'Bucket Load of Hormonal Problems'

…is what my endocrinologist said to me today.

IGF-I 539 H - normal range is 126-382
Prolactin 41.4 H - normal range is 2.0-18.0
Cortisol, Total, Serum 24.2 H - normal AM range 4-22 PM 3-17
Insulin 36 H - normal range is <17
Growth Hormone (GH) 0.1 - normal rane is <=10
Total Test 309 - 250-1100
Free Test 72.5 - 46-224
Test Bioavailable 158 - 110-575
SHBG 13 - 7-49
DHEA, LC/MS/MS 618 - 61-1636

 I'm a little bit freaked out. She mentioned the possibility of a pituitary growth and although it can usually be treated by medication, the thought have brain surgery is scaring me.  

I’m also on the Rapid Fat Loss diet and by the looks of my hormones im going to end up losing a lot of strength and muscle. With hormone levels like this i feel like it is almost pointless to lift weights untill i am medicated.
Any thought and input would really, really be appreciated.

What have you been up to the past couple months as far as anything hormonal?

I have never done anything although I regularly smoke pot. I told my endo that and she said that it wouldn’t have that kind of affect on me.

[quote]JonBlood wrote:
…is what my endocrinologist said to me today.

IGF-I 539 H - normal range is 126-382
Prolactin 41.4 H - normal range is 2.0-18.0
Cortisol, Total, Serum 24.2 H - normal AM range 4-22 PM 3-17
Insulin 36 H - normal range is <17
Growth Hormone (GH) 0.1 - normal rane is <=10
Total Test 309 - 250-1100
Free Test 72.5 - 46-224
Test Bioavailable 158 - 110-575
SHBG 13 - 7-49
DHEA, LC/MS/MS 618 - 61-1636

[/quote]

Alrighty well, you do have some issues.

This test was in a fasted state correct? If so, your insulin levels are very worrysome.
What are your “stats”? As far as weight and bodyfat percentage age etc?
You likely have some Insulin resistance or some Impaired glucose tolerance-at least.
Next, your IGF-1 levels are WAY high! Almost guarantee that is the cause of your decreased GH output? What time was your test? This may not be that big of a deal. Your prolactin levels are also very very high, what are your estrogen levels? A growth is certainly an option, but don’t worry too much just yet. Wait for more tests/evaluations to be done.

How old are you?

Justayoungen - stick around, your knowledge is greatly appreciated

[quote]Game Time wrote:
Justayoungen - stick around, your knowledge is greatly appreciated [/quote]

X2. You have brought a sudden influx of a very needed combination of knowledge, an intuitive mind and a good attitude. Please do stick around, you’re a real asset to this forum.

To the OP. Good luck, if anybody can help you it’s some of the guys here. You may want to double post this in the Over 35 forum, too, even if you’re not over 35, as some of the guys there are very knowledgeable in this area. I’m thinking particularly of KSman right now, but I know there are other guys over there, too, who can probably be of help to you.

As sad as it is to say, it was probably a good idea to bring those numbers here (good job providing the ranges, as well, the first time!), as I’ve seen too many horror stories about completely clueless or at least care-less endos.

And yeah, your numbers had me raising my eyebrows. Especially that IGF-1.

OP: We do need the time of day for the blood draw and confirm that you were fasting.

Any cholesterol numbers?

Any visual field disturbances? Reduction in peripheral vision? If so, that is an important symptom of a pituitary growth.

Why did you seek medical help?

Cabergoline can get the prolactin under control and can shrink some of the associated pituitary growths. Lower prolactin should restore dopamine levels which are probably depressed as a results. That in turn should brighten your mood and improve libido. With the repressive pressures of prolactin removed from your HPTA, testosterone levels should bounce back. Cabergoline is very clean, very few side effects in low doses. It is a very good anti-depressant in may cases, again with no nasty effects. You should see a big improvement in libido.

Were you stressed or hyped out at the time of the blood draw or from the blood draw?. A spike of cortisol will also have a spike of insulin as part of a fight or flight reaction. Do you have glucose numbers? [Cortisol is at a peak at 8am.] If one gets freaky from the blood draw, one can have a cortisol spike from that event.

It would be a good idea to check that thyroid levels are good [notice that I did not say normal]. A four sample saliva cortisol test will provide a lot more info than a single serum test. Both of these are under the control of pituitary.

[quote]KSman wrote:
OP: We do need the time of day for the blood draw and confirm that you were fasting.

Any cholesterol numbers?

Any visual field disturbances? Reduction in peripheral vision? If so, that is an important symptom of a pituitary growth.

Why did you seek medical help?

Cabergoline can get the prolactin under control and can shrink some of the associated pituitary growths. Lower prolactin should restore dopamine levels which are probably depressed as a results. That in turn should brighten your mood and improve libido. With the repressive pressures of prolactin removed from your HPTA, testosterone levels should bounce back. Cabergoline is very clean, very few side effects in low doses. It is a very good anti-depressant in may cases, again with no nasty effects. You should see a big improvement in libido.

Were you stressed or hyped out at the time of the blood draw or from the blood draw?. A spike of cortisol will also have a spike of insulin as part of a fight or flight reaction. Do you have glucose numbers? [Cortisol is at a peak at 8am.] If one gets freaky from the blood draw, one can have a cortisol spike from that event.

It would be a good idea to check that thyroid levels are good [notice that I did not say normal]. A four sample saliva cortisol test will provide a lot more info than a single serum test. Both of these are under the control of pituitary.

[/quote]

I had my blood taken at 8am. The doctor did mention the peripheral vision issue. I actually have noticed that i may bump into walls when navigating through my hallways but i figured it was due to me just being a wider than average dude. She tested my peripherals with her hand and i was fine. My thyroid is also good. I was also very relaxed while having my blood taken. I don’t have any cholesterol numbers.

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:

The elevated insulin - I have to rspectfully disagree with KS man here - does not match the elevated cortisol, since these are antagonistic to each other. However in chronically elevated cortisol, elevated insulin may result, simply from the elevated blood glucose.

Basically, if you don’t burn off the energy as part of the fight or flight cortisol release, then the body will store it as fat.

[/quote]
I think this is a good point, and a possibility as well. Do you have a fasted blood glucose OP?

I was thinking along these lines as well, why I said it “might not be an issue.”

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
Nowhere in your post did you tell us WHY you went to see the doc in the first place. You must have had some reason. Lets hear it please, as these things offer vital clues.

You also don’t provide any details of the diet.

Please get back to us with the relevant info, thanks.

BBB
[/quote]

Repeated, and was it fasted. Did this just start out of the blue?

yes, it was fasted. I’m having my bloodwork repeated so I’ll update as soon as I get the results. I initially went to the endo because I’m showing signs of low T. I’m so excited to start treatment; I feel like I’ve never lived a completely normal Testosterone life. Also, my gains would have been way greater than that are now. I’m super pumped!

Also, is it important to tell my endo about the rapid fat loss diet i’ve been on?

I hope you will experience the dramatic life change you are hoping for with TRT. In my experience, there are some benefits and some negatives but no nirvana. Don’t set your expectations too high. Often there are underlying issues like depression that are at play and until that is addressed, TRT will probably be a bit of a let down if expectations are that it will fix everything.

Yes, you should level with your endo so he can make best decisions for you.

[quote]Dynamo Hum wrote:
Often there are underlying issues like depression that are at play and until that is addressed, TRT will probably be a bit of a let down if expectations are that it will fix everything.

.[/quote]
I’m not depressed, Im actually excited. My expectations arent too high because im not sure what exactly to expect. I do expect a change in body comp and attitude.

The body comp changes tend to come gradually, especially at TRT doses. With proper training and nutrition, you should notice a discernible improvement in body comp (over not doing TRT).

The attitude part is more complex. I was not saying that you are depressed and of course you are elated at the moment to be addressing a perceived deficiency. I am just saying that when all is said and done your attitude will likely return to its homeostasis short of meds like selegiline, cabergoline and/or other anti-depressants.

Not trying to piss on your parade. Just speaking from experience. Of course your experience may be completely different.

I have been practicing proper training and nutrition for the last two years. Also, I have the libido of a door knob and havent waken with morning wood in years.