Hello brothers in misfortune. I’ll warn you right away, I’m from Russia and I use Google translator)) So I don’t know how well he translates. I would like to know your opinion on the topic of testicular reduction. Who thinks why the testicles are reduced in our situation? And is this not a big reason for our problems with libido? Personally, I think that maybe they are reduced for two reasons, due to the low level of gonadotropins and because of the low sensitivity to androgens. But if so, why do some of us decrease, while some do not?
I’ve been fighting PPS for about 6 years, and since the crash, my condition has not remained at the level after the failure, over the years it has worsened, at least for libido and balls. After a failure, the libido became sharply worse, but it did not disappear completely, and over the years it slowly becomes worse and worse. The same goes for balls, over the years they gradually decreased by about half, and I don’t remember what they were of normal size, the amount of sperm also decreased naturally. So I have an idea that the size of the balls and the amount of sperm produced somehow affect the libido, the more balls and sperm, the more libido. I want to know your opinion, at least people who also have reduced balls. If you have any questions, write, I will answer !!!
I have shrinkage too (although doc says they are normal) and bad sperm parameters. I suspect the prolonged lh/fsh deficiency caused it. (I had a hpta restart with clomid then ignored tests for a couple of years.)
Based on the posts here it is an area where recovery is more difficult. Would be great to hear recoveries of test size here…
Hi, what do you mean by restart hpta? Just used clomid? In what doses and for how long, what did it give you? I also used it twice a month. I did not get anything except an increase in testosterone for the period of administration
I also believe that this is most likely due to the low level of gonadotropins. Or rather fsg
My T was close to nob existent. In 2014 I had a 50mg/6-months clomid after which T stabilised @400. (What I mean by hpta restart). This year I had another 50mg/6months to improve sperm for IVF- it worked, we did the IVF and I am off it again. (We had 5 unsuccesful IVF’s prior to that).
Not sure why I had the skrinkage though…Really troubling me…
What was your testosterone level before the restart hpta and what now? Were there any other positive aspects of restarting besides improving sperm counts?
400 vs 700…lh fsh doubled…Sexual sides improved slightly. I am off it now. There is nothing unexpected here, std clomid response, not sure why you are so excited…
I didn’t get tested for a few years in a state of denial after my first cycle. When I did 6 months ago my LH was 1.5. So I am assuming years of low LH might be the cause - although doc says they are normal.
Testicular shrinkage is one of the sides with rare recoveries. Will appreciate any recovery stories or suggestions on what might help…
I will only say my thoughts. If shrinkage is the result of a low level of gonadotropins, it is most likely due to a low level of FSH. Our testes are made up of two types of cells, leidigo cells and sertolly cells. And the second is much more than the first, from here we can conclude that the testicular volume is more dependent on the hormone FSH. The former is influenced by lutinizing hormone in the second FSH. If you take hCG, it will affect the leidigo cells forcing them to create more testosterone, since hCG for the most part contains lutinizing hormone. In order to try to build up the sertolly cells, you need to use a separate hormone FSH, it is also sold in Russia, but it is not cheap, you will have to spend a lot of money to get the course for a month. And even if there is a result, it will most likely be short-lived. Because in order for the testicular volume to be preserved, it is necessary that your FSH continue to be in good values. This is my theory
Strangely my FSH was higher at 2.5 within normal range compared to LH 1.5 which was boederline
If there is a way to recover testicular volume that is what matters for me now. I will visit my doc next month.
Perhaps 2.5 is not enough to maintain a normal testicle size)
Yes, might be…Probably one of these things that doesn’t apply to everyone. There is a very long thread “small balls club” from years ago claiming otherwise.
Very depressing side, which makes me lose hope for a recovery…
hard to say. the obvious culprit would be low LH/FSH. Many here however test both and find there serum concentrations in the middle of the range. Maybe prolonged stress could have effects, who knows… I tend to think that our problem isn’t one of androgen response in all honesty but rather something that has gone wrong in our central nervous system.
I say this because some GABAergic substances I’ve taken before and after the crash have not had the same effect. Also it seems that my dopamine response is lowered too. Also it seems that my body works just fine(performs well athletically), its just my brain that seems different. I think it’s possible that knocking out DHT has a domino effect in terms of what it causes in the CNS
Reading about soldiers with Traumatic brain injuries could shed some light on this
I also posted total testosterone by boosting LH, but there were no changes including the ball. One of the reasons I am interested in dopamine theory.
Dopamine is absolutely involved it’s just a matter of how and why. And it likely isn’t our primary problem. It’s all so complex. Bar the fact that we dont have much to work with initially. I really think that we’ve got some amount of brain damage. It would explain symptom variability and lack of one successful treatment
Just another thought. Maybe bloodflow is the issue. With fibrosis effecting more than just the shaft
Might be I remember reading about test recovery with 5mg cialis, didn’t help me though.
Yeah, we got damage to our brains. It was very hard for me to accept that.
Brain damage might be the wrong way of looking at it. Our brains are not broken permanently, their just stuck in a prolonged state of allostatic rebound. Why this is taking so long is anyone’s guess
Modified the title of the thread for clarity.
The small balls are due to low lutenizing hormone. Your balls are working “up to par.” In english this is a saying or phrase which means not up to standard.
Shrinkage for me means my estrogen is too high. Flaccid length for me changes depending on my total testosterone and estrogen levels.