Low cortisol and low testosterone

[greenwaters]

Currently treating a pituitary tumor, and Im new to TRT. Was placed on TRT(cypionate injections) about a week ago, and took my first shot of 200ml, which I plan on splitting the dosage next time into 2 weeks. My biggest concern is that not only has this pituitary tumor caused a deficiency in my testosterone, but it also has my cortisol low. My doctor believes raising my testosterone will make my cortisol rise. I Dont agree, cause after the 1st TRT shot, I was fatigue for days. I believe its driving my cortisol down, since both hormones compete with each other. Has anyone else dealt with this before? Does anyone have any advice or experience to this situation, cause I want to add cortisol(because Im supposed to be on it anyway, because Im deficient) to keep my cortisol from crashing and sending me into a adrenal crisis.

 

[fifty]

Just to clarify, you mean 200mg and 1ml?

 

[greenwaters]

Just to clarify, you mean 200mg and 1ml?

Yes, sorry 1ml

 

[fifty]

I was always under the impression that testosterone and cortisol had a negative correlation. High cortisol, low testosterone and vice versa.

 

[greenwaters]

I was always under the impression that testosterone and cortisol had a negative correlation. High cortisol, low testosterone and vice versa.

No...... Not when dealing with adrenal failure cause by a pituitary tumor. My labs show low test and low cortisol, over and over. Do you have advice or knowledge on the matter?

 

[Charliebizz]

I’ve had trt lower my cortisol. Confirmed through blood and saliva tests. And man did I feel it. The only way I could even tolerate trt is when I’m on low dose ssri.

What size is your pituitary tumor ?

 

[greenwaters]

Its a small one 4mm. Prolactin slightly;y high, not even over 50 though. On bromo for that. I dont know about a ssri, cause I did horrible with one in the past. Only one I've been able to tolerate is wellibutrin. I need the trt, my level is 201 and Im in my mid 30s. Im thinking of adding some hydrocortisone, but Im going to give it a few more injections and see how I feel.

 

[StepbyStep]

I have a 3mm adenoma, with high cortisol and low test. Thankfully my cortisol is not Cushing's high and follows circadian rythm.

Have you tested ACTH, and which cortisol test have you done?

 

[Charliebizz]

From my understanding microadenoma doesn’t cause low hormones. Usually cause excess hormones. Low hormones usually come from larger ones that actually crush the pituitary to a degree. Make sure your testing prolactin fasted. My prolactin only comes back high if I eat before the test. The late Dr. Crisler spoke about that.

I have a 3mm but I believe it is non functioning. I’m going to go back soon to see if it changed in size or anything.

 

[greenwaters]

I have a 3mm adenoma, with high cortisol and low test. Thankfully my cortisol is not Cushing's high and follows circadian rythm.

Have you tested ACTH, and which cortisol test have you done?

Yes, I have done blood test consistently. My endo was solely focused on shrinking the tumor, and lowering the prolactin, which is only slightly high. Im seeing a mens clinic to raise my testosterone, my endo didnt even want to do anything for that, and I usually always tested at levels between 201-336 being my highest.

 

[greenwaters]

From my understanding microadenoma doesn’t cause low hormones. Usually cause excess hormones. Low hormones usually come from larger ones that actually crush the pituitary to a degree. Make sure your testing prolactin fasted. My prolactin only comes back high if I eat before the test. The late Dr. Crisler spoke about that.

I have a 3mm but I believe it is non functioning. I’m going to go back soon to see if it changed in size or anything.

Your understanding is wrong, I dont know how many times I have to keep telling you this dude. If you're not going to offer any advice to the post, why keep commenting? I mean you want to prove something that obviously the info you had been given has not been accurate. My endo even says a tumor that small can cause havoc. Im in pituitary groups, and most who have the serious symptoms, have small tumors. Usually 6mm a smaller. Some people with small tumors DONT have symptoms, cause it depends on where the tumor is sitting, and how your adrenals function naturally to compensate your body.

 

[Gman86]

Ya I’ve also heard that lowered cortisol levels is common on TRT.

I’ve had trt lower my cortisol. Confirmed through blood and saliva tests. And man did I feel it. The only way I could even tolerate trt is when I’m on low dose ssri.

What size is your pituitary tumor ?

I think I’m gonna check my cortisol levels out again soon. Did you just have your cortisol tested through a blood draw, or did you do the saliva testing? And how low did your cortisol come back?

 

[greenwaters]

Ya I’ve also heard that lowered cortisol levels is common on TRT.


I think I’m gonna check my cortisol levels out again soon. Did you just have your cortisol tested through a blood draw, or did you do the saliva testing? And how low did your cortisol come back?

My cortisol has been borderline low for a while. Higher acth, and lower total cortisol. I just know TRT made me very tired, and Im hoping its the trt flu, and its not driving my cortisol down further. Im not sure, cause I havent did any blood work, cause I have only had 2 injections. Going to give it a few more weeks to a month, and see how I feel. Not really wanting to start cortisone, cause I know that will only compete with testosterone, and Im not sure if that would stop my levels from rising. Its not too much info about this, but my doctor at the mens clinic says it should drive my cortisol up, which makes no sense to me.

 

[StepbyStep]

I have higher ACTH, and high cortisol, and TRT also made me very tired. I do think that psychological stress is what caused the high cortisol in my case, and I plan to test it again soon now that I'm less stressed and have been taking phosphatidylserine, magnesium, zinc and boron.

What pituitary groups are you in? I'm assuming that you get adequate sleep, and have a normal day/night cycle? Have you tried any of the supplement/nutrition routes?

High ACTH and low cortisol doesn't exactly point toward the pituitary as the cause. The pituitary is clearly signaling for more cortisol, but your adrenal gland aren't producing enough

 

[greenwaters]

I have higher ACTH, and high cortisol, and TRT also made me very tired. I do think that psychological stress is what caused the high cortisol in my case, and I plan to test it again soon now that I'm less stressed and have been taking phosphatidylserine, magnesium, zinc and boron.

What pituitary groups are you in? I'm assuming that you get adequate sleep, and have a normal day/night cycle? Have you tried any of the supplement/nutrition routes?

High ACTH and low cortisol doesn't exactly point toward the pituitary as the cause. The pituitary is clearly signaling for more cortisol, but your adrenal gland aren't producing enough

Yea someone else told me that in that group. What would cause that? My pituitary also lowered my free T4, which placed me on levothyroxine, and was one of the main reasons my endo sent me for a mri, cause only my free T4 was low, and t3 and tsh always shows normal. So, Its obvious the tumor has caused homone issues. But what has me confused is why the tumor would demand more cortisol, but not signal my testes and thyroid?

 

[StepbyStep]

I think at this point the best thing you can do is to post all of your labs, along with symptoms in new thread. You clearly have a lot going on, and it's easier to look at the overall picture.

 

[Charliebizz]

Your understanding is wrong, I dont know how many times I have to keep telling you this dude. If you're not going to offer any advice to the post, why keep commenting? I mean you want to prove something that obviously the info you had been given has not been accurate. My endo even says a tumor that small can cause havoc. Im in pituitary groups, and most who have the serious symptoms, have small tumors. Usually 6mm a smaller. Some people with small tumors DONT have symptoms, cause it depends on where the tumor is sitting, and how your adrenals function naturally to compensate your body.

Who are you talking to like that. You must be mistaking me with someone else or you pituitary tumor got you talking crazy?

 

[Charliebizz]

Very nice to come to a men’s health forum and be combative on a subject you clearly aren’t up on. Most microadenomas are either non functioning or are hormone producing. Yes small ones cause hosts of problems I never said they didn’t but it’s because of excess. You think I just read on groups and do not go to drs. I had my first pituitary scan in 2007 it was negative and I had low t in 2016 is when they found a 3mm tumor. Only because one random blood draw I had slightly high prolactin and my dr assumed the tumor was the cause. See that it was excess not low. So he put me on caborgoline. I couldn’t take the mental sides of it. Depression and intrusive thoughts. Why you say because I didn’t need it because dr john told me to test fasting and my prolactin comes back every time. So again tell me how I don’t know anything on the topic. I’ve been on these forums for 11 years and seen some of the top docs in the field and have had these conversations with them. For your sake google the symptoms of micro adenoma and you will see many illness it causes and all of them are from excess hormones. Low t can be caused indirectly from the hyperprolactinemia

 

[Systemlord]

TRT lowers my cortisol.

 

[Charliebizz]

How did you fix the issue ? I have same issues. Considering hydrocortisone

I’m not sure if it’s fixed but when I switched to enanthate my AM blood cortisol went back to averaging around 12-15.

i tried hydrocortisone in the past and I never felt right on it. I tried doses as low as 5mg per day all the way to 40mg.

my saliva tests still come back low normal first two readings and low last two but I don’t feel to bad nowadays. My only issues now are weird headaches and depression on trt. I’ve been messing around way too much with cream and injections. Having a lot of trouble sticking to one or the other. The cream brings great erections and libido. But overall I feel tired and unmotivated. And injections I feel better playing sports (ice hockey) but I get worse headaches and feel almost allergic to them. I get watery itchy eyes, eye lids and sides of my nose. if I could just feel more stable on cream I would say it’s better overall but sometimes I feel like my t might be too high and others it feels low. I really need to get labs soon and see what’s going on.

I’m also thinking about going back on super low dose of lexapro. I know ssri have a bad reputation but I believe I felt much better mentally in trt with them. I haven’t felt right since I came off almost 3 years ago. it’s progressively getting worse. But I always worry about the long term sides of ssri. I didn’t really have any noticeable sides on the 2.5 mg I was taking a day.