Fairly new here, thought I’d start a log detailing my journey and hopefully my progress. I am 49 (hard to believe), developed issues young. Minor issues in my early 20s and major sexual dysfunction around 26 years old. One thing that stands out from my earliest issues was having some ED when my hayfever would start late August. OTC Antihistamines made it worse, so I wonder if something there. Tagamet makes ED go from bad to horrible.
But the major issues began after I got my first “real job”. Several months in libido just disappeared and ED was constantly present. Stress perhaps? Sleep issues as I am not a morning person? Coincidence perhaps. Work was non-stop running around so slowly seemed to be locked into a fight or flight state. Late 20s would come home just exhausted and would fall asleep on the couch at 7pm. Too early for someone in their 20s to be this tired. Joined a gym and loved it. Looked better, clothes fit better, energy returned. But libido was still absent and ED as bad as ever.
Around age 37, I sent letters to every endocrinologist in the area and one replied. He was terrible. Nevertheless, convinced him to prescribe T. My levels were in the upper 200 to lower 300s. I was now a follower of Dr. Crisler’s online forum and Dr. Mariano. T treatment made me feel worse. I recall Dr. Mariano posting that depending on state of HPA axis, T supplementation can make someone worse off by lowering ACTH. The reduced adrenal output is beneficial for some, but for those with HPA dysregulation it can make you worse. Anxiety was increasing horribly, snuck up on me slowly but became debilitating. I ended up finding a holistic Dr and she agreed to try Armour and small dose of HC. As Dr. Mariano had once said, the perfect test of state of adrenals is taking Thyroid hormone. Well this “test” revealed my adrenals were in a horrible state as I quickly found myself in the ER. My doc agreed to up my HC and I was now taking 20mg just to get thru the day. Horrible anxiety had me take almost a month off from work – couldn’t even leave the house it was so bad.
Slowly, got better and found myself on T, HC, Armour. Felt great, but ED never improved, libido never returned. I was now a patient of Dr. Crislers for a few years. After awhile I was fed up and we discussed stopping T to see if my body could recover on its own. My T levels dropped and I felt worse. SO restarted Test Cyp and over the next year or so…the same situation happened as previously. Anxiety crept up and I had a complete collapse again. Certainly, my parents health issues was a major factor – mom with Alzheimers, dad with heart failure, etc etc. It took the collapse to convince him I needed more adrenal support, so now back on 20mg HC. My local PCP prescribed Ativan to help me sleep and that was another horror story. The side effects and withdrawal was the most horrific chapter of my life.
Long story long, here I am. Still horrible ED – Viagra, Cialis minor help. Libido absent. I have my first appt with Dr. Saya this coming Wednesday as I am intrigued by the posts made on here about combining T cream (scrotally applied) with Test Cyp. Wondering if he would be willing to try that. Here are my most current labs. I am not posting the CBC, Comprehensive Metabolic numbers, just too many:
Total T: 686 (249-836)
Free T: 166 (47-244)
PSA: .68 (0-4.00)
LH: <.1 (1.7-8.6)
SHBG: 24 (10-80)
DHEAS: 420 (44-331)
E2 by TMS: 25.9 (10.0-42.0)
IGF1: 143 (68-225)
TSH: 3.44 (.27-4.20)
The TSH is the highest it has ever been. The previous lab from my local doc had this in the 2s with Free T3 at top of range and Free T4 in the middle of range. But Thyroid isn’t the issue – over the last 10 years we have tried it all.
My Ferritin is typically in the 90s and Dr. Mariano told me personally that for men it needs to 150. He expects behavior issues with anything less. My issues is my Iron is always top of range or over and TIBC also indicates to NOT take Iron. These conflicting numbers are confusing. Ok, I need to get to work. LOL.
But the major issues began after I got my first “real job”. Several months in libido just disappeared and ED was constantly present. Stress perhaps? Sleep issues as I am not a morning person? Coincidence perhaps. Work was non-stop running around so slowly seemed to be locked into a fight or flight state. Late 20s would come home just exhausted and would fall asleep on the couch at 7pm. Too early for someone in their 20s to be this tired. Joined a gym and loved it. Looked better, clothes fit better, energy returned. But libido was still absent and ED as bad as ever.
Around age 37, I sent letters to every endocrinologist in the area and one replied. He was terrible. Nevertheless, convinced him to prescribe T. My levels were in the upper 200 to lower 300s. I was now a follower of Dr. Crisler’s online forum and Dr. Mariano. T treatment made me feel worse. I recall Dr. Mariano posting that depending on state of HPA axis, T supplementation can make someone worse off by lowering ACTH. The reduced adrenal output is beneficial for some, but for those with HPA dysregulation it can make you worse. Anxiety was increasing horribly, snuck up on me slowly but became debilitating. I ended up finding a holistic Dr and she agreed to try Armour and small dose of HC. As Dr. Mariano had once said, the perfect test of state of adrenals is taking Thyroid hormone. Well this “test” revealed my adrenals were in a horrible state as I quickly found myself in the ER. My doc agreed to up my HC and I was now taking 20mg just to get thru the day. Horrible anxiety had me take almost a month off from work – couldn’t even leave the house it was so bad.
Slowly, got better and found myself on T, HC, Armour. Felt great, but ED never improved, libido never returned. I was now a patient of Dr. Crislers for a few years. After awhile I was fed up and we discussed stopping T to see if my body could recover on its own. My T levels dropped and I felt worse. SO restarted Test Cyp and over the next year or so…the same situation happened as previously. Anxiety crept up and I had a complete collapse again. Certainly, my parents health issues was a major factor – mom with Alzheimers, dad with heart failure, etc etc. It took the collapse to convince him I needed more adrenal support, so now back on 20mg HC. My local PCP prescribed Ativan to help me sleep and that was another horror story. The side effects and withdrawal was the most horrific chapter of my life.
Long story long, here I am. Still horrible ED – Viagra, Cialis minor help. Libido absent. I have my first appt with Dr. Saya this coming Wednesday as I am intrigued by the posts made on here about combining T cream (scrotally applied) with Test Cyp. Wondering if he would be willing to try that. Here are my most current labs. I am not posting the CBC, Comprehensive Metabolic numbers, just too many:
Total T: 686 (249-836)
Free T: 166 (47-244)
PSA: .68 (0-4.00)
LH: <.1 (1.7-8.6)
SHBG: 24 (10-80)
DHEAS: 420 (44-331)
E2 by TMS: 25.9 (10.0-42.0)
IGF1: 143 (68-225)
TSH: 3.44 (.27-4.20)
The TSH is the highest it has ever been. The previous lab from my local doc had this in the 2s with Free T3 at top of range and Free T4 in the middle of range. But Thyroid isn’t the issue – over the last 10 years we have tried it all.
My Ferritin is typically in the 90s and Dr. Mariano told me personally that for men it needs to 150. He expects behavior issues with anything less. My issues is my Iron is always top of range or over and TIBC also indicates to NOT take Iron. These conflicting numbers are confusing. Ok, I need to get to work. LOL.
