IGF1 - 194 NG/ML (Range 117 - 329)
ANTI TIREOGLOBULINA - less than 20 (normal range less than 40)
FSH - 2 mui/ml (Range 0,7 - 11,1)
LH - 2 miu/ml (Range 0,8 - 7,0)
CORTISOL- 22,2 ui/dl (Range 5 - 25)
FREE TESTOSTERONE - 314 ng/dl (Range 82 - 624)
PROLACTIN - 12 ng/ml (Range 5 - 17)
TESTOSTERONE - 479 ng/dl (Range 262 - 1593)
ACIDO URICO - 9,7 mg/dl (Range 3,4 - 7,0)
CREATININE 0,9 mg/dl (Range 3,4 - 7,0)
UREIA 33 mg/dl (15-45)
TGO 29 U/L (11-39)
TGP 44 U/L (11-39)
FREE T4 - 1,5 ng/dl (0,8 - 1,9)
T3 - 100 ng/dl (84-172)
TSH 2,35 UI/ML ( Range: 0,4 - 4,0)
COLESTEROL LDL - 195 mg / dl (more than 190, very high)
VLDL - 52 MG/DL (>40, <90, elevated)
TOTAL COLESTEROL 280 mg/dl (more than 240, elevated)
HDL 33 mg/dl (should be between 40 and 60)
Hi,
I am considering TRT, and i will have an appointment with Dr. Crisler. My hormone tests are in the blood test section. Estradiol and SHBG are in normal range (altough E2 is in the upper third on the scale, still in range). It will be four years next february that i quit Fin.
My main complain is the personality change. I went from an optmistic, calm, happy, loving guy to someone moody, depressed (this has been really hard), skeptic with negative thoughts, with low energy and offten fatigued. I am also worried about my rising colesterol and my blood sugar, year by year the results are getting worse, as my Testosterone levels are declining year after year (660 in 2006, 591 and 553 in 2007, 480 - 485 - 479 in 2009). Despite the fact that i don t eat sugar or wheat anymore, my fasting blood sugar has mesured 96 and 95 (range 70 - 105) in three blood tests this year. Before Finasteride i ate loads of pasta and a good amount of sugar and my glucose test ALWAYS came between 70 and 75, i had blood tests done all my life, if not yearly, every two years. I think T replacement could reverse this and be beneficial for the heart also.
My intention with TRT is to fight this. I need to feel good again, to be able to work. If libido came back, that would be a great bonus, but as i say a bonus. Do you think, based on my hormone profile, that i could benefit in Hormone replacement (T injections + HCG) in these aspects?
I wouldn’t go on TRT if I were you, since it is a life-long commitment. Looking at your hormone profile, it looks like LH and FSH are low. If those levels were to raise your T should go up also. Try that route first.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t raising LH and FSH levels part of the HPTA axis restart?
TRT is a last resort and he will likely put you on a Tamoxifen or Clomid protocol to boost your own T production FIRST, before attempting TRT. I should think that’s something you’d want anyway, as nobody wants to have to be on a treatment program for life.
Based on your bloodwork, we’ll see what he prescribes.
Hi my story and Mew,
Thanks for the replies. I already tried Clomid, with Dr. Munariz in 2006. Back then i did not feel any difference. I don’t think it is a matter of restarting the HPTA axis. I ve tried everything to restart or heal it. I have always felt it is related to the pituitary, i even put a topic about this on Theories. I think it could be related to gaba, local 5ar cells or something else missing that is responsible for stimulating the Pituitary. So if i can’t fix it, it might be necessary to take another aproach.
At this point life is becoming pointless, i have tried absolutely everything, except TRT. I just want to have energy and be the optmistic person i used to be, so i am able to work and do something about my life. At this point, sex life is really secondary. My hope in taking TRT is the stories about men in Andropause who take it and feel more energy and resolve their depression. Plus, i am feeling i am at risk for developing Diabetes and heart problems, and i know TRT is beneficial for that. I understand it is a lifetime commitment, but unfortunatelly and without knowing it, we already made a lifelong commitment when we took Propecia. I would happily switch this commitment with low energy, depression, bad mood, no libido, ED, flat emotions, etc to a commitment with two injections a week if it worked.
If it makes a difference in my depression i will do it for life, happily. I would rather live a happy life and die young (say at 45, for example) because of complications of TRT instead of living miserably untill 60 or more, having depression, diabetes, heart condition, osteoporosis, and who knows what else because of insuficient Testosterone. See, we will have to make this choice eventually…since Fin screwed everything.
My father is 57 years old. He has never had any health problems, nothing… He is not diabetic, he drinks his beer every weekend, he does not have depression, always calm, just the way I WAS. If i am noticing all this changes in such an early age (30), and i am seeing that my testosterone is in a declining pattern, i need to do something about it. The way i am living right now is too cruel for someone who loves life so much. I only want to FEEL… anything… it is like i have no emotions. In this same forum, there is a topic about 450-500 testosterone level being the one for a 70 year old man. Well, mine is 479, i need to do something about it. I hope the doctor agrees with me.
What i really would like to know is if there is a former finasteride user in this forum, who decided to go for TRT with injections, and if this person felt an improvement in well-being, not only sexually, but optimism, energy, desire to live, to work, etc.
Have you tried getting 7-10 different T boosting supplements and taking each one day by day, never taking the same one more than once or twice in a row? If I was in your shoes I would try that route for a couple months and try and raise my T naturally, before succumbing to TRT. IT WORKS.
Also, get a ball zinger. I have been getting spontaneous erections ever since I put it on.
Since I have been using this method along with proper diet and exercise, sleep and sunshine, I am really a new man. It is really unbelievable the way I feel some days. In the gym I’m an animal. I’m putting muscle on like I’m in college and sexually I’m the best I’ve been since this whole mess started. I’ve said it once before, but this site is one of the best ones out there. This stuff in this site is TRUE and again, more importantly, it works.
my first day on ginkgo biloba and it seems to be helping my mind clear not sure about the ed though
Hi Cdnuts,
Thanks for the reply. I have tried so much stuff man… i did get some small improvement, but nothing was effective in a long term for depression, always a roller coaster. And this is the key point. When you are that depressed, you simply don’t have the energy, strengh to keep with exercise routines, supplements etc. Look, before Fin i used to run 5 miles everyday plus weight training 5 days a week. I know it makes a difference in someone’s life. With every suplement, medication, or regimen i tried, i did one by one, so it could be conclusive.
It is basically this problem if we could simplify it:
a)It seems that my dopamine “stock” runs out too fast,
b)It seems the speed of restoration of these reserves is too slow after Finasteride. What could be causing this: cortisol is too high compared to before or the amount of Testosterone i have runing now is not sufficient for the amount of Dopamine my brain needs.
So i took two paths of trial these years:
1- Slow down cortisol or metabolism, to save dopamine.
2- Increase Testosterone to increase dopamine or try to increase dopamine alone.
Some of the stuff i tried as i can recall now (never combined): Clomid, Wellbutrin, Ginseng, Ginko biloba, Maca, St. Johns wort, Fish oil, Omega 3, Passiflora, Kava, Lexotan (benzodiazepine), Cialis, Viagra, Levitra, L-arginine, L-tyrosine, “20 amino acid compound”, exercise regimen, sleep well (i don’t work, it s been 3 years), fat foods to boost dopamine, lean foods, no gluten diet, no sugar diet, no caffeine diet, Fava beans, antibiotics for prostatitis (never diagnosed), multivitamin, prostate massage, sex (i tried a lot of different stuff, porn, you name it, nothing arouses me like before, and i think libido was my natural built-in antidepressant).
I understand the concerns about TRT. But now i feel i have nothing else to lose. I have lost all i had already. I will talk to the doctor about a trial, to see how i feel. There was a user on the old forum who did this, he took T injections and kept HPTA intact with HCG.
I know, believe me, but you know what, YOU HAVE TO. I’m preaching to the choir here, I know, but this is your life man. I still think you should follow the directions on that website for 4-6 months, and see where your at then. It’s already been what, three years? What is another couple of months when determining a huge, lifelong decision that will change your life (again) forever. I would be absolutely surprised if by the end of 6 months after following the program correctly, you didn’t have a turn around. I’m telling you, this approach works if you work it.
In regards to the ball zinger, this is something that you can do 24/7 to increase T levels and the general health of your groin. My flaccid hang is pretty much normal now when I’m wearing it. And as far as erection strength goes, this has undoubtedly been the biggest help in that area that I have experienced thus far.
Hopefully you give it a go. What ever you decide to do, please keep us posted as to your progress.
Hi Cdnuts, Thanks for the reply.
Let me show you what i did from January to July, this year. First of all, i moved to the front of the beach (because of my health), there is a bicycle track along the beach so i started going everyday for twenty minutes. It made me more calm and a little less depressed, but still nothing compared to before. And still, i gained five more pounds. Along with that i changed my diet to a no gluten, no sugar, all natural diet (this is hard too, cause one of my biggest pleasures was eating whatever i wanted). I was doing well for 5 months and i started picking up my life again looking for a job, etc. Then, in July i had a root canal tooth infection. Man, i lost in about 3 days all of what i had buit in five months… It seems that my cortisol goes up too high every time i have an infection or so and burns everything fast, as far as dopamine. If i work out as hard as you i get the same cortisol side effects, thus worsening my depression. So, i need something stronger to “refill” my brain faster. It is so hard to explain.
Hey Correiovip
Given that your total T is pretty low, it would be reasonable to expect that you will benefit from TRT.
Of course, we all know by now that TRT for post-fin cases is rarely as simple as it is for men with straightforward hypogonadism (and even TRT for them isn’t that simple). Plenty of post-finasteride men don’t seem to have any luck with TRT.
But some do, so it’s got to be worth a try. For what it’s worth, I’m with you on the question of the commitment to TRT. The extreme aversion to TRT that I see around here in some people puzzles me. It’s almost as if a tiny part of these people has failed to catch up to the new reality in which they find themselves. As though they feel that if they don’t commit to a life-long treatment programme, then a part of themselves can continue to imagine that they might wake up tomorrow morning and all this will be over. Sure, before all this happened if you’d told me I’d be reliant on TRT for life, I’d have been horrified. But that’s the point: that was before. The situation has now radically changed.
I mean, as unpleasant a fact as it may be, the life-changing event has already happened: we took fin, and got an apparently long-term health condition. I’m facing a life-long commitment to ED, low libido, chronic fatigue, depression, muscle pain, bone pain, brain fog, poor sleep, and increased risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. In light of all that, I don’t see how a life-long commitment to three injections a week can seem that scary.
I say try TRT with Crisler, and see how you go. You should check out the new thread in the member’s stories section about a German guy currently trying TRT, and feeling some improvemnts on it. I’m set to try it myself as soon as possible.
Good luck, hope it brings some relief.
Thanks Scaredmale and all that replied.
That is exactly my point of view, it has been almost four years for me, and nothing changes, i get a slight improvement and go down, i need to try something else.
As for the member’s story tip, i will take a look on this guy story! Thank you very much! I hope the doctor agrees with me, and hope i feel a difference. Good luck to all, i will keep it posted as things develop.
I just got addicional results:
DHT 35.0 RANGE 3.5 - 70.0 NG/DL
ANDROSTENADIOL GLUCORONIDE 2.44 RANGE: 3.4 - 22.00 NG/ML
ESTRADIOL 38.33 RANGE: UP TO 50 PG/ML
PROGESTERONE 0.81 RANGE: 0.15 - 1.10 NG/ML
Altough it is such a bad result for Androstenadiol-gluc, i feel like i won a prize today. I finally have something on a blood test to show these moronic doctors that this is not in my head.
Coreiovip,
Do you think your problem could be neurological not endocrinological i.e. a problem with neurotransmitters? Have you investigated this?
I haven’t posted my updates yet because I’m still doing tests - basically my sexual sides have improved a bit, not much, but for the past 6 months I’ve been suffering from very disturbed sleep, mild to severe brain fog and memory loss, plus weight gain. I also get palpitations and shortness of breath after exercise, and none of the positive feelings I used to get from swimming. Not sure what this is all about or why it’s happening (I´ve been off fim for 2 years no), but it’s scaring the shit out of me. I´ve made an appointment with a neurologist in Rio for next week, and after that, and when I get my results back I will post again.
the question is what do we do to raise the ANDROSTENADIOL GLUCORONIDE level? Any ideas?
Joao, i think it is a combination of factors. Low dopamine and GABA, plus low Testosterone plus little activity of 5a-reductase enzime.
EDIT:
Mystory, postfinsuferer is trying to treat his low androstenadiol gluc with TRT, which may work or not. His doctor is in Belgium.
That is incorrect.
Fludrocortisone is for his adrenal glands.
He is on TRT for his androgen deficiency issues (which may or may not assist with Adiol-G levels, the final metabolite of DHT).
Sorry Mew, thanks for the correction. So, there’s no way of supplementing 3 adiol G? Man…
Need to do more research but according to propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1400 , they have used it in laboratory settings given to dogs and humans.