My Story (Full HRT Required)

lovehack

New member
Awards
0
Hey Guys, for the past two and a half years I have endured what can only be described as a living hell. After getting a varicocele due to weight training, my left testicle atrophied and I ended up going down hill very fast.

My right testicle was undescened as a child, but brought down soon after birth. However I believe due to this my right testicle never fully matured into full adult size. The left testicle appeared to be almost three times the size of the right one before the left side varicocele.

During the period after getting the varicocele, I watched my total testosterone, free testosterone, estridol, thyroid hormone (TSH) and various other hormones all make marked changes. I was lucky enough to have bloodwork done before I ended up in this situation, which might paint a better picture for anyone investigating my story.

Here is some background about me:

Background:

Age: 25
Nationality: British
Height: 6ft
Weight: 66kgs

Symptoms:

Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
Erectile Dysfunction
Intermittent Perineal Discomfort (Muscular)
Intermittent Bladder Discomfort (Muscular)
Testicular Atrophy
Abnormal Tight Scrotum
Reduced Penile Sensation (Lack Of Feeling)
Penis Loose / Unsupported At Base (Connective Tissue / Muscular)
Frequent Urination
Loss of Spontaneous Erections
Mild Urinary Incontinence
Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage and wrinkled feeling)
Emotional Blunting
Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
Lack of Motivation
'Zombie' Like Fatigue / Tiredness
Penis Feels "disconnected" from head / body
Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
Mild Anxiety
Mild Depression
Fatigue / Lack Of Energy
Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems / Constipation
Dry / Pale Skin
Itcy / Irritated Skin (on hair / sweat populated areas)
Mild Paranoia
Social Anxiety / Lack of Confidence
Hands / Feet Sweating (high norepinephrine symptom)
Body Odour (high norepinephrine symptom)
Anxious / Irrititable
Skin Thinning
Joint Clicking
Lowered body temperature / decreased metabolism
Cold Hands / Feet
Lack of blood flow to the penis (when when flaccid)
Inability to hold water (low estridol)
No upper body muscle definitation
Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
Depressed / Suicidal Thoughts
Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
Muscle Weakness / Softness
No Muscular Definition
Low Amount Of Body Hair
Trouble pursuing goals / objectives.
Sleep irregularities.
Rapid mood modulation (Depressed to happy within hours)
Inability to focus on long-term goals, putting things off.

I appear to have symptoms of high norepinephrine, high progestersone, low estridol, low thyroid hormone, low free testosterone and low cortisol. All of which appears to match up when comparing previous blood and saliva tests. My DHEA, Progesterone, DHT were all high on saliva tests and my cortisol and thyroid hormone levels were low.

My progesterone was very high (way over the range) on tests and I need to lower this somehow. DHT was within the normal range.

Strangly, I appear to have symptoms of high DHT with very fast growing hair on my head, normal beard growth and no prostate problems.

I will compile and post full blood work tomorrow. I am not getting support from doctors, which I believe is due to my age and not wanting the responsability of treating someone like myself.

When I was first diagnosed with low testosterone I ran Androgel at two packets a day for 5/6 weeks. I noticed no improvements in my symptoms, though I believe my libido was increased slightly. I then discovered androgel wasn't absorbing correctly and had in fact lowered my total and free testosterone levels further than before. I went onto 125mg of test-e weekly for again 4/5 weeks and it only made me feel worse. The ED was in fact worse than before, though I felt slight improvement in my mindset and mood.

It appears that my problem isn't testosterone related, but more likely thyroid.

24/08/06 (Before varicocele - no symptoms)

TSH: 0.63 [0.35 - 5.5mu/l)
FREE T4: 15.8 (9 - 24 pmol/l)
Total T: 24.3 nmol/l (9.4 – 60.0)



14/11/06 (Few months after varicocele)

Total T: 15.2 nmol/l (14 – 40)
SHBG: 26.0 nmol/l (20 – 45)
Free Androgen Index: 58% (70 – 100)
Calculated Free Testosterone: 356.7 pmol/l (300 – 600)
FSH: 2.7 iu/l (0.7 – 6)
LH: 3.9 iu/l (0.8 – 6)
Estridol: 73 pmol/l (55 – 184)
TSH: 1.9 iu/l (0.4 – 5.5)
PSA: 0.2 ng/ml (0.2 – 4)
Free PSA: 0.2 ng/ml (0.1 – 2)
PSA ratio: 1.1 (0.09 – 0.5)



21.11.2006 (After Varicocele)

Total T: 14.0 nmol (no ranges available)


23.12.2006 (No Hormone Replacement Therapy):

Total T: 20.9 nmol/l (10 – 36.0)
SHBG: 20 nmol/l (6 – 45)
Free Androgen Index 104.5 (36 – 156)
LH: 3.9 U/L (2.0 – 8.6)
FSH: 2.2 U/L (1.0 – 4.5)
Prolactin : 169 Mu/L (0 – 400)


08.04.2007 (Saliva Testing Only)

Adrenal Stress Index (Units - nM):

7am - 8am: 4 : Normal Range (13 - 24)
11am - noon: 5 Normal Range (5 - 10)
4pm - 5pm: 1 Normal Range (3 - 8)
11pm - midnight 3 Normal Range (1 - 4)

Cortisol burden: 13 Normal Range (23 - 42)

DHEA: 6 Normal Range (3 - 10ng/ml)

17-OH Progesterone: 27 Normal Range (22 - 130pg/ml)

TSH: 110 Normal Range (20 - 120nIU/ml)
T4: 0.33 Normal Range (0.17 - 0.42ng/dl)
T3: 0.34 Normal Range (0.21 - 1.10 pg/ml)

DHT: 47 Normal Range (22 - 123 pg/ml)
E2/Estridol: 12 (1 - 3 pg/ml)
FSH: 85 (<125 uIU/ml)
LH: 88 (10 - 25 Uiu/ML)
Progesterone 265 (5 - 95 pg/ml)
Free Testosterone: 10 (15 - 135 pg/ml)


11/02/08
TSH 1.21 [0.35 - 5.5mu/l)
Free T4: 13.4 (9 - 24 pmol/l)
Total T3: 1.5 (0.9 - 2.8 nnmol/l)
Cholesterol: 4.5 (mmol/l - no range)


All blood and saliva work done to date. Please comment.
 

shyguava

New member
Awards
0
I find it amazing...but not surprising - that doctors dont want to treat you due to your age. 25??? They dont seem to want to treat anyone. To my mind most Endo's, Uro's etc are probably the most useless species on the planet. I am adopting the attitude with them that they look at the data. Then I tell them what I want that data to read (Free T etc). If they cant put forward a plan (this is first consultation) on how to improve that then they are sacked. First consultation = last.

Good luck though mate. Keep us updated with your progress. Its always good to see someone battling the medical system (you'd think they would want to help but oh no...they have to turn it into YOU vs THEM) to get to where they need to be.
 

axa0176

New member
Awards
0
Hi lovehack,

Did all your thyroid problems occur AFTER you got a varicocele?
In other words, you suffered nothing until that varicocele came along?

I have similar issues with virtually all my hormones too and I have been giving some serious thought to whether or not it was due to my varicocele , even though most people say the varicocele shouldn't affect those types of things.

I'm kinda in the same boat, having been on and still thyroid meds etc. I'd be happy to offer suggestions.

Hope to hear from ya.
 

lovehack

New member
Awards
0
Thanks for the replies guys.

The situation is beyond a joke with doctors to be honest. After reading this board it appears everyone is pretty much on the same though.

My biggest issue is finding a lab (In Spain) that will allow me todo my own blood work. I can't seem to find one anywhere. I am really in a bad situation right now with all of this and don't have a clue where to turn.

In theory, I would consider the following protocol:

2x 125mg Test E weekly (250mg total weekly)
HCG at 500iu twice weekly
Levothyroxine
HC
DHEA

My goal would be to get rid of all these symptoms, build some muscle definition, restore libido/ED, etc.

axa0176, all this happened after I got the varicocele. I would be lying to say I didn't feel tired at times before, but i put this down to bad diet. I had an 'over-active' libido and zero ED problems before the varicocele.

Can you give me a breakdown of your situation? Did the HCG work to restore your testicles back to there former size? What thyroid protocol are you using?
 
JanSz

JanSz

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
Thanks for the replies guys.

The situation is beyond a joke with doctors to be honest. After reading this board it appears everyone is pretty much on the same though.

My biggest issue is finding a lab (In Spain) that will allow me todo my own blood work. I can't seem to find one anywhere. I am really in a bad situation right now with all of this and don't have a clue where to turn.

In theory, I would consider the following protocol:

2x 125mg Test E weekly (250mg total weekly)
HCG at 500iu twice weekly
Levothyroxine
HC
DHEA

My goal would be to get rid of all these symptoms, build some muscle definition, restore libido/ED, etc.

axa0176, all this happened after I got the varicocele. I would be lying to say I didn't feel tired at times before, but i put this down to bad diet. I had an 'over-active' libido and zero ED problems before the varicocele.

Can you give me a breakdown of your situation? Did the HCG work to restore your testicles back to there former size? What thyroid protocol are you using?
With out blood tests you have little chance of success.
Specially with your libido/erections.
There are laboratories that sell tests.

Do not waste money on (general) saliva testing.
saliva only for cortisol, DHEA maybe.
-----------------------------------------------
You posted:
2x 125mg Test E weekly (250mg total weekly)
HCG at 500iu twice weekly
Levothyroxine
HC
DHEA
-----------------------------------------------
Without available blood tests it is still worth to do best you can.
Assuming you go without tests;

Right testicle dominant, damaged by varicocele
Left testicle newer fully functional.

Reduce Test-e to 175mg/week
assume Test-e 200mg/mL
Use EOD schedule, each T-shot 0.25cc=25units on insuline syringe.
Use 31Ga 5/16" long insuline syringe, 3/10cc

Use 250iu HCG on EOD schedule, on days between T-shots

Unresolved E2-estrodial question.
Observe nightly erections and nipple itching.
Assume nipple itching/discomfort= too high E2
Assume strong nightly erections=correct E2
Assume High or low E2 results in no nightly erections.
use 1/2 pill of 20mg Cialis EOD to make sure that you get nightly erections when due.
Assume using Liquidex, 0.2cc measured with insuline syringe with totally cut off needle.
When nipples start itching, start Liquidex EOD on day of T-shot.
When nghtly erections start showing up, keep dosing Liquidex.
When nightly erection are real hard, stop using Liquidex.
Also stop using Liquidex when you missed the high quality nightly erections.
With outh blood (E2-ultrasensitive) ,you are basically working jo-jo, between very high and very low E2. But that is the best you can do.
--------------------
DHEA use 50mg morning and another 50mg evening
--------------------
Levothyroxine
HC

Here saliva test may help.
Do 4 point cortisol and DHEA

Use 25mg HC/day
10mg/7AM
5mg/11AM
5mg/3PM
5mg/6PM
You can do this 25mg HC/day even without testing.
If it makes you feel better you may go to 30mg/day but no more. (10+10+5+5)


Do not use Levothyroxine, high probability of being useless.
Many people cant do T4-->T3 conversion
Be on HC for at lest a month then start with Armour Thyroid.
Maximum Armour dose 2Grains/day (1.5 morning, 0.5 3PM)
Ramp up Armour slowly.
It should take you at least a month to get to 2Grains
Watch body temp and pulse
goal 36.6C
do not increase Armour dose if resting body pulse is more than (80-85bpm)
If (80-85bpm) persist for over one month, reduce (slightly) Armour Thyroid.
------------------------------------------------------

Without testing you can do also the following

Stop eating sugar, potatos and anything made of flour (bread, pasta, cerials, pizza, everything).

stop anything that have hydrogynated fats,
stop anything with high-fructose

Replace above with green vegetables, preferably juiced, 30% fiber back in.

Lots of variety of nuts.

EPA/DHA specially if similar to Flameout, it have extra large portion of DHA

Prebiotics
probiotics
enzymes
Betaine-HCL
-------------------------------------------------

Going this way, other that erections, you shoud have 75% results that you would get with blood tests.

You should see improvement here:

Mild Depression
Fatigue / Lack Of Energy
Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems / Constipation
Lowered body temperature / decreased metabolism
Cold Hands / Feet
---------------------------

Depressed / Suicidal Thoughts

For relief on this I had to wait over 6 months,
but it was really worth it.
Some people report improvement sooner than that.
Often this (or big part of it) is related to low testosterone.
---------------------------

Good luck bro!
.
.
 

axa0176

New member
Awards
0
lovehack,

I've just been diagnosed with a varicocele but for the last 5-8 years I've noticed a lot of hormonal imbalance: fluctuating mood, fatigue, increasingly less libido, low Testosterone, sleepy, sluggish thyroid.

I'm starting to wonder if an undiagnosed varicocele has been causing this fluctuation....maybe the varicocele has been there even pre-pubertal..who knows.

Anyways, currently I'm on 250 iU HCG everyday and about 1 mg anastrozole to regulate E2. I have noticed some testicular size increase but have also seen the varicocele more pronounced....before that my testicles were atrophied....they still aren't massive but I have noticed size increase.

As for the T-levels, they are still relatively low for taking all that HCG....but I'm seriously looking into surgery to remove the varicocele and pray to God that things normalize....that's why I was interested in your theory about the varicocele causing hormonal hell.

As for the thyroid, I was taking levothroid (T4) for some time, but then I came across a book called 'What your Doctor may not be telling you about hypothyroidism' by Dr. Kenneth Blanchard where he argued that some amount of T3 is necessary in a lot of people who have problems converting T4 into the more bioactive T3. So, I am currently taking T4 along with a time-released compounded formula of T2, T3, T4. It worked much better than the T4 alone. I think Armour is the better way to go than just T4 alone like levothroid or levoxyl.
 

Similar threads


Top