What do you make of this ridiculously low testosterone level?

[Finuser2007]

I recently started a medical journey that will hopefully help me live a semi-normal life. I recently found out about PFS and so I went to a urologist who took a blood sample and found that my Total Testosterone was a pathetically low 204(240-950 ng/DL)!

No other guy that I have seen on here has had testosterone levels that low, and it really makes me wonder what’s going on with my body.

Could it be that a lot of my Testosterone is being converted into DHT or Estrogen?
Or is it possible that I had low T to begin with and that Propecia knocked it through the floor?
Is it possible that low T is my only problem and that my symptoms can be solved simply by taking clomid or TRT?

[Mew]

found that my Total Testosterone was a pathetically low 204(240-950 ng/DL)! No other guy that I have seen on here has had testosterone levels that low, and it really makes me wonder what’s going on with my body.

That is a hypogonadal Testosterone level typically seen in men in old age (ie 80+ years): viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1954

Acquired post-drug loss of androgenic action/levels (hypogonadal Testosterone, LH, FSH) within weeks of quitting is a common pattern for many men with PFS. For some reason, stopping the drug causes our endocrine system to go haywire and Testosterone production to drop. Typically this tends to occur within 2 weeks-1 month after stopping drug, when 5AR2 and DHT are expected to come back online.

Could it be that a lot of my Testosterone is being converted into DHT or Estrogen?

Perhaps. Perhaps not. Do you have bloodwork that shows those levels alongside your T levels?

Or is it possible that I had low T to begin with and that Propecia knocked it through the floor?

Only way to know if you had low T was if you took hormone tests prior to the drug. Do you have such tests?

As mentioned quitting the drug often causes a drop in Testosterone levels for many men: propeciahelp.com/overview

Is it possible that low T is my only problem and that my symptoms can be solved simply by taking clomid or TRT?

Considering your hypogonadal Testosterone levels, you may find improvements via clomid treatment:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1515
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=971
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=66
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=67

Others have tried this route but have not had much success. TRT could be the next step if you want to try exogenous androgen supplementation, but it is a lifelong commitment and shuts down your endogeneous Testosterone production and fertility, unless hCG is used in conjunction to maintain fertility: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1012

What did your doctor say about your bloodtest results? Please post all test results including ranges. Also, pls try and break up your writing into digestible paragraphs rather than blocks of text (I edited your original post as such).

[Finuser2007]

Thanks for the advice. The troubling thing to me is that you say that these are extremely low and typical of men aged 80+. Also troubling is the fact that this is seen in guys who have been off of Fin for several weeks to a month and the last time I took it was in October 2007!

The only information I got over the phone was that my Testosterone level was 204 (240-950ng/DL) and the doc said it should be in the 700s for a young guy my age. He said he had never seen such levels in a guy my age(26).

The fact that my testosterone is still through the floor worries the hell out of me. What also worries me is the fact that most doctors don’t even seem to be aware that PFS exists. Is it possible to just go somewhere and order a bunch of tests at random without a doctor’s approval?

I am really worried that I am messed up for life because most guys who have recovered from PFS recovered long before the 4.5 year mark. I also want to have kids so I am afraid that TRT is not really an option. It’s just so scary that no research is being done on this condition and that few doctors even have the slightest inkling of what causes it. It really makes me wonder if life is even worth living to be honest.

[Mew]

The only information I got over the phone was that my Testosterone level was 204 (240-950ng/DL) and the doc said it should be in the 700s for a young guy my age. He said he had never seen such levels in a guy my age(26).

So what treatments did he offer?

Is it possible to just go somewhere and order a bunch of tests at random without a doctor’s approval?

privatemdlabs.com/

It’s just so scary that no research is being done on this condition

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=5282

[Finuser2007]

So what treatments did he offer?

He offered testosterone gel and I have the prescription but I am afraid to use it because as you said it shuts down endogenous testosterone production. I’m going to try to get in touch with an endocrinologist but the only problem is finding one who will believe me.

[Mew]

There are natural supplements like Tribulus you might consider, before delving into pharmaceuticals.

If those don’t make a difference, you might consider clomiphene citrate per the links in my initial response. Clomid boosts your own Testosterone and can help jumpstart your hypothalamus pituitary axis to produce Testosterone again. I would certainly consider this before attempting TRT, which is a last resort. There are also differences with TRT – gels vs injections, some guys feel nothing on the gels but with injections they do, but even then response is variable and there are guys here who have tried TRT with little success.

More details: propeciahelp.com/treatments

The bigger question is, WHY is your Total Testosterone so low? Did you have any other bloodwork taken when you got your T levels tested? What about your Free/Bioavailable Testosterone levels?
Perhaps there are other areas that can be treated which would boost your Testosterone production, ie, reducing elevated Estradiol, SHBG or Prolactin.

[Finuser2007]

The only number the doctor gave me was my total testosterone (204ng/DL(240-950ng/DL). I would assume though that with T levels this low the free and bioavailable testosterone levels are equally puny though.

The clomid idea interests me. When you said that it can jumpstart the production of T are you implying that some guys have gotten to where there bodies produce enough T without having to take the drug for the rest of their lives?(Wishful thinking I’m sure).

Finally, I have to thank you for providing the link to the finasteride study. It is at least somewhat reassuring that some scientists are starting to acknowledge the existence of PFS and are taking steps to try to understand and treat it.

[Mew]

The only number the doctor gave me was my total testosterone (204ng/DL(240-950ng/DL). I would assume though that with T levels this low the free and bioavailable testosterone levels are equally puny though.

Well, you might consider going back for further bloodwork to evaluate a wider range of hormones which could affect your Testosterone levels, or paying out of pocket to get them via PrivateMD labs.

Master list: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=92
Shortlist: viewtopic.php?p=3534#p3534

When you said that it can jumpstart the production of T are you implying that some guys have gotten to where there bodies produce enough T without having to take the drug for the rest of their lives?(Wishful thinking I’m sure).

Pls review the studies in my initial post for further details, particularly this one: download/file.php?id=268

Finally, I have to thank you for providing the link to the finasteride study. It is at least somewhat reassuring that some scientists are starting to acknowledge the existence of PFS and are taking steps to try to understand and treat it.

That has always been the end goal here, to get this problem investigated in the lab by qualified scientific researchers so we can uncover root cause(s) and hopefully, treatments. Thankfully with increasing medical, media and legal awareness around this issue, things are starting to happen in this direction.