Thread: Low testosterone

Originally Posted by Sim882

I must say going from testogel to nothing this week has been an unpleasant experience. It's akin to going through menopause in 2-3 days..

Energy, concentration have severely dived; my urinary problem has returned with a vengence (I'm back pissing every hour at least). My headaches are amongst the worse they have ever been, coupled with the nocturia, has meant 2-3 hours sleep for the last few nights. And for whatever I have also now developed the cold for the first time in at least a year.

I have the exact same symptoms as you mate so i feel for you apart from loss of libido .

Chronic fatigue
Chronic headaches
Pissing up to 20 times a day (and night)

But i'm just within clinical range last bloods were 11, you have to be under 8 to get HRT (from what i've been told).
Have you ever considered it might be because of something else?

Originally Posted by M1CH43L

But i'm just within clinical range last bloods were 11, you have to be under 8 to get HRT (from what i've been told).

Actually, you need a doctor who understands that if HRT improves your quality of life, then he/she will prescribe it. It's not always a PBS deal, so there is no effective restriction on HRT, regardless of what mystical number appears on the blood test results.

I was within range on both testosterone and thryoid, but was still prescribed "medication". The issue is not what number you get, but the narrow minded or uneducated view of doctors.

I might go see a uroligist like Sim882 maybe they might be more understanding but i'll probably be waiting another 5 months for an apointment at royal randwick outpaitens.

Originally Posted by M1CH43L

I have the exact same symptoms as you mate so i feel for you apart from loss of libido .

Chronic fatigue
Chronic headaches
Pissing up to 20 times a day (and night)

But i'm just within clinical range last bloods were 11, you have to be under 8 to get HRT (from what i've been told).
Have you ever considered it might be because of something else?

Mich:

My urologist says low testosterone can cause constant urination (including nocturia, which is what I have got he thinks at this stage instead of polyuria)

Unquestionably, the low T is the cause of my pissing
(1) beforing going on testagel, I was pissing 20+ times per day and night including moments of constant dribbles
(2) within 3 days after testagel, this had decreased. My urologist asked me to keep a pissing journal. Pissing volumes rose from 100-150 mls to 400, and I only woke up 2 times per night to piss instead of 4+
(3) I ran out of the testogel trial this week, and within 2 days I'm pissing as badly as ever before.

Note, this entire time I have been on an "anti-pisser" drug, vesicare. It clearly did nothing - my urination returned as soon as I quit the testogel, even though I am on vesicare.

Definitely see a urologist.

The thing is too Mich my fatigue, headaches co-incideded with increase piss frequency, but its only in the last 6-12 months where it has been very severe.

I should have seen a urologist earlier, but I was more concerned with my headaches so had until this point mainly seen urologists.

Can i ask
What was the testoserone score that you gave the urologist??

Originally Posted by M1CH43L

Can i ask
What was the testoserone score that you gave the urologist??

Lower than yours - I had 3 tests, ranging from 1.6-6.

I still think its worth pursuing.

Not to mention that even if he doesn't prescribe testogel, getting better sleep may actually improve your natural hormone production.

Interesting, my older brother also has chronic fatigue, and has testosterone levels of 7 (he just got recently tested). He's going to seek referral to a doctor soon

My younger brother however was above the clinical range (33). He's very energetic and horny

I think it's deffinately worth pursuing but unfortunately every dr i've talked to has made it pretty clear unless your not in clinical range no test supp's and they are very firm with with this.

I think this is exetremly unfortunate for me but i mean i think if i want HRT i'd have to make it my life goal to find a doc that understands and spent my days dr shopping.

Originally Posted by M1CH43L

I think it's deffinately worth pursuing but unfortunately every dr i've talked to has made it pretty clear unless your not in clinical range no test supp's and they are very firm with with this.

I think this is exetremly unfortunate for me but i mean i think if i want HRT i'd have to make it my life goal to find a doc that understands and spent my days dr shopping.

That is true - but it doesn't detract from benefits of addressing the urinary issue

How long have you had chronic headaches and fatigue? Described your headaches (frequency, location etc). Do these problems feel better when exercise? Is the fatigue more mental or physical.

What headache medications have you been on: topamax, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, cortisteroids, sandimigraine, epilum, tried botox?

None did anything for me.

All neurologists have classified mine as chronic daily headache or new daily persistent headache (mainly the latter), because its 24/7, and I can pinpoint a particular day in November 2005 where it became 24/7. I haven't had a second of relief from it in 3.5 years, although it varies in severity.

It has massive cognitive effects.

It occurred just before my final law exam. Prior to that exam, I had got 1st or 2nd for ever law exam that year and also never in 5 years of uni got below 75 for a subject.

I recall waking up a day before my final ethics exam with a headache, and on the day of my ethics exam, being totally unable to even comprehend the paper. If it was any other exam I would have failed, but I still managed to pull out 62, 23 marks lower than any other subject in final year (and 3 grades).

I'm hoping that given an appropriate dosage of testogel and generally resolving my health issues I can have my law career again.

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists says "Hypogonadism is defined as a free testosterone level that is below the lower limit of normal for young adult control subjects. Previously, age-related decreases in free testosterone were once accepted as normal. Currently, they are not considered normal. Patients with low-normal to subnormal range testosterone levels warrant a clinical trial of testosterone."[31]

Testosterone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have seen the original document.

Go to a chronic fatigue specialist perhaps, charged with this, note all other bloodwork is OK, and maybe he will prescribe you testosterone??

I've had head aches and urinary problems since i was born but they seem to be getting worse and worse the fatigue i have only notice in the past 3 - 4 years probably because i that's when i quit drugs, smoking, alcohol and blah blah

for headaches i take any pain killer and that works fine for me i've also randomly used trib and found that it also help my headaches. My head aches always appear in the same place on the left or right side of my forehead above the inner eye and no i don't think exercise helps them i've had head aches and pushed through gym sessions with them and occasionally they have disappeared but if i'm doing intense stuff they tend to get worse. I also tend to wake up with them and they progress during the day but i certainly do not have them 24/7 more like a few days a week.

As for fatigue i don't know if it's mental of physical if feels like both and it's making me waste my life, I think my symptoms are uncannily similar to yours especially the pissing one but definitely not worse or even on par they are also anther reason why i am unemployed atm

Originally Posted by Sim882

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists says "Hypogonadism is defined as a free testosterone level that is below the lower limit of normal for young adult control subjects. Previously, age-related decreases in free testosterone were once accepted as normal. Currently, they are not considered normal. Patients with low-normal to subnormal range testosterone levels warrant a clinical trial of testosterone."[31]

Testosterone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have seen the original document.

Go to a chronic fatigue specialist perhaps, charged with this, note all other bloodwork is OK, and maybe he will prescribe you testosterone??

I've had my free test tested and it came up way under clinical. my most recent ones are being sent to me and it includes every thing minus free test.

Originally Posted by M1CH43L

I've had my free test tested and it came up way under clinical. my most recent ones are being sent to me and it includes every thing minus free test.

Well get a test trial.

Could your GP write a letter to note that you have been complaining of these problems for years?

I think that can help make you look more genuine to any cynical endo.

I would have done this if I didn't get any.

If your getting headaches that often, its worth trialing a medication in the meantime.

None have worked for me but I only noticed side effects on beta blockers (extra fatigue) and topomax (extra mental fog). If they are not 24/7 they are more treatment receptive than mine which are considered (per neuros) the most treatment refractory.

And, yes, my last 3.5 years has been to a large extent wasted life too.

I more concerned with fatigue atm as this is what wasting my life my headaches can be treated with paracetimol when they pop up i probably rather treat them like this then take a medication 7 days a week that could have even more sides and adverse health affects, My urinary problem is just a really massive annoyance and inconvience but it would make like better with out it.

Also building more muscle is of anther big concern but that's a given on SM for everyone.

Originally Posted by M1CH43L

I more concerned with fatigue atm as this is what wasting my life my headaches can be treated with paracetimol when they pop up i probably rather treat them like this then take a medication 7 days a week that could have even more sides and adverse health affects, My urinary problem is just a really massive annoyance and inconvience but it would make like better with out it.

Also building more muscle is of anther big concern but that's a given on SM for everyone.

Well nocturnal pissing would interfere with muscle growth (poorer sleep, less production of GH and test). It would also exacerbate your fatigue.

Your headaches (if they can be treated by paracetamol) probably do not warrant seeing a neurologist about. From repeated use, aspirin apparently has fewer sides than paracetamol.

The fatigue sucks - if you can't get testosterone, I wonder whether you could get adderral or some other stimulant sometimes prescribed for people wtih chronic fatigue.

That would be last resort though

Funny enough my dad wrote me a letter saying he has CFS cronic fatiuge syndrome.

He walked out on me when i was a baby and didn't want anything to do with me but always knew where to find me but now 20 years later wants to see me for a chat when i've already said to my mum to tell him it's too late.

I also don't talk very often to my mum as she had sitzophinia and booted me out of home at a very young age, I've only recenly let bygons be bygons and started talking to her again 10 years later.

But this is probably get way off subject now, point is my dad said he has CFS and i found this disturbing at first then started to reaserch it more and found out not much is know about CFS actully that would probably be an understatement, I'm almost certain and 99.9% sure that my dad has the exact same problem as me that has just grown worse over time like mine are and when the doctors couldn't figure it out they just said it's CFS. I'm sure a few might argue this but with my expirience with GP's think how possible this actully is. He went on to say that he sometimes finds it hard to just go and get the mail out and he rarely ever leaves the house. I don't want this to ever happen to me.