Need Some Advice, Will Testosterone Help Me?

Pharma / TRT Testosterone Replacement
1

Hi all, new to the forum. First I’ll give a little backstory about myself.

I’m a 22 year old male. I had been on SSRI’s since I was 17 years old until last April (21 years old). I took them for OCD related symptoms. I’ve noticed that ever since I was 20 years old my libido started to diminish (around the same time I broke up with my ex). It has gotten worse though since I discontinued my use of SSRI’s last year, and all the way until now. Last August I finally went to the doctor to see if something was wrong with my hormones. I should note that I was overweight at the time (around 225 at 6 feet and I had high body fat). The test results came back and they were as follows:
Testosterone: 16.8 nmol/L (7.6-31.4)
Free Testosterone: 339 pmol/L (196-636)
LH: 5.3 IU/L (1.24–7.8)
FSH: 1 IU/L (1-16)
Prolactin: 11 ng/ml (2-18)

I told the doctor that my Testosterone was actually quite low for a 22 year old, but he said it was normal. He said I should lose the excess weight I had before coming to a conclusion, and then retest in 6-8 months. I told him that was fine.
Fast forward 6-7 months and I lost about 50 pounds from eating a reduced amount of carbohydrates, although now I’m starting to pick up the carbs again. I retested my blood levels in February because I honestly haven’t had any improved symptoms. I still have low libido, even when going out with women who want to have sex with me, I show so much apathy and don’t even care. It’s very concerning and frustrating. The doc ordered me another blood test, but he didn’t include some of the bloods from the first test, he also added some new ones. Here were the results:
Testosterone: 25.8 nmol/L (7.6-31.4)
Free Testosterone: 252 pmol/L (196-636)
Bioavailable Testosterone: 4.6 nmol/L (1.7-13.6)
FSH: 2 IU/L (1-16)
TSH: 3.74 mIU/L (0.35-5)
Free T4: 22 pmol/L (12-22)
Free T3: 5.7 pmol/L (3.4-5.9)

After I received these results, I haven’t gone back to the Doctor yet, because I have been so busy with life, but also because, I don’t feel like he knows what to tell me. I really have no clue what to do, my libido has been poor for over a year now, and increasingly since stopping my SSRI’s, but I don’t know if it’s because of my hormones, or because of the SSRI. It seems like my Free T is low in the second test, but my thyroid levels also seem out of whack. What should I do guys, do you think Testosterone could help me, or am I stuck with this?

2

You aren’t the first one to report these side effects from SSRIs. Something is going on, total testosterone went up, significantly, and free test went down, significantly.

It would help to have the following checked:
E2
SHBG
prolactin
LH
reverse T3
IGF-1
DHEA-S
VitD
Lipids
CMP
CBC

3

I’m probably going to book an appointment with a specialist soon. Apparently my thyroid levels are bad though, do you think that can have anything to do with SHBG? This has been a long year, I almost just want to hop on TRT now, but I know I should do more investigating, especially since I’m only 22. I wonder if TRT would even help me.

4

Patients on thyroid will see SHBG increase, which is why thyroid works well for women with PCOS. Testosterone will help, unless the cause is the SSRIs. Some taking them find that TRT cannot overcome the negative effects. I just don’t know if given more time, and how much time, off SSRIs will allow for your libido to return.

5

I’m afraid your doctors who stated you are normal is not only incorrect, he is just incompetent and is merely going off reference ranges to determine T status, he has no knowledgeable about normal testosterone levels for men in their 20’s. If he had done his research, he would see men in their 20’s on average are scoring in the 28 nmol/L ranges.

The lack of knowledgeable worldwide in sex hormones is everywhere, almost all doctors believe that it’s fine for a 20 year old to have the same hormones as an 80 years old which is ridiculous if we have more information.

Men’s testosterone levels are at their highest in our 20’s (28 nmol/L) and by our 30’s starts declining (20 nmol/L) and by the time we are 80, our levels are so low that most men are sexually inactive do to testosterone no longer being optimal for a normal robust sex life.

We see a lot of men Free T levels scoring midrange or lower is when symptoms start to occur, everyone will experience low testosterone at different ranges as we are all biochemically unique, yet doctors treat everyone expect the same, only we’re not all the same some.

Your TSH is terrible, TSH >2.5 indicates your body isn’t happy with the amount of thyroid hormone. The reference range are invalid according to the study below. Reverse T3 needs to be test and can help explain high normal TSH.

The evidence for a narrower thyrotropin reference range

It has become clear that previously accepted reference ranges are no longer valid as a result of both the development of more highly sensitive TSH assays and the appreciation that reference populations previously considered normal were contaminated with individuals with various degrees of thyroid dysfunction that served to increase mean TSH levels for the group. Recent laboratory guidelines from the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry indicate that more than 95% of normal individuals have TSH levels below 2.5 mU/liter.

Reference ranges for TSH and thyroid hormones

I don’t know what in the UK you reside, by there’s no way a sick care doctor or the NHS will ever give you TRT with your numbers. Doctors mistakenly believe in range is normal, we see men everyday scoring within the normal ranges, then go on TRT and or thyroid treatment and symptoms are all gone!

Just so you know, I would had symptoms at the numbers you’re scoring.

6

Thanks for the response. I’m actually not in the UK, I’m in Canada, but I agree, most doctor’s won’t give me TRT, although there may be some anti aging clinics I can check out. I just want my old libido back. I really don’t know if it’s the blood levels or the SSRI’s that are causing my symptoms, but I guess it’s encouraging to hear that it could be my numbers. I’m not sure if I should try TRT, it’s hard to decide.

7

I should note that sometimes I have a libido, but at 22 years old, it’s not where it should be. 2 years ago I thought about sex and actually had sex a lot more. I’m hoping it’s not the SSRI’s, because I don’t really have problems orgasming or getting hard (although it’s not as hard than before). Also hoping it’s not the SSRI’s because my free test seems to be pretty low in my second blood test, which is why I thought it might be hormonal.

8

Yah dude take your time. Please find a professional of TRT. Not a yep or endo

You should get off the ssri your young enough and you should be able to recover my friend. Once you pass 27-30years old is when it gets hard to quit. The body isn’t as resilient va early 20s.

I personally think you have high chances of recovery if you take this head on right now. Looks like you have been.

Tsh is high but your free t3/4 is great. Not sure why someone would call that bad. Unless one of those values are wrong. Honestly your thyroid numbers look optimized. That’s where my doc wants them “at your levels”.

9

Thanks for responding man. I got off the SSRI last April, so it’s almost been a year. I’m hoping that it’s not the drugs that are the problem, but my testosterone/free testosterone. I’m 22, so I guess there is hope for improvement. I almost want to jump on TRT to see if it makes a difference, but it’s not an easy choice for a guy may age.

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10

Yah don’t do that yet. You can try chlomid and I think other drugs called nolvaaa something. Chlomid and HCG might be a good mix. Contact a good provider.

If on a drug for 1 year it’ll take 2 to recover. Attests that’s what I was told .

Focus on mental; physical and spiritual … they say if you straighten out me tell the physical and spiritual will follow.

Hang in there and be strong. There’s a solution out there if all else fails. Don’t lose hope. It would suck if you didn’t have trt to eventually fall back on :slight_smile:

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11

I hope so too. Good luck.

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12

Thanks for all the responses. If anyone has additional advice, I’d really appreciate it, at this point anything helps.

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13

Forgot to mention. Don’t take boosters or supplements that say boost T. Shit could make it worse and they are temporary. That’s all :slight_smile:

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14

Second that, some of those contain anabolic steroids.

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15

Maybe you can contact the doctor below for a reference if you are unable to find a private clinic.

Dr. Lawrence D. Komer Burlington is in Ontario.

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16

Appreciate it, will look him up. I’m sure he treats the patient not the age of the patient, thanks!

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