Blood test results show high E2/Total T need advice

Member Stories Lab Tests
#1

Long story short…
Was on Fin for about a week to 10 days due to severe bloody BPH.
Laying in bed one night on my sweat-soaked pillow from sudden hot flashes with severe testicular pain and a painful upper chest. Considering what I had just been through (I’ll spare you the gory details,) I said “now what…”
Went online and found this site.
Went to my Urologist. Wasn’t aware of any Fin side effects, but he felt they should resolve. Took me off Fin and put me on Flowmax.
Painful gyn continued. Went to my GP for some of this sites recommended blood work. Looked at me like I was speaking Greek, sent me back to the Urologist. Uro ordered the following tests:
Total T 755… range 250-1000
T free 114.8 range 35-155
% free T 1.52 range 1.5-2.2
He said all was well and to wait a bit longer…
Although I have several of the side effects commented on in this forum, my concern now is with the gyn…
Went back to the Uro when gyn and other effects worsened. I explained I would be seeing an Internal Medicine specialist. He suggested an Endocrinologist. I went. The Endo ordered the following:

HCG <2 range 0-5

Free T4 1.2 range .7-1.5

TSH 1.34 range .35-5.00

T total 846 range 280-800 HIGH

Prolactin 15.9 range 2.6-18.1

FSH 4.95 range .95-11.95

LH 5 range 2-12

E2 39 range <29 HIGH

After all this , Endo said wait and we’ll repeat test in 3 months. Still don’t know why he ordered the tests if he didn’t plan on treating any irregularities. He refused my request to move the retest date up.

So here I sit with my painful gyn which seems to taper off a day and then come back doublefold. I am concerned about the wait because I read that , left untreated, this gyn can become permenant after 9-12 months. No thanks…
Can someone suggest a course of action? Should I see another doc? Get more tests done asap? Maybe consider aromatase inhib? Or should I just wait it out?
Thanks in advance for any help.

#2

Your Estrogen level is clearly elevated out of range. Finasterie is documented to cause gynecomastia due to shifting the androgen/estrogen ratio to be in favor of estrogen, due to inhibition of DHT:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=185

Natural supplements like DIM and Chrysin may assist with bringing things down, however likely not to the same extent as medication. If you are considering pharmaceutical treatments, arimidex and tamoxifen are usually the options. You have a few choices:

  • Print materials from the forum and pressure docs to retest sooner, and take action to treat it
  • Wait for a retest in 3 months
  • schedule appointments with other local endos
  • see one of the docs listed on this forum
  • order the meds yourself online (risky, not advised without medical supervision)

Your prolactin is also approaching the upper range, and some men have had both libido and gynecomastia related issues from this. Bromcriptine or Cabergoline are typically presecribed to reduce prolactin. There are natural supplements which may or may not lower prolactin levels, including Mucuna Pruriens and Vitex (high dose). Check Natural Supplements section for more info.

#3

Mew,
Thanks for the reply and the advice.
Stuff happens.
I posted my results in case a familiar pattern was evident i.e. High T and elevated E2. Your comment on my upper-limit prolactin result was helpful.
I decided to call the Endo again, explain my situation and ask for retests asap. I will not wait another 2 months.
If he refuses , I have the number of a local Internal Med MD. I’m not one to stamp up and down and throw a tantrum, but this condition is troubling and so I will insist on treatment.
Other than Total T and E2, can you suggest other tests to evaluate my condition? I will ask to have free T checked this time, but are there other markers I should be concerned with? For ex, does my low end TSH result (1.34 with a range of .35 - 5) present a potential problem?
I’m sure this data is on this site, but lately I am having some difficulty with reading.
Thanks again.

#4

List of recommended tests and shortlist. Try and get 3a-diol-G.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=92

It’s within the eugonadal range so I wouldn’t be too concerned at this stage. Most guys with hypothyroidism/elevated TSH levels after Fin are in the 3+ range.