Hi T-Nation
Australian so some of my labs might be in different units/ranges…
Main concerns/queries, started Testogel before being diagnosed primary/secondary. KSman do you know anything about T4 helper cells? T Biliruben?
Did I miss my chance a HPTA restart, or too old?
Also since this started a have developed Tinnitus and low alcohol tolerance, I haven’t seen any topics with regard to these symptoms.
Hopefully @KSman or other pro can offer some insights.
-42
-5’9
-33 waist
-80kg usually around 75kg
-Small amount of hair over belly and tuft on chest. Facial hair normal. I have fine hair, MPB, eyebrows thin. No hair on lower shins(front and back), I just thought that was from crossing over lower legs!
-Carry fat on belly, hips. Mainly torso. Skinny legs.
-Fit prior to 2014, surfing 2 x week. Paddling kayak regularly up to 15km open ocean. Have had 2 significant blows to head when younger. Back of head in bike flip 14yo, large lump behind ear. Knocked out from front of head blow.fell backwards on hard(dirt ground) 12yo, large heamatoma on forehead/concussion. Mumps around 10yo, bad dose but didn’t go to testes as far as I know only neck and armpits.
-No drugs prior to feeling crap. Been taking some Acetyl L-cartenine, D-ribose, B3 Vit plus extra B3, magnesium for a last . Have tried a Mens multi, upset my stomach bad so will try this again with another brand. maybe this Optimum Nutrition, Opti-Men, 150 Tablets
-Around Aug 2014 started the 5:2 diet. 2 poached eggs morning, 2 bowls of vege soup, home made dinner. 350 calories I estimate. Ate normally rest of the time. Red meat 1-2 week max. Chicken and fish lots of vegetables. I think I eat well. Cook 5-6 nights a week, plain yoghurt, olive oil. I have eaten iodized salt through my life but that may have dropped off recently due to what was in the cupboard.
-I did do exercise on fast days, brisk 3km walk(hills)and some quick intense training, planks, elliptical 2 mins max effort , 50 push ups, 30 burpees. I did this training 4 days a week. Plus surfing and kayak paddling. Otherwise work in office sitting on my bottom.
-Testes have never ached.
-Sex drive dropped to just about zero in 2016, no morning wood no noctunal erections. Never had a wet dream ever in my life.
-Body Temps good. Can reach 98.6 if I leave thermometre in mouth long enough. Morning temps were bang on as well. Done over a week, 4 days checked.
-If I do anything aerobic exercise, I hit the wall in a couple mins. Feel like I’m running on adrenaline, As my heart beats out of my just and my head feels like its going to explode. Then feel awful, lots of lactic acid.
History
August 2014 started 5:2 Got down to 71.8kg Dec, down from about 76kg, stopped as it was Xmas. Dec 2014 during Xmas break was surfing alot in the mornings. The afternoons I’d just hit the wall, very tired and nearly slept, I never sleep during the day. Went on for 5-6 weeks and blood tests, come back with high Ferritne.
Doctor and lab said it may have been my body fighting something. I seemed to come good end of January and everything seemed normalish.
October 2015 started 5:2 diet again. November started to feel off. Lethargic, lots of headaches, fatigue and poor alcolol tolerance. Was up and down some days pretty good other could hardly get out of bed.
Feb 2016 I was really low constantly and back to the doctor, high Ferritine still. Gene tested Heamacromatosis, viruses all OK. Gave blood and that knocked it back. Got worse, had tinnitus , headaches, fatigue, poor alcohol tolerance. Very poor recovery from simple things. Low sex drive no wood.
Labs done found out I had Low T. Had MRI to check that headaches were’t anything in the brain. So they didn’t really look at putuitary gland specifically.
Went to Endo and she was leaning to start me on t so she checked my PSA 2.4, off the urologist. Ended up getting TRUS biopsy, I don’t recommend, but all clear.
As I got my results he said no need to go back to see endo(his wife). Just go back to GP and get some testogel. Big error on my part, I really needed to go back and ask if my LH/FSH was high enough to support a good t level. Didn’t have this resource at that stage.
So started on Testogel November 2016. Only thing I notice ball shrinkage, don’t hang. Sex drive up, morning/night wood, not all the time.
Labs as at 26th August 2016 7:52am
TSH 1.9 [0.3-3.5] mIU/L
Free T3 4.4 [2.6-6.0] pmol/L
Free T4 14 [9.0-19] pmol/L
FSH 2 [<10] mIU/L
LH 3 [<9] mIU/L
Haemoglobin 148 [135-175] g/L
Haematocrit 0.44 [0.4-0.54]
Testosterone 8.4 [11-40] nmol/L
Cortisol 431 [100-535] nmol/L
PSA 2.4 H [0.25-2.2] ug/L
IGF-1 30 [13-35] nmol/L
AST 17 [10-40] U/L
ALT 24 [5-40] U/L
Prolactin 269 [<500] mIU/L
25-OH Vit D 69 [50-150] nmol/L
T-Helper CD4 0.48 L [0.5-1.9]
T-Cells CD3 0.91 [0.75-2.5]
White Blood 5.1 [3.5-10]
Lymphocytes 1.29 [1.0-4.0]
CRP 1 [<5] mg/L
U-Creatine Exc 16.4 [7-17] nmol/L
Labs as at 13th Feb 2016 7:32am After TRT
TSH 2.8 [0.3-3.5] mIU/L
Haematocrit 0.5 [0.4-0.54]
Haemoglobin 164 [135-175] g/L
Testosterone 38 [11-40] nmol/L
SHBG 22 [10-70] nmol/L
Cal FT 1125 H [260-740] pmol/L
PSA 3.8 H [0.25-2.2] ug/L
Oestradiol 140 [55-165] pmol/L
AST 20 [10-40] U/L
ALT 27 [5-40] U/L
T Biliruben 23 H [4-20] umol/L
Iron History
12/01/15 28/01/15 21/03/16
Iron 21 16 19 [5-30]umol/L
Transferrin 2.7 2.5 [1.9-3.1] g/L
TIBC 65 68 62 [45-72] umol/L
Trans Sat 32 24 31 [20-45] %
Ferritin 337H 319H 254 [30-300] ug/L
T Total History
9/05/16 7/06/16 26/8/16 7/02/17 (after testogel)
Testosterone 6.0 L 8.3 L 8.4L 38 [11-40] nmol/L