28 year old - low test need advice

[eldondedr]

**sorry for the long read**


Hello everyone, i'm in need of assistance. A little history about me. I have experienced all the classic low testosterone symptoms...fatigue, low sex drive, lack of motivation etc. I have used aderrall, Modafanil, clonazapam, zoloft all on occasion, none long term. I have used nootropics for better concentration, memory energy etc ( piracetam, noopept etc) as well as dopamine/Gaba/serotonin boosting over the counter amazon supplements (L dopa, Ashwanganda etc). In addition I've tried natural test boosters like DAA, Bioforge etc I also don't sleep much, maybe 5 hours , 6 on a good night.


It all started when I went for my regular physical. The doctor took bloods and also tested my testosterone as well. This was at 5:30 pm after a long day of work. So the results were high cholesterol, low vitamin D, elevated liver enzymes, and low testosterone. The testosterone level came back at 91. So the doctor gave me a referral to see an endocrinologist. I went to 2 different endos, one near my house who has a private practice, and the other doctor one that my insurance covers. I saw these doctors about 4 days apart. They wanted to run additional tests. So the doctor by my house tested me at 2 pm, and he tested:


FSH: 2.5 (1.6 - 8.0)
LH: 1.7 (1.5 - 9.3)
Uric Acid: 5.7 (4.0 -8.0)
TSH: 2.72 (0.40 - 4.50)
T4: 9.0 (4.5 - 12.0)
T3: 33 (22-35)
FREE T4: 3.0 (1.4-3.8)
PROLACTIN: 5.1 (2.0 - 18.0)
ESTRADIOL 29 (=<39)
DHEA: 378 (85 - 690)
IGF-1 196 (63 - 373)


This doctor didn't retake my testosterone. I have a follow up appointment with him this thursday.


The doctor that my insurance covers tested the following 4 days later at 10 am:


TESTOSTERONE: 368 (250-1100)
FREE TESTOSTERONE: 97.5 (35.0 - 155.0)
LH: 2.20 (<10)
FSH: 2.2 (<10)
SHBG: 19(10-50)
PROLACTIN: 5.4 (<15.0)
DHEA: 382 (80-500)
PROGESTERONE: 81 (32 - 307)
CORTISOL: 10.8 (5.0 - 25.0)
TSH: 2.54 (0.4 - 4.60)
FREE T4: 1.40 (0.80 - 1.70)


So this insurance endocrinologist calls me today and tells me that everything is fine and I am normal. He said I can follow up in a few months.


So my question is, how does testosterone go from an extremely low 91 up to low normal 368 in a months time? I have stopped taking any supplements or medication have been off for maybe 2 months. Also have taken vitamin D and lowered my cholesterol. So since my levels quadrupled in a months time, is my body recovering its natural test production? Should I monitor it in a month or so to see if it keeps increasing? and if I don't improve maybe clomid would work.


Thanks

 

[FeelingLost]

Yeah your not going to get insurance to pay for TRT with those kind of numbers. Most want two test 1 month apart and they need to be <200ng/dL
If you really want to know how you are doing get your check book out and go to discountlab.com and do your two blood test a month apart.
Then look into a cash only clinic like some of the sponsor here.

 

[madman]

**sorry for the long read**


Hello everyone, i'm in need of assistance. A little history about me. I have experienced all the classic low testosterone symptoms...fatigue, low sex drive, lack of motivation etc. I have used aderrall, Modafanil, clonazapam, zoloft all on occasion, none long term. I have used nootropics for better concentration, memory energy etc ( piracetam, noopept etc) as well as dopamine/Gaba/serotonin boosting over the counter amazon supplements (L dopa, Ashwanganda etc). In addition I've tried natural test boosters like DAA, Bioforge etc I also don't sleep much, maybe 5 hours , 6 on a good night.


It all started when I went for my regular physical. The doctor took bloods and also tested my testosterone as well. This was at 5:30 pm after a long day of work. So the results were high cholesterol, low vitamin D, elevated liver enzymes, and low testosterone. The testosterone level came back at 91. So the doctor gave me a referral to see an endocrinologist. I went to 2 different endos, one near my house who has a private practice, and the other doctor one that my insurance covers. I saw these doctors about 4 days apart. They wanted to run additional tests. So the doctor by my house tested me at 2 pm, and he tested:


FSH: 2.5 (1.6 - 8.0)
LH: 1.7 (1.5 - 9.3)
Uric Acid: 5.7 (4.0 -8.0)
TSH: 2.72 (0.40 - 4.50)
T4: 9.0 (4.5 - 12.0)
T3: 33 (22-35)
FREE T4: 3.0 (1.4-3.8)
PROLACTIN: 5.1 (2.0 - 18.0)
ESTRADIOL 29 (=<39)
DHEA: 378 (85 - 690)
IGF-1 196 (63 - 373)


This doctor didn't retake my testosterone. I have a follow up appointment with him this thursday.


The doctor that my insurance covers tested the following 4 days later at 10 am:


TESTOSTERONE: 368 (250-1100)
FREE TESTOSTERONE: 97.5 (35.0 - 155.0)
LH: 2.20 (<10)
FSH: 2.2 (<10)
SHBG: 19(10-50)
PROLACTIN: 5.4 (<15.0)
DHEA: 382 (80-500)
PROGESTERONE: 81 (32 - 307)
CORTISOL: 10.8 (5.0 - 25.0)
TSH: 2.54 (0.4 - 4.60)
FREE T4: 1.40 (0.80 - 1.70)


So this insurance endocrinologist calls me today and tells me that everything is fine and I am normal. He said I can follow up in a few months.


So my question is, how does testosterone go from an extremely low 91 up to low normal 368 in a months time? I have stopped taking any supplements or medication have been off for maybe 2 months. Also have taken vitamin D and lowered my cholesterol. So since my levels quadrupled in a months time, is my body recovering its natural test production? Should I monitor it in a month or so to see if it keeps increasing? and if I don't improve maybe clomid would work.


Thanks

When having blood work done for total t it should be done early in the morning between 8-10am due to the natural circadian rythme of testosterone which peaks during the early am and tends to decline slowly throughout the day until it reaches its lowest level in the evening. You should not compare your first/second total t blood tests as your first was done in the evening at 5:30 pm hence the difference in results. Your second test for total t is some what low/normal but your free t is in the mean(mid-normal). You shbg 19 (range 10-50) so the mean would be 30(mid-normal) so yours is not low but closer to the lower end.

 

[cleverusername]

Sounds like that endo is only going to treat your numbers. 6 months ago that 368 would have been a few points above the Low out of range number. Since LabCorp changed thier cut offs, its now 250 to be "Low T" according to them. It will be hard to get a endo to treat you as well as getting insurance to pay when you are above the new Low. Check out the site sponsors, they treat symptoms rather than numbers. There are many factors at play and looking at a T level is only scratching the surface.

 

[Systemlord]

I'm concerned about these new lab ranges as it only confuses doctors who already don't understand how to properly diagnose low testosterone. Obviously most guys will have erection difficulties and other symptoms in these ranges and it's disturbing that doctors and insurance companies are perfectly alright with it. I'm sure if ranges didn't exist and doctors weren't shackled by insurance companies, they would be more than willing to prescribe testosterone. This is the insurance companies doing everything they can to avoid paying money out. You would need to go with a cash only endo to get treatment and with you're low numbers I don't see an issue getting treatment.