What I thought was depresssion is low Test levels?

**jtuner77** · 06-12-2013, 12:55 PM

About 6-8 months ago I was working in a highly stressful job. I started to get tired and fatigued and lost my drive for eating right and working out. I ended up leaving that job but felt as if I was getting more and more depressed to the point of wondering why? I knew this was not normal as I have led a mildly depressed life with lack of energy a good amount of the time when I wasn't in the gym or having fun but no where near HOW tired and depressed as I was feeling now.

I sucked up what little pride I had left and went to see a Psych and a therapist. I was put on Wellbutrin and started to feel nominally better but still was tired and felt depressed. I tried to work out a few times and felt so dam weak.

I finally thought to myself that I should ask my psych for a blood test just to see. I got the results back today.

I only have the total testosterone # and it is 338 with a range of 300-1000 ng/dl.

My psych told me to go straight to my doc as he felt my test # were low along with my Vitamin D and my platelet count(both of those were out of range.)

At this point I have yet to talk to my doc but last time I felt half as bad as this about 2 years ago I was still within range at 416 with a range of 300-1080. He then sent me to a Endo that wanted to put me on Cortisol shots.

Anyone have any idea how to talk to him and hopefully he turns me onto an endo that isn't afraid to help me versus putting me on Cortisol shots that will do more harm then good.

Please give me some advice as to how to go about talking with my doc and the endo he sends me to.

Thanks guys!

P.S. If anyone is located in the south suburbs of Chicago, IL and know of a good TRT physician please let me know.

**kelkel** · 06-12-2013, 01:28 PM

Best way to talk to a doc is to self-educate as much as possible first. Read all the stickies here, review your blood work. Get copies of it if you don't have it and post it up, we can review it for you. Tell us your age and stats please.

Also, did your doc give you a clue why you are low? Many things can cause low T that are correctable without going on TRT. It's always best to know exactly why before you embark on this path. If you choose to not go with your doctors recommendation of an endo or uro you can always check out Low Testosterone - $199 All-Included Testosterone Treatment which is owned by this site and focused on TRT. Most regular doc's, endo's, uro's are not.

**jtuner77** · 06-12-2013, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by kelkel

Best way to talk to a doc is to self-educate as much as possible first. Read all the stickies here, review your blood work. Get copies of it if you don't have it and post it up, we can review it for you. Tell us your age and stats please.

Also, did your doc give you a clue why you are low? Many things can cause low T that are correctable without going on TRT. It's always best to know exactly why before you embark on this path. If you choose to not go with your doctors recommendation of an endo or uro you can always check out Low Testosterone - $199 All-Included Testosterone Treatment which is owned by this site and focused on TRT. Most regular doc's, endo's, uro's are not.

I have looked into TRT a good bit about a 2 years ago. My level was a bit higher two years ago at low 400's. A year ago at the high 300's and now I am at the low 300's. This time my psychiatrist had me take the test to see how my test level was. Sadly the test he had me take didn't cover everything like the ones in the past.

A record over the last 10 years show I was already lower then the average and a rapid decline over the last 3-4 years. When I went to 2 endos both wanted to put me on cortisol shots cause I was still "in range". I declined and just lived with it but as of late I have felt the worst I ever have in life.

**kelkel** · 06-12-2013, 04:55 PM

Take a look in the Finding A Doc sticky thread at the top of this forum. There is an example of blood work that would really help tell what's up with you. If it's warranted then do it. Low T can cause depression but just make sure it (the low T) is not correctable first. In range means nothing as you don't live your life on a scale. Its how you feel.