I am about to turn 36 and I’ve finally confronted the classic low-t symptoms I’ve been battling. I honestly think that it has been a lifelong issue - I think that I was so malnourished in my teens and early 20’s that puberty didn’t fully happen. I’ve got somewhat of a beard, and I’ve fathered a child, but I still look like a skinny 18 year old kid.
I lifted in high school and college then took a few years off. I started training again around 30, and have had a good diet for the past 3-4 years. I’ve tried all the basics of eating right, sleeping right and trying to raise T the natural way.
In February I got bloods drawn hoping that they would come back normal but the test confirmed what I had suspected.
Total T - 294 ng/dl (241-827 range)
Free T - 44 pg/ml (47-244)
Albumin - 5.0 g/dL (3.5 - 5.1)
SHBG - 46.3 nmol/L (17.3 - 65.8)
TSH - 1.54 mIU/L (0.28 - 4.1)
Didn’t get and E #’s
My GP said that “he wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot pole” and that I should never “open that can of worms” as there is too great a risk of cancer, heart disease, and a bunch of other scare tactics.
I went back recently for a physical and demanded a referral to an endocrinologist. Finally got that referral, it’s about 8 weeks away.
I have a couple questions I’m looking for feed back on:
1 - the test was completed at 2pm, I woke up at 4:30am that day and worked an 8 hour shift. Should I expect a dramatically higher number at the next test, assuming it is at 8am?
2 - could these numbers be a fluke, and the next test show that I’m normal?
3 - the wife wants me to resume self medicating with test boosters and dermacrine. If I do this to alleviate symptoms, could I potentially risk temporarily raising my T out of the treatment zone? Should be just try to ride it out for the next few weeks?
4 - will I regret going on TRT at 36?
5 - could this be a self inflicted issue due to my poor eating habits early on?
I lifted in high school and college then took a few years off. I started training again around 30, and have had a good diet for the past 3-4 years. I’ve tried all the basics of eating right, sleeping right and trying to raise T the natural way.
In February I got bloods drawn hoping that they would come back normal but the test confirmed what I had suspected.
Total T - 294 ng/dl (241-827 range)
Free T - 44 pg/ml (47-244)
Albumin - 5.0 g/dL (3.5 - 5.1)
SHBG - 46.3 nmol/L (17.3 - 65.8)
TSH - 1.54 mIU/L (0.28 - 4.1)
Didn’t get and E #’s
My GP said that “he wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot pole” and that I should never “open that can of worms” as there is too great a risk of cancer, heart disease, and a bunch of other scare tactics.
I went back recently for a physical and demanded a referral to an endocrinologist. Finally got that referral, it’s about 8 weeks away.
I have a couple questions I’m looking for feed back on:
1 - the test was completed at 2pm, I woke up at 4:30am that day and worked an 8 hour shift. Should I expect a dramatically higher number at the next test, assuming it is at 8am?
2 - could these numbers be a fluke, and the next test show that I’m normal?
3 - the wife wants me to resume self medicating with test boosters and dermacrine. If I do this to alleviate symptoms, could I potentially risk temporarily raising my T out of the treatment zone? Should be just try to ride it out for the next few weeks?
4 - will I regret going on TRT at 36?
5 - could this be a self inflicted issue due to my poor eating habits early on?