I am a complete noob to low t and I am 43 yrs old.
I have read all the stickies and you guys have provided a great deal of information. Thanks for that.
For a little background, I have been on the slow motion train wreck of low t symptoms for the past 10 years.
I have worked shift work for 22 years as well as tons of overtime, so I am sure that doesn't help.
Kind of being in denial, I blamed all my symptoms on my job, stress, not eating right, long hours (12 hour shift),
Etc. a little over a year ago, I approached my primary doc about low t, after hearing commercials, etc.
My doc basically blew me off and said lose weight, exercise, and everything will be fine.
So after getting diet in check, going back to the gym, weights and cardio, I dropped from 240 to 212. My body
fat started at 33% and is down to 24%. 5 foot 8 inch frame.
Everything is NOT fine. I feel worse now, a year later.
I did blood work in early December and demanded that my doc check my testosterone level, and he reluctantly
agreed. At that time I knew nothing about free t or estrogen, and the doc did not order it.
When total t came back 418 on scale of 347 - 1147 (Labcorp) .
I had an appt. scheduled with my doc specifically to discuss my symptoms (you guys know them) but the day
before the appt. the doctor calls and tells me I am normal and I don't need to come in, basically cancels my appt.
Being totally pissed and frustrated, I went through the process online with one of the big name clinics.
I don't know if we are supposed to name them or not so I won't. This clinic accepted my blood work, I had to send
In physical results, and get follow up psa test and igf-1 test. They did not request free t or estrogen, but said
they would test during follow up labs to " dial everything in."
They approved me for test cyp (200 mg/week) hcg, b-12. As an option, I was approved for GH (out of my
Price range) or semorelin/GRHP-6 (still fairly expensive).
I was ready to pull the trigger, even though like the rest of them, they dont take insurance, but my wife was more
apprehensive about how easy it was to do online without talking to a doctor face to face. She also wanted me to do whatever
I could to get this covered by insurance. (united health care).
So I agreed to a second opinion, to talk to a local urologist who is currently working with " multiple male patients on injectable
test." I have printed all the important info to take into this appt. Friday jan. the 6th. Of course I could have been a month into
treatment by now, and hopefully feeling better.
Anyhow, I have not really had anyone to discuss this with, as I don't know anyone who is on trt, or nobody is talking about it.
I am open to any further advice on what to ask this urologist lady next Friday, and I apologize for this post being so long.
I am gonna ask her if she has any experience with the urine testing, and I have a lab corp very close.
Thanks for being here.
Update:
After seeing the urologist, she prescribed androgel. I also have some a-dex for estrogen control.
The urologist doesn't test for estrogen and told me I need to seek expertise in Houston (50 miles away)
The urologist wants more blood work in a month using s different lab, qwest, I think.
I will also be doing follow up testing at lab corp to check E2 and do some additional tests recommended by PureChance.
I will post those results when I get them done.
OK VTBalla,
I will confine all future data to this thread as my case study.
Baseline results as follows. Lab testing done via Lab Corp.
LH 6.2 (scale of 1.7-8.6)mIU/mL
FSH 3.0 (scale of 1.5-12.4)mIU/mL
TT 519 (scale of 348-1197)ng/dL
FT% 19.1 (scale of 9-46)%
T F+W bound 99.1 (scale of 40-250)ng/dL
Estradiol (sensitive) 24 (scale of 3-70)pg/mL
DHEA-S 181.8 (scale of 88.9-427)ug/dL
IGF-1 211 (scale of 101-267)ng/mL
SHBG 46.2 (scale of 16.5-55.9)nmol/L
Free T4 1.31 (scale of .82-1.77)ng/dL
TSH 2.53 (scale of .45-4.5)uIU/mL
PSA .5
DRE EXCELLENT 
LDL calc 119 (scale of 0-99)
HDL 55 (>39)
Triglycerides 107 (0-149)
iron was good serum 142
Ferritin serum 92 (scale 30-400)
Please keep in mind this total T number is the highest of 3 tests while using
vitamin d, zinc, and zenerex
Your thoughts?
