that as something optional and you don't really need it.

If you go to see a private doctor, not one at an HMO, the story is very different. They suddenly care about everything you say, are much more attentive and polite and depending on how much you pay, they are willing to do anything for you. So if you can afford it, this is the way to go. There's a couple guys on these boards doing that, and these members must be quite wealthy because they're paying something like $10,000 for the treatment. But they'll tell you it's worth it because health is priceless.

[Mina417]

Doctors jumping to conclusions about patients seeking testosterone for cosmetic reasons is as dangerous as pilots not noticing another 747 sitting on the runway they are trying to land on. Sorry for your struggles. I once had a GP tell me not to worry about my depression/anxiety and he told me to go to church more often. Seriously? Is that a prescription?

When I hear stories like yours I get depressed. How are people supposed to get help when doctors are trained to be so mistrustful.

[JackAndy]

I once had a GP tell me not to worry about my depression/anxiety and he told me to go to church more often. Seriously? Is that a prescription?

hhahaha that made my day. Can I forward this to my doctor?

[Mina417]

hhahaha that made my day. Can I forward this to my doctor?

I'm glad that it made you laugh. Sometimes all you can do is laugh at the ridiculous thing people say. Unfortunately, some of these quacks wield a bit of power over our lives.

[PeakT]

I can't tell you the number of guys on the forum that have had low T and the docs have told them that it's all in their head and to go see a psychiatrist or get some help.  I wish I had a rheostat on the wall where I could dial down his testosterone to about 250 and see if he still made that comment after a couple of weeks!

[T-Power]

Okay. 

Well, what really bothers them imo is that throws additional variables into their diagnosis.  Weight lifting, for example, modifies many lab results.  Fasting can do the same thing.  So it just makes it harder for them.

Question for you: 

Are you on many meds for the depression?

Wouldn't lifting affect bloodwork positively? And most bloodwork they get you to fast anyway. Either way if you see in my other thread, all the labs until about mid 2012 were while I was eating in a normal fashion with a about 4+ meals a day, mainly wholefoods without any sort of grain/gluten/carb restriction. And nothing changed when I switched over.

And no I don't take any sort of meds. I don't think I'm depressed. I just feel like a zombie most of the time.

I can't tell you the number of guys on the forum that have had low T and the docs have told them that it's all in their head and to go see a psychiatrist or get some help.  I wish I had a rheostat on the wall where I could dial down his testosterone to about 250 and see if he still made that comment after a couple of weeks!

Add me to that list. I was given a referral to a psychologist by that GP who thought LH was a female hormone and my first endo also said I should see a psych.

[T-Power]

Anyone else have any similar experiences?


PS - I'm just venting, feel terrible today and feels hopeless when the professionals won' t help and/or are clueless.

Yeah lots of people get this. The doctors aren't really there to help you and they don't really know that much. The doctor isn't going to be that concerned with anything that isn't killing you. Unless you're bleeding or dieing, you can't get much reaction out of a doctor. They want to treat symptoms and if you talk about working out and the gym they just see that as something optional and you don't really need it.

If you go to see a private doctor, not one at an HMO, the story is very different. They suddenly care about everything you say, are much more attentive and polite and depending on how much you pay, they are willing to do anything for you. So if you can afford it, this is the way to go. There's a couple guys on these boards doing that, and these members must be quite wealthy because they're paying something like $10,000 for the treatment. But they'll tell you it's worth it because health is priceless.

I found most of what you said to be true. The 3-4 regular doctors I've visited don't even want to try find the causes of my symptoms. I've had to go in a few times asking for bloodwork to be done because they can't be bothered to do the work. They just want to palm me off to a psychologist.

Unfortunately I don't have that sort of cash to spend but I have another couple of options regarding doctors before I take matters into my own hands.

Doctors jumping to conclusions about patients seeking testosterone for cosmetic reasons is as dangerous as pilots not noticing another 747 sitting on the runway they are trying to land on. Sorry for your struggles. I once had a GP tell me not to worry about my depression/anxiety and he told me to go to church more often. Seriously? Is that a prescription?

When I hear stories like yours I get depressed. How are people supposed to get help when doctors are trained to be so mistrustful.

Wow, I won't complain anymore. That's worse than anything "prescription" I've been given.

[PeakT]

I split out my answer about weight lifting and lab results here:

https://www.peaktestosterone.com/forum/index.php?topic=2358.msg21651#msg21651

[T-Power]

Have an appointment with a HRT doc next week. He asked me about my body composition - skinny or fat? - I said neither, so now I'm worried because I've been told before that I don't look like a person with low testosterone.

What symptoms should I particularly play up? What are most docs most sympathetic to?

I already told him fatigue and lack of motivation was my main concern but I think I should talk more about the mental aspects (depression, lacking confidence, anxiety in certain situations), concentration issues, memory issues. There's more I just need to emphasis the biggest ones.

[PeakT]

Have an appointment with a HRT doc next week. He asked me about my body composition - skinny or fat? - I said neither, so now I'm worried because I've been told before that I don't look like a person with low testosterone.

What symptoms should I particularly play up? What are most docs most sympathetic to?

I already told him fatigue and lack of motivation was my main concern but I think I should talk more about the mental aspects (depression, lacking confidence, anxiety in certain situations), concentration issues, memory issues. There's more I just need to emphasis the biggest ones.

You might take in a few studies showing that some practitioners are considering testosterone replacement as an adjunct therapy with depression, etc.

Unfortunately, most doctors are completely clueless in this area and consider all of this "sports medicine".  In fact, my urologist kept using that phrase with me.  He was willing to boost my testosterone a little, but if I asked him questions about E2 or prolactin, he would say,  "That's sports medicine.  I don't really deal with that."

[T-Power]

This guy is qualified in anti aging medicine with a focus on BHRT so I'm hoping he knows more than the previous doctors but that question he asked me about body composition has me concerned a bit.

I'll have a look around for some studies, I might have some bookmarked.