21 Years old. In need of serious advice/experience.

[anonymous11]

I will never go back to the urologist that prescribed me Androgel for the week. She told me that her goal was getting me to a wopping 250 score. Makes me mad everytime I think about it. So I got that 2nd opinion and made a right decision. It might take 3,4 or 5 opinions to reach the right one but the key is what Peak T said, "use the system". When you get prescribed, you will get the real deal....The outside black market world can be contaminated with chemicals and misc. stuff to fill the bottle. Keep searching for the right doctor.

[RC15]

Can anybody chime in on the reluctance of Doctors in general to acknowledge this as a real problem??

I mean i can understand the stigma around "steroids", but are doctors informed by the Government to do whatever possible to avoid hormone replacement??

It just makes me angry that i have basically done my endo/gp's job for them and feel that they have straight up lied to me, or are they truly this naive, i mean they did make it through medical school so you would expect the highest competance...

Also an update, i have requested that my doctor work with Dr. Crisler, the supposed leading Dr. in this area, so i should hear back tomorrow... Also i have found a mens health clinic that will consider treating me in the meantime, its up to the directors discretion and should hear back from that clinic within the next few days.

[PeakT]

They seem to be operating on knowledge from about 15 years ago from what I can tell. 

Most of them have the fear that they may be triggering prostate cancer.  So far the studies have not born that out, but keep in mind, it's best to play it safe and lean yourself out, i.e. get your abs showing so that estrogen is minimized.  And you know me:  I think a true Low Fat Diet is the best protection against prostate cancer:

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/prostate

[anonymous11]

Eating right with lots of vegis and fruits, running and weight training are crucial to feeling better. We cannot expect miracles in shots and pills. In addition, make sure you reduce all stress by working out.

[RC15]

Trust me training and Diet are on point and have been for a long time. I feel like  i am some sort of freak case. This has not come about by leading a sedentary lifestyle. Played Basketball, Football, and baseball my entire life. Have weight trained and dieted all through college and drank less alcohol than anybody at my College of 30,000 kids.

[PeakT]

Trust me training and Diet are on point and have been for a long time. I feel like  i am some sort of freak case. This has not come about by leading a sedentary lifestyle. Played Basketball, Football, and baseball my entire life. Have weight trained and dieted all through college and drank less alcohol than anybody at my College of 30,000 kids.

Understood.  Sorry to write all that then, but most guys need to hear it...

[RC15]

No worries, your completely correct.

I have been doing a little more digging and i think Varicocele (varicose veins of the testicles) may be contributing to my Low T problem. I don't so much have the soft mass associated with Varicocele, but over the last year or so i have had the dull aches in my testicles, my right testicle hangs lower than my left and always has ( varicocele most commonly affects the left testicle), and lower back pain that really acts up when my testicles start to ache. My only doubt about the Varicocele is that the location of the vein is right in the leftish- middle of my scrotum, not really that big, and not a "worm like" growth on the side of the scrotum like most commonly reported.

I am going to get a testicular ultrasound hopefully tomorrow.

Do you know anything about this condition?

[Simeoni]

I tought id comment since I have similiar issues.

Been diagnosed with "low normal" T levels (417-470). I also read about varicoceles affecting T levels. Did a self diannose after that, and did in fact notice a bag of worms on my left testie. I got the varicocele confirmed in the ultrasound. Veins were dialiated from 3,6mm to 4,7mm. The guy who did the exam said that he has seen worse cases, but if it bothers me I might get it treated. At the moment I have to wait and see what my urologist says about that. Im not even sure if he wants to treat it. It would seem that mos docs dont really see a connection with the varicocele and low t levels.

I have researched this condition quite a bit, and have come across with people who had their T levels increased after the surgery. Other thing is that the studies show an average increase around 150-250 ng/dl with T levels. If that is in fact true, this treatment should put a guy from 350-450, to a level that is considered normal. That being said, there always a chance that the operation wont do anything.

[werd200]

If your free testosterone is between 100-250 Pg/ml you should be fine, same thing with your bioavailable testosterone if it lies in the 10-20 ng/dl range, those are what really count. Alas most labs never seem to test for free-testostosterone, which is stupid, because those and estradiol(E2) are what matters in finding hyponadism and androgenic decline, not neccesarily total testosterone. Just looking at my testosterone levels, one would think i'm hypogondic, however i'm not since my serum testosterone/SHBG quota is 1.5, and according to a calculator my free testosterone and bio-available should be just above average, however i still don't feel that way. This one problem with labs, they don't use the right tools to diagnose people, a simple SHBG+Albumin+serum testosterone level might give you an idea of your FAI, but not your free testosterone levels, which is what they should be looking at when evaluating these cases.

[PeakT]

If your free testosterone is between 100-250 Pgml you should be fine, same thing with your bioavailable testosterone is 10-20 ng/dl, those are what really count. Alas most labs never seem to test for free-testostosterone, which is stupid, because those and estradiol(E2) are what matters in finding hyponadism and androgenic decline, not neccesarily total testosterone. Just looking at my testosterone levels, one would think i'm hypogondic, however i'm not since my serum testosterone/SHBG quota is 1.5, and according to a calculator my free testosterone and bio-available should be just above average, however i still don't feel that way. This one problem with labs, they don't use the right tools to diagnose people, a simple SHBG+Albumin+serum testosterone level might give you an idea of your FAI, but not your free testosterone levels, which is what they should be looking at when evaluating these cases.

Great posts werd.  I don't have much to add except to point out something that some guys reading this may not realize:  the body seems to really respond to the free testosterone-to-free estrogen ratio as this is what will actually shut down testosterone signaling (due usually to being significantly overweight).  I have not been able to verify/deny, though, that this is the primary signaling mechanism used though, but it definitely seems to play a role when it gets low enough.

[spiderman]

Hi RC15...just thought I would add a couple of things before you jump on the HRT route...

Have you had your thyroid checked?

I have a small varicocele but that was not what triggered my low T symptoms...check my posts

I had a cold lifeless buddy at one stage because I think bloodflow and nerves were partially affected in my case.

Perhaps my T levels were quite low anyway due to lifestyle (although I train a lot) but feel they dropped like a stone due to the lack of sleep and anxiety and stress that was immediately created. I literally lost my hornyness overnight and was put in a hopeless situation.
I cant state how depressed I was, only then I got checked for T levels which came in about 370.

Even if I am at least twice your age and a few years, I feel my T levels should never have been that low and were dragged down due to my mind and body at the time.The anxiety and stress literally strip your T levels in the blink of an eye.

Now I have not been a lifestyle saint since those days but I have fought, reduced my sugar, changed my diet and have  taken various combos of vits ,supps and herbs...your body is also an amazing healer if you can get your head to switch off all the negative stuff (so hard when its all you wake up to every day!)

I now have my warm buddy back, I feel 95% healed and as hard as ever!..IMO my levels have been boosted enough purely on recommendations on the site and with experimenting myself with separate items to see what works.

Ok your levels are low for your age but don't write off trying all you can on the natural route first. All the NO boosters are a great start. L Citrulline, Arginine and Pycogenol are all fantastic to heat you up!!

I think at your age your body will respond even quicker.... Don't immediately think that going on HRT will solve all.

Just my 2 cents...good luck 
 

[RC15]

Quick Update:

Testicular MRI came back, and everything was fine. Have yet to get a pituitary MRI but will be soon, and still trying to get at the root cause of my low T.

I have started a Test+HCG TRT protocol and it will be two weeks tomorrow from when i started. Libido and over all wellbeing are remarkably better. I really think im on the right track with this TRT thing, I'm having these thoughts that i haven't had since i was young, in a good way but its hard to explain. The only symptom that i haven't noticed any improvement at all is fatigue. So I'm currently waiting for my 24 hour saliva kit to get here so i can check out the adrenals.

Also i know TRT is not just an overnight fix and the best is yet to come

Some recent tests of relevance:
Igf - 1  250 ng/ml (83-344)
Estradiol 11.9 pg/ml (7.6-42.6)
Prolactin 11.9ng/ml

Current concerns that i think need to be addressed are the high prolactin value, chronic Low body temperature, always sweating from underarms and possible adrenal fatigue/insufficiency.

Here are my body temp readings taken from doctor visits. They are alarmingly low, and i guess my doctor never picked up on it. Idk if these temps could be from thyroid (latest TSH of 1.99, I managed to get a therapeutic trial of Armour Thyroid 1/2 grain to see if this helps, who knows I'm guessing the dosage is too low but currently on week 3). Im thinking these temps and persistent sweating could also be from adrenal fatigue which like i said i will be getting checked soon.

   Date                   Time       Temp  (°F)
09/17/21012      11: 40 AM          95.2
06/11/2012      11: 20 AM            95.0
07/14/2011       2: 20 PM         95.5
07/12/2011       9: 30 AM         95.1
05/03/2010       2: 00 PM         95.5

Let me know what you guys think....

[PeakT]

Okay, now you are getting somewhere.  Your estradiol, prolactin and TSH are all suspect.  It sounds like your doc is on top of things, so that's great.

Can't remember if I've given you this link?

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/Do_Men_Need_Estrogen

[RC15]

Do you think the Estradiol is too high? i was under the impression that my number was actually pretty decent.

What do you suggest for lowering prolactin? mine is high and i have had a long refractory period so that makes sense.
- the natural way... being high doses of B6 or does it require Rx drugs To lower?

Also i will check out that article.. Also do you have any input pertaining to adrenals?

[RC15]

Also Im not trying to bragg but my doc is not responsible for any of this. I had to twist his arm to prescribe me Armour Thyroid, he of course insisted on syntheroid, and didn't even think my TSH was at all high. I really think He only did it because he knows i Have low Test but refuses to treat that.

As for the low T issue i am currently being treated by a Mens health clinic, while i am waiting to see the top Urologist in my state so that should be promising.