Abnormally high testosterone for 31 male, worried please help.

[apples4oranges]

Hello,

First let me start off I do not take any hormone replacement nor have I ever taken steroids. I'm a healthy 31 male that has been on finasteride for the last 7 years. The past month I've been sluggish, have gotten sick and not slept well and thought my testosterone might be low. I decided to get blood work done and below is the result. Any idea what could be causing this and if perhaps I feel this way due to Estrogen being elevated? Appreciate any help - Thank you.

Testosterone Serum : 1137

Testosterone Free (Direct): 15.5

DHT: 24 (it's low but I expected it since I take Finasteride)

T4 Direct: 1.05

TSH: 2.050

Triiodothyronine, Free, Serum: 2.8

 

[Systemlord]

Those labs are limited, it paints an incomplete picture without knowing SHBG levels. We are going to need lab ranges, but from the looks of it Free T4 is low, Free T3 is below midrange and both need to be midrange or better.

DHT isn't the enemy here, it is very necessary hormone need for cognitive function and you decreasing it to the bottoms of the ranges. Why is this a good idea?

Are you aware of Post Finasteride Syndrome? Some of the worst case of PFS are a doubling of testosterone levels, Finasteride is known to disrupt your HPTA axis and cause other hormones to get out of balance that doesn't return to normal after stopping the drug for everyone.

Suggest stopping Finasteride!

http://matthewbruhin.com/san-diego-counseling-services/post-finasteride-syndrome-therapy/

The Post-Finasteride Syndrome is a serious state of permanent sexual, mental, and physical side effects which do not resolve after quitting the drug, most often accompanied by an acquired form of secondary hypogonadism and post-drug loss of androgenic action, which remains highly resistant to hormonal treatments aimed at restoring Testosterone/DHT's effects in the male body to pre-drug virility levels. It is also surmised by the few specialists in the medical field that a type of receptor or “brain damage” has occurred. As often seen with such damage, recovery is very slow or now questioned whether possible at all. Needless to say, men suffering from PFS are plagued with any physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that have led to long term depression, marital problems and divorce, and now several reports cases of suicide.

 

[Vince]

Systemlorrd has hit it right on the head.

Dr. John Crisler - The Post-Finasteride Syndrome - Persistent Propecia Side Effects

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/sho...ide-Syndrome-Persistent-Propecia-Side-Effects

 

[apples4oranges]

Please see updated with ranges from Labcorp. I understand what you are saying with Proscar however I've not had any issues in 7 years of using this medication. I'm using it for hair loss and my prostate was enlarged causing me to pee frequently. I'm guessing the next test would be SHBG & Estroidal? Stopping Finasteride will be a last resort for me.

Free and Total Testosterone, Serum 1137 High ng/dL 264 - 916
Free Testosterone(Direct) 15.5 pg/mL Range:8.7 - 25.1
Dihydrotestosterone 24 Low ng/dL Range: 30 - 85
Thyroxine (T4) Free, Direct, S T4,Free(Direct) 1.05 ng/dL Range:0.82 - 1.77
TSH 2.050 uIU/mL Range:0.450 - 4.500
Triiodothyronine,Free,Serum 2.8 pg/mL Range:2.0 - 4.4 01

 

[Systemlord]

You say you haven't have any issues in 7 years, I think you being here now is proof enough that something isn't right. This isn't the first time we have heard of symptoms occurring years after starting Finasteride. The only thing that stands out is low DHT and I think having it low for all these years is finally catching up with you. Your Free T doesn't look like a problem, however Finasteride can also cause estrogen to increase dramatically.

I understand you are intentionally lowering your DHT levels to relieve the prostate issues and hair loss, what about the other processes in the body that require healthy DHT levels? Drugs always have a give and take, they fix one thing and cause problems elsewhere down the road.

 

[Vince]

Stopping Finasteride will be a last resort for me.

To be honest with you, it's probably too late to undo the damage.

 

[Vince Carter]

Please see updated with ranges from Labcorp. I understand what you are saying with Proscar however I've not had any issues in 7 years of using this medication. I'm using it for hair loss and my prostate was enlarged causing me to pee frequently. I'm guessing the next test would be SHBG & Estroidal? Stopping Finasteride will be a last resort for me.

Free and Total Testosterone, Serum 1137 High ng/dL 264 - 916
Free Testosterone(Direct) 15.5 pg/mL Range:8.7 - 25.1
Dihydrotestosterone 24 Low ng/dL Range: 30 - 85
Thyroxine (T4) Free, Direct, S T4,Free(Direct) 1.05 ng/dL Range:0.82 - 1.77
TSH 2.050 uIU/mL Range:0.450 - 4.500
Triiodothyronine,Free,Serum 2.8 pg/mL Range:2.0 - 4.4 01

You'll get no support for use of finasteride around here. If you're that committed to it and you're informed about PFS and make a conscious decision to use it, even when you claim to not have any problems from it, (yet here you are)...you won't get much of any support for use of DHT suppressant drugs like that. Its just bad news.
Don't step in to this Thyroid madness that is seeming to get rampant on EM of late. You don't have a problem per se, and by the looks of things you have larger fish to fry. My advice is that you retest and add the SHBG and UltraSensitive Estradiol LC/MS/MS (this is VERY important). Retest all of those and add those two. Typical value that seems out of place can be lab error and always best to retest and confirm before taking action.

 

[apples4oranges]

Thanks so much Vince for the direction much appreciated. I'm ordering those tests as I type this.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Hello,

First let me start off I do not take any hormone replacement nor have I ever taken steroids. I'm a healthy 31 male that has been on finasteride for the last 7 years. The past month I've been sluggish, have gotten sick and not slept well and thought my testosterone might be low. I decided to get blood work done and below is the result. Any idea what could be causing this and if perhaps I feel this way due to Estrogen being elevated? Appreciate any help - Thank you.

Testosterone Serum : 1137

Testosterone Free (Direct): 15.5

DHT: 24 (it's low but I expected it since I take Finasteride)

T4 Direct: 1.05

TSH: 2.050

Triiodothyronine, Free, Serum: 2.8

If your symptoms are recent due to illness, I would not worry so much. I would definitely not mess with TRT at all with your value. If you had normal sex drive before your getting sick, that proves that you do not have finasteride syndrome.

What is your finasteride dose? What is your sleep quality like?

 

[apples4oranges]

Hi Nelson,

I take 1mg of finasteride. One of the reasons I thought my testosterone dropped was because I felt no energy, got sick every few days and my lymph nodes are swollen, no energy at the gym and poor recovery. My sleep is somewhat normal. I did just come back from Thailand and it was a few days after I got back that these symptoms started. I haven't changed any eating or sleeping habits. It's been about a month now with these symptoms.

If your symptoms are recent due to illness, I would not worry so much. I would definitely not mess with TRT at all with your value. If you had normal sex drive before your getting sick, that proves that you do not have finasteride syndrome.

What is your finasteride dose? What is your sleep quality like?

 

[WrenchHead80]

Hi Nelson,

I take 1mg of finasteride. One of the reasons I thought my testosterone dropped was because I felt no energy, got sick every few days and my lymph nodes are swollen, no energy at the gym and poor recovery. My sleep is somewhat normal. I did just come back from Thailand and it was a few days after I got back that these symptoms started. I haven't changed any eating or sleeping habits. It's been about a month now with these symptoms.

Maybe you caught something while there?

 

[Vettester Chris]

What are your LH & FSH results? Actually, your Free Test % is relatively low IMO, indicating that SHBG might be at a higher level (?). Regardless, it's not over the top. My free testosterone is higher than that (19pg - 21pg), and my total testosterone is closer to 700ng/dl. Again, SHBG (and somewhat albumin) will dictate the actual "free" bio available level, so in that respect you're somewhat in the middle. I still think it might be good to see the LH & FSH, just to ensure nothing further with the pituitary needs addressed.

 

[apples4oranges]

I'm waiting on my other rlab esults however my estrogen is high.. perhaps that's what causing some of this? See below:

Estradiol, Sensitive 55.5 High pg/mL 8.0 - 35.0

What are your LH & FSH results? Actually, your Free Test % is relatively low IMO, indicating that SHBG might be at a higher level (?). Regardless, it's not over the top. My free testosterone is higher than that (19pg - 21pg), and my total testosterone is closer to 700ng/dl. Again, SHBG (and somewhat albumin) will dictate the actual "free" bio available level, so in that respect you're somewhat in the middle. I still think it might be good to see the LH & FSH, just to ensure nothing further with the pituitary needs addressed.

 

[apples4oranges]

I'm not looking for fear mongering or insults. I came here because it seemed like a good credible place to start. By definition I don't have post Finasteride syndrome. Additionally what I've read is that people are claiming it lowered their testosterone, made them grow boobs, shrunk their penis etc... the opposite of my situation. There's a risk with every medication, for example 150 people die from Tylenol every year. My goal is to gauge an optimal hormone range and get some constructive direction. Finasteride is on my list to speak with a doctor when I see them.

thats the dreaded post finasteride crash... sorry but you are dumb for taking it despite knowing what it can cause