Hello all.
I'm a 43 yo guy in KC, MO.
I've been trying to research the best options for low testosterone and finally found this website, which seems to have the best information from other guys that have first hand knowledge. This definitely seems like the most legit site I've found. Honestly I'm still trying to read through all the different posts.
I first became aware of having low testosterone 4-5 years ago. I don't recall the exact number but it was in the lower double digits.
At the time I was having multiple heath issues and the low t was the lowest on the list in severity. I spend a couple of years being shuffled from doctor to doctor trying to find out what was going on. With a blood clot in one leg, clots in my lungs, weight under 110 lbs and in respiratory failure ( CO was off the charts ), I ended up having parents drive me 6+ hours to Mayo Clinic (rather than the local hospital) and spent a week in the hospital, 2-3 days of that in ICU. And the great docs at Mayo were able to diagnose me with a rare genetic disease (basically considered a form of muscular dystrophy) in four days. I brought up the low t while I was in the hospital, but it understandably wasn't a priority at that point. Two years seeing some of the "best doctors in KC" and they concluded I was simply depressed. Seriously. Four days at Mayo and they had it figured out.
After three years of recovery and treatments, I'm back to being in fairly good health (5'10", 165#). I had never weighed more than 135 in my life until the last two years. So in some ways, better health than I have been in a long time. The exception is fatigue, which is killing me. When I'm not at work, I'm in bed. I sleep 16+ hours a day on the weekends.
I've been able to see one of the leading experts in the world for the disease I have. After extensive testing, the low t was discussed and she said that was likely the cause of the fatigue and getting the t levels up, I would notice a huge difference. All other rests were OK. Unfortunately I couldn't extent my trip to see an endocrinologist she suggested at Duke. HUGE regret that I didn't change my flight and stay and see that endo.
I got back home and asked my primary care physician to refer me to an endo and found it was a 3 to 4 MONTH wait to get in even checking multiple offices. So in the meantime, my pcp sent me to a urologist who immediately started me on Androderm. Slight improvement but had irritation from the patches and he switched to Androgel. On next follow up, I asked "so, what is causing my low t to begin with (yeah, something I should have asked first visit). He checked out my balls, which passed inspection, and said you should see an endo to pursue the cause. Luckily I had scheduled an appt with the endo and another 2 months I was finally able to see him. I really liked the doc and he was all onboard for trying to determine cause rather than just TRT that the urologist had prescribed. I made clear I wanted to do anything to avoid TRT if possible. I had since learned that once on TRT, your body doesn't even try to produce testosterone anymore, which means it's life long. Not to mention, I was told your balls more less just die and shrivel. He tested my t level that day, and granted it was mid afternoon, but results were 74. Other tests results were LH = 1 IU/L; FSH = <1 IU/L; Prolactin = 9; Thyroid Stimulating Hormone = 1.66 ulU/mL. He then ordered an MCI and my pituitary was normal.
His office called and said he wanted me to try Axiron (isn't this the same thing as Androgel other than the application method??). I reminded them we talked about avoiding TRT if possible. And it seemed from test results, it was clearly secondary. They had to check with the doc and a day or two later they called and said he was willing to try 25mg Clomid every day. His nurse that called said in over 9 years working in that office, he'd never heard of that drug being used - not very reassuring.
12 days in with Clomid (not taking any TRT) and I'm feeling nothing, probably worse. I even had a couple of days of very extreme depression. So now I don't know what to do. Do things get better with Clomid? Is depression common with Clomid, or does it go away? I can't take any more of those days of depression (I made a response to a recent post on Clomid and suicide but it never showed up). If not Clomid, what do I try next? HCG?? Or bite the bullet and just go on TRT, which is itself depressing thought to me. If I'm starting at 74, can I possibly expect to get to say 650+ ?
Almost forgot to mention, I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, almost positive from the low t for so many years because I've taken more than adequate supplements of calcium for 20 years. When I inquired with the endo about the osteoporosis, he said that should greatly improve once testosterone levels get up in normal ranges.
For the record, the disease I have has not been shown to affect hormones in any way and the expert doctor was sure it wasn't a contributing factor to the low testosterone. All other health issues have been addressed.
Sorry for the long intro and all the detail. I'm desperate for advice and excited to find this site and hope for some positive comments and recommendations.
Thanks a lot.
TB
I'm a 43 yo guy in KC, MO.
I've been trying to research the best options for low testosterone and finally found this website, which seems to have the best information from other guys that have first hand knowledge. This definitely seems like the most legit site I've found. Honestly I'm still trying to read through all the different posts.
I first became aware of having low testosterone 4-5 years ago. I don't recall the exact number but it was in the lower double digits.
At the time I was having multiple heath issues and the low t was the lowest on the list in severity. I spend a couple of years being shuffled from doctor to doctor trying to find out what was going on. With a blood clot in one leg, clots in my lungs, weight under 110 lbs and in respiratory failure ( CO was off the charts ), I ended up having parents drive me 6+ hours to Mayo Clinic (rather than the local hospital) and spent a week in the hospital, 2-3 days of that in ICU. And the great docs at Mayo were able to diagnose me with a rare genetic disease (basically considered a form of muscular dystrophy) in four days. I brought up the low t while I was in the hospital, but it understandably wasn't a priority at that point. Two years seeing some of the "best doctors in KC" and they concluded I was simply depressed. Seriously. Four days at Mayo and they had it figured out.
After three years of recovery and treatments, I'm back to being in fairly good health (5'10", 165#). I had never weighed more than 135 in my life until the last two years. So in some ways, better health than I have been in a long time. The exception is fatigue, which is killing me. When I'm not at work, I'm in bed. I sleep 16+ hours a day on the weekends.
I've been able to see one of the leading experts in the world for the disease I have. After extensive testing, the low t was discussed and she said that was likely the cause of the fatigue and getting the t levels up, I would notice a huge difference. All other rests were OK. Unfortunately I couldn't extent my trip to see an endocrinologist she suggested at Duke. HUGE regret that I didn't change my flight and stay and see that endo.
I got back home and asked my primary care physician to refer me to an endo and found it was a 3 to 4 MONTH wait to get in even checking multiple offices. So in the meantime, my pcp sent me to a urologist who immediately started me on Androderm. Slight improvement but had irritation from the patches and he switched to Androgel. On next follow up, I asked "so, what is causing my low t to begin with (yeah, something I should have asked first visit). He checked out my balls, which passed inspection, and said you should see an endo to pursue the cause. Luckily I had scheduled an appt with the endo and another 2 months I was finally able to see him. I really liked the doc and he was all onboard for trying to determine cause rather than just TRT that the urologist had prescribed. I made clear I wanted to do anything to avoid TRT if possible. I had since learned that once on TRT, your body doesn't even try to produce testosterone anymore, which means it's life long. Not to mention, I was told your balls more less just die and shrivel. He tested my t level that day, and granted it was mid afternoon, but results were 74. Other tests results were LH = 1 IU/L; FSH = <1 IU/L; Prolactin = 9; Thyroid Stimulating Hormone = 1.66 ulU/mL. He then ordered an MCI and my pituitary was normal.
His office called and said he wanted me to try Axiron (isn't this the same thing as Androgel other than the application method??). I reminded them we talked about avoiding TRT if possible. And it seemed from test results, it was clearly secondary. They had to check with the doc and a day or two later they called and said he was willing to try 25mg Clomid every day. His nurse that called said in over 9 years working in that office, he'd never heard of that drug being used - not very reassuring.
12 days in with Clomid (not taking any TRT) and I'm feeling nothing, probably worse. I even had a couple of days of very extreme depression. So now I don't know what to do. Do things get better with Clomid? Is depression common with Clomid, or does it go away? I can't take any more of those days of depression (I made a response to a recent post on Clomid and suicide but it never showed up). If not Clomid, what do I try next? HCG?? Or bite the bullet and just go on TRT, which is itself depressing thought to me. If I'm starting at 74, can I possibly expect to get to say 650+ ?
Almost forgot to mention, I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, almost positive from the low t for so many years because I've taken more than adequate supplements of calcium for 20 years. When I inquired with the endo about the osteoporosis, he said that should greatly improve once testosterone levels get up in normal ranges.
For the record, the disease I have has not been shown to affect hormones in any way and the expert doctor was sure it wasn't a contributing factor to the low testosterone. All other health issues have been addressed.
Sorry for the long intro and all the detail. I'm desperate for advice and excited to find this site and hope for some positive comments and recommendations.
Thanks a lot.
TB
