10 year Fin user - worried about my totally out of wack harome levels.

Member Stories Lab Tests
#1

I took the recommended blood tests 3 weeks ago. My harmones are out of wack.

TSH = 10.48 mIU/L (range: 0.40 - 4.5 mIU/L)
T4, FREE = 1.1 ng/dL (range: 0.8 - 1.8 ng/dL)
T3, TOTAL = 128 ng/dL (range: 60-181 ng/dL)
PROLACTIN = 20.4 ng/mL (range: 2.0 - 18.0 ng/dL)
ESTRADIOL = 33 pg/mL (range: <52 pg/mL)
TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL = 366 (range: 241 - 827 ng/dL)
DHEA, UNCONJUGATED = 149 ng/dL (range: 180 - 1250 ng/dL)
DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE = 52 ng/dL (range: 25 - 75 ng/dL)

I am totally devastated. Will I ever recover from ED? I am going to see an Endochronogist on next Tuesday. What can I expect from this visit? What additional info I need to report to the Endo? Please advise.

#2

I’m no doctor, but your TSH looks crazy. Gyno probably due to prolactin and low T?
B6 vitamin and cabergoline lower prolactin…talk to doc first.
No wonder if ED sets in with those values

#3

TSH = 10.48 mIU/L (range: 0.40 - 4.5 mIU/L)

You are well within the range of having hypothyroidism. My TSH is also high and probably caused by taking propecia.

#4

As a follow-up, I obtained copies of all my previous blood work for the past 8 years from my primary care physician’s office. Here is the summary:

August 8, 2000 (I had been on Fin for ~2 years by this date)
TSH = 2.38 (range: 0.4-5.5 uIU/mL)
T4, TOTAL = 7.8 (range: 4.5-12.0 ug/dL)
T3, UPTAKE = 38.5 percent (range: 27.8-40.7)

Sept 20, 2003 (I had been continuously on Fin for ~5 years by this date)
TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL = 384 (range: 241-827 ng/dL)

Nov 30, 2004 (I had been continuously on Fin for ~6 years by this date)
TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL = 490 (range 241-827 ng/dL)

Results from March 15, 2006 (I had been continuously on Fin ~9 years)
TSH = 1.83 (range: 0.4-5.5 mIU/L)
T4, FREE = 1.6 (range: 0.18-1.8 ng/dL)

Results from July 26, 2007 (I had been continuously on Fin for ~9 years 4 months)
TSH = 4.08 (range: 0.4-5.50 mIU/L)
T4, FREE = 1.4 (range: 0.18-1.8 ng/dL)
TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL = 323 (range: 260-1000 g/dL)
TESTOSTERONE, % FREE = 1.4 (range: 1.0-2.7 percent)
TESTOSTERONE, FREE = 45.1 (range: 50.0-210.0 Pg/mL)

Results from Oct 18, 2007 (I was off the drug by this date for 2 weeks or so. However, prior to this date I was only taking 0.5mg dosage since Aug-07)
TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL = 620 (range: 260-1000 ng/dL)
TESTOSTERONE, % FREE = 1.1 (range: 1.0-2.7 percent)
TESTOSTERONE, FREE = 66.7 (range: 50.0-210.0 Pg/mL)

Results from Dec 30, 07 (I was off the drug completely for ~3 months by this date and had caught full blown Prostatitis and ED symptoms)
TSH = 10.48 mIU/L (range: 0.40 - 4.5 mIU/L)
T4, FREE = 1.1 ng/dL (range: 0.8 - 1.8 ng/dL)
T3, TOTAL = 128 ng/dL (range: 60-181 ng/dL)
PROLACTIN = 20.4 ng/mL (range: 2.0 - 18.0 ng/dL)
ESTRADIOL = 33 pg/mL (range: <52 pg/mL)
PROGESTERONE = 0.6 (range: <1.4 ng/mL)
ESTRONE, LC/MS/MS = <10 (range <68 pg/mL)
CORTISOL, TOTAL, SERUM = 17.2 mcg/dL (range AM: 4.0-22.0 mcg/dL)
TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL = 366 (range: 241 - 827 ng/dL)
SHBG = 27 (range: 9-45 nmol/L)
PSA = 0.28 (range: 0.0-4.0 ng/mL)
ESTROGENS, TOTAL, SERUM = 56 (range: 130 or LESS pg/mL)
DHEA, UNCONJUGATED = 149 ng/dL (range: 180 - 1250 ng/dL)
DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE = 52 ng/dL (range: 25 - 75 ng/dL)
ALDOSTERONE, LC/MS/MS = 5 ng/dL (range: Upright 8:00-10:00AM < 28ng/dL)
ANDROSTENEDIONE, LC/MS/MS = 58 (range: 40-190 ng/dL)
FSH = 2.3 (range: 1.6-8.0 mIU/ml)
LH = 1.7 (range: 1.5-9.3 mIU/mL)

What do we make out of these results? I am curious to see if someone can analyze the results and educate me and all others in the same boat.

#5

Investigate hypothyroidism.

Seems pretty low and based on your lowish Free T results from previous tests, you should get Free/Bioavailable Testosterone checked again… do you have nocturnal/moring/spontaneous erections? Loss of sex drive?

You also need LH, FSH, SHBG tested for. You might want to consider discussing trying Clomiphene Citrate or hCG to try jumpstarting your testes to produce more T. Studies on this are in Drug Treatments section of site.

Above range, prolactin is a sex drive killer, request MRI to rule out prolactinoma, consider requesting a dopamine agonist to bring it down (cabergoline, bromocriptine) into range.

However since Hypothyroidism has been linked to increased prolactin levels, getting that treated may help lower prolactin.

propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1093

Out of range low, investigate adrenal function further. Consider testing ACTH, Cortisol (AM & PM), Aldosterone, Corticosterone

Yo

#6

Thank you for the response Mew. I have edited my earlier post with rest of the blood work results. Please take a look. I am going to see an endocrinologist tomorrow. I will post an update.

To answer your questions… Yes I have morning erections. But I am not sure if they are real or caused as a side effect of Flomax that I am taking to relieve my Prostatitis symptoms. Would you think Flomax could be doing this? I seem to get once in a while few very mild spontaneous erections. However, I do get an erection if I should watch porno. But it subsides after 3 or 4 minutes so I can not get to orgasm. It has been more than 3 months since I have ejaculated either thru sex or from watching a porno. I can not wait to become normal again…