Please help a 21 year old get off Androgel and feel healthy

[rst124]

Hi everyone, I have been reading the forums but could really use some help. My doctor doesn't seem interested in assisting and I really feel like shit. A year and a half ago I went to the doctor complaining of chronic fatigue. The doctor ran blood work and found that my total testosterone was at 600 and my free testosterone was slightly below the normal range. My estrogen was also elevated and dhea was low. I was started on compounded t, arimidex and dhea. In hindsight I don't think I should have ever tried to improve these numbers as the problem was likely elsewhere. After a few months of no results and being a lazy 21 year old I stopped taking everything cold turkey, again stupid looking back with the knowledge I have now but my doctor offered me no guidance. Fast forward to this summer when I had major issues dealing with anxiety that seemed to come out of nowhere. New doctor tested testosterone, saw it was at 400 and started me on androgel in August. Retested in late September and my total testosterone was at 350! The androgel has made me feel worse if anything and now I would desperately like to be off of it. I haven't applied it in three days and started 25mg of dhea in hopes of stabilizing my cortisol and possibly boosting the test numbers. The lethargy and brain fog have already set in. Without access to clomid, is there anything I can do to kick start my own natural production? Thank you for any help you can offer, I just want to feel normal.

[rst124]

I should add that I have been very good about my diet and am trying to be active and workout as often as possible. My anxiety is gone but I feel I can attribute that to the diet, positive thinking exercises and doing some cbt.

[bass]

I should add that I have been very good about my diet and am trying to be active and workout as often as possible. My anxiety is gone but I feel I can attribute that to the diet, positive thinking exercises and doing some cbt.

thats probably been your problem all along! you shouldn't play doctor taking your meds and stopping when you want! taking testosterone will shut your natural production down, so when you stop the gel you practically have nothing! you may feel ok for few days but you will crash at one point. you need proper care from a qualified doctor. based on the information you provided there isn't much anyone can help except recommend to see a professional. at 21 with low test and other hormone out of whack they need to do more testing to see whats really going on! BTW, have you done steroids befor?

[BigBadWolf]

What are your stats?

[rst124]

I completely agree about playing doctor. I had been quite naive about all of this and know that it was wrong. I have been trying to do a ton of research and better understand what is going on in my body and will no longer make misguided decisions. My opinion is that I was inappropriately put on trt a year and a half ago and never fully recovered. Coupled with the chronic stress over the summer, my t levels were likely dropped further. I spoke with a doctor at school who suggested going off the androgel but offered no guidance in terms of kicking back in my natural production aside from supplementing with dhea. I suggested clomid but it was not prescribed. I really am not looking for a quick fix at this point and willing to do what is necessary to get past this, but also would like to avoid weeks or months of withdrawal from the androgel. I have never done steroids.

Thanks

[rst124]

I should mention that the reason for wanting to get off the androgel and the doctor at school agreeing with the decision, aside from not wanting to be on hrt for life, is that I have noticed an uptick in breathing issues (I am asthmatic) since starting the gel three months ago, particularly at night. This is listed as one of the side effects. I had a full evaluation including a visit to the pulmonologist who found no other health issues. For the past six months and after beginning the gel I have dealt with continuous tachycardia. Hyperthyroid has been ruled out along with structural heart issues. That is why I believe hormones are to blame. I know this is all super complex, I was just hoping to find some guidance.

[BigBadWolf]

Your stats? Height? weight?

[rst124]

6'1" 205 lbs. Fairly muscular build.

[BigBadWolf]

If you were 400 when you started androgel and 350 almost two months later it's not working for you. You should have blood work run again and find out where your at the present moment.

[rst124]

I agree I am working on getting that setup. Is it possible that I never recovered from the six months of compounded testosterone cream last year? I was at 600 in August 2010 and 400 in August 2011.

[BigBadWolf]

600 test when you started? What was the range? What was the normal range for someone your age when yours was 600?

[rst124]

Reference range is 250-1100. Percent free reference range is 1.5-2.2. I was at 1.47% free last year. I know people generally regard the low end of the "normal" total range as being unhealthy but I dont think I should have started trt when I was at 600.

[BigBadWolf]

I can't believe your doctor put you on hrt at 19 with that high of a level

[rst124]

I agree. I was suffering pretty severe chronic fatigue at the time but in hindsight it was likely caused by something completely different. I am just afraid I will not get back to where I was levels wise.

[fit2bOld]

Time to get a full panel of blood work, hormone as well as all the standard wellness tests including thyroid. I had thyroid problems well before I had test and estro problems problems. Some of these things run in families look to your parents as to underlying conditions. I have almost everything my dad had including low T.

[Vettester]

I can't believe your doctor put you on hrt at 19 with that high of a level

Agree completely! Absolutely no justification for a doctor to do that. That doc was probably getting some kickback from them to push more of it.