Hi, first of all i ask forgiveness to the moderator for this topic that is a little off topic (and a little IN topic, and now i'll explain why). I'm a 23 yo italian guy (so sorry for my english); i go to the gym since 3 years ago with good results.. but the reason of my topic doesn't concern about the gym. In the gym i have only learned that (paradoxically) in the gyms the are some people most competent in hormones than some endocrinologist (believe me, i've met totally unprepared doc during these years)

for this reason, and also because my problem is due to Finasteride (a steroid , 5 alpha reductase-inhibitor) i see in you a group a competent persons able to give me a hand. Since i took finasteride (for hairloss) i suffer of a long list of sides (permanent) and my hormones aren't good (very low T). I've seen a lot of doctor, i've spent a lot of money and the most sophisticated therapy someone prescribed me is TRT.....
So if you are interested in read my story and give me some good advice, below i post my full story and blood tests. Otherwise thanks the same and sorry for this little "intrusion"




From June 2003 to December 2003]
I take finasteride 1 mg per day for hairloss. During this period i start suffering of an hard loss of libido and erectile disfuncion.

[december 2003]
I decide to stop finasteride. All sexual side effects get better. At december 2003 my situation is:
i have not the typical libido of a 19 years old, erection are not simply as before finasteride but it is not a serius problem.. i am only a bit numb about sex. This is one of the most important characteristic of my problems, because this situation is slowly and continually degenerated dragging me today in a state of complete disinterest in sex and impotence (people who are recovering from finasteride sides usually get better with the passage of time...i got worste!)


[From january 2004 to June 2006]
As i wrote, my situation was not so serious and so in this period i haven't seen any doctor. However i was noticing that things was getting slowly worst..


[July 2006 ]
I start to see doctors (first urologists, and next endocrinologists). I do testicular ultrasound, prostate ultrasound, semen exams, urography: nothing strange is found. I also start doing a lot of blood tests, here are the firsts:

Prolactin 12.83 ng/mL -------- range of the laboratory (4.10 – 18.40)
Testosterone 3.28 ng/mL ------ range 2.84 – 7.99


[Semptember 2006]
An urologist prescribe me a testosterone replacement therapy with testogel 5 g a day. Unfortunately i've not the blood test of this period, but the results is that i felt no sexual improvements, nothing change.


[January 2007]
I try the broccoli treatment (http://www.prostatitis.org/broccaction.html). During the first two days on the treatment I have a Complete Recovery from all my problems (i can obtain an erection in only 10 seconds just thinking to something sexy and i can obtain a new erection only few minutes after the first orgasm). Since the 3rd day benefits slowly disappeared and broccoli treatmente became inefficent. These 2 days will be the only 2 days of complete recovery in all my story.

[Febbruary 2007]
I try DIM supplements (conteined in broccoli) but nothing change. Assuming an adrenal fatigue problem i also try l-Tyrosine l-Phenylalanine... with no improvements.


[March 2007:]
New blood tests:
Testosterone: 2,84 ng/ml ----------> range of th laboratory(2,41 - 8,27)
LH: 3,37 mU.I./ml ----------------> range (2,0 - 12 )
FSH: 3,43 mU.I./ml ----------------> range (1,7 - 12)
Cortisol: 243,8 ng/ml ---------------> range (50 - 250)
E2: 65,12 pg/ml ---------------> in a men must be <62> in a men must be <46>(5,6 – 40)
Cortisol level is high, so i do a dexamethasone suppression test, but my cortisol decreases correctly.


[June 2007] New blood tests:
FT4: 1,11 ng/dl --------------------- (0,70 - 1,70)
TSH: 1,89 mcUl/ml ------------------(0,25 - 5,00)
Cortisol: 260 ng/ml -----------------(50 - 250)
ACTH: 50,1 pg/ml -------------------(< 46)
Testosterone: 4,03 ng/ml--------------(2,41 - 8,27)


[July 2007]
I do a GNRH TEST, nothing strange is found (LH and FSH increase correctly).

[August 2007] New blood tests:
E2: 13.42 pg/mL -------- range (11.00 – 43.90)
Testosterone 2.96 ng/mL ------ range (2.84 – 7.99)

[October 2007]
My testosterone is still low, so another endo prescribes me a new teraphy (duration 3 month): 250 ml of Testoviron a month (by injection) + 10 mg of Nolvadex (tamoxifene) per day: during the teraphy i notice al lot of acne on my face and a big increase of energy and powerfull, but nothing change about sexual problems... not even a little increase in libido...nothing. Here are my exams 3 days after the last injection of testosterone:
E2: 68 pg/mL ------------------------------------------Range of the lab12 - 41)
Testosterone: 17,89 ng/mL --------------------------------(2.80 - 8)
Free Testosterone: 50.66 pg/mL -------------------------(8.69 - 54.69)
PSA: 1,57 ng/mL -----------------------------------------------(0 - 4)

Here my exams at the end of the therapy:
Testosterone: 3.67 ng/mL --------------- (range 2.80 – 8)
Free Testosterone: 14.95 pg/mL ---------(range 8.69 – 54.69)
E2: 27 pg/mL ------------------------------(range 12 – 41)

Finally, the exams a month after the end of the therapy:
Testosterone: 3.42 ng/mL --------------- (range 2.80 – 8)
Free Testosterone: 9.77 pg/mL ---------(range 8.69 – 54.69)
E2: 22 pg/mL ------------------------------(range 12 – 41)
aldosterone 188.1 pg/mL (range 70.0 - 350.0)


[15 March 2008]
Reading the recovery protocol of an user on the forum propeciahelp.com i start taking sustain alpha (http://store.*************.com/produ...ha-7-5-oz.html ) + diesel test hardcore (http://store.*************.com/produ...-120-tabs.html) in order to raise Testosterone production, results: after 10 day on this products my face is completely full of acne but i have no sexuals improvements, no change in libido. it's the same situation of trt + nolvadex therapy: acne, energy, very high testo but no change in libido or quality of the erection.

[31 March 2008] New blood test:
Free Testosterone: 9.90 pg/mL -----------------------------(8.69 - 54.69)
Diidrotestosterone (dht) 967 pg/mL -----------------------(155 - 533)
ACTH 42 pg/mL ---------------------------------------------------------(9 - 52)
Estrone 133 pMoli/L -------------------------------------------------- (37 - 370)
Glucose: 95 mg/dL -------------------- Range: (60 - 105)
cholesterol: 210 mg mg/dL --------------(125 - 200)
Albumin: 45.6 g/L --------------------- (35 - 50)
AST: 23 U/L ----------------------------(5 - 41)
ALT: 34 U/L ----------------------------(6 - 55)
Estradiol: 21 pg/mL -------------------(12 - 41)
FSH: 2.4 mU/mL -------------------------(1.4 - 18.1)
LH: 3.1 mU/mL -------------------------(1.7 - 8.6)
Total Testosterone: 2.67 ng/mL ---------(2.80 - 8.00)
SHBG: 22 nmoli/L -----------------------(13 - 71)
DHEAS: 2680 ng/mL ----------------------(800 - 5600)
Progesterone: 1.30 ng/mL ---------------(0.28 - 1.22)
Prolactin: 8.8 ng/mL ------------------(2.1 - 17.7)
PSA: 1.16 ng/mL ------------------------(0.0 - 4.0)
FT4: 0.95 ng/dL ------------------------(0.70 - 1.70)
TSH: 3.06 uU/mL ------------------------(0.25 - 5.00)
Cortisol 192 ng/mL --------------------(50 - 260)


[12 June 2008] New blood test:
Cholesterol: 222 mg/dL --------------(125 - 200)
Estradiol: 26 pg/mL -------------------(12 - 41)
FSH: 2.3 mU/mL -------------------------(1.4 - 18.1)
LH: 2.6 mU/mL -------------------------(1.7 - 8.6)
Testosterone: 2.54 ng/mL ---------------(2.80 - 8.00)
Free Testosterone: 8.1 pg/mL -----------------------------(8.69 - 54.69)
Progesterone: 1.20 ng/mL ---------------(0.28 - 1.22)
Prolactin: 7.6 ng/mL ------------------(2.1 - 17.7)
Cortisol 201 ng/mL --------------------(50 - 260)
Diidrotestosterone (dht) 261 pg/mL -----------------------(155 - 533)
ACTH 21 pg/mL ---------------------------------------------------------(9 - 52)

[26 June 2008] New blood test
Cholesterol: 196 mg/dL --------------(125 - 200)
Testosterone: 3.11 ng/mL ---------------(2.80 - 8.00)
Free Testosterone: 7.28 pg/mL -----------------------------(8.69 - 54.69)

[july 2008]
Magnetic Resonance at the brain: no problems at the hypothalamus and the pituitary