I posted a while back and have recently had some more blood tests done in january.
I am now experiencing some strange physical symptoms which are quite new. I have been having pains in my arms last year and went to the doctor thinking it maybe arthritis. I had some blood tests done and the inflammation marker was low, so no issue with arthritis i was told.
Anyway my pains have gotten stronger and i am significantly weaker in my forearm and hand area. My knees are also feeling pretty weak.
I am fit and healthy generally, but these pains have really started to get to me now. Hence i had some blood tests done privately.
They show i am low in androgens (at the bottom of the androgen scale), even though testosterone is ok, but it is the high SHBG which is the killer. These are the results:
D.H.E.A. SULPHATE 6.570 umol/L 1.20 - 8.98
FOLLICLE STIM. HORMONE 11.8 IU/L 1.50 - 12.40
LUTEINISING HORMONE 7.01 IU/L 1.70 - 8.60
TESTOSTERONE 18.4 nmol/L 8.64 - 29.00
FREE-TESTOSTERONE(CALCULATED) 0.278 nmol/L 0.20 - 0.62
SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOB 54.3 nmol/L 18.30 - 54.10
FREE ANDROGEN INDEX 33.89 Ratio 24.00 - 104.00
17-BETA OESTRADIOL 93.4 pmol/L 41.00 - 159.00
PROLACTIN 263 mIU/L 86.00 - 324.00
I take T4 for hypothyroidism and it is common for thyroid patients to get achy joints, but i never have (until this last year). But my thyroid results are fine. I would say my FT4 would be a little better lower, but generally all good and pretty typical.
THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE 1.39 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.20
FREE THYROXINE 21.700 pmol/L 12.00 - 22.00
FREE T3 4.9 pmol/L 3.10 - 6.80
I am not sure where to go for some help because in the UK we don’t really have a system which looks at male hormone health, unless everything is really low. I doubt i will get much help with these results.
What do people think could be the problem ?
I eat a pretty clean diet, don’t drink much alcohol and don’t smoke. I am always steady with my weight at 80kg and don’t carry much fat on the stomach. I don’t work out in a gym, but i play football and am pretty active and have a manual job doing construction. I am mid 40’s.
Yesterday i had to cut a tree down and moving the ladder around was hard on the arms. I was just so weak. It really sucks feeling old like this.
Final bit of info which may be relevant; i am sure i have only one working testicle as had one undescended at birth and so had an operation pre puberty. I know i have damaged sperm production as we have undergone fertility help 5 years ago. Hence my always high FSH level (please make more sperm mr testicle).
Thanks for reading any comments appreciated.