47yr old with ED Frustration - Blood Work

[eddydb]

Hello all,

First of all let me say that this is an awesome forum with great information. I initially started researching because I thought I was suffering from low testosterone. Had all of the symptoms, the most problematic being ED issues. I'm 47 years old, have been working out since I was a teen, and never been on anything other than protein and a multi-vitamin. I'm 6-00 & 190lbs right now.

In the last couple of months I have increased my workouts, and got back into lifting. Nothing heavy just a good overall program for someone my age. Most of my Low T symptoms have disappeared. I've dropped a few pounds, have more energy, and libido is way up. The only problem I still have are ED issues. This has dogged me for about the last 10 years.

Saw my doc who did some BW, which I was hopefully successful in attaching. My test is fine at 596 (240-871) and my free test is at 0.329 which is also well within normal range for this test (i forget the norm range and it didn't print out).

Doc prescribed some Viagra which seems to be be successful about 66% of the time, but not the rock hard results I was hoping for We next tried daily cialis which really didn't do anything, so back to the Viagra script. V is better than nothing, but not covered by my insurance and costs me $260 for 6 100mg pills. A lot of $ not to be batting a 1000.

Sorry for the long post, but I guess I'm just looking for advice. The rest of my life is great just getting really frustrated with the ED. Read about Tri-Mix but hope there is some options before I get there. Just read the "Gene's Nitric Oxide Stack" thread which may lead to some supplement additions in my routine.

I attached pics of my BW results. Sorry scanner not working so I hope they are readable. Any suggestions welcome.

 

[baughts]

You said in your post that you were not ready for Tri-Mix yet. This just puzzles me because Tri-Mix works way better and is way cheaper then all the pills. With Tri-mix you just get an erection for as LONG as you want. I know a lot of guys can not stand the thought of a needle in there penis but this is something that you will over come in a VERY short time. Also with an injection pen you do not even feel the needle going in and in 5 or 10 minutes you have a rock hard erection like in your teen/twenty years

 

[Re-Ride]

Great kidney function along with the rest of your values. You obviously take good care of yourself Eddy.

Prolactin: Might be high. Get it checked. Dr. Shippin tests his patients at 9 am. If less than 5 he offers Cabergoline. Others have success with using Vitamin E and Vitamin B6 or other supplements to lower prolactin.



http://www.muscle-health-fitness.com/prolactin-inhibitor.html/

 

[eddydb]

Thanks for the replies!
baughts: You are so correct!!! After I wrote my post I really started to research more about try-mix. There is hardly anything negative on the net that I could find. It got me so interested that I even requested info from DefyMedical. Do you have any experience with Defy? Their website says that I need to have a physical within 90 days of consultation. Is this done by my doc or do they recommend a doc in my area? I've recently had a physical but doubt my doctor would be into sharing or probably even the idea of try-mix. I haven't asked him about it, but figured he would have mentioned it if he was a fan. Do you think they will just need to see my recent BW?

Re_ride: Thanks for the info on Prolactin. Wish I had it included in my BW. I read that high Prolactin causes low test levels. Do you think I could high Prolactin even with my test levels?

OK, thanks again and any info is appreciated.

 

[Re-Ride]

[" I've recently had a physical but doubt my doctor would be into sharing"]

"sharing" isn't optional for the doctor. Your medical record is yours. It is shared, all or in part, with whomever you like using a simple HIPAA release. He knows that and won't be angry.

Treating symptoms rather than the cause is rarely the best option. High prolactin was a stab in the dark in explaining your ED. Getting the rest of your baseline labs will reveal a clearer picture. SHBG, E2, thyroid and serum levels of certain vitamins and minerals will be of great help. Your insurance will likely cover these if you can convince your doc to order them. One way to do that is by showing a reasonable man studies. It's been a tough swim upstream for me but I've found docs who are coming around after finding things I asked them to look for.

 

[ERO]

Thanks for the replies!
baughts: You are so correct!!! After I wrote my post I really started to research more about try-mix. There is hardly anything negative on the net that I could find. It got me so interested that I even requested info from DefyMedical. Do you have any experience with Defy? Their website says that I need to have a physical within 90 days of consultation. Is this done by my doc or do they recommend a doc in my area? I've recently had a physical but doubt my doctor would be into sharing or probably even the idea of try-mix. I haven't asked him about it, but figured he would have mentioned it if he was a fan. Do you think they will just need to see my recent BW?

Re_ride: Thanks for the info on Prolactin. Wish I had it included in my BW. I read that high Prolactin causes low test levels. Do you think I could high Prolactin even with my test levels?

OK, thanks again and any info is appreciated.

Many of us here use Defy and we are well pleased with them. Easy to work with, good prices, and most importantly, they know what they are doing.

 

[midlifealpha]

I turn 47 in a couple of months and I have to say Gene's Nitric Oxide Stack was the biggest personal game changer for me. The biggest problem I had was being 90% until getting it started and being rather thick down there sometimes if was "if I got it started" rather than when.

Now with NO Stack including Liquid Tadalafil I have no issues in the ED dept. The only issue I have now is lasting too long and no sensitivity to give my ladies a sense of accomplishment. I've recently started HCG. Test did nothing for my ED and my dosage was high. It did however allow my libido to skyrocket, thus my ability to chat up a lady and move the discussion sexual was not at hard anymore (no pun intended). the other thing is Test just made more aggressive in general.

I'd try the NO Stack before Tri-Mix and use Tri-Mix as the last option. At our age I am hoping the NO stack carries me well into the 50s before I have to start doing the injection. On the other hand it might cost less for Tri-Mix than it does the amino acids and liquid Cialis I've not priced it out. I get all of my powders at powder city for right now and to me it's pretty damn cheap.

 

[eddydb]

Thanks Mid.

I've ordered all of the supplements for NO stack, just not the Alpha Blocker and Cialis. I can hit up my doc for the alpha blocker and see what he says, but I'm done with Cialis. I already tried the daily dose for a month and it did nothing for me except possibly make things worse.

How long did it take you to see results? It would be nice to have the Tri-mix on hand for those times when I need my A Game. And since I'm leaving out the Cialis, I believe it would be safe to use on short notice.

 

[baughts]

Thanks for the replies!
baughts: You are so correct!!! After I wrote my post I really started to research more about try-mix. There is hardly anything negative on the net that I could find. It got me so interested that I even requested info from DefyMedical. Do you have any experience with Defy? Their website says that I need to have a physical within 90 days of consultation. Is this done by my doc or do they recommend a doc in my area? I've recently had a physical but doubt my doctor would be into sharing or probably even the idea of try-mix. I haven't asked him about it, but figured he would have mentioned it if he was a fan. Do you think they will just need to see my recent BW?

Re_ride: Thanks for the info on Prolactin. Wish I had it included in my BW. I read that high Prolactin causes low test levels. Do you think I could high Prolactin even with my test levels?

OK, thanks again and any info is appreciated.

eddydb I am a patient with Defy for TRT and Tri-Mix. For me I went to my local doctor for my physical and picked up my medical record of my physical and faxed it to Defy, but you could also have your doctor fax directly to Defy. Your doctor has to release your records. For my blood work Defy sent me a script and I had it done locally and they faxed the results to Defy. If I were you I would just go with Defy for your TRT and Tri-mix and not mess around, Defy understands how important Testosterone is, you will be dealing with one of the best there is and there cost is reasonable

 

[Re-Ride]

... [Your doctor has to release your records.]

No! See the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Patient submits a signed HIPAA release directing what is to be released and to whom. The patient can fax or mail it but often the new provider will submit it for you. Since the pt must sign it in either case he will likely submit it directly to the old doctor via fax, mail or hand carry rather than sending it off to Defy. Often the requesting office requires a patient (pt) release even if in receipt of chart and labs. Check their policy.

Folks, if you are smart you will submit an HIPAA to every doctor you see. Get your visit notes after every visit. Sign one releasing your own chart to yourself.

Communicate with your doc during your visit as to what you do (or don't ) want in your record.

All lab and other orders should read: "CC patient immediately upon result" ( and cc any other doctor who might need them). Do not accept electronically transmitted lab orders w/o a hard copy. If asked why: "I'm going to xyz lab, not your in-house lab and they require it".

Example: I'm thinking about Defy but haven't signed up yet. Dr. Dolittle starts sending lab orders electronically during my office visit. I ask him for a hard copy with "cc your name immediately upon result" and "cc Defy". I have Defy's fax number and mailing address on hand. Dr. Doolittle writes that on the order and enters it on the electronic version as well. You've already handed the nurse the HIPAA release with that info when you arrived. As soon as the lab completes your work it sends out a copy to you and to any doc whose name the order doc wrote in. The ordering physician no longer must instruct his staff to send out copies weeks later. Much faster, much easier for all involved!

note: HIPAA asks for a date range. Enter today's visit only, a prior visit, future visits or whatever you like. You are free to rescind an open ended release. Keep a copy for yourself which has been initialed by the staff to prove they received it. There is no set form. Doctors often have their own but they must honor any basic valid release which contains the required information and your signature.

@eddyhb: IMO it would be irresponsible to put a 47 y.o. w/ 600 T on supplemental T w/o first exploring every avenue to resolve whatever symptoms he is having. This holds true for an issue like ED which can have many different causes. ED treatment should be covered by insurance. I'd make a list of all reported causes and be sure the treating physician is willing to rule them out individually. Every man would like an instant "resolution" to ED but do you really want to haul out the heavy artillery when you don't even have the enemy in sight?

Serum goals: Do not fall in to the trap of believing your T must be 650, 700, 750, 900 ect. The correct goal is the lowest one, preferably natural, which you are symptom free for several consecutive months. Every man is different. A very small number do not feel well unless they have T at the upper "normal limit". A good many who seek TRT find that they have not resolved the issue they were seeking to treat with TRT. They then find themselves treating the original condition and perhaps new ones caused by exogenous T.

Step one is full labs taken at the appropriate time of day, often fasting. Some require that you stop taking supplements for the prior week or two. Make a list and star the critical ones. The "ratio theory" for thyroid hormone values is just a theory. Before getting those make sure you are connected with a doc who treats thyroid on ratio theory. -If you do not get full baseline labs before jumping in to ANY treatment it may be very difficult to discern what the correct step required later after you are already on TRT and still have symptoms.

You can buy a consult from Defy. Initiating treatment with them does not obligate you to continue using them. A patient who has an intelligent but reluctant doctor might find that his local insurance covered doc is willing to take over the scripts once HRT is dialed in and the old doc sees the benefit. For this reason also give Defy a HIPAA and let them cc your GP to keep him up to date. When seeing your GP later for other issues be sure to mention your TRT progress and ask him to note it in your chart.

At my visit today with a doc who is treating me for a non-TRT issue I gave him my TRT labs which I brought. While he was writing his own order I mentioned it would be great to know DHT and a few others I was missing. "Let's go ahead and get those too" was his reply. A doc who is a reasonable man is more important than one with a nice bedside manner.

 

[eddydb]

Spoke with Defy today. They emailed me my health questionnaire and a physical exam form which I dropped off with my doc today. Waiting for him to let me know he completed it,,,,,,,should take him all of 5 minutes. Fax it all back to Defy and then my consultation.

I'm excited to be doing something, because I have dealt with this issue for too long. Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

 

[CoastWatcher]

Spoke with Defy today. They emailed me my health questionnaire and a physical exam form which I dropped off with my doc today. Waiting for him to let me know he completed it,,,,,,,should take him all of 5 minutes. Fax it all back to Defy and then my consultation.

I'm excited to be doing something, because I have dealt with this issue for too long. Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

I wish you all the best!

 

[midlifealpha]

Thanks Mid.

I've ordered all of the supplements for NO stack, just not the Alpha Blocker and Cialis. I can hit up my doc for the alpha blocker and see what he says, but I'm done with Cialis. I already tried the daily dose for a month and it did nothing for me except possibly make things worse.

How long did it take you to see results? It would be nice to have the Tri-mix on hand for those times when I need my A Game. And since I'm leaving out the Cialis, I believe it would be safe to use on short notice.

I've never tried the stack without Liquid Cialis. Results for me were pretty immediate. I expected good results anyway because I'd been juicing beets at one point and new there was something to this Nitric Oxide stack. My results were fairly immediate. Even before I tried the NO Stack juicing a beet would almost guarantee morning wood the next day.

 

[baughts]

Spoke with Defy today. They emailed me my health questionnaire and a physical exam form which I dropped off with my doc today. Waiting for him to let me know he completed it,,,,,,,should take him all of 5 minutes. Fax it all back to Defy and then my consultation.

I'm excited to be doing something, because I have dealt with this issue for too long. Thanks for the replies and suggestions

Looks like you have it all together. Let us know how you make out with your consult