Low testosterone help

[eersnherd]

Long-time lurker here with a health question for the masses.

I'm a 31 yo male and just recently went to my new PCP for the first check up I've had in a long time. I didn't have any specific complaints, other than possible carpal tunnel. So during my first visit he orders a blood test and then I get called back a week or so later to discuss the results. In short, my testosterone was 265 and my ALT and AST ranges were slightly elevated.

So the doc puts me on a testosterone replacement "Axiron" that you rub under your arms, 1 pump a day (starting dose) and I am to take it for 1 month and then go back for another blood test. So after a month I go back for my blood draw and I get a call the next day telling me to stop the testosterone immediately and then to come back in another month for another blood test to see where I'm at then. To my surprise, my ALT and AST doubled, and my level of testosterone actually decreased to 250. Kind of a bummer now that I'm having hot flashes and feel like I'm going through manopause.

Anyways, has anyone had this happen to them or to a patient? Any suggestions for what it could be, and specifically why my test level would actually decrease after taking replacement therapy? Yes I know I should ask my doctor, and I will when I see him in another month, I just want to educate myself as much as possible.

 

[interchange]

Firstly, I wouldn't take any supplements or attempt to replace your testosterone outside the purview of your doctor until I found out why you have transaminase (AST, ALT) elevation.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

When I found out I had hypothyroidism, they also told me my testosterone was low. When I first saw my endocrinologist he said they f that test up frequently and retested. My levels for testosterone were fine. Disclaimer: not saying this is the case for you.

 

[tedrodai]

That second test indicated that the testosterone supplement may have been stressing your liver, which metabolizes testosterone. Elevated AST and especially ALT levels sometimes indicate liver damage or stress; though in those cases, the exact levels do not really indicate the extent of damage or the outlook. That is not a definite-just a possibility-but something your doctor has to consider and investigate further to find out what is going on.

 

[darkdrago]

Just wanted to say watch out how you get treated for low Testosterone levels. What other tests have they done besides just testing for T levels? With just that information you can't really tell if it's primary or secondary hypogonadism or something entirely different. Are you overweight? Have you been eating right? exercise routine?

Also the reason why your T levels went down after you starting taking Axiron was because your body started getting external testosterone therefore stopped making it's own and was entirely reliant on the drug for any T. This would be bad if that's all that he gave you as it also makes it so you can go infertile as your body will stop making sperm unless given other things besides the testosterone.

When I had this issue I had to get a lot of the tests I needed done on my own just to get the real cause of my low T levels. I ended up getting this test done as it was cheaper to get the package than what I wanted to isolate the issue. http://www.privatemdlabs.com/lab_tests.php?view=category_result&show=605&category=5&search=#605

The main ones, I believe, that I wanted was testosterone levels, e2 sensitive, lh, and FSH. Why those? LH and FSH are signals to your gonads to make more Testosterone so if they are high than it means your body knows it needs more but you just can't make it while if it's low it means your body thinks it's correct. E2 sensitive was because your body, if I remember correctly, either uses E2 to determine if your testosterone is at the correct levels or it just checks if both testosterone and E2 combined at are at a certain level.

Now for me my whole issue was due to the diet I was doing and also being overweight so instead of taking testosterone replacement and various other things I was able to just take an aromatase inhibitor therefore lowering E2 and making my body make more testosterone naturally. best place for information on these kinds of things would be bodybuilder sites as they tend to worry more about things like this. I ended up doing a bit of research at http://tnation.t-nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_training_performance_bodybuilding_trt

Oh and if you do get those tests done you will have to wait a bit for your body to start making everything again first.

 

[Saint Nick]

I started squatting then began growing hair in places I never had it before

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I started squatting then began growing hair in places I never had it before

Definitely not a bad idea, but I'm not sure if research supports this quite yet. Of course, a strength training program, in research, is 12-15 reps of machine work - never any squats. Anecdotally, I gain muscle mass pretty easily when I lift heavy. I also break out with acne, even though I shower regularly. Could hint at increased testosterone levels. If I found out I had low test, I would definitely try heavy weightlifting. If it helped manage symptoms, then that's great. If it helped with test levels, even better. If not, it still helps you maintain/increase muscle mass and strength, which you have an accelerated rate of loss if you have low testosterone.

 

[inventacom]

• I am 43 years old and over the last two years I have noticed a severe decrease in my overall health and well being.
• My symptoms:
• Fatigue
• Memory Loss
• Muscle Loss
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Weight Gain
• Low Sex Drive
• Depression
• Hot Flashes
• Night Sweats
• Sleeping Problems
• Irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• decreased sense of well-being
• and severe fatigue
• My doctors tried fixing these problems with anti-depressants, viagra, mood stabalizers, vitamines and other meds. NOTHING worked. So After two years I decided to do some research online and discovered that some or all these symptoms could be due to low-T.
• So I went to my doctor and suggested it may be low-t and I wanted to be tested to check. To my surprise it was like pulling teeth to get her to agree to the tests as she suggested strong doubts at my age of having low-t. Anyways, I got me way and the results are in. I picked up my results before my doctors appt next week but just dont understand them. There are 3 of them. My actual results and their reference is listed below:
• MY:
• Total Testosterone 200 ng/dL Reference is: 241-827 ng/dL
• Free Testosterone 41.0 pg/mL Reference is: 35.0-155.0 pg/mL
• and then there is another:
• Testosterone, Total LC/MS/MS: My level here is: 228 ng/dL Reference is: 250-1100 ng/dL

1. Even after researching about these results, I'm still confused. So is these results good or bad? If they're not to good then could these levels cause my sypmtoms? Also, if levels here are not to good, will hormone replacement therapy be required to feel better?

These results show two Total Testosterone readings. Why. Can anyone help with the answers?

• Thanks in advance

 

[prism]

Definitely not a bad idea, but I'm not sure if research supports this quite yet. Of course, a strength training program, in research, is 12-15 reps of machine work - never any squats. Anecdotally, I gain muscle mass pretty easily when I lift heavy. I also break out with acne, even though I shower regularly. Could hint at increased testosterone levels. If I found out I had low test, I would definitely try heavy weightlifting. If it helped manage symptoms, then that's great. If it helped with test levels, even better. If not, it still helps you maintain/increase muscle mass and strength, which you have an accelerated rate of loss if you have low testosterone.

Is this common with a lot of people? I guess I knew that testosterone levels increased with heavy lifting, but thought you had to be juicing to get them to acne-producing levels if you're currently not acne-prone. This would definitely explain why I break out much more often now

 

[Emultra]

inventacom: Some believe testosterone and HGH will (or at least should) become routine treatments for people over 30. If increased levels of those hormones do more good than bad, there's no reason to live with lower levels just because you age.

If you live in the US it's possible to get them both by finding the right doctor(s). It's not illegal. I will want to start using them in 5-10 years but I have to move abroad first, since they're classified as narcotics here. (For reference, legally this country treats marijuana as if it's heroin, and the supplement melatonin, used by hundreds of millions of people the world over, is de facto banned).

 

[Menshealth99]

I am 46, and about three years I went to my doctor with the same symptoms you are experiencing. He basically told me testosterone levels can vary and said I was too young to have testosterone issues, and didn't want to have them tested.

My only option now is to switch doctors unless I can keep pressing the issue like you did.

Regarding your testosterone levels, I am not an MD, but normal testosterone is between 260 and 1,000 nanograms/deciliter. You should definitely discuss this with your doctor asap.

• I am 43 years old and over the last two years I have noticed a severe decrease in my overall health and well being.
• My symptoms:
• Fatigue
• Memory Loss
• Muscle Loss
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Weight Gain
• Low Sex Drive
• Depression
• Hot Flashes
• Night Sweats
• Sleeping Problems
• Irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• decreased sense of well-being
• and severe fatigue
• My doctors tried fixing these problems with anti-depressants, viagra, mood stabalizers, vitamines and other meds. NOTHING worked. So After two years I decided to do some research online and discovered that some or all these symptoms could be due to low-T.
• So I went to my doctor and suggested it may be low-t and I wanted to be tested to check. To my surprise it was like pulling teeth to get her to agree to the tests as she suggested strong doubts at my age of having low-t. Anyways, I got me way and the results are in. I picked up my results before my doctors appt next week but just dont understand them. There are 3 of them. My actual results and their reference is listed below:
• MY:
• Total Testosterone 200 ng/dL Reference is: 241-827 ng/dL
• Free Testosterone 41.0 pg/mL Reference is: 35.0-155.0 pg/mL
• and then there is another:
• Testosterone, Total LC/MS/MS: My level here is: 228 ng/dL Reference is: 250-1100 ng/dL

1. Even after researching about these results, I'm still confused. So is these results good or bad? If they're not to good then could these levels cause my sypmtoms? Also, if levels here are not to good, will hormone replacement therapy be required to feel better?

These results show two Total Testosterone readings. Why. Can anyone help with the answers?

• Thanks in advance

 

[Koing]

Is this common with a lot of people? I guess I knew that testosterone levels increased with heavy lifting, but thought you had to be juicing to get them to acne-producing levels if you're currently not acne-prone. This would definitely explain why I break out much more often now

I probably do more Olifting/ squats than anyone here on a weekly basis and I have never broken out in acne in the last 14yrs.

Koing

 

[YOELTR]

Do any body had check at work for chemical ? do any body work in a memory foam factory, or maybe electronics cleanning parts, or work with solvents. guys check for n-propyl bromide or 1-bromopropane,......

 

[YOELTR]

Please if somebody had work with n-propyl bormide please email me yoeltr@netzero.com

 

[YOELTR]

You guys will be surprised what this chemical 1-bromopropane does to your testosterone levels and maybe many of you had been working exposed breathing it without know it. .... I think that it is not normal for a guy with only 30 or 40 year old to have testosterone problems unless that genetic.....many cases the problem is enviromental..

 

[Corporate Thug]

Is this common with a lot of people? I guess I knew that testosterone levels increased with heavy lifting, but thought you had to be juicing to get them to acne-producing levels if you're currently not acne-prone. This would definitely explain why I break out much more often now

I have low T...took injections and my back broke out like no other. Then I took a 3 months non-voluntary break in the shots because I was waiting for my new med insurance to kick in...in one month, all the acne went away. Then I started lifted...BOOM...came back. Not as bad as when I am on T replacement, but still very noticeable and ONLY on my back for some reason.

 

[Cstefan]

I probably do more Olifting/ squats than anyone here on a weekly basis and I have never broken out in acne in the last 14yrs.

Koing

I was just thinking the same, but I am on TRT already and don't have the acne problem either.

Ironically, I had to take a 4 month break to get a full fertility work up and going off T made me break out terribly till I got back on. T in the low 100's and acne of a 15 year old boy. FML.

Axiron gave me terrible bleeding rashes and Androgel did zero for me. Injections were my only route.

Oh and ass2grass heavy squats 3 times a week is enough for me...