New Guy: Lab Results, Thyroid Issues, Canadian

Hello, I thought I should start my own thread to act as my "case file". Thanks to anyone that takes the time to read my info and give any advice. I really appreciate it.

Background: 42 year old caucasian, living in Canada, married with one child. I am 6'3", about 250 pounds, with a 46" waist at its widest point. Bodyfat around 32% according to my rinky-dink scale. I was prompted to see a doctor suspecting I had low T after gaining about 30 pounds in a single year, while at the same time watching my strength at the gym decline siginificantly. At the time I gained the weight, I was on two anti-depressants. I was very stressed at work, and having sleep problems, too. I was experiencing all of the classic Low T symptoms, like: fat gain, strength loss, depression/anxiety (hence the anti-depressants), foggy mind, absolutely horrible short term memory, grumpiness, no morning wood, weak hard ons and poor libido, etc., etc..

Quit my job in May, quit the anti-depressants, and hoped everything would clear up. When it didn't, I read a book on Low T, and made an appointment to have my labs done. Lab results confirmed lowish Free T, but it also indicated low T3. (I will post all lab results in a followup message.)

Here are my Lab Results in a Chart to make interpretation easier. Just click thumbnail to expand to see things clearly.

Attachment 127860

JUNE 2012
Before TRT. Most important results:
FREE T - 48.6 (range 15.6-146 pmol/L)
E2 - 88 (range 40-161 pmol/L)
FREE T3 - 3.9 (range 3.8-6.0 pmol/L)

Regimen: Began Testim. Didn't help in 2-3 weeks, so started 100mg/wk Test E. injections (two 50mg injections per week)

AUG 2012
After a couple weeks of TRT, taken 24 hrs after shot (so in a "peak")
FREE T - 112.5 (range 15.6-146 pmol/L)
E2 - 202 (range 40-161 pmol/L)

Regimen: Added 1/24th pill of Femara EOD to bring down E2.

SEPT 2012
Taken 3 days after shot, just before next shot (so in a "valley")
FREE T - 65.7 (range 15.6-146 pmol/L)
E2 - 96 (range 40-161 pmol/L)
FREE T3 - 5.0 (range 3.8-6.0 pmol/L)

Regimen: No change.

For more lab results, just enlarge the image. But I didn't get everything tested each time. (My doctor is a bit controlling in that way. Won't let me decide what to get done.)

So this is where I am at now. Of course I have read a lot more on TRT since I started, and have realized we made some mis-steps. Two things may have been contributing to my symptoms:

1. Thyroid issue
2. A varicocele I discovered above my left nut

Trouble is, we started the TRT without doing a test for FSH and LH, and so I am not sure if I am primary or secondary. (Is there any way to determine this now?)

Even though my Free T3 is higher now, I feel I may have a thyroid issue. I am eating well (sugar only on weekends, no junk food, smallish portions, fruits and veggies) and lifting weights 3-4x per week. But instead of losing weight, I have gained a few pounds after beginning TRT and increasing my effort at the gym. Furthermore, my body temp -- which I have been charting daily -- is very low; another sign of a thyroid issue. It averages out to about 35.4C. From what I read, low body temp oten means low metabolism which makes weight loss difficut or impossible.

On a positive note, I did hit a "sweet spot" a few weeks into TRT where I felt on top of the world and had great morning wood and libido, but it only lasted a few days. Also, I am lifting more at the gym -- but not yet where I was before my strength loss a several months ago.

At the moment I feel so-so, but the promise of hitting the sweet spot again keeps me going. I am about to add hCG to the mix, too. But I have misgivings about not settling a possible thyroid issue, or fixing the varicocele, and not determining if I am primary or secondary, before just jumping into this. (Mind you I was trusting my doctor at the time. But now I am more educated and aware of what is going on.) Part of me feels like I should quit the TRT, get all of the required tests in a couple months (lik LH and FSH), try to get the thyroid under control, look at varicocele options, and *then* decide if I want to try TRT again?

But then the other part of me wants to feel that sweet spot again, and is optimistic that adding hCG to th mix will go a long way to helping, too. And I already have a lot invested in this, so why not just keep tweaking and getting as close as I can with what I am doing now and not over analyze stuff including mistakes made in the past.