52 goin on 25 ;)

[Macaroni]

Ok, here's my story.

I've been feeling strange (down) since i was about 42 years old (I'm now 52), in fact, I often joked that I was losing my "mojo" (like in the Austin Powers Movie). I went from what was once considered a highly motivated businessman to a passive, lethargic, indifferent guy who eventually lost his business after 20 years. I spent the next 8 years trying to get back on my feet and scratching my head trying to figure out what's wrong with me. I have another business going now but theres no UUUMFFF behind it, it's like I'm just content to get by. I figured maybe I'm going through depression or a mid-life crises or something but, hell, 8 years??? I feel like I just have no desire to create anything new or see anything through to completion. I know the old me could have and would have but this new me these past 8 to 10 years just doesn't have the fire in him anymore. I did some research and found that low T could cause these affects so I got tested. (By the way, my first doctor who has been my doc for 20 years laughed and said you don't need your testosterone tested, I fired him and asked the hospital for a new primary care physician) So, I got tested and found my T to be in the low, bottom 3rd of the scale but guess what... my free T was wayyyy low, on an acceptable scale of 12 to 30 mine is 8.3. I was given a 2nd test 30 days later with the same results. My new, young, motivated Doc put me on 5mg Androderm patches immediately while I wait for my Endo appt in November. I'm on my 4th day on the patch as I write this and haven't noticed anything worth mentioning yet.

So here are my thoughts. If my T was fine but my Free T is low I don't think throwing more T at it will solve the problem; shouldn't they be thinking of doing something to increase the free T? Shouldn't they do something to reduce the SHBG so more T is left to be bio available?

Help me out here folks, I'm going call my Dr this week with that question. I need to nail down the right way of going about this before I'm to deep into it.

Also, isn't being on the patch for the next couple of months going to screw me up with my Endo doc? How will he know what's going on with me if I'm putting testosterone in my body VIA the patch?

Joe

[TranscriptionFactor]

HRT to increase your total Test will increase your free T. The SHBG will become saturated. Let us know how you feel with the increased T, I'm rooting for you to get the mojo back.

[Macaroni]

Thanks for the reply TransFactor.

Got my latest test results (taken the day before I applied my first patch). Anyone want to comment on them and help me out? I just want to feel normal...

Total T = 252 (range 240 - 950)
Bioavailable T = 83 (range 50-190)
Free T = 6.9 (range 12 - 30)
T = .22 (range .18 -.78)
Prolactin = 7 (range 3-30)
FSH = 6.3 (range 1.3-19.3)
LH = 6 (range 1.2-8.6)

[zaggahamma]

mac...welcome

sorry i didnt see this b4...your thought pattern is correct and taking the patch and then going to the endo is quite unusual and what's scary is ther is no mention of testing for prostate probs as throwing test on a early detectable curable prostate cancer would be illadvised and cause the cancer to grow and at a more rapid rate

your total test is down at the bottom and around where mine was when starting trt and it has done wonders for me and a lot on this board...i started at age 37 and have been on for 2 1/2 years

so if prostate probs were checked then i think you're on the path to gaining your mojo back "BABY" be shaggin everything that walks

[MuscleScience]

I believe and i could be incorrect on this but increase in testosterone can actually decrease SHBG.

[Macaroni]

Hey, thanks guys for your comments.

Regarding the prostate, I didn't think to mention that. This all started in May 2008 with my first blood test. Since then I've had a psa which was normal and had fingers up my booty

My first test (done by my GP) didn't show Free T, 2nd test (also ordered by my GP) showed Free T at 8.3, 3rd test (Done by my urologist) showed 6.9. He put me on 5mg Androderm patch until my Endo appointment.

As a side note my TSH (thyroid?) was considered elevated at, 4.06 (range 0.40-4.0)

You know what I wish? I wish I had all these levels recorded back when I was 25 or 30 so I could compare them. And now I'm gonna throw a whammy into the mix, (which will explain why I wish I had the levels from my younger days). I had gynecomastia since puberty and had it corrected surgically in my late 20's. I never gave it much more of a thought until now when I'm 52 years old and starting to really study my hormone levels. Obviously when I go see the Endo I'm going to embarrassingly say "look at my chest, I grew up with gynecomastia, does this offer any clues doc?"

By the way, being a teen with b*tch tits was murder.

Mac

[Macaroni]

I Explained to the nurse that the patch isn't doing it for me, I'm tired, confused and theres no way I'll be able to do a patch day after day, forever. Also told them the 2 shots the GP gave me while waiting for uro appt felt better. Also told them I fell a little puffy in the torso area. I think we're throwing my levels out of whack. Hope he calls me soon.