20 y/o ? low test, unhelpful endo!!

[20YO]

Hi all, i'm a 20 y/o from AU, last 12-18 months, I've been experiencing a range of issues compatible with hypogonadism/hypotestosteronemia/whatever:
depressed/blunted affect
lethargy
inability to gain (much) weight despite good diet and weight lifting regimen
loss of libido (especially in the last 6 months), loss of morning wood, regular inability to gain/maintain an a hard on... doc prescribed sildenafil (to be used PRN) which had a minor effect (probs a psychogenic compoenent to the ED (eg performance anxiety) but i believe this is secondary to an underlying organic issue... last regular partner was 18 months ago)

so...about 2 months ago, i went and got my bloods done - test came back at 350. this was confirmed with a second test (thyroid function was normal, and i think pituitary function was ok too). only hisory worth noting is i was underweight around age 15, had mumps when i was a kid (i know this can have some sort of effect on hypogonadism) on many of the scales ive seen (some academic) and from the anecdotal stuff i've come across, 350 is low. At my age, especially, I'm of the opinion i should be up around 600.

Now my doc seemed somewhat open when i suggested we try TRT, got an endo referral, and the endo did not seem to think i need it. endo liaised with my doc, and doc is now more skeptical.

Problem is... ive got all these symptoms. and i still believe this is due to low t... What do you think? Should i keep pushing this issue with my doc? because i believe my symptoms (irrespective of my levels) necessitate therapeutic testing... should i find another doc? and how, without test, can i address the symptoms listed??

If i were to get on trt, would you suggest creams or IM esters? And what side effects can I expect? When i initially discussed trt, i brought up concomitant hcg , and the doc said it was not regularly used...

so yeah.... struggling in a few aspects of my life... hoping you can offer some support, advice etc... cheers

also: i did approx 4 weeks of ostarine a little while ago. however, no new issues arose during/after ostarine use.
currently take: vit c, vit d, fish oil, creatine, and the odd scoop of arginine...
cheers

[The Deadlifting Dog]

How long ago did you do the ostarine cycle?

[20YO]

started bout 3 months ago. was on osta for one of the blood, off for the other. osta may have accounted for a slight decrease in SHBG... but ye it shouldn't elicit any androgenic effects. As I say, my symptoms have not changed post- ostarine use.

[dreadnok89]

You have any tests per ostarine? Low-t also makes you put on fat. Are you solid skinny?

[20YO]

unfortunately not. first test was only just after commencing the osta, however. toward the end of the osta cycle, and for a couple weeks after, i ran some daa and an (antiestrogen?) over the counter supp....

im 180 pounds give or take, have been for about a year, and as i say training hard and eating reasonably well. even when i was doing cardio, i had noticeable lower abdo fat (still do). most of my buds my age who train less and eat like shit have a much more defined rig.

[20YO]

double post

[Granovich]

i dont think the osta is cause of your problem.
i never seen a guy who is 18 and needs TRT unless that he used steroids and couldnt recover because of the young age and damage you would do your HPTA system. as far as TRT , IM shots are definitely better.. creams sux

[20YO]

thanks for your reply granovich. i agree, IMs sounds better... have seen mixed reviews on the creams. if my doc were to start trt, i have a feeling he would advocate for the creams (less invasive) before considering IMs though. There are numerous causes for low test, certainly not all age related, nor steroid related (worth noting here, I haven't used prohormones/hormones at all in past)

[20YO]

essentially what im trying to figure out is... how do i correct my symptoms. do they, coupled with my bloods, qualify me for trt, and if so how do i go about it...

[kelkel]

You don't want TRT for about another 25 years unless it's absolutely necessary. You need a proper diagnosis by a competent doctor. Please look for another doc and do not band aid the problem. Find the causative factor and fix it if at all possible. Settle for nothing less.

Post up your blood work complete with ranges if possible. We'll review it and see if we can help. Some very good guys here at interpreting BW.

kel

ps: welcome to the forum.

[20YO]

hi kel, cheers.

my last bloods tested the following: haematology, so hameatocrit, white cells etc, bichemistry, so creatinine, bilirubin, etc etc, then it looked at thyroid function, so T4 and TSH... all were smack bang in the middle of range. No issues here.
Hormone profile came back at test: 12.1nmol/L (range 12.0-32.0) (range not age specific) free test: 334 (range 260-740), free androgen index: 80.7 (range 15-100), SHBG: 15 (range 15-50) - again that last one may be attributed to the osta (said to have some SHBG lowering effects... which is obvs desirable)
Endo has ordered another blood test, which I am yet to complete. It will give my testosterone , oestrogen, FSH, LH and prolactin < interested to see these

I appreciate TRT should be avoided where poss, but levels around 12nmol/L (350 ng/dL) (at my age, with my training, diet and supplementation) seem pretty low. Would you agree?

[kelkel]

Take a look at the blood work in the Finding a Doc Sticky. Get those panels and make sure you're thyroid panel is a "full" panel. TSH, T3, T4, FT3, FT4, RT3, T3 Uptake and antibodies. SHBG is best mid-range, not low. And yes, you are low but still need to find THE reason. Don't give up!

[20YO]

thanks kel, will bring these suggestions back to the doc for a more comprehensive blood work. Will update on progress. I am eager to get on the test, mainly for the perceived sexual benefits, because, and as im sure u can imagine, sexual dysfunction isnt fun. but yeah, as you say, we need to investigate the aetiology (although, i've first got to convince the doc that it's worth doing)

cheers

[kelkel]

If you're doc just tries to settle for TRT without finding the cause then he's given up or is clueless. Move on and find another doc. It may be worth it to travel to one of the more noteworthy docs depending on where you live.

[20YO]

Yeah, am in Aus, so unfortunately i cant use some of the doc lists offered up on various (American based) websites. Seeing a new doc means starting from scratch, so I'll try again with the reg doc to get a better workup. It's not that he wants to settle for trt, it's more he doesnt think there's much of a problem.... If no success, will have to move on til I find someone more interested.

so far, hes given me the prn viag for ed, and as i say limited effect... i am investigating alternatives eg alpha blockers, phentolamines etc... but am not well versed in this area. hes also offered antidepressants which i am reluctant about...