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Testosterone Replacement, Low T, HCG, & Beyond
Testosterone Basics & Questions
About to start TRT - should I?
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<blockquote data-quote="FedUpAlready" data-source="post: 178370" data-attributes="member: 40740"><p>First of all hi! I've been reading and reading, absorbing everything I can from the very knowledgeable membership here. Phenomenal resource.</p><p></p><p>For years now, I'd guess 7 or 8, I haven't felt myself at all. Currently 46, started a gradual decline in my late 30s. Symptoms include brain fog, difficulty concentrating, lightheaded spells, lack of results at the gym even when diet / sleep etc are good, very little enjoyment derived from things that I know I love doing, and worst of all a huge decline in libido. I have a new girlfriend in my life who on an intellectual level I know I'm attracted to in every way (dark haired, curvy, right in my wheelhouse) but unless the stars align I have zero interest in sex with her or anyone else. On the very rare occasions that we do get into it, it's not particularly satisfying and my erection will go away in as little as 15-20 seconds if we pause for any reason. This has happened in previous relationships too. </p><p></p><p>No morning wood, or extremely rare. Not depressed, no real reason to be as I'm doing well professionally (business owner) and personally, in fact not really anything. No highs, no lows, just endless blah.</p><p></p><p>Time to fix all this!</p><p></p><p>I had some very comprehensive bloodwork done (LabCorp) with the following results:</p><p></p><p>Total Testosterone: 869 ng/dL - range 264-916</p><p>Free Testosterone (Direct): 11.3 pg/mL - range 6.8-21.5</p><p>Estradiol (Sensitive): 36.3 pg/mL - range 8.0-35.0 - HIGH</p><p>DHT: 78 ng/dL - no range given</p><p>SHBG: 83.8 nmol/L - range 16.5-55.9 - HIGH</p><p>Albumin: 4.5 g/dL - range 4.0-5.0</p><p>LH: 14.2 mIU/mL - range 1.7-8.6 - HIGH</p><p>Prolactin: 10.7 ng/mL - range 4.0-15.2</p><p>IGF-1: 156 ng/mL - range 67-205</p><p></p><p>Thyroid:</p><p></p><p>TSH: 0.895 uIU/mL - range 0.450-4.500</p><p>Reverse T3: 15.8 ng/dL - range 9.2-24.1</p><p>Free T4 (Direct): 1.38 ng/dL - range 0.82-1.77</p><p>Free T3: 3.4 pg/mL - range 2.0-4.4</p><p></p><p>Iron:</p><p></p><p>TIBC: 286 ug/dL - range 250-450</p><p>UIBC: 124 ug/dL - range 111-343</p><p>Iron: 162 ug/dL - range 38-169</p><p>Iron Saturation: 57% - range 15-55 - HIGH</p><p>Ferritin: 124 ng/mL - range 30-400</p><p></p><p>Others:</p><p></p><p>Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy: 49.2 ng/mL - range 30.0-100.0</p><p>Vitamin B12: 351 pg/mL - range 232-1245</p><p>Folate: 5.9 ng/mL - range > 3.0</p><p>Total Cholesterol: 180 mg/dL - range 100-199</p><p>HDL: 48 mg/dL - range > 39.0</p><p>Triglycerides: 75 mg/dL - range 0-149</p><p>LDL: 117 mg/dL - range 0-99 - HIGH</p><p>Total / HDL Ratio: 3.8 - Below average risk</p><p></p><p>And for the sake of completeness, 6' 6" tall, 235lbs, lift and cardio 4-5x per week when the gym is allowed to be open, occasional glass of wine, smoke 10-12 per day.</p><p></p><p>Something that jumped out at me, hormones aside, was B12 at the low end of the range. I've been on PPIs (Esomeprazole Magnesium) for 15+ years so it makes sense given the now-known malabsorption issues. Working to wean myself off them, and in the meantime I started supplementing with a B12 complex. So far that has resulted in an occasional lifting of the fog for a few hours but nothing else. I know it will take time.</p><p></p><p>Now about those hormones...</p><p></p><p>Looks to my uneducated and untrained eye that the boys are giving it all they've got in response to the very high LH level, but it just isn't enough to overcome the SHBG. Actually that was a low SHBG reading for me, I've recorded > 115 in the past at LabCorp. Free T works out to about 1.3% and Tru-T to 23.97 ng/dL.</p><p></p><p>I've been offered TRT (Test + HCG) and in fact I've ordered the first round of supplies, but while I don't want to second guess the excellent doctor who I've been working with, I also don't want to commit to a lifetime of TRT if there's something else that I can try. </p><p></p><p>Any thoughts? Or should I just go ahead, try it, and let my symptoms be the guide?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="FedUpAlready, post: 178370, member: 40740"] First of all hi! I've been reading and reading, absorbing everything I can from the very knowledgeable membership here. Phenomenal resource. For years now, I'd guess 7 or 8, I haven't felt myself at all. Currently 46, started a gradual decline in my late 30s. Symptoms include brain fog, difficulty concentrating, lightheaded spells, lack of results at the gym even when diet / sleep etc are good, very little enjoyment derived from things that I know I love doing, and worst of all a huge decline in libido. I have a new girlfriend in my life who on an intellectual level I know I'm attracted to in every way (dark haired, curvy, right in my wheelhouse) but unless the stars align I have zero interest in sex with her or anyone else. On the very rare occasions that we do get into it, it's not particularly satisfying and my erection will go away in as little as 15-20 seconds if we pause for any reason. This has happened in previous relationships too. No morning wood, or extremely rare. Not depressed, no real reason to be as I'm doing well professionally (business owner) and personally, in fact not really anything. No highs, no lows, just endless blah. Time to fix all this! I had some very comprehensive bloodwork done (LabCorp) with the following results: Total Testosterone: 869 ng/dL - range 264-916 Free Testosterone (Direct): 11.3 pg/mL - range 6.8-21.5 Estradiol (Sensitive): 36.3 pg/mL - range 8.0-35.0 - HIGH DHT: 78 ng/dL - no range given SHBG: 83.8 nmol/L - range 16.5-55.9 - HIGH Albumin: 4.5 g/dL - range 4.0-5.0 LH: 14.2 mIU/mL - range 1.7-8.6 - HIGH Prolactin: 10.7 ng/mL - range 4.0-15.2 IGF-1: 156 ng/mL - range 67-205 Thyroid: TSH: 0.895 uIU/mL - range 0.450-4.500 Reverse T3: 15.8 ng/dL - range 9.2-24.1 Free T4 (Direct): 1.38 ng/dL - range 0.82-1.77 Free T3: 3.4 pg/mL - range 2.0-4.4 Iron: TIBC: 286 ug/dL - range 250-450 UIBC: 124 ug/dL - range 111-343 Iron: 162 ug/dL - range 38-169 Iron Saturation: 57% - range 15-55 - HIGH Ferritin: 124 ng/mL - range 30-400 Others: Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy: 49.2 ng/mL - range 30.0-100.0 Vitamin B12: 351 pg/mL - range 232-1245 Folate: 5.9 ng/mL - range > 3.0 Total Cholesterol: 180 mg/dL - range 100-199 HDL: 48 mg/dL - range > 39.0 Triglycerides: 75 mg/dL - range 0-149 LDL: 117 mg/dL - range 0-99 - HIGH Total / HDL Ratio: 3.8 - Below average risk And for the sake of completeness, 6' 6" tall, 235lbs, lift and cardio 4-5x per week when the gym is allowed to be open, occasional glass of wine, smoke 10-12 per day. Something that jumped out at me, hormones aside, was B12 at the low end of the range. I've been on PPIs (Esomeprazole Magnesium) for 15+ years so it makes sense given the now-known malabsorption issues. Working to wean myself off them, and in the meantime I started supplementing with a B12 complex. So far that has resulted in an occasional lifting of the fog for a few hours but nothing else. I know it will take time. Now about those hormones... Looks to my uneducated and untrained eye that the boys are giving it all they've got in response to the very high LH level, but it just isn't enough to overcome the SHBG. Actually that was a low SHBG reading for me, I've recorded > 115 in the past at LabCorp. Free T works out to about 1.3% and Tru-T to 23.97 ng/dL. I've been offered TRT (Test + HCG) and in fact I've ordered the first round of supplies, but while I don't want to second guess the excellent doctor who I've been working with, I also don't want to commit to a lifetime of TRT if there's something else that I can try. Any thoughts? Or should I just go ahead, try it, and let my symptoms be the guide? [/QUOTE]
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Testosterone Replacement, Low T, HCG, & Beyond
Testosterone Basics & Questions
About to start TRT - should I?
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