3pm's Bloodwork

Member Stories Lab Tests
#1

So far I have a rather minimal analysis of my hormones, but this is the blood work my Urologist ran on February 19th (sorry for not posting this sooner, scanner issues). It shows below range Free Testosterone and pretty low Total Testosterone. This test was conducted about 6 months after I stopped taking Propecia for slightly over one week.

I am going to go to an Endocrinologist soon (scheduling appt tomorrow) and my side effects have hardly subsided. Even brain fog continues to be a struggle.

I’m no expert on how to read this so all I really know is the low/out of range levels. Any feedback is appreciated.

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#2

Looking at your levels, it seems clear to me you are very low on Testosterone, both Total and Free. Prolactin is also suspect as it seems a bit high, even though it’s in range. You don’t have SHBG, Estradiol, TSH or DHT which is unfortunate.

Your LH and FSH are also very low – but, remember they operate in a pulsatile manner, thus the best way to assess their function would be to have pooled results over a few hours, I believe.

Looks to me like you need to boost your T levels. Discuss with endo Clomid, hCG or Tamoxifen to do so. If he is unwilling you may need to see Dr. Shippen or Crisler. You could also try natural supplements like Tribulus or Tonkat Ali first.

You might also want to get more bloodwork to check the other hormones mentioned (SHBG, DHT, Estradiol, TSH… maybe Progesterone too) before opting for further treatment.

You could have sky-high estrogen levels and not even know it, which could be surpressing your HTPA. Also you might want to consider discussing Bromocriptine or Cabergoline to bring prolactin down… I believe Dr Shippen likes to keep it between 3-5 for men.

Anyway keep us posted… you probably feel like absolute crap at the moment with those T levels, ie no energy, no libido, hot flashes, ED, shrinkage etc. Funnily enough your results are very similar to mine when I got tested at 3 months off.

You might also want to read the user “galapagos” story and hormones, he had hypogonadal T levels, was treated with Tamoxifen by Dr. Crisler, and is back in the 500s as of last posting.

#3

Haha yep, you’re right on… I have no energy and feel like crap. Funny thing is that you never met me and suspect this, meanwhile people I see all the time tend to not notice how affected I am. I just found that ironic. Thanks for the feedback Mew.

When I finally go to my Endo appt I will get a huge range of hormones tested, and definitely including progesterone due to my mental side effects. That will probably be a month from now since they all seem to be booked until then.

About Estrogen, I feel like I probably have elevated levels and that’s partially why I’m doing some broccoli treatment… but that definitely should be tested. Don’t know why my Uro didn’t do so, but he did a very simple test.

Also, I don’t know if I am really interested in trying other drugs to fix this without truly understanding what is preventing me from recovery. I’m at my wits end with the hypocrisy of Propecia and I hold Merck accountable for 2+ years of anguish, not realizing Propecia negatively effected my brain and threw my quality of life in the toilet. The more I read the medical studies of finasteride, the more it seems like a neurodegenerative death pill rather than a harmless choice for balding men, so I would rather seek compensation for being turned into a vegetable and not knowing why rather than intervene with other drugs right now. The stories here should prove that Propecia isn’t safe and should be taken off the market. Apparently we know more than Merck does about it.

Anyway, that’s at least my thoughts. I know we all feel similarly so I guess the next step is to discuss this with professionals. And there aren’t many answers as to why we have “permanent” sides, so until that answer is found, I don’t see how that doesn’t qualify as negligence.

At any rate, I’ll keep everyone up to date.

#4

Your symptoms and bloodwork are ALMOST SIMILAR as mine after dropping fin! I had no energy and felt uneasy 24/7, had gyno popping up and a limp dick, weight gain etc. Felt like shit!
I too had low LH and FSH, low T and high prolactin…just like you. I feel ten times better now after 7-8 months as my T slowly got back from 13nmol to nearly 30 and LH got from 1 to 4. I too took cabergoline, but I’m guessing it did not do much. Quite a coincidence that so many end up hypogonadal after fin don’t you think? According to the clinical tests fin does not affect LH, FSH or Prolactin in a meaningful manner, but I’m guessing they did not monitor what happens after the treatment!!!
My suggestions are (talk to doctor, don’t self medicate)
-clomid to raise T
-cabergoline to lower prolactin, will likely elevate T at the same time
-…or just TIME to give your body and endocrine system time to heal on it’s own. Clomid and cabergoline are meds and as meds got us into this mess, taking more should be a last resort as they all come with their problems (eye issues with clomid, heart and vascular problems with cab.)

good luck

#5

Thanks for the input Onni… didn’t realize I was kinda at the bottom of the barrel condition-wise compared to you guys. It really is hard to do very much under these conditions, but like I said, I don’t want to touch it with more drugs - I’d rather present myself to doctors and ultimately this company un-influenced by anything else but Propecia. To me this is a case that those responsible for the negligence need to see.

Question though… are any of us certain that these symptoms are due to reversible HPTA/hormonal issues and imbalances, or is it more than a matter of reviving the homeostasis? Using something to boost my T is tempting just so I can hopefully feel a bit better, but ultimately I don’t think I even want to pretend I understand this… especially since doctors aren’t 100% sure.

#6

Too bad you don’t have baseline hormone tests either, so you don’t know where you stand naturally.
Vitamin B6 should lower prolactin. Selegeline is another(AFAIK) with less risks than cabergoline. You could give it six months and see if it improves, if it doesn’t, make an appointment with an endo. As said, my LH, FSH and T was in the toilet after fin, and now that my free T has gone from 200 to almost 500 (range 200-650) I feel somewhat normal, so your issues are def. down to low t and high prolactin (I did not check your E). If you had no physical changes, you should be fine with time and/or the right meds.

#7

Stupid scanner won’t co-operate, so here’s just the values.

TSH - 1.75 (.27-4.20)
FREE T4 - 1.2 (0.9-1.8)

TESTOSTERONE, FREE - 20.4 (9-30)
TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL - 617 (240-950)
PROLACTIN - 5.3 (4.0-15.2)

Yes, that’s all this guy chose to test. He was not very interested in my problems.

Meanwhile, I’m pretty interested in the fact that adrenal fatigue symptoms seem to fit me very well (wake up weak, always tired, etc), and I pretty much have constant mild headaches, vision concerns, and brain fog that I cannot shake (feel like a zombie rather than a human). My next steps are psychiatrist and to investigate my prostate, adrenal fatigue, liver and even my CSF pressure. That might explain the slight pressure in my head and visual problems. Should hopefully have more to say soon…

#8

According to my understanding, at least those are completely normal values.

#9

After seeing my new GP, he ordered a number of blood tests, but unfortunately, nothing too extensive on the hormonal front. From what I can tell, my Total T is the lowest ever recorded (no free unfortunately), FSH and Estradiol are kinda low, I have high LDL Cholesterol and Albumin (?), kinda curious.

He intends to send me to an Endo once I re-arrange my insurance, though I’m not especially eager; it’s not like they’d try any useful treatment/test what I want tested unless pushed. I’ll push them if I get there, but for now, I’ll take it a day at a time. Besides, I don’t recall many post-fin sufferers curing themselves through re-balancing hormones; there’s probably more to this/something else, I need to know why I have shrinkage/numbness, and perhaps a Uro who knows a thing or two like McCullough might actually run some tests rather than ignore me.

If you have any opinions or insights on these results please post them.

Sample collected 11/19/08

ENDOCRINOLOGY, SERUM
Testosterone: 290 (280-800 ng/dl)
TSH: 2.31 (0.27-4.20) uIU/mL
T3: 115 (80-200) ng/dL
Total T4: 8.8 (4.6-12.0) ng/dL

Luteinizing Hormone 3.2 IU/L

Follicular: 2.4-12.6
Ovulation: 14.0-95.6
Luteal: 1.0-11.4
Postmenopause: 7.7-58.5
Children: 0.2-1.4
Male: 1.7-8.6

Follicle Stimulating Hormone: 1.2 IU/L

Follicular: 3.5-12.5
Ovulation: 4.7-21.5
Luteal: 1.7-7.7
Postmenopause: 25.8-134.8
Children: 0.2-3.8
Male: 1.5-12.4

Estradiol: 11 pg/mL

Males: <10-45
Follicular: <10-178
Ovulation: 48-388
Luteal: 31-247
Postmenopause: <10-46
Children: <10-36

Progesterone: 0.3 ng/mL

Male: 0.02-1.7
Follicular: 0-1.6
Luteal: 1.1-21
Postmenopause: 0-1.4

CHEMISTRY (SPECIAL)
Iron: 89 (45-165 ug/dL)
Cholesterol: 193 (90-199 mg/dL)
Triglycerides: 96 (25-149 mg/dL)
HDL Cholesterol: 50 (40-125 mg/dL)
Chol/HDL 3.9 (RATIO 3.4-9.6)
LDL Cholesterol: 124 (60-99 mg/dL) H

CHEMISTRY (SERUM)
Sodium: 140 (132-145 mmol)
Potassium: 4.3 (3.5-5.1 mmol)
Chloride: 102 (96-108 mmol)
CO2: 26 (22-31 mmol)
ANOIN GAP: 12 (5-17 mmol)
Glucose: 83 (70-99 mg/dL)
BUN: 14 (7-23 mg/dL)
Creatinine: 1.1 (0.5-1.3 mg/dL)
T Protein: 8.2 (6.0-8.3 g/dL)
Albumin: 5.3 (3.3-5.0 g/dL) H
Calcium: 10.0 (8.4-10.5 mg/dL)
T Bilirubin: 0.8 (0.2-1.2 mg/dL)
D Bilirubin: 0.2 (0.2-1.2 mg/dL)
I Bilirubin: 0.6 mg/dL
AST (SGOT) 16 (10-40 U/L)
ALT (SGPT): 23 (10-45 U/L RC)
ALK PHOS: 72 (30/120 U/L)
GAMMA GT: 19 (9-50 U/L)

HEMATOLOGY
WBC: 9.3 (3.8-10.5 K/uL)
RBC: 5.29 (4.20-5.80 M/uL)
HGB: 15.5 (13.0-17.0 g/Ul)
HCT: 44.3 (39.0-50.0 %)
MCV: 83.7 (80.0-100.0 fl)
MCHC: 29.3 (27.0-34.0 pg)
RDW: 12.2 (10.3-14.5 %)
PLT: 211 (150-400 K/uL)
AutoNEUT#: 5.8 (1.8-7.4 K/uL)
AutoLYMP#: 2.7 (1.0-3.3 K/uL)
AutoMONO#: 0.8 (0.0-0.9 K/uL)
AutoEOS#: 0.1 (0.0-0.5 K/uL)
AutoBASO#: 0.0 (0.0-0.2 K/Ul)
NEUT %: 61.9 (43.0-77.0 %)
LYMPH %: 29.0 (13.0-44.0 %)
MONO %: 8.1 (2.0-14.0 %)
EOS %: 0.8 (0.0-6.0 %)
BASO %: 0.2 (0.0-2.0 %)
ESR WESTERGREN: 2 (0-15 mm/hr)

ROUTINE SEROLOGY
Cytomegalovirus IGG Antibody <4 AU/mL
CMV IGG Interpretation Negative

EBV VCA IgM EIA 0.08 (0.00-0.89) - Negative
EBV VCA IgM EIA 0.41 (0.00-0.89) - Negative
EBV EA Ab EIA 0.31 (0.00-0.89) - Negative
EBNA IgG EIA 0.15 (0.00-0.89) - Negative