fweed
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Cold shower will contract the veins and perhaps improve blood flow temporarily. Keep doing it. Have you been under any great stress lately, or in november?
Hi v4lu3s, thanks for your insight. As far as I know, I didn't have a varicocele beforehand, no symptoms and the testicle never felt unusual. One week after the shrinkage, I noticed a raised vein on the surface of the left testicle. At the time I thought it a positive sign, of blood flow. That was before I knew of varicoceles.If it is varicocele related it is due to an injury rather than the normal process of varicocele which takes typically 20 ish years to really make changes, and typically at that point you have clinically low testosterone. I think focusing on the varicocele aspect as a cause is probably not helping, and it should be looked at as a symptom of something else. Sudden shrinkage also won't be cause by a "normal" varicocele, but trauma is a more likely suspect.
What was the result of the MRI on the pituitary?
Good point. Also would add that, whether being on TRT or not, vitamin deficiency can affect the ratio of Testosterone:Estrogen and the amount of testosterone being taken up into the cell.Lyme disease, STDs and some other stuff can cause testicular shrinkage.
Testosterone levels fluctuate during the day being highest first thing in the morning (when you wake). Thyroid hormones, cortisol, estrogen (especially e2) and prolactin all can alter test levels.
Did you get E2 and PRL tested? If so, what were the results?Hi,
I've read through a lot of posts on here and other boards - looking for information.
In January this year (2015), I experienced a sudden loss of libido and extreme fatigue.
This happened within 24 hours (overnight). From being totally fine, healthy and full of lust for life, to nothing.
After a couple of days, I noticed my testicles had shrunk to 50% volume/total size.
I panicked, thought I had had testicular torsion, went to the hospital. No torsion, 'seemed healthy'.
Referred me to a urologist.
Since then, almost 9 months have passed. I've seen 6 urologists, an endocrinologist and several general doctors.
I have had:
- numerous manual examinations (including the valsalva maneuver)
- a scrotal ecography
- abdomenal ecography (kidneys and bladder),
- two blood tests for hormone levels
None have encountered this before - nor have any given a diagnosis or any kind of treatment whatsoever.
The scrotal ecography revealed a 'small' varicocele (4mm), a couple of 'small' hydroceles - all on the left testicle.
The abdomenal ecography was in around June, following 24 hours of 'a large quantity of blood in the urine'.
That showed nothing whatsoever in the bladder or kidneys.
No cause has been presented for the blood in the urine either.
I'm 35, physically fit, do not drink alcohol or caffeinated drinks, do not smoke or anything else. I have no other medical problems
and take no medication whatsoever.
My diet is balanced - and one week after the testicle shrinkage - I improved my diet further to include testosterone boosting
foods (more red meat, dairy, brasil nuts, walnuts, dark green vegetables, mushrooms and so on). None of these are eaten
in excess. It hasn't cured me - nor had any great effect that I can notice.
I can post my full bloodwork in a later reply, if anyone is interested.
Testosterone a month afterwards (in February) was around 670 ng/ml.
In the beginning of September, it was 890 ng/ml. The diet may have helped that, but when I questioned one doctor in particular
in July - he said my testosterone (given my fitness and age and so on) should be around 1,000.
The blood tests supposedly all fall within normal ranges - which really isn't helpful - as the doctors just tell me it is in my head
which is compounding my hopelessness.
The doctors have brushed me off, giving me a followup appointment 2 months down the line each time, last one was set for
3 months from that one (mid December). The endocrinologist was one of the worst - refuting that I had any real cause,
either physical or hormonal - saying "it is probably psychological".
I've had more pain above my left testicle since the beginning of July - which I suppose is from the varicocele.
From my guess, something burst or failed in the end of the January, very suddenly, my ball shrank and messed up my hormonal
system (adrenals/thyroid) in some way that is irreversible unless treated in the proper sequence.
My symptoms include: no morning erections, no spontaneous erections, not much sensation down there,
no sexual fantasies or even sexual dreams, no libido.
Along with that, a pain in the groin above my left testicle which lasts for almost all the day.
Some other things I have noticed which may be related. I have no real urge anymore to use the toilet, for liquids or solids. Nor do I have
any 'relief' or pleasurable feeling from doing so. I just feel 'full' or 'empty' afterwards. That's it. No great hunger or thirst either. I just
eat when I think I should have food.
The rest of my experiences and emotions feel almost completely flatline too - like I don't experience any pleasure from anything.
This could be my adrenals or thyroid or a combination.
At times, I can manually stimulate and a weak erection comes (not always) - it never reaches the full size.
If I stop manual stimulation, the erection almost immediately deflates - it doesn't last by itself.
Directly before this happened - I had morning erection almost every day, that would last 20-30 minutes by mild thoughts alone -
spontaneous erections throughout the day.
My arms and wrists seem smaller than before, I don't seem to be holding muscle as I was immediately before.
Over the months, I have been fighting off a depression that this thing is causing.
I really need some information and help on what to do next.
From what I have read, a good varicocele surgery - and one of the PCT restart therapies might fix me.
Most of the doctors have more or less laughed in my face, told me to relax and that it isn't serious.
Frankly it has ruined my life, I don't see any future continuing like this. I don't see how that can't be serious.
Thanks for reading, I'd appreciate any help.
So, as far as you're aware, your PRL is still significantly elevated? What medications, if any, do you take? Anti-depressants? Sleep aids? OTC allergy medicine? Anything and everything, tell me about it.Prolactin was very high for 3 weeks before (January 2015) and one week after the incident, but untested until 2 months later - due to the speed of the hospital system.
I realised this some months after. Nipple and chest area was extremely sensitive for weeks surrounding the incident. It dropped by half or more one week after the incident. 5 months after (July 2015), nipple sensitivity returned to normal. 2 months after it was slightly high:
Prolactin, ng/ml, range (4.04-15.2) - April 2015 - 17.6, September 2015 - 17.38, January 2016 - 18.34, February 2016 - 18.08.
Estrodial, pg/ml, range (11-55): September 2015 - 29.66, February 2016 - 31.24.
MRI scan of brain/pituitary didn't show a microadenoma.
A few more questions:I take no medications of any kind. In the past few years I've taken more or less nothing. A few months ago I took some ibuprofen for a few days. Never taken finasteride, or any other hormone affecting medication. No steroids. 5 years ago a few days of antibiotics.
They never checked DHT, though I requested it they said it wasn't relevant. SHBG once.
SHBG, ug/ml, range (not stated): January 2016 - 5.6 (within normals).
They never talked about optimal levels.
Some more prolactin tests were done, one was taken an hour after the first in February 2016 to try to eliminate it, first was 18, second was 12.
Then in march 2016 a reading was taken in the afternoon instead of morning, it came back as 10.04.
I don't know if morning levels have remained the same.
Another afternoon test in April 2016 came back as 6.82.
It could be the levels have decreased. If so, they stayed at 17/18 for a year.
I am not sure that prolactin is an answer, or a secondary sign.
I wondered if I had always had high prolactin, and similarly high testosterone as a counter.
Endrocrinologist, for any or all of the following: 24 hour GH secretion, serum IGF-1, insulin tolerance test, GHRH + arginine test, glucagon stimulation test. Bearing in mind that a "normal" test is still not conclusive, just as guys with a total testosterone of 351 certainly don't feel as well as guys with a total testosterone of 850. In your case, where you have nearly all of the psychological symptoms and many of the physical symptoms of GHD, I would recommend to a person in your situation that rhGH therapy should be commenced upon any test result below low-normal. GH will help tremendously with the repair of your brain, if GH deficiency is indeed the cause of your condition. There's a reason that all current treatments are pretty much worthless for PTSD -- none of them actually repair the damaged brain regions and structures, and the only structures (hypothalamus and pituitary) that are capable of repairing the overall brain damage are the ones that are the most seriously damaged. GH fixes this.I was under a great deal of stress at the time, emotional, work, lack of sleep too. Very interesting. I have some physical symptoms, which doctors discounted as 'not usually' causing this. Small varicocele and two spermatoceles on left side, and the latest urologist found a 'very small' inguinal hernia.
Which kind of specialist would you recommend me to bring your advice to? I have seen endocrinologists (3) and urologists (10) so far. Can I provide you with any more information?
I'm in the U.S.Spurfy, may I ask which country you are in - and could you recommend someone I could see about this? I am talking with a doctor where I am in Spain about your theory but it is not their speciality, though they are interested in helping solve it.
Thanks for the replies. I've read about the connection with varicoceles, and I agree with you about the effects, but the 8 or so urologists I've spoken to have mostly ignored that. They also tend to contradict one another too. I need to find a good one with appropriate experience.The connection with testosterone levels is quite simple, blood flow. Any body part needs adequate oxygenated blood flow to its job. Testosterone is produced when LH travels from the pituitary gland to the testes via the blood. Then the T that is produced in the testes must now travel out via blood vessels to the rest of the body. Hindering blood flow in either direction is obviously going to make it very difficult for them to do their job.