Low T, but normalish LF and FSH. What does that mean?

[davepl]

My testosterone was quite low (182 on a lab range of 300-1200), and have started cypionate. However, my LH and FSH are normal, albeit in the low normal range (sorry, don't have exact numbers).

One would think that if its primary hypogonadism, the LH would be high, signalling the testes to produce testosterone, and then them failing to do it.

Free T (unbound to protein) was also in the normal range.

I'll try to get more specific numbers, but any help in interpreting these would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[SilverTest]

if you have high LH and FSH and low testosterone = you have primary hypogonadism which is a disfunction in the testicles .

if you have low LH and low FSH and low testosterone = you have secondary hypogonadism which is a HPTA malfunction.


both need testosterone therapy , if it where me i would go for it and stay on it for life.

[davepl]

Yup, I've been on 200mg ever two weeks of cyp and he'll prescribe it for me so I can do it at home.

I had an MRI to ensure the pituitary is ok (or at least no tumor pressing on it or displacing it). Apparently GnRH, the trigger, is hard to measure, so more or less at this point I have idiopathic hypogonadism.

If anyone has a suggestion on a testable theory of why the LH and FSH response isn't ramped up in the presence of low testosterone, fire away!

[davepl]

Well, about 12 days in and I'm starting to feel quite a bit better.

I read one reference that indicated a low level of dopamine, which can be treated with L-Dopa, in the brain can cause low LH and FSH signally activity. Has anyone else heard of it?