JoshNyce
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Its been a while since I have posted, but I thought I would get input from the Anabolic Minds community prior to my next Dr.'s visit. Its been a long 2 years since I started TRT with little to no results from my primary care physician. I decided to bite the monetary bullet and bring in Dr. Crisler, who is very well known on this forum as the "go-to" Dr. for testosterone/hormone related male issues. Basically, here is my background info and my question/concerns for you all:
2 years ago, my initial bloodwork showed that I my total testosterone was in the 640's (not bad/not great) and my free testosterone was a hair under the normal range. Dhea was within range and all other hormone panels were in range as well. I was experiencing some libido issues and all of the other symptoms you would see from someone experiencing low test including major stress from work and other outside factors. My primary Dr. decided to put me on androgel for 2 months after my total free was a hair out of range. I felt a little better on the gel towards the end of the treatment, but after just a few weeks I began to feel even worse. A few months later I drew a lab with an endocrinologist and my total testosterone dropped to 520, everything else was in range according to him. The endocrinologist said that these values were not bad for someone who was placed on TRT and advised that actually being administered Androgel could have suppressed my own natural testosterone. He didn't agree on my primary physician putting me on the androgel in the first place. He did little to help me and said that I was "normal". Since then I have seen a steady decline in total testosterone since then. During this 2 year period, my primary Dr. has had me on and off Androgel a total of 3 times. Its sad to say, but now my total test has consistently seen a slide since then. My Dhea is also out of range as well.
I decided to bring in Dr. Crisler as many of the board members trust in his opinions/knowledge. Dr. Crisler was able to identify severe adrenal fatigue to be a one of the many issues, something that my primary care physician failed to see. He has since decided to put me on hydrocortisone so my adrenals could heal.
My questions to you all is if I was indeed in the mid 600 range and was stressed out all the time, could it have been identified earlier as just severe adrenal fatigue? I have read that experiencing adrenal fatigue can lead to some of the symptoms I was experiencing before; mainly a decreased libido/feeling tired all the time/foul mood, etc. From what I have read Dhea is also related to the adrenals as well. Maybe putting me on androgel and not actually addressing the adrenals was the incorrect thing to do?
Dr. Crisler has now decided to start me on a weekly test cyp injection to get my testosterone in range along with the hydrocortisone to heal my adrenals. My main concern is that we may be suppressing my natural production of testosterone and not actually aiding it with the new regimen. I know my testosterone is already low, but the absolute last thing I want to do is to rely on testosterone shots my entire life. Since I was producing ‘ok’ but not great levels of testosterone prior to all the androgel treatments my primary put me on, maybe the androgel treatments she suggested actually suppressed me more than they actually helped me?
I know you guys are not Dr's, but what other treatments would you guys suggest? Do you think Dr. Crisler is correct for putting me on the test cyp shots? Wouldn't this also kill my own natural production? What is his thinking behind this treatment? I would appreciate the advice. Thanks to all.
-J-
2 years ago, my initial bloodwork showed that I my total testosterone was in the 640's (not bad/not great) and my free testosterone was a hair under the normal range. Dhea was within range and all other hormone panels were in range as well. I was experiencing some libido issues and all of the other symptoms you would see from someone experiencing low test including major stress from work and other outside factors. My primary Dr. decided to put me on androgel for 2 months after my total free was a hair out of range. I felt a little better on the gel towards the end of the treatment, but after just a few weeks I began to feel even worse. A few months later I drew a lab with an endocrinologist and my total testosterone dropped to 520, everything else was in range according to him. The endocrinologist said that these values were not bad for someone who was placed on TRT and advised that actually being administered Androgel could have suppressed my own natural testosterone. He didn't agree on my primary physician putting me on the androgel in the first place. He did little to help me and said that I was "normal". Since then I have seen a steady decline in total testosterone since then. During this 2 year period, my primary Dr. has had me on and off Androgel a total of 3 times. Its sad to say, but now my total test has consistently seen a slide since then. My Dhea is also out of range as well.
I decided to bring in Dr. Crisler as many of the board members trust in his opinions/knowledge. Dr. Crisler was able to identify severe adrenal fatigue to be a one of the many issues, something that my primary care physician failed to see. He has since decided to put me on hydrocortisone so my adrenals could heal.
My questions to you all is if I was indeed in the mid 600 range and was stressed out all the time, could it have been identified earlier as just severe adrenal fatigue? I have read that experiencing adrenal fatigue can lead to some of the symptoms I was experiencing before; mainly a decreased libido/feeling tired all the time/foul mood, etc. From what I have read Dhea is also related to the adrenals as well. Maybe putting me on androgel and not actually addressing the adrenals was the incorrect thing to do?
Dr. Crisler has now decided to start me on a weekly test cyp injection to get my testosterone in range along with the hydrocortisone to heal my adrenals. My main concern is that we may be suppressing my natural production of testosterone and not actually aiding it with the new regimen. I know my testosterone is already low, but the absolute last thing I want to do is to rely on testosterone shots my entire life. Since I was producing ‘ok’ but not great levels of testosterone prior to all the androgel treatments my primary put me on, maybe the androgel treatments she suggested actually suppressed me more than they actually helped me?
I know you guys are not Dr's, but what other treatments would you guys suggest? Do you think Dr. Crisler is correct for putting me on the test cyp shots? Wouldn't this also kill my own natural production? What is his thinking behind this treatment? I would appreciate the advice. Thanks to all.
-J-