Total Testosterone Level

     I have a total testosterone level of 454 ng/dl.

        Couldn't get the guy to test for anything other than that as far as hormones...no estro, no free test,....prolactin,thyroid,cholesterol all checked out great...
           What do you guys say to that level for my age of almost 43? He says it's normal and that's all there is to it....

          Seriously though, would that number be prescribable to some docs...and do you guys think it could use a bump up, or just be happy with it?

            I think hey, keep it up to as high as the normal parameter is or close to it, to keep healthy..

                 what do you think?

Doesn’t mean much at all without knowing what your free test is. i just don’t understand these freaking doctors sometimes. they’re either complete morons or simply don’t want to be bothered. here’s a tip: find a doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.0.). they have to meet the same requirements as an MD but have a different approach, thank god. Most doctors will look at your bloodwork and as long as your within the ranges you’re fine, regardless of how you feel.

With D.O.'s, they test what you ask them to test or at the very least, explain why it’s not necessary. And they listen to YOU, regardless of if the levels look o.k… I’ve just switched over to a D.O. and within 1/2 hr of meeting him, he was willing to change me over to a different thyroid med. Something i fought my previous M.D. over for over a year. Here’s a link explaining the basic difference between the two types of Dr’s:

http://www.askdrwalker.com/index/What_is_a_doctor_of_osteopathic_.htm

sorry to hijack and rant on the thread, but it melts my brain the stupidity of some of these fucknut doctors. Good luck bro.

Doctors have to have strong evidence of a problem before prescribing steroids. With your TT level, he does not see the point of checking FT when he still does not feel that he could do anything anyways. Some might listen to and consider your symptoms.

Do you have any of the symptoms of hypogonadism?

Some doctors in ‘managed medicine’ are constrained and without meeting certain criteria, cannot do a lot of prospective lab work when there is no pathology to justify that. The medical term for that is ‘cost control’ :wink:

Your doctor might be a Republican, born again steroid phobic.

If you are fit and muscular, the doctor might think that you are trolling for gear.

You can get E2 and/or FT tested at LEF.org. You can then optimise the testosterone that you have with anastrozole. This can have strong effects in some cases, more symptoms of hypogonadism, the more potential gains/recovery.

“Republican, born again steroid phobic.”
KSMan, you just rock. Ashamed to admit I voted Republican once. I’m turning off my computer now and going to bed with a smile.
Doc

From my reading those levels would be considered mid normal.

The “normal range” the lab my doc uses is normal 255-1010 ng/dl

So, in my case it was when I hit 254 ng/dl that the doc said – "you have low test – lets send you to an endo.

So technically you are mid range normal. Your testicles are functioning. That’s a good thing.

If I were you and I wanted to raise test I would hold off seeking TRT and look at supplements like Gaspari Novadex XT or the Biotest Alpha Male. There are threads around here where guys have had good results w those. See for example:

http://www.T-Nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=1768985


But as others said, do you have symptoms of low test?

The ADAM test was an eye opener for me – see the site because there is a formula re which questions you answer “yes” to:

May be useful you to take and print out the ADAM test to take along to his visit:

http://adamtest.com/test5.asp


Could It Be Low Testosterone?

The ADAM test (Androgen Deficiency in Aging Men) is a tool used to screen for symptoms of low testosterone in men over 40 years old.

It’s a simple first step toward finding out if your symptoms could be related to andropause. Answer the questions below to determine if you are a candidate for salivary bioavailable testosterone (SBA-T) measurement and a clinical consultation about testosterone treatment options.

Print the results and discuss them with your doctor and/or pharmacist.

Question

  1. Have you experienced a decrease in your sex drive (libido)?

  2. Do you lack energy?

  3. Have you lost height?

  4. Has your strength and/or endurance decreased?

  5. Have you noticed yourself enjoying life less?

  6. Are you frequently sad or irritable?

  7. Are your erections less strong?

  8. Have you noticed a recent deterioration in your athletic ability?

  9. Do you find yourself falling asleep after dinner?

  10. Has there been a recent deterioration in your work performance?


Thanks a lot Ksman and everyone.

I agree with all of your posts and appreciate the time you guys took to toss me the info. I guess my next thing to do is follow up with Ksman’s link for the ft and e2 self tests…hopefully they aren’t too much…

              thanks again guys, have a great weekend..

                 ToneBone
          Damn, I just checked that out, I can't afford that..