iperprolattinemia (hyper-prolactine-level?)

hi there, im writing to you from italy to ask you about a "problem" i found in the last blood tests!
im 32 and never used as before but was thinking to start first cycle nex jan.
but in the last blood test there was a high level of PROLATTINA (in italian9, the hormon prooduced by the IPOFISI (hypofisi?)...
the range level is 0-20, but i had 55. i also made the POOL blood test coz they say sometimes the only stress for injection could make a quick production of this hormone and give you back a "fake" result.
i didnt speack with my doc yet but after some research in the web i found out that this high level could cause things like: low sperm production, ipogonadism, infertility... and other "nice" things!
i had a very bad accident in 1996 and had to stay 7 months in hospital (3 in pharmaceutical-coma, so not for a head shock!).
honestly i dont remember about my testicle size before that, but now i think they've become smaller in the last few years and i feel "more tired" in general.

anyone know something more precise about this?
should i start my cycle anyway and then go to see a doc or just "try to fix" the problem now and then start my cycle?

tanks for your help!

Forgive my ignorance, but if I am correct, prolattina is the equivalent to prolactin? If in fact you have high prolactin levels, this would be a bad thing, especially for a male who was into bodybuilding. I always recommend getting a second blood test to be sure. Many things can cause an abnormal "first" test, so you should consider getting another. The primary action of prolactin is to stimulate the epithelial cells of the breasts and to induce milk procduction in women. But men also produce prolactin as well. Several things can cause high prolactin levels such as hypothyroidism, excessive exercise, chest wall injury, renal failure, cirrhosis of the liver, brain tumor, and many drugs, ie. dopamine antagonists seen with many anti-psychotics, estrogens, opiates, cimetidine, tri-cyclic anti-depressants, and others that cause a decrease in dopamine because secretion of prolactin is under the control of dopamine. Symptoms of hyperprolactinemia can manifest as decreased libido (because prolactin suppresses GnRH, subsequently leading to decreased LH and testosterone levels), lactation, visual disturbances (more for brain tumor).
But I think the most important thing for you is to get another test. You may want to hold off on your cycle until you know what is causing this, if anything. Be sure you aren't taking any drugs that can alter prolactin levels, or if you have to take somehting for a medical condition, know if it effects prolactin levels. The test should be done after fasting, and when you have not exercised heavily because these can alter the results. Here is a link with some more info:
http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1098.htm

Good luck and keep us updated, IC

:bow1: :bow1: Ichabodcrane

Does this guy make the best, most informative, most helpful posts at AR or what?

Fabry,

From your symtoms of smaller testes and feeling "more tired" along with elevated prolactin I would ABSOLUTELY get retested. I would also ask to have ACTH, Cortisol, LH, FSH, and Testomsterone verified while you are at it (the last three is you are off cycle). If your prolactin comes back high again you may be looking at severl issues. The most pressing issue you need to get verified with high prolactin is thepossibility of a pituitary tumor. Not trying to scare you but you need to get it verified. The process would be to have a pituitary MRI. More than 30% of men end up with a lesson or tumor on their pituitary, almost alway non-cancerous. A cancerous pituitary tumor almost always secretes prolactin.

High levels of prolactin will often supress LH at the pituitary thus suppressing your natural testosterone production. This is one cause os secondary hypogonadism.

Get that stuff rechecked and let us all know how it goes.

If I can help, please contact me. I've been through all of these tests (unfortunately) but fortunately, nothing bad was found, just plain old secondary hypogonadism.

Good luck.

Scotty