T Nation

What Is the Point?

T Replacement
#1

What is the point? Years ago, I want told I need it. Then one endo said the other misread the labs and took me off. I have mental illness and they blamed all of it on that. I threaten to sue, but no lawyers would take the case. I reported to the board of medicine, but got told no actions would be taken. At one point had a letter from the Mayo Clinic, but this didnt help convince the locals to treat. They denied the letter, even asking who is the Mayo Clinic. Even another Mayo trained doctor disagreed with the 1st Mayo Clinic, their director. The original Mayo Clinic doctor said I didnt need it after I told them I gave up and just stop taking it.

All this is a cautionary tale for those thinking of taking it. You will be treated like a drug seeker by the medical community. You canā€™t sue them. The board will do nothing to help you. You will waste your money. Just give up trying.

#2

The pointā€¦ I think the point is that you need to be your own advocate. Doctors are people. If they tell you to take medication, whatever it may be, do your own research. This is especially important when it comes to medications such are hormone manipulation or other powerful drugs.

Who exactly were you going to sue and for what? Go to a dozen doctors and youā€™re going to get different opinions. Some can be definitively correct but often times a diagnoses canā€™t be so Precise. What harm was done to you?

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#3

I grew up in an environment that doctors know best. If a doctor says you need it, you take. As for suing, misdiagnosis, failure to properly access and diagnosis. I had my gallbladder taken out during this time after the test came back needing it. rhabdomyolysis is being checked for since i reported dark urine when coming off, spinning sensation when on rollercoasters, maybe symptoms of tbi, and symptoms while on zoloft (exercise intolerance, muscle loss (lab documented), weight gain (increase in fat, lab documented)

#4

Refer to my first post as ā€œthe pointā€. I think this is the wrong mindset. That aside Iā€™m not sure what the gallbladder and other issues you listed have to do with TRT.

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#5

Gallbladder diseases, just like crohns, another diagnosis I got and then was thrown out by my fellowup, belongs in the malabsorption disorders. You may be eating, but your body is unable to process it. This leads to hormonal disorders because, not enough calories are being taken in.

I dont understand the right mindset statement. If a doc indicates you have diabetes amd saids you need insulin to live. Are you saying to pray to god and wish it away? Medicine is science base. When a diagnosis is made, there should be some scientific backing to explain the diagnosis and treatment. Not just some roll of the dice to decide whether you need it or not. A diagnosis should stand scrutiny.

#6

Welcome to where men look for clues to health issues that may or may not be hormonal. You can make some pretty good decisions when you have information. Inform yourself and you too can make a better decision on what to take or not take. Strip yourself of any belief that Docs orders are written in stone. They practice medicine and practice doesnt always make perfect when dealing with an array of patients with an array of issues. Some things are a given and some are not. Diabetes, hepatitis, HIV, etc are well documented and treatment is textbook stuff. Mental issues, along with hormonal imbalances is kinda new stuff for most Genprac Docs. So the point is to live better. Are you on or off TRT?

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#7

Off trt.

#8

So I will ask this. Do you have any current lab work?

#9

You apparently didnā€™t grab the context of what I stated hereā€¦

Diabetesā€¦ easily diagnosable. So are most cancers and many other diseases. When you go to the doctor because you are ā€˜tired, fatigued, depressedā€™ etc etc its not always definitive based on labwork. You have the mental disease route, hormones, lifestyle factors etc. This is where you see three docs and get three different opinions.

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#11

Ill let the lab guys give you a clearer picture of what your values mean, but the one thing that sticks out is your SHBG. Wow! It is high. This is what I see as a cruel joke on those with high Total T. Your T is mostly bound and not being put to use where it needs to be. You might as well have low T. This is why guys with low T and low SHBG function just fine. Im not sure about how to lower SHBG while being natty. If you were on TRT, I would simply wait til it eventually lowered due to the use of exogenous. For example, my SHBG was in the high 20s when I first began, and now sits at 16. Free T is where its at. We gotta figure out a way to free your T up.

#12

Boron, 9mg daily, or carbs. Guys on keto or carnivore usually have high shbg

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#13

Vegetarians are also documented to have elevated shbg, which I infer is related to total amount of fiber consumed. So are runners or people following a calorie restrictive diet.

I was once a runner, 1 half, mostly 5ks and 10ks. The 2nd endo thought it was Male Athlete Triad when she started to take me off. She transferred me when I was down to 50mg per week.

I was about 150lb then. Now pushing 205lb.

#14

So liver disease or hyperthyroidism seem to be worth investigating at this point, unless youā€™ve got a dietary explanation. Because that is super fucking high.

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#15

Free T percentage is low, lots of things here pointing to low-T. Any doc that knows what heā€™s talking about would diagnose low-T, but a doc that doesnā€™t know any better would say Free T is within range, which is true for an old man.

#16

I do drink 2 servings daily. By that 2 bourbon and cokes, or wine, or the occassional milkshake ipa, dipa.

#17

I was scene at the #1 hospital in the US, the Mayo Clinic. I remember the statement clearly, total testosterone can not relied upon with elevated shbg. And another Mayo Clinic doctor locally. This one broke out the free testosterone bloodwork and said you are fine.

Free & Bioavailable Testosterone calculator ā€¦ a website given to use to calculate free t

**Random tongue in cheek. At the Mayo Clinic, there is no 13th floor. The elevator only goes from 12, 14 ā€¦ it skips 13. The running joke is to get to the 13th floor, you must go to the 15th floor; jump out and grab the ledge below. Only then will you be on the 13th floor.

#18

This isnā€™t the first case I have seen the Mayo Clinic failure someone, I donā€™t care about titles or reputation, they got it wrong.

The endocrine society is no different, they define low-T to be below 300, yet there are no studies showing low-T occurs below 300, itā€™s been documented that men experience symptoms of low-T far earlier between 300-400 and meta analysis shows cardiovascular disease below 440 ng/dL.

So letā€™s get to the point, western medicine has ignored sex hormones for decades, even worse sex hormones arenā€™t even taught in traditional medical schools and residency.

Well heā€™s not very informed on things, probably didnā€™t bother taking age into the equation. Most docs donā€™t see a difference between an 80 year old man and a young man in his 20ā€™s, Free T in range is normal, but anyone who believes this is wrong if we are talking about a young man.

We arenā€™t robots, everyone is different.

#20

So are you working on lowering SHBG?
By the way Mitch Hedberg says that if you jump off the top of a building with no 13th floor, you will die sooner. So dont try it.

#21

The Endocrine Society is run by old ladies that drink Shandies to ease the pain. Other than that I appreciate their work so that if can be viewed and dissected for the sole purpose of getting results.