On TRT (Androgel 1%)for almost five months now. Feeling more motivated and energetic, but still feeling a bit uninterested in life generally, though. Libido still not great (only slightly better), can get half-decent erection while sitting, but can’t keep it long. Erection very weak if lying flat on my back, and this does not improve if I change to standing position. In short, can’t get hard enough to do anything, and often feel like I can’t get excited enough to get it up. Watching porn seems to get me going a bit but I don’t watch much of it.
Doctors have been of little help, and one I’ve seen is a GP who specializes in treating ED. Their standard answers are Cialis and Androgel, and maybe intercavernosal injections if the ED pills don’t work.
The ED doc I saw seemed to have heard of the role that estrogen plays, but says aromatase inhibitors are not legal to prescribe in Canada for men experiencing andropause. His argument re being on TRT and having poor libido: “If the testosterone receptors are burnt out or damaged, TRT won’t be as effective.” Bottom line, sorry about your luck pal, here’s a scrip for Androgel and Cialis.
Here are two sets of lab values. In neither case was LH, FSH or E2 tested.
Here are lab values and general stats about me:
Age: 50
Height: 5’7" (170cm)
Weight: 230lbs. (104kg)
Current Health Issues:
Type 2 Diabetes (being treated with diet and exercise)
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (being treated with CPAP)
ED, poor libido
Lab Values (as of August 2012) - all values posted in SI (metric) units:
Hemoglobin: 140 g/L
Hematocrit: 0.43 (flag range is 0.40 ~ 0.50)
White Blood Cell Count: 9.1 (flag range: 4.0 ~ 11.0)
Red Blood Cell Count: 4.80 (flag range: 4.50 ~ 6.00)
MCV: 90.4
MCH: 29.2
MCHC: 323
RDW: 14.2
Platelets: 253 (flag range 150 ~ 400)
Fasting Glucose: 6.7 mmol/l
A1c: 0.063
Creatinine: 97 (range is 67 ~ 115 µmol/l)
eGFR: 71
Sodium: 141 mmol/l (range is 135 ~ 147)
Potassium: 4.1 mmol/l (range is 3.5 ~ 5.5)
Urate: 321 (range is 12 ~ 49)
Alanine Transaminase (ALT): 25 U/L (range is 12 ~ 49)
Cholesterol: 3.94 mmol/l
LDL Cholesterol: 2.39 mmol/l
HDL Cholesterol: 2.39 mmol/l
Cholesterol/HDL Ratio: 4.5
Triglycerides: 1.50
Thyrotropin (Sensitive TSH): 2.09 (flag range is 0.35 ~ 5.00) mIU/L
Testosterone: 5.4 nmol/l (normal range is 8.4 ~ 28.7)
SHBG: 12.5 (normal is 10.0 ~ 70.0)
Bioavailable Testosterone: 3.7 nmol/l (flag range 2.0 ~ 14.0)
TEST RESULTS MAY 2013 (done after being on Androgel 1% for three months):
Hemoglobin: 152 g/L
Hematocrit: 0.48 (flag range is 0.40 ~ 0.50)
White Blood Cell Count: 10.1 (flag range: 4.0 ~ 11.0)
Red Blood Cell Count: 5.18 (flag range: 4.50 ~ 6.00)
MCV: 91.7
MCH: 29.3
MCHC: 320
RDW: 13.8
Platelets: 281 (flag range 150 ~ 400)
Fasting glucose: 7.7
A1c: 0.065 (6.5%)
Creatinine: 103 (range is 67 ~ 115 µmol/l)
eGFR: 66
Sodium: 140 mmol/l (range is 135 ~ 147)
Potassium: 4.3 mmol/l (range is 3.5 ~ 5.5)
Urate: NOT TESTED
Alanine Transaminase (ALT): NOT TESTED
Cholesterol: 3.78 mmol/l
LDL Cholesterol: 2.32 mmol/l
HDL Cholesterol: 0.91 mmol/l
Cholesterol/HDL Ratio: 4.2
Triglycerides: 1.20
Testosterone (total): 16.1 (normal range is 8.4 ~ 28.8 nmol/l)
Thyrotropin (Sensitive TSH): NOT TESTED
SHBG: NOT TESTED
Bioavailable Testosterone: NOT TESTED