22yo male with below range T, should I consider TRT?

[axl617]

Hi guys, please tell me why I feel like sh*t, I feel like I aged 10 years. I am 22, 184cm or 6ft, 90kg,. I have a hairy chest, arms and legs. Facial hair grows at fast rate, but never really gets long. Body is stocky, I look like built even tho I didn't lift properly until recently. I have wide shoulders, muscular arms and a big barrel chested torso. I eat fairly healthy most of the time, mostly a 'paleo' type diet. Lots of red meat, butter and nuts.

I got a test when I could no longer handle the symptoms of depression and anxiety, anxiety I have managed to get over I think. I came off Lexapro/Celexa a month ago after using for 4. I feel fatigued, I have trouble falling asleep due to overactive mind. I don't enjoy life as much. I feel weaker/less confident. I don't enjoy sex as much, apart from some spurts I feel it's a chore to do, and orgasms aren't that great anymore. I used to be super horny. I get tired easily lifting.

Here are my lab results with ranges:

Prolactin: 151 mIU/L (45-375)
Free Thyroxine (Free T4): 14.3 pmol/L (10-19)
TSH: 1.63 mIU/L (0.50 - 4)
Free T3: 6.2 pmol/L (3.5-6.5)
Total Cholesterol: 3.8 mmol/L (0.0-5.5)
Triglyceride: 0.7mmol/L (0.5-2)
HDL : 1.5mmol/L (0.9-2.2)
LDL: 2.0mmol/L (<3.4)
Chol/HDL ratio: 2.5 (<5.0)
FSH: 2 IU/L (1-10)
LH: 4 IU/L (1-10)
Prog: 1.8 nmol/L (1.2-4.8)
Cortisol [4:45PM, 09/07]: 242 nmol/L (85-460)
Cortisol [10AM, 09/07]: 488 nmol/L (119-618)
Plasma Homocysteine: 7.4 umol/L (3.7-13.9)
Total Testosterone [09/07] 8.3nmol/L (8.3-30.2), after retest it was 8.6nmol/L, and last one was 9.9nmol/L
Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulphate: 8.6 umol/L (3-10.5)
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin: 16nmol.L (13-71)
Free Testosterone : 228pmol/L (225-725)
RBC Folate: 2593nmol/L (>800)
S fol 40.7 n/mol/L (6.0-45.0)
S total B12: pmol/L (200-700)
IGA (SE-Immunoglobulins) 4.07 g/L (0.7-4.0)
T Protein 80g/L (66-83)
SE-C-reactive protein: <3mg/L (<5)
Sensitive Oestradiol: 50 pmol/L (Prepubertal (M & F) <20 pmol.L, Postmenopausaul females 20-90, Adult Male 50-150)

T-Glutaminase <5 (-5) negative
Hameoglobin 155g/L (130-180)
Hct: 0.44 (0.39-0.51)
RBC: 5.0 x10*12/L (4.3-5.8)
MCV: 88fL (80-100)
MCH: 31pg (27-34)
MCHC: 354 g/L (310-360)
RDW 13.4 (11-17)
Platelets 292x10*9/L (150-450)
White cells 7.1 x10*9/L (4-11)
Neutrophils 3.7 (2-7.5)
Lymphocytes: 2.8 (1-4)
Monocytes: 0.5 (0-1)
Eosineophiles: 0.1 (0-0.5)
Basophils: 0.1 (0-0.3)
NRBC 0/100WCC (<1)

Sodium 136mmol/L (135-145)
potassium 3.9 (3.5-5.5)
chloride 99 (95-110)
Bicarb 25 (20-32)
Urea 6 (3-7.5)
Creat. 80 umol/L (60-110)
T-BILI 10umol/L (4-20)
IRON 25 umol/L (26-41)
Ferritin 238 ng/ml (30-500)
eGFR >90ml
TRF 3g/L (2-3.2)


I don't know if there is anything I can do to increase my levels up to normal. I know lifestyle choices affect it but I doubt to the extent I need. Some guy told me I have secondary hypogonadism and suggested I try Nolvadex and then try some 'HTPA restart'. Doctor just said he can prescribe me testosterone gel/shots. I'm worried tho, I have no explanation for why I became this way (probably around 1.5 years ago) and that just adding more hormone will result in me 'burning out' my endocrine system or something.

[Howell]

Bro I'm going thu the Samething at the age of 25. I got a post here too. But all I can tell you is TRT will affect your sperm so if you want kids make sure you talk that over with your docs. Mine told mebecause I was a big muscled guy I don't have low t I'm just depressed. I'm also in the military so I figure its part of his diagnose. I'm going to get another doc. But just be carful bro. Good luck

[kelkel]

I don't know of Lexapro to significantly lower T levels but it can effect libido. Only thing that jumps out at me is your LH and FSH appear low for your age. Test is the last thing you want right now. Find out what is causing this and fix it. If your doc is not sure what to do from this point that you should find another doctor than can help you. It's a valid thought using a serm to stimulate LH production. Or possibly HCG stimulation test to see it's effects. Do whatever you have to do to figure this out, MRI, etc.

Have you suffered any trauma lately or used any AAS or pro-hormones?

[axl617]

I don't know of Lexapro to significantly lower T levels but it can effect libido. Only thing that jumps out at me is your LH and FSH appear low for your age. Test is the last thing you want right now. Find out what is causing this and fix it. If your doc is not sure what to do from this point that you should find another doctor than can help you. It's a valid thought using a serm to stimulate LH production. Or possibly HCG stimulation test to see it's effects. Do whatever you have to do to figure this out, MRI, etc.

Have you suffered any trauma lately or used any AAS or pro-hormones?

Lexapro only affected my ability to finish during sex. But I think whatever caused me to take lexapro was a sudden onset of seconday hypo, if that's even possible. Because my symptoms accumulated then suddenly I started feeling anxiety/depression I didn't know existed. It's almost all gone now, but the low-t symptoms remain.

I didn't use any aas or pro-hormones, nothing like that. I only recall smashing my head against the pavement on a bender about 2 years ago but, I hope that's not related.

My lifestyle was definitely turning to sh*t around this time, daily drinking, pot smoking, chain smoking, stopped working out etc

[booku]

Lexapro only affected my ability to finish during sex. But I think whatever caused me to take lexapro was a sudden onset of seconday hypo, if that's even possible. Because my symptoms accumulated then suddenly I started feeling anxiety/depression I didn't know existed. It's almost all gone now, but the low-t symptoms remain.

I didn't use any aas or pro-hormones, nothing like that. I only recall smashing my head against the pavement on a bender about 2 years ago but, I hope that's not related.

My lifestyle was definitely turning to sh*t around this time, daily drinking, pot smoking, chain smoking, stopped working out etc

was the blood draw in the morning AND after at least a month of no smoking, pot, and alcohol?

[axl617]

was the blood draw in the morning AND after at least a month of no smoking, pot, and alcohol?

Yes it was done in the morning and I quit pot a while ago. I did drink every weekend since tho. I did one test at 5pm and that was my highest level, 9.9ng/L

[booku]

honestly, you seem to be in a very similar situation to me. I started therapy in Dec 2012 at age 22. My LH and FSH were 1.5 and 2.5 respectively, seems like you have the same thing going on sluggish signal from the pituitary gland so I suspect secondary hypogonadism. You need to rule everything out first. MRI of the pituitary is a must, ultrasound of testicles is a must, any trauma or medications besides what you listed in the past? Also, what is ur training routine, and diet, and BF%, height, weight? Any weird eating? excessive calorie restriction, eating disorders?

Also you need full blood work up, full metabolic panel, full thyroid, recheck cortisol, recheck T in the morning after no alcohol, smoking, any prescription or non prescription drugs, and NO calorie restriction for a full month

My Total T was 70 (348-1197) and free was 1.7 (9.3-26.5 pg/mL) and LH FSH and prolactin were low. everything else looked good. thyroid, cortisol, etc, etc.

I decided to go to the dark side, and boy am i loving it, my whole life has changed. My T numbers were the lowest recorded case my endo has seen and he has been an endo for almost 50 years

[axl617]

Hey why did you decide to go to the dark side rather than try hCG therapy or something along those lines? How does it feel to have high t-levels? Like how did it affect the way you feel, think, act, interact etc, I'm very curious

[powerlifterty16]

Hey why did you decide to go to the dark side rather than try hCG therapy or something along those lines? How does it feel to have high t-levels? Like how did it affect the way you feel, think, act, interact etc, I'm very curious

his endo probably has never heard of hcg

[axl617]

his endo probably has never heard of hcg

Would be scary if an endo for 50 years hasn't heard of it and I have after a week of research

[powerlifterty16]

Would be scary if an endo for 50 years hasn't heard of it and I have after a week of research

trust me it's the norm..sadly