Low T, Low SHBG, finally found culprit but not solution

[hardrlz]

Hi guys, I have been a very long lurker on this and other related forums. I am 31 years old male , been battling with low T all my life (more aware of it since 20 years old). Unfortunately I have never been able to experience any difference in my symptoms with all types of therapies , so i am non responder to TRT.

All my bloods are good , ruled out thyroid problems , insulin resistance etc, everything is good apart from SHBG which is very low ( around 7 without being on TRT) and testosterone usualy around 6. So i have tried every type of testosterone ester in different doses for different periods , tried HGH , tried some shady things that supposedly do not bind with SHBG (trestolone), been on keto for a long period, other diets , cleanses , supplements , you name it , nothing has worked. Made some sleep studies at 1 point to rule out sleep apnea, that wasnt the case as well. Another thing is that i have asthenozoospermia, so my chances are in vitro if at 1 point i want to go for kids.

Recently i decided to do a full genetic sequencing test (in my country they do it for a low amount for people with fertility problems) and finally I discovered that I have a genetic mutation since birth in the PROKR2 gene , which from my very scarce reading is a type of receptor , prokineticin 2 receptor site or something like that. I have a c.518 T>G mutation , I am not knowledgable on genetics at all , but the doctors say that usually this type of polymorphism is found in Kallman syndrome. I had a delayed puberty but still I have normal LH and FSH and male characteristics so I wouldnt say I fall in the category of Kallman syndrome.

The doctors mostly said that of course medicine is not developed enough so my genetic problem could be treated with gene therapy , but said i could try and tackle the symtoms with TRT .. which i been trying for a decade. They assume that since this genetic mutation is related with receptor sites , its possible that i have some type of peripheral androgen receptor resisntance.

I would appreciate any input , if someone has had the same case or maybe understands how this specific mutation is leading to TRT not having an effect to explain. Thank you.

 

[Systemlord]

I was also a non-responder to topicals, gels and on typical injections protocols. The only time I responded to injections where is when I was injecting daily or every other day.

My response to the new oral testosterone is otherworldly! I now have abnormally, high energy, energy levels, probably more to do with my ADHD. People at work, people in the gym, look at me funny.

Please detail your protocols when you were on injections.

 

[hardrlz]

I have tried enanthate 100 mg and 150 mg weekly and bi-weekly, at 1 point even 500 mg spread in 2 times a week , sustanon 250 mg every 2 and every 3 weeks, tried propionate daily dont remember the dosage , i think it was 10mg a day , gels as well. I wish i could get my hands on jatenzo but unfortunately they dont sell it in Europe yet and i cant find it in any underground vendors. What was you protocol on daily and eod ?

 

[Systemlord]

What was you protocol on daily and eod ?

7 mg daily and 20 mg EOD, similar hormone values, with the exception of estrogen. The former had the best response, even if it was temporary.

I have a liver disorder that has trouble clearing out bilirubin. My symptoms always accompanied yellow skin.

Jatenzo peaks quick and declines fast, unlike cypionate. My hormone values are higher (2x) on Jatenzo versus cypionate and no problems.

 

[Cataceous]

I wouldn't bother considering oral testosterone. Based on your history I don't think it would be any different.

You previously mentioned trying to raise SHBG with treatments. Did it go up at all? Have you read this case study, in which male and female siblings had undetectable SHBG? I'm wondering how your symptoms compare to those experienced by the male. What is the growth of your facial hair like? If SHBG were easy to obtain then I'd say try injecting some to normalize levels and see what happens. But my impression is that procuring suitable SHBG is difficult.

 

[hardrlz]

When i was on Keto actually I managed to rise it to around 15 , but even at that point with administering T i didnt feel any change. The only thing maybe that i havent tried is being on TRT for more than 6 months , because usually at around 5th or 6th month I cease injecting and one of the andrologists that i visited recently said that sometimes it can take even a year to dial in.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

When i was on Keto actually I managed to rise it to around 15 , but even at that point with administering T i didnt feel any change. The only thing maybe that i havent tried is being on TRT for more than 6 months , because usually at around 5th or 6th month I cease injecting and one of the andrologists that i visited recently said that sometimes it can take even a year to dial in.

I know this isn't related to what you're dealing with but I read of a 46 y.o. patient on test undecanoate with Type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, high blood pressure, overweight and erectile dysfunction. Over the course of three years all his symptoms resolved. I saw a reference to a patient where it took five years on test enanthate for all his symptoms and health issues to resolve. Exceptions, for sure, IMO, but the andrologist you consulted seems to understand that for you, symptom resolution could require a slow, steady, long path. All of us can appreciate that you want to feel/function better, sooner than later, but with a genetic mutation, slow and steady seems to be your only option.

 

[hardrlz]

Yes for sure I will give it a try for a lot longer period , even if I dont feel the effects , now that i know i have this condition due to genetics I will have to inject T for the rest of my life. I will do 10 mg propionate every day for now and keep it for at least a year , also I will get some supps that supposedly upregulate the androgen receptors like DHEA, l carnitine tartate , vit b3 and magnesium.