Extensive Bloodwork/Urine Testing etc

Member Stories Lab Tests
#1

Read my member story first.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4061&p=25361#p25361

Please note, I started taking Finasteride in May 2009. Some of these bloodtests will therefore be indicative of my levels PRIOR to commencing Proscar. For the most part, I am a novice & have very little idea of how to interpret them. Hopefully they will be of some use to members here, particularly given the speculation that CFS & post-Finasteride Syndrome share some similar aspects.

I will update this thread with various Post-Fin results as they become available to me.

MARCH 2009
Specimen: Urine

Volume 1250 (600-2220mL)
Collection Period 24 hours
Creatinine 8.7 (4.0-24.0) mmol/L
Creat. Excret. 10.9 (11.1-24.8) mol/24h
Sodium 115 (30-260) mmol/L
Sodium Excret. 144 (50-200) mmol/24h
Potassium 30 (20-60) mmol/L
Potassium Excr 38 (20-60) mmol/24h

Antinuclear activity not detected

FEBRUARY 2009
HAEMOGLOBIN 155 (130-180) g/L
RBC 5.34 (4.5-6.5) x 10^12/L
PCV 0.47 (0.4-0.55)
MCV 87 (78-99)
WCC 4.7 (4.0-11.0) x 10^9/L
Neutro 2.5 (2.0-8.0) x 10^9/L
Lymph 1.8 (1.0-4.0) x 10^9/L
Mono 0.3 (<1.1) x 10^9/L
Eosin (<0.6) x 10^9/L
Baso 0.0 (<0.3) x 10^9/L
PLATELETS 205 (150-450) x 10^9/L
ESR 1 (< 11) mm/h

GENERAL CHEMISTRY
Sodium 142 (135-145) mmol/L
Potassium 4.4 (3.7-5.5) mmol/L
Chloride 104 (95-110) mmol/L
Bicarbonate 30 (20-32) mmol/L
Urea 4.6 (2.5-8) mmol/L
Creatinine 94 (55-110) umol/L
eGFR 88 min/1.73m2
T. Protein 80 (60-82) g/L
Albumin 51 (35-50) g/L
ALP 64 (30-120) U/L
Bilirubin 13 (<25) umol/L
GGT 27 (<51) U/L
AST 28 (<41) U/L
ALT 38 (<51) U/L

ENDOCRINOLOGY
DHEA-Sulphate 8.7 (7.0-16/1) umol/L
TSH 1.10 (0.35-5.50) mIU/L

JUNE 2008
Synacthen Stimulation Test
0.25mg of Synachten given at 1150 hours
S CORTISOL (Pre Synacthen) 686 nmol/L (150-650)
S CORTISOL (30 min. post Synacthen) 928 nmol/L
S CORTISOL (60 min. post Synacthen) 1044 nmol/L

After Synacthen, cortisol should go up by at least 190 nmol/L & reach 550 nmol/L at 30 minutes for normal adrenal function

I also have a Bioscreen Faecal Microbiological Analysis test result page I can scan in if it will be of any use to anyone.

#2

This is excellent stuff Venom. Good to see your trying different things like a microbial analysis…

The thing that sticks out to me the most is your low DHEA Sulphate.

DHEA is vital to your libido. I would get on DHEA compounded cream ASAP.

One of my docs says low Neutro is a sign of adrenal insufficiency. This was the first and last I have ever heard of it. Best to just go by a salivory cortisol test.

Would be interested to see the microbial analysis, ive had one done myself.

#3

Venom,

Your missing a ton of important ones. I would at least start with the ones I put in bold. For some reason, there is big controversy surrounding the relevance of Free Testosterone amoung endrocrinoligists. Don’t let them tell you some bs about it not being reliable. Do your own research about it. It’s very important to a man, especially in terms of sexual functioning.

Hormonal Panel (Blood / 24hr-Urine tests)
Total Testosterone
Free Testosterone
Bioavailable Testosterone
Androstenedione
Androstenediol
DHT (not accurate compared to Adiol-G)
3alpha-diol G (Androstanediol glucuronide-- “Adiol-G” for short): metabolite of DHT, measures 5AR-II activity
Androsterone glucuronide (another metabolite of DHT that measures 5AR activity)
Estradiol (E2) Ultrasensitive
Estrone (E1)
Total Estrogens
LH
FSH
DHEA-S
Vitamin D
Cortisol (24-hour urine sample)
Cortisone
Corticosterone
Aldosterone
Deoxycorticosterone
SHBG
Prolactin
Progesterone
Pregnenolone
17-OH Progesterone
17-OH Pregnenolone
Albumin
ACTH
PSA
TSH
Free T3
Free T4
IGF-1
IGF-BP3
CBC or FBC (Complete Blood Count/Full Blood Count)
LFT (Liver Function Tests - AST, ALT, GGT, Bilirubin, etc.)
Androgen/Estrogen ratio
Testosterone/DHT ratio
17-ketosteroids (24-hr urine sample)

#4

Posting on an iPhone so forgive me if I make any mistakes. Can I reiterate that those blood tests were taken through 2008 and 2009 for the purpose of establishing a diagnosis of CFS. I posted them as I thought they may be of interest to people who have hypothesized that CFS and the post-Fin Syndrome are related. Things like low testosterone are not usually connected with CFS and thus were not investigated by my specialist.

My most recent blood work, collected on July 7, is as follows:

FSH 3 (1-10) IU/L
LH 9 (1-10) IU/L
Prolactin 360 (45-375) mIU/L
Total Testosterone > 52.0 (8.3-30.2) nmol/L
SHBG 53 nmol/L (13-71)
rT3 377 (230-540) pm/L

Still awaiting serum DHT. Bit annoyed as I thought my doctor had requested free T as well. If serum DHT is normal, 3-adiol G is the next logical step.

#5

Any comments? Anything that can be done based on those figures alone?

Does anyone else find it extraordinary that my total T numbers are way out of the reference range at the high end? To be honest, I was expecting the complete opposite.

#6

yesn ur LH and Total T are extremely high espcially when u wrote that you have shurnken balls.
for how long did u use Tribulus?what dosage and how many weeks after the tribulus blood test was done?

#7

I’ve got some ‘Bulgarian Tribulus Complex’ which I bought from a health food store. On the label it says that each tablet has 15g tribulus. Since I bought it 6 weeks ago, I’ve probably taken a total of ten tablets, & I wouldn’t have taken more than 1-2 in the week prior to the bloodtest. Seems strange that a supplement could have such a pronounced impact on my testosterone levels.

I don’t know much about hormones but I’m trying to educate myself - do high levels of testosterone mean there could be an imbalance elsewhere? People often discuss the surge of testosterone they experience during the first few weeks on Fin as the body adjusts to reduced levels of DHT. To this end, should I be looking at DHT? Estrogen? I know I need to get all of these values tested at some stage, but my doctor seems to prefer approaching things slowly & I need to know what to prioritise.

Additionally, I have felt extremely irritable for a long time now - both on Fin & since quitting. I lose patience with people very quickly, when previously I was much more placid (don’t confuse this with the ‘emotional bluntness’ aspect however - I experience that as well). The temptation might be to suggest I’ve become resistant to testosterone (i.e. PAIS), but irritability is a symptom of high T, isn’t it?

#8

Your shbg looks pretty high to me which could be binding up your testosterone. You need to check your free testosterone. You also need your estrogen checked.