My doctor prescribed me 'testosterone'

I am a 20 yr old and I have a low test score of 268 ng/dl. Doctor asked me if I was on any supplements, and I told her I regularly take creatine, whey protein, multi vitamins and fish oil. She asked to me to stop taking all of them for 2 weeks and come back and retake a blood test. I did, and my T levels were still low. My doctor prescribed me testosterone. I called the cvs pharmacy for the name of the drug and they just said 'testosterone'. She faxed over the order form for the prescription after she got the results of my blood test, so I never had a physical copy of the prescription. It's an injection that I'm supposed to take once every 2 weeks. A few questions for you all:

1. From what i know about HRT, it is for life. My doctor is swearing that I will NOT be on this for life and it is just a temporary treatment until my T levels return to normal. What do you all think of that?

2. My doctor hasn't been too thorough with the testing. She prescribed me testosterone after only my first blood test. I saw on the blood order form that she was testing this as hypogandasim. What are the negative side effects of taking this testosterone if my problem is NOT diagnosed correctly?

3. I am not symptomatic of low test. I workout 5 days a week with high intensity, I have no problem sexually, and I do not feel depressed. Is it still normal to have low T scores if one does not show the symptoms?


Thanks in advance for the help guys. I really don't know what to do here and could use some advice. I know testosterone is a serious drug.


Note: I have never cycled on any type of steroid or growth hormone. Only things I have ever taken are creatine, whey protein, fish oil, and multi vitamins

you are a little smarter than your doc

u are correct...trt is for life

one bloodtest shouldnt have been it and if you are hypo going on for a month or two doesnt fix it!

you are correct in your assumptions

you need to see WHY a young and HEALTHY feller is low

I also would like to know WHY u checked your test levels to begin with? just premaintenence/preventative?

I checked my test levels originally because I have gyno. I wanted to check for a hormone imbalance, and that's when I found out about the low test.

I just made an appointment with an endocrinologist on June 12th. What questions do you all think i should ask them for the best answers to this problem?

how about, do you have any experience with gyno? and can you help me figure out why my test levels are low, doc? can you run a full male/men's health lab panel for me, doc?

This first Doc is clueless to say the least. The mere fact that she's prescribing an injection once every two weeks & says it's only temporary proves that she is a quack. Once you start, TRT is for life & there are too may questions that remain unanswered about your condition. IMO I would wait until you first see this Endo on 6/12. Do some reading in the stickies and have this Endo run a full blood panel as jpk stated. Until then, read as much as possible on this forum and educate yourself before the Endo visit. Others will surely chime in along the same line. Good luck...

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Originally Posted by adam8785

I am a 20 yr old and I have a low test score of 268 ng/dl. Doctor asked me if I was on any supplements, and I told her I regularly take creatine, whey protein, multi vitamins and fish oil. She asked to me to stop taking all of them for 2 weeks and come back and retake a blood test. I did, and my T levels were still low. My doctor prescribed me testosterone. I called the cvs pharmacy for the name of the drug and they just said 'testosterone'. She faxed over the order form for the prescription after she got the results of my blood test, so I never had a physical copy of the prescription. It's an injection that I'm supposed to take once every 2 weeks.

You need to find a new Doctor RIGHT AWAY! You're 20 with a total test assay of 268 ng/dl and WHAT WAS THE DIAGNOSIS? You're still maturing and your serum level is in the tank and all she wants to do is put you on a exogenous Testosterone...get a lawyer now! You need to know first and foremost if you are Primary of Secondary Hypogonadal. And then based on that find out why. At your age your Testosterone levels should be through the roof. You need optimal levels right now as your body is still maturing and there is a medical reason you are low and you need to know why ASAP!

A few questions for you all:

1. From what i know about HRT, it is for life. My doctor is swearing that I will NOT be on this for life and it is just a temporary treatment until my T levels return to normal. What do you all think of that?

Ask your Doctor why you are low and what is her prognosis? Ask her if she understand the mechanisms of HPTA Suppression once you start? Don't start till you know why you are low...something is wrong with you and a short term Testosterone protocol isn't going to help you but only mask your underlining medical condition.

2. My doctor hasn't been too thorough with the testing. She prescribed me testosterone after only my first blood test. I saw on the blood order form that she was testing this as hypogandasim. What are the negative side effects of taking this testosterone if my problem is NOT diagnosed correctly?

What I said above...taking Testosterone now will only mask your problem and make a proper diagnosis harder for the next "Doctor" you find to help you!

3. I am not symptomatic of low test. I workout 5 days a week with high intensity, I have no problem sexually, and I do not feel depressed. Is it still normal to have low T scores if one does not show the symptoms?

The only thing I can think of here is that it may be possible your BW was flawed and you need to re-test to validate...it's possible.


Thanks in advance for the help guys. I really don't know what to do here and could use some advice. I know testosterone is a serious drug.


Note: I have never cycled on any type of steroid or growth hormone. Only things I have ever taken are creatine, whey protein, fish oil, and multi vitamins

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In Bold.

Exactly what GD and the guys said above. Find the problem first. Full, proper BW which is in the stickies. If you are actually low there are some alternative therapies available to you to possibly try first.

I`m glad you have a head of your own, because your doctor is obviously clueless at best and what she is doing is flat out malpractice.

I discovered my own issues three years ago and have spent a lot of time trying to find other causes, before I finally accepted that I need to try TRT.

There is nothing wrong with TRT per se, but it is a last resort when nothing else works and no other underlying condition that can explain it is discovered.

Good luck and remain critical while educating yourself on the subject. :)

Hey guys, I just got my blood work in the mail. Here are the numbers

Free Testosterone: 5.6 pg/ml (reference range: 9.3-26.5)
total testosterone: 379.9 ng/dl (reference range: 348.0-1197.0)
Glucose, Serum: 67 mg/dl (reference range:65-99)
BUN: 25 mg/dl (reference range:6-20)
Creatine, Serum: 1.24 mg/dl (reference range: .76-1.27)



my total test is up from the 268 ng/dl from the first time I took the blood test. Does that mean anything? Can anyone help me interpret these numbers? Do they give any clues as to what may be my underlying problem?

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Originally Posted by adam8785

Hey guys, I just got my blood work in the mail. Here are the numbers

Free Testosterone: 5.6 pg/ml
total testosterone: 379.9 ng/dl
Glucose, Serum: 67 mg/dl
BUN: 25 mg/dl
Creatine, Serum: 1.24 mg/dl



my total test is up from the 268 ng/dl from the first time I took the blood test. Does that mean anything? Can anyone help me interpret these numbers? Do they give any clues as to what may be my underlying problem?

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You started taking injections every 2 weeks, right? Please clarify what you're doing for a protocol (or not doing).

post the ranges for your bloodwork. You need more bloodwork to find out why your low. Your doc didn't test LH?

I have NOT taken any of the prescriptions. I am just on my normal whey, creatine and multi vitamins as I was before I went to the doctor. Also, that is all the blood results she gave me. I edited my post above and included the reference range. Here they are once more

Free Testosterone : 5.6 pg/ml (reference range: 9.3-26.5)
total testosterone: 379.9 ng/dl (reference range: 348.0-1197.0)
Glucose, Serum: 67 mg/dl (reference range:65-99)
BUN: 25 mg/dl (reference range:6-20)
Creatine, Serum: 1.24 mg/dl (reference range: .76-1.27)

bump for an interpretation of my results/advice

Did you use any AAS before?

dbol or some?

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Originally Posted by BigIce

Did you use any AAS before?

dbol or some?

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nope

Your test is better, but still semi-low. You still need to run a LH/FSH lab to know a little more about the diagnosis.

If your doctor really thinks that your "normal" production will return while taking exogenous testosterone, then sell her some swampland in Florida. Get a doctor who at least understands how this all works.

I agree with all the above. If you haven't started your injection protocol yet, don't. At least wait till after you see your new endo, who will order a smorgasboard of blood work tests checking everything from thyroid to pituitary and then some. And if you did do any injections before this new test, it will throw everything off. So don't inject till after the results and maybe not even then depending upon what those results are. Here's hoping it's something simple that wont require a lifetime of weekly shots. But, if you do need it then you are in good company on this board, as most here on these threads of the forum are on TRT and you will learn a lot about it right here. It's strange though that so many guy's would love to find a doc who is so liberal about giving out scripts for injections, but can't find any and boom the first time you go in complaining you get a script. Don't be surprised if after you reach 50 posts that you get bombarded by Instant Messages asking who and where that doc is located..lol