My Primary Care Doctor wants me off Test

[AustinMike]

I tried coming off during the holidays and my sex drive became zero. I also planted my butt on the sofa and couldn't move. I am 41y/o and my test level came back at 874. Nurse said that the top of the range for my age is below 800, so the doctor wants me to stop the test. It wasn't my family doctor that put me on the test. It was a men's clinic that specializes in HRT. I really don't want to stop the test. So what I have now are dueling doctors. I'm not sure what to do at this point.

[Trific]

What kinda guns are the docs packing?

I'd shootem both before I'd stop the test!

I'd be fine with the level if it was in range for a 20 year old.

[steroid.com 1]

Let me make this simple; you are HPTA suppressed and if you stop you will crash which is exactly what happened to you.

Unless you go on a re-start protocol the same thing is going to happen and it won't get any better.

Your Doctor doesn't know what he's doing...seriously, and he's going to hurt you.

Don't stop, just reduce your dosage to get into range.

What lab is this and what is the range.

Post your blood work if you have it.

Please, don't stop just reduce your dosage that's all you need to do.

[jomamma007]

labcorp ranges are somewhere around 350-1190 for total testosterone

[bullshark99]

I won't regurgitate what a 1000 members are gonna tell you but I'm curious on what basis-premise/diagnosis did he want you to stop on??? 800 is healthy , what does he want you, back at 200 LOL. Is he insinuating that 800 is not healthy? If so, down right scary, doctor huh? Are you presenting other issues or problems that you did not state?

[bullshark99]

Correction 874, still a fair amount below upper end.....(assuming LabCorp)

[steroid.com 1]

labcorp ranges are somewhere around 350-1190 for total testosterone

That's why I asked about the reference range and what lab. I never heard of the top of the reference range @ 800 ... but I don't know what this means.

The fact he just wants the OP to stop cold turkey without understanding the physiological/endocrinology effects suggests he has no idea what he is doing.

[Trific]

Just replace the family doc, you don't need an idiot directing your care...

[steroid.com 1]

If you are in Austin TX you should check out our sponsor for the right care. They have medical offices in various locations throughout TX.

I promise you, you will get the right care there!

[Times Roman]

General practioners generally know very little about hrt.

My GP ffreaked when I asked to go from 200mg eow to 100mg ew.

"We are not going to violate the standard kaiser protocol............."

.....my endo 100% agreed with me, contrary to the concerns of my GP.

[steroid.com 1]

General practioners generally know very little about hrt.

My GP ffreaked when I asked to go from 200mg eow to 100mg ew.

"We are not going to violate the standard kaiser protocol............."

.....my endo 100% agreed with me, contrary to the concerns of my GP.

Isn't it unbelievable that a institution like Kaiser doesn't take into consideration a drugs half life for something like this...it's elementary for God's sake!

[APIs]

I am 41y/o and my test level came back at 874. Nurse said that the top of the range for my age is below 800, so the doctor wants me to stop the test.

Jeez, since when is 874 too high @ 41? Everyone here would be dead by now, lols. You should ask them to show you the data to back up <800. Has anyone here actually seen recommended levels listed by age?

[Trific]

It would be nice to check the lab range for that 874 value but I'm guessing that sadly you might have been dialed in to a nice place to be and were doing just fine there.

[AustinMike]

I don't have the lab report, but I will get it. I got a call from the nurse today. My PCP is female, so I'm not sure that it's factoring in here. I have an appointment with my HRT doctor on Friday. When I spoke to their office to make the appointment, their person said that 874 is not high at all. I only take 150mg a week. The test has helped me drop about 30 pounds so far and has me itching to jump back into mixed martial arts, or Crossfit. I haven't decided which I want to add to my workouts. I'm leaning toward MMA. When I went off the test, just before the holidays, I did come off using a protocol I found here. I used clomid and tamoxifen (liquid). Even using that protocol, but sex drive was nonexistant. I don't want to feel like that again. I really feel fine. Before I started the test, I had started taking an antidepressant and I've been able to come off that medication with no problems. It leads me to believe that my problem was low test to begin with. I will get that lab report ASAP and post it all here.
Thanks to you all. I truly appreciate the support and confirmation.

[bigt405]

Just replace the family doc, you don't need an idiot directing your care...

This is good advice.....

[kelkel]

Did you catch that his doc's office said it's high "for his age group!" OMG. Run from this dinosaur and get proper care. Listen to GD above.

[fit2bOld]

Time for a new GP.

[AustinMike]

I have a copy of the lab report and it looks like there were two different labs involved. Austin Regional Clinic has a Male range for test of 189-726 (ng/dL), but get this. The age range for those lab values are 20-49yrs!!!

TSH is 1.47 uIU/mL 0.35-4.00
DHEA-SO4 185 ug/dl 80-560


CPL did the following tests
Estradiol 16.3 pg/mL
Estrone 7.3 pg/mL
Total Estrogens 23.6 pg/mL

Ranges for "Men 18yrs and older" Estrone (pg/ml) 9-36, Estradiol (pg/ml) 10-42, Total Estrogens (pg/ml) 19-69

I have some liquidex on hand, if you guys think the estrogens are too high. I didn't post all the CBC values either. One thing that struck me right away is that she didn't request a lipid panel. Between that and the range values, I won't be bringing up the test with this doctor again.

[MuscleInk]

Isn't it unbelievable that a institution like Kaiser doesn't take into consideration a drugs half life for something like this...it's elementary for God's sake!

Common sense isn't common.....even within the medical community.

Prior advice is the prudent plan, reduce, don't eliminate the therapy.

I'll look for BW in this thread. Curious about other hematological factors (lipids, hemoglobin, PSA, etc)

MuscleInk

[MuscleInk]

Jeez, since when is 874 too high @ 41? Everyone here would be dead by now, lols. You should ask them to show you the data to back up <800. Has anyone here actually seen recommended levels listed by age?

Many clinics in SoCal use 500-650nd/dl as a therapeutic target.

MuscleInk

[SEOINAGE]

So you have a clinic handling your trt, why would you listen to your other doctor in regards to this? Other problems arise? If I went to a normal doc for something else he would have to have a really good reason to bring me off test, and then I would refer to my trt doc as the guy is pretty smart before doing anything.

[lovbyts]

I don't even tell my gp that I'm on trt

[AustinMike]

I went to see my HRT doctor on Friday and he laughed when I told him that my family doctor wanted me off the T. He said that most doctors don't take time to read the literature and that I am far worse off by having T levels down in the 200-300 range. He said my estrogens were good too and I didn't need to take anything to block the aromatization. He was very happy with my levels.

[steroid.com 1]

^^^^NICE!!!

Do as your HRT Physician's says... you're in good hands!

[BuzzardMarinePumper]

This is very interesting and good info for ppl like me ! I have to read the BW for my GP and I final got an AI script and still scripted at 1 mL EOW I modified that to 140 mg per week .70 every 3.5 days and Ai Eod and HCG per Gd's Sticky at the top of the page on good supplements and getting diet better daily feeling good and will go for new BW 04-28-13 at GP he is a DA and I will just tell him the Test level went up due to adding the AI I have had a roller coaster due to a bad doc but one thing I noticed the OP state was he had lost 30 lbs ? I have roller coastered with weight and stablised at a heavy 258 lbs and do 4 sets of 20 and 2 muscle groups a day with 4 exercises per muscle group and now I am dropping weight at the rate of 2 lb a week and getting vascular and no side handles + even a flexor or 2 starting to show and I do 0 ab work. I must sayTRT has been a ride for me and I have made arrangements to get to lowtestosterone.com in May Finally !

I am 53 and have many limitations and it really makes me happy to see another find the correct path to health and well being through balanced Hormones. Kel has been on the money on everything he has suggested for me . All the little things do make a difference ! The support and info on this forum have saved my future I start a new job in 2 weeks and hope to come off of and stay off of disability !

Thanks guys for the open forum and all the answers ! I feel good and I am in the best health in 25 years !

I read more and learn huge amounts of info daily