What made you go to the Dr?

[Jayprice]

I'm not sure if I have lowT or not but I certainly do have some of the symptoms that I've read about here and on other sites. I know everyone will say "just go get blood work done that's the only way to know for sure." I definitely plan to go speak to a Dr but I'm just wondering what drove you guys to go to the Dr. My main reason for going would be to stop from the moods that I seem find myself in.

[Remington]

1--Lack of quality erections.

2--Wanted a boost in the gym

No real mood swings to speak of...no foggy thoughts...none of that.
Even though I "said" I had ALL of the symptoms.

[JohnGalt]

honestly, for me it had nothing to do with all the symptoms of Low-T that I had fought for years upon years. I had mostly given up on the energy, depression, muscle mass concerns long ago and coped just fine. What actually got my to go to the Doc was a UTI/bladder infection. I'm not a big "go to the doctor" kind of guy, but let me tell you when your entire scrotum hurts for a week and your balls constantly feel like they had just been kicked for days you RUN to the doc lmao.

He did the physical exam and ordered a testicular US, and some bloodwork. I have a friend of mine that I had talked to a while before all this about my metabolism and how it felt like hypoglycemia and her being a very devoted mother of a type-1 diabetic had many questions and was well informed on thyroid and blood sugars problems. Was absolutely convinced I had a thyroid problem. So when the doc ordered up BW I asked for a thyroid problem, briefly described a few of the symptoms and he asked if I wanted T levels tested as well. Knowing I wasn't going to be back anytime soon if I didn't have a reason and already had about 7 vials or so to give from his list, I thought what the hell this is as good a time as any let's see what the blood tells us.

So in conclusion, my opinion after 3 months. The changes in my mood most of all, if you are struggling with it I would so recommend it. Not that you need TRT, from a lot of posting here it seems a lot of people here think TRT is the only option and seek it out blindly even if their BW or doctor disagrees. Have some blood ran and tell your Doc everything and find the root cause of your issues, for me lowT was only 1 of the problems ... Cholesterol issues, insulin resistance, extreme vit D deficient, all mixed with lowT. Everything that he found and the protocols the Doc put me on to deal with these have made such a positive difference I can't even begin to express.

Best of luck, and hopefully you will find the problem and a proper solution

[HRTstudent]

I went to the doctor to investigate low energy and mood... almost certainly wouldn't have gone if the lady didn't urge me to go. It turns out the most obvious and only "bad" health marker was low testosterone.

If i could go back I would trial low dose clomid first, but we jumped on transdermal testosterone instead. I know a lot more nowadays though!

[FRDave]

Always tired regardless of sleep, little gains in gym when training and diet were spot on, lack of libido, anxiety (never had prior), easy weight gain yet near impossible to loose and when I did I didn't have energy in gym to retain muscle, weak erections, random insecurities, hot flashes, etc.

I now have none of the above symptoms 6 months in and setting new PR's every workout :-D

[Allaaro]

When I ate right, slept tons...worked hard in gym and couldn't add any weight to the bar yet was gaining weight I knew something was wrong....also had fights with depression but didn't know low t related until after. This was at bigger stages also....took forever seemed like to even put weight on an empty bar.

[kelkel]

Had no clue I had low T. Went in for a physical and BW indicated a T level of 59. MRI then showed a tumor. Seriously had no clue at that time. Looking back I can see / feel a difference but then, nope. I guess we adapt.

[bluskiblacdeth]

Actually after years of trying to conceive, I was tested and he told me at the time my T was low. This was about 2 years ago. I asked if I could start treating it then but since I was to remain fertile, he said no. Happily we conceived one year ago with IVF. After going to lunch with a co-worker who shared that he had started TRT I asked him about his doc and his info. 2 weeks later I was on my way. One of the best things I have done for myself, I truly believe I have been low T most of my life. My mood, depression, sex drive and energy have never been better. I am 4 months in and still dialing in my protocol but feeling pretty good about life again. People ask me almost daily how much weight I've lost, haven't lost but 3lbs but I suppose being back into the gym on a regular basis after 20 years will make you look better and feel better. ;-)

[Jayprice]

Well, I know something isn't right and maybe it's just something wrong upstairs and I need some type of antidepressants. I'm just tired of being tired and of getting angry so quickly and what seems like a lot of the time.

[ZenFitness]

I was wildly emotional/anxious/obsessive. Way over-obsessed about my workouts and very anxious about much of my personal life unnecessarily. I couldn't gain muscle and didn't sleep well at all. In hindsight, these should have been obvious, but they weren't. This was over a number of years.

The trigger to me was when erections became difficult. I went to a urologist and boom, low T. Now I feel like a new person, it's fantastic.

[HRTstudent]

Well, I know something isn't right and maybe it's just something wrong upstairs and I need some type of antidepressants. I'm just tired of being tired and of getting angry so quickly and what seems like a lot of the time.

testosterone would play only a part of depression. if the depression is serious then you should talk to a therapist first and foremost.

but I will say that going on TRT for me, and some other men, that things in general got worse before they got better. it's one of the reasons I stress finding an expert in male HRT before you start whatever therapy.

[ZenFitness]

Hypothyroidism may contribute to what you are feeling as well. As you originally stated, a visit to the doctor with some blood tests should help clarify what is going on. I would get this done in tandem with therapy and not wait... otherwise you may just be stabbing in the dark at symptoms and waste some of your life trying to figure it out without going to the cause.

[Blankinator]

2008 - 2011 = Pay attention to diet and exercise = feel good, look good.
2012 = Similar diet, similar exercise = some days feel good, some days not so good, gaining fat in waist.
2013 = Get T tested, it was low.

Looking back to 2012 - i had way more low T symptoms.

My personal trainer suggested I get my T tested. Glad he did.

[kelkel]

testosterone would play only a part of depression. if the depression is serious then you should talk to a therapist first and foremost.

but I will say that going on TRT for me, and some other men, that things in general got worse before they got better. it's one of the reasons I stress finding an expert in male HRT before you start whatever therapy.

Like to hear what occurred HRT to make you feel that way. Just getting dialed in or something else? May help some others here as well.

[highpsi]

Went to the doctor a couple times a year, told him I felt like crap, no energy, no libido. Was always given anti depressants. Eventually stated buying every vitamin linked to helping chronic fatigue, nothing really made a difference. Saw my muscle mass from the prior 20 years getting less and less. Injuries, pain pills, diet, inactivity, slow 7 year slide. Finally started looking at the prior blood and noticed levels in the low range for years. After 3 false starts because of my feelings of being a juicer and cheater I've settled in for about 2 months, libido is back, wife wonders where the once a month guy went lol. Putting on muscle without even going to the gym as much as I'd like.

[HRTstudent]

Like to hear what occurred HRT to make you feel that way. Just getting dialed in or something else? May help some others here as well.

to put it as blunt as possible... it was probably placing too much emphasis on testosterone and estradiol. testosterone is good, but it's not a miracle drug... I think that if someone has a variety of troubles then they need to address a variety of areas and not trust that fixing testosterone alone will take care of them.

[Jayprice]

Thanks for all the responses. I'm having my blood work done on Tuesday.

[trikydik]

depression ,weight gain, low libido, tired constantly...etc...etc...etc

[marcus300]

Every aspect of my life was hell. It affected everything in my life in a negative way.

[Beethoven]

I was diagnosed several years back with low t from my then Dr. Low energy, mood, lack of gains in the gym, but the kicker was quality erections. The protocol had been a round of shots and then transdermal. I am on just inj now. Still getting it dialed in. When my t is low weight comes on easy, seems like the more I sleep the less rested I am, the harder it is to get back to working out.

[pappybay]

depression ,weight gain, low libido, tired constantly...etc...etc...etc

Ditto.
Actually, I probably would have ignored it for a while longer, chalking it up to stress or age, but a good friend of mine is an anti-aging MD and he literally harassed me until I got bloodwork completed. It is all uphill from there.

[Trific]

depression ,weight gain, low libido, tired constantly...etc...etc...etc

Yep, sounds like hypothyroid, no wait...burnt adrenals....no wait....

[Jayprice]

Went and had my blood drawn today. I'll find out what's going on in a few days.

[kelkel]

to put it as blunt as possible... it was probably placing too much emphasis on testosterone and estradiol. testosterone is good, but it's not a miracle drug... I think that if someone has a variety of troubles then they need to address a variety of areas and not trust that fixing testosterone alone will take care of them.

Well said.

[trikydik]

Kelkel - those are some sick calfs

[Jayprice]

to put it as blunt as possible... it was probably placing too much emphasis on testosterone and estradiol. testosterone is good, but it's not a miracle drug... I think that if someone has a variety of troubles then they need to address a variety of areas and not trust that fixing testosterone alone will take care of them.

This is just the first step. If my bw comes back good then I plan on seeing a doctor. I have to do something!

[kelkel]

Kelkel - those are some sick calfs

Thanks. I think....

[Jayprice]

An update...my bw came back and my test is low and my IGF1 is very low. They are prescribing test c and hgh. I know this might not help with all of my issues but it is a start.