New member - Working on T, E2 and Prolactin

[keigwin]

I'm 53, diabetic, obese and had no energy, motivation or sex drive. I got sick of having doctors and others tell me the same thing - diet and exercise, diet and exercise, diet and exercise. Of course I need to take care of those, but when you have zero energy and motivation, this is like telling a dehydrated man in the desert to crawl to the nearest water!

I forced my PCP to test my hormones and found that my E2 was high and my T a bit low. I thought that fixing these might make me feel better, which in turn would help me stick with diet and exercise. These same labs revealed my diabetes, and my PCP just wanted to focus on that. The endocrinologist said my T looked "robust" and that I didn't need TRT. Finally, after two years I felt so bad that I took things into my own hands.

In May, I got my hormones tested independently and found high E2 and high prolactin (my doctor didn't test prolactin). I started anastrozole and fairly quickly started feeling better. First my energy returned, then I started getting some things done around the house that had been waiting for years, and most recently my sex drive has been returning. I'm homing in on the best dose for me and couldn't be happier with the results so far. My E2 is close to ideal, my prolactin cut in half and even my T has gone up. I've even started going back to the gym and have lost 10 lbs.

I'll be posting my labs in the labs section with some questions, in case anyone is interested.

K-

 

[Vince]

Welcome, yes I'm interested in hearing about your continue success. One thing I'm wondering did you have the sensitive estradiol test for men?

Why All Men Should be Tested with the Sensitive Estradiol Test

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/sho...d-be-Tested-with-the-Sensitive-Estradiol-Test

 

[keigwin]

Welcome, yes I'm interested in hearing about your continue success. One thing I'm wondering did you have the sensitive estradiol test for men?

Why All Men Should be Tested with the Sensitive Estradiol Test

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/sho...d-be-Tested-with-the-Sensitive-Estradiol-Test

Thanks for the welcome. Glad I found this site!

To answer your question, no, I've been using the standard E2 test because that's what my Dr. originally ordered, and it's what comes as part of the Male Hormone Panel from Life Extension. No one suggested the LC-MS test until I hit this site. Now I'm asking around and getting differing opinions on this subject - some say I need the sensitive test, others say that LabCorp's standard test is accurate enough. I suppose next time I get tested I'll order both and see what the difference is.

Subjectively, here's what I can say: When I was at E2=27, I was feeling noticeably more energetic and motivated. I upped my anastrozole and continued feeling better, plus regained libido and ability to reach orgasm. Most recently, I've been losing a bit of that libido and feeling a bit foggy. Turns out my E2=17 now, so I'll be upping my dosage a fraction.

What all this says to me is that the E2 numbers I've been getting, though perhaps not precise, are in the ballpark. I seemed to feel my best somewhere between 17 and 27, which jibes with what I'm understand is typical.

Once I get the numbers nailed, I hope to test less often and rely more on how I feel to guide my dosing. Not sure how realistic that is, though.

 

[CoastWatcher]

No, I've been using the standard E2 test because that's why my Dr. originally ordered, and it's what comes as part of the Male Hormone Panel from Life Extension. I've heard differing opinions on this subject - some say I need the LC-MS test, others say that LabCorp's standard test is sufficient. Hard to know who to believe.

I suppose next time I test myself I'll order both and see what the difference is.

Life Extension has been touting the standard test long after everyone else has moved on. Quite frankly, there's not a leading practitioner in this field working in the United States who orders the standard test for men. It's simply unreliable. Higher, occasionally lower, sometimes on the mark - you just can't tell. Nelson designed www.discountedlabs.com, the prices are competitive, the results timely.