Question for Dante, Homon,J. Meadows and other knowledgeable guys regarding TRT

[cac3071]

^^^^
This agreed in the T replacement forum, I've picked up quite a bit there and u have also posted several medical literatures for others to print off and take with them to their doctors, and posted my experiences with some to be honest very inexperienced doctors that have the authority to prescribe TRT, but Don't understand the whole physiology behind TRT. It's major learning curve.

Maldorf heres one of many links of Vitamin D,

High vitamin D level = high testosterone level

Thank you Stewie. I really arrpeciate the info. I take Vitamin D from True Protien and my PCP actually had that tested as part of my "I feel like crap" symptoms so I am good there. Also Thyroid test were all normal. Good news is I have incredible lipid panel. Thanks John Meadows and Massive G!

 

[Stewie]

Hey No problem low T symptoms suck, for Your sake lets hope Its Not a tumor, my guess its Not? As your producing T, but here again I'm Not a doctor.
Good luck

Thank you Stewie. I really arrpeciate the info. I take Vitamin D from True Protien and my PCP actually had that tested as part of my "I feel like crap" symptoms so I am good there. Also Thyroid test were all normal. Good news is I have incredible lipid panel. Thanks John Meadows and Massive G!

 

[dragonfire101]

Keeping DHEA and cortisol in balance are important in maintaining the immune system function.

DHEA deficiency may be from poor adrenal function, which is why I have been stating adrenal insufficiency should be part of PCT for years. DHEA is made and then secreted by the adrenals.

I would look for articles by John Crisler respected HRT doctor in the field and on these boards.

See his explanation of DHEA use and backfilling in clinical practice.

John Crisler

When you administer TRT, DHEA levels go down. We see this every day in clinical practice. Therefore, when treating primary hypogonadism, we are simulataneously inducing secondary hypogonadism. Since DHEA (and the other metabolites along the way) are all important, it is therefore important to add it back in--properly.

This is the rationale behind "backfilling" the hormonal pathways: to best create a "normal" distribution of hormones while manipulating same (why HCG and PREG should also be supplemented).

 

[emeric delczeg]

I don’t post here much (mostly because I don’t have much to add from a BB POV) but I do read allot and enjoy the maturity of the guys here. I am a 33 year old corporate manager with a wife and kids and recently started to feel “off”. I had little energy to train, play with the kids and just didn’t seem to enjoy life like I usually do. I also noticed I was shaving less and results in the gym were non-existent.

So I went to my PCP and told him I wanted blood work done including testosterone. He calls me the next morning and says everything is normal but my test is low (110 total/41 free) and he wants to get me into an endocrinologist ASAP. I have never used gear due to the fact that my wife is a physician and I would never want questions raised about how they were obtained so past AAS use is not the cause.

I will probably have an MRI done to rule out a pituitary tumor but what questions should I be asking and what are the next steps for a guy in my situation? Should I push for injections over the patches? Do I need an anti-E? Just not real knowledgeable about this area and any advice in terms of questions to ask and what to expect would be greatly appreciated.

Lastly, thank you to DC, Homon, JM and the other vets here for open and mature discussion. Allot of guys here are 30+ years old and as you know life looks much different at 30 with a career and family then it does at 21 when getting to class at noon and training are you first priorities. I never would have known to have this checked had I not spent time reading some great posts here at PM.

Thanks guys

If you never used hormones than first lat see the MRI result, if you don`t have any tumor than I would try first a natural way and if the natural way don`t help than go for testosteron treatment, probably you have adrenal insufficiency, your adrenal cortex need to be regulated to a normal output.

 

[BigJB]

If you never used hormones than first lat see the MRI result, if you don`t have any tumor than I would try first a natural way and if the natural way don`t help than go for testosteron treatment, probably you have adrenal insufficiency, your adrenal cortex need to be regulated to a normal output.

cac, listen to Emeric.

 

[cac3071]

If you never used hormones than first lat see the MRI result, if you don`t have any tumor than I would try first a natural way and if the natural way don`t help than go for testosteron treatment, probably you have adrenal insufficiency, your adrenal cortex need to be regulated to a normal output.

Thank you and already looking into how to fix defficientcies first.
I am not excited about going on TRT or looking at it as legal gear. I am 33 and past the point in my life where I want to get bigger. I just want that enthusiasm for life and work back that I used to have.

Again this mature response is why I posted here. I am looking at this from a man with a family POV not a "wow legal test paid for by Blue Cross/Blue Sheild" POV

 

[kid1dakota]

100% agree. My wife is an MD so i don't buy into the whole doctors don't know what they are talking about stuff. My wife could talk circles around 99%of the guys you see posting on message boards who feel they are experts because they know some medical jargon.

I am not one of the individuals you preferred or requested an answer from but...

I am only a chiropractor but I did go to D.O. school and took the pharmacology courses(2 at that school).I am also on prescribed HRT myself.

I was pretty excited when we got do the endocrine or hormonal section.I was disappointed in how little we covered and how basic it was.However with that being said the knowledge you obtain in all other areas of your education puts you in a postion to do a little self research or some continuing education and understand the pharmacology ,effects and reactions of AAS way above and beyond that of a lay person.

So bottomline in my opinion,seek out a practictioner that has taken interest in this area and been educated.I would be hesitant to give a blanket statement recommending an endocrinologist or urolologist as they all are so different in treatment protocals and therapies.In some cases a family practictioner or internist that has made this his/her niche is the best although tough to find.

 

[testoboost]

My wife is an OB/GYN so unless you need a C-section you probably wouldn't need to discuss anything with her LOL! Agreed that many of the big dogs here have real world experience and I think that info coupled with "medical" info puts me in a good spot to be as informed as possible. The vets here have been around the block and do their own investigation which is why I love PM.

And I agree that unless an MD specifically learns about HRT they will not be an expert in it. For example my wife has no idea what the Endo will want to do. How would she? That isn't her expertise. However, she knows a hell of allot more detail about the endocrine system then Hyopthalamus stimulates pituitary to release LH and FSH. That is great but what other downstream issues does this create? That to me is where the Endo is invaluable. Most guys only see it as my test is low I need testosterone ASAP. Yes that it is true but if you father and brother had prostate cancer at 40 or you uncles all dies at 40 from heart attacks then we make slow down and think this through.

And this is just another example of how information has changed over the years. Because of cancer in my family and yes, prostate I was very determined to do what I could to prevent it. My engineering logical mind did not buy the too much test and you get prostate cancer argument. Doing as much research as I could turns out there is no definitive connection between the two. Then I read a New England Journal of Medicine article, January 2005, that says too little test is a major concern for the growth of prostate cancer which logically would make sense why older men get prostate cancer. I have been on trt for many years now and every once in a while bump it up for a cycle. I am 50yo and my psa has never gone over 2 and the sonograms and finger test are all good. Now my brother who is very active in working out, is 54 and not on test is having problems. His psa started to rise in his late 40's and has had a biopsy and found some cancerous cells. He is keeping an eye on it.