Find the pencil icon below your above post and edit to add lab ranges to the T labs and SHBG.
You have secondary hypogonadism and it could be from blows to the head damaging the pituitary. But age related decline will be a factor.
HCT 41.6%
Hematocrit ? HTC
Seems very low even when lower is expected with low T.
Need to watch how this responds with proper TRT.
TSH should be closer to 1.0
Can be caused by not using iodized salt to support thyroid hormone production.
#See last paragraph in this post to eval overall thyroid function.
Those labs were done while “1 packet 1% Testim”?
Inability to absorb transdermal T is a symptom of [subclinical] hypothyroidism.
The best part of these thyroid issues is that almost all that we see are “normal” because the lab ranges are stupid? Everyone in an 11:1 range of TSH is perfectly healthy in the eyes of the medical community.
You may be forced to self-injections because of inability to absorb transdermals. Two packets will double costs and still leave you short. Injections are least cost and 100% absorbed.
Suggested protocol:
- Self inject SC [not IM] 50mg T twice a week with #29 1/2" 0.5ml insulin syringes
- 0.25mg anastrozole at time of injections, may need to change to get near E2=22pg/ml
- 250iu hCG SC EOD to preserve testes, use above syringes or #31 5/16" 0.3ml
Please read the stickies found here: About the T Replacement Category - #2 by KSman
- advice for new guys
- things that damage your hormones
- protocol for injections
- finding a TRT doc
Evaluate your overall thyroid function by checking oral body temperatures as per the thyroid basics sticky. Thyroid hormone fT3 is what gets the job done and it regulates mitochondrial activity, the source of ATP which is the universal currency of cellular energy. This is part of the body’s temperature control loop. This can get messed up if you are iodine deficient. In many countries, you need to be using iodized salt. Other countries add iodine to dairy or bread.