Low "T" anyone???

Firemedic54

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I have felt like absolute crap for the last few months, tired, moody, sad, emotional, depressed, no appetite, no libdo. I have been to the doctor had tests done, scans on this, scans on that. Finally Wednesday I asked for them to do lab work and check every box on the lab sheet to check vitamin levels, thyroid levels, testosterone, and anything else they could think of that might give me some answers. Friday I got the results and it seems part of my trouble may be low testosterone. My level was 198, my free testosterone was 4.5. I have already called my urologist and have an appointment for Monday morning I am 44. Anyone else delt with this and what are the treatment options?
 
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I have. I'm 33 and have Marfan's Syndrome (a genetic connective tissue disorder). I had many of the same symptoms. Started out with the injections but switched to the gel. Brand Androgel 1.62% is 10.00 with almost all insurances and their copay card. I'm now on the generic which is 15.00 because my insurance decided not to cover the brand anymore.
Oh well, 5.00 is a small price to pay. If you have any questions feel free to PM me, aside from being a patient, I'm also a CMA and I worked with a lot of low T patients, plus a pharmacy tech. I don't work in retail anymore though, I work in the hospital now.
ETA: They also make a patch but I don't know how effective it is.
 
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The commercials say today’s men don’t have the level of past generations ... why? Seriously is it the food ... medicines ... what? I know soy products cause estrogen levels to rise ... my family has really started watching for soy in foods ... just in case.
 
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I have felt like absolute crap for the last few months, tired, moody, sad, emotional, depressed, no appetite, no libdo. I have been to the doctor had tests done, scans on this, scans on that. Finally wedWednes I asked for them to do lab work and check every box on the lab sheet to check vitamin levels, thyroid levels, testosterone, and anything else they could think of that might give me some answers. Friday I got the results and it seems part of my trouble may be low testosterone. My level was 198, my free testosterone was 4.5. I have already called my urologist and have an appointment for Monday morning I am 44. Anyone else delt with this and what are the treatment options?

Been on the shots for 2 years. A shot every 14 days. After about the 3rd shot you wont feel the ups and downs. If your insurance wont cover it. GOOD RX will be your friend. A 10ml vial for me on goodrx is $36.

For god's sake dont switch to the gel. Supposedly it takes 36 hours to fully absorb. So you are actually washing 1/3 of it off.

Or that's what my urologist told me.

Pm with questions if you want or need
 
I take a shot at home, every two weeks. Alternate thighs.

1 ml per injection. After a few injections, you don't even feel the needle.

I use a 1.5" 25 ga needle.
Have you taken the shot with the muscle tensed by accident.

By day 3 you can barely move that leg it hurts so bad.
 
So how do you give the shot exactly. Do you have to just go under the skin or in the actual muscle? I've never done it I use the patches but have a hard time remembering and will go acouple days at a time without wearing it.
 
So how do you give the shot exactly. Do you have to just go under the skin or in the actual muscle? I've never done it I use the patches but have a hard time remembering and will go acouple days at a time without wearing it.
Yep sink that sucker an inch deep in the muscle.
 
So how do you give the shot exactly. Do you have to just go under the skin or in the actual muscle? I've never done it I use the patches but have a hard time remembering and will go acouple days at a time without wearing it.

Have you had good results with the patches?
 
Good Lord...bless y'all. Unless it's life and death, I aint stickin no needle nowhere on me. I'll sit still for a shot, but I aint doin it myself. I'll quit eating whatever I have to, eat more of whatever Doc tells me to...even if it is a cow patty and mud carp sandwich twelve times a week.
Guess the wife will do without pecker or learn to give a shot...
 
Due to my small kidney problem that passes all my albumin (free), I have low protein that sustains energy. I have even stopped shooting because my muscles shake when they get tired, and it doesn't take long. The fatigue is ridiculous....

My last trip to the Dr., I told him about this and that I need something to get going. We looked at T-Levels and I was about 407 in a Normal Range of 295 to 916. He suggested a compounded T-Creme made by a local pharmacist. I started 1 ML/200 mg a day, under the bicep every day. My test now reads 907.... and I can tell a difference... Big Difference.

No highs or lows.... my muscles have firmed up and I have lost fat without doing any exercise. My good cholesterol jumped from 25 to 45. I feel the amped up feeling and I can actually do something now... and to be a nice surprise my protein excretion has actually fallen. I definitely feel better.
 
Is all of this Prescription? Or are y'all getting stuff from GNC or similar?
 
I get pellets implanted under the skin Bout every 4 months. I tried the gels but they wouldnt get my level up enough and I would forget to use it sometimes. I really like the implants.
 
I really don't mind the shot, but I like the idea of a daily dose like the patch or gel. I am going to ask alot of questions tomorrow morning about the different choices. I have really been worrying about how I was feeling, I knew something wasn't right and I was getting frustrated about not having answers.
 
I find it frustrating at the very least and bordering on malpractice at the worst that doctors do not order the tests they should. I am almost 60 and I've had to ask for testosterone and thyroid blood tests. I got a lead test as well last year. Blood panels used to be comprehensive, they tested for everything including for traces of street drugs. Got a friend who retired from medicine and he blames it on Obama care and the insurance companies. But he blames everything on Obamacare and insurance companies. Glad you found whats ailing you. I go to the doc every 3 months and get blood work and they still haven't found whats causing my similar symptoms.
 
Been on the shots for 2 years. A shot every 14 days. After about the 3rd shot you wont feel the ups and downs. If your insurance wont cover it. GOOD RX will be your friend. A 10ml vial for me on goodrx is $36.

For god's sake dont switch to the gel. Supposedly it takes 36 hours to fully absorb. So you are actually washing 1/3 of it off.

Or that's what my urologist told me.

Pm with questions if you want or need


You got some fuzzy math there son. There are 24 hours in a day and 168 in a week. If you subtract the 36 from that you get 132. So if you put it on after your Saturday bath that means you can rub it on for 5.5 days and still be ok. LOL

Disclaimer: I had a ruff day yesterday ya gotta excuse me.
 
You got some fuzzy math there son. There are 24 hours in a day and 168 in a week. If you subtract the 36 from that you get 132. So if you put it on after your Saturday bath that means you can rub it on for 5.5 days and still be ok. LOL

Disclaimer: I had a ruff day yesterday ya gotta excuse me.
Well DAD. If you read the post. The gel takes 36 to absorb and if you knew what you were typing about. The gel is applied daily
 
My doctor gave me a prescription but since I was not in the "Under" area, my insurance did not pay for it. But the pharmacy he sent me to is a compounding pharmacy and Doc said that their T-Cream is better than the AndroGel by leaps and bounds.

AndroGel is like 400 a month insured, and way more if you are not insured. That is what I am told. I pay 65 bucks for a month of cream. That is not bad at all... and it works way better than anything else!
 
Been on the shots for 2 years. A shot every 14 days. After about the 3rd shot you wont feel the ups and downs. If your insurance wont cover it. GOOD RX will be your friend. A 10ml vial for me on goodrx is $36.

For god's sake dont switch to the gel. Supposedly it takes 36 hours to fully absorb. So you are actually washing 1/3 of it off.

Or that's what my urologist told me.

Pm with questions if you want or need


Tell me more about goodrx. I've been getting mine through Marley Pharmacy in greensboro but it's about 90.00 for 10 ml.
 
I do wonder about it from time to time...then I see the Frank Thomas commercials and wonder if it's worth a shot....
 
Screenshot_20190218-132600_GoodRx.jpg
Tell me more about goodrx. I've been getting mine through Marley Pharmacy in greensboro but it's about 90.00 for 10 ml.
Just download the app. Put In the med mg and ml then search.


Mine is like $36 for 10ml at publix.
 
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So after a visit to my urologist today, he wanted to redo the blood work my PCP did on Wednesday. I also have a history of prostate cancer and had surgery 2 years ago. He did not act like he wanted to start testosterone therapy because of my history. He said let him get the results and we would talk next week.
 
So after a visit to my urologist today, he wanted to redo the blood work my PCP did on Wednesday. I also have a history of prostate cancer and had surgery 2 years ago. He did not act like he wanted to start testosterone therapy because of my history. He said let him get the results and we would talk next week.
Are you overweight? Many people see their levels take a turn for the good once they drop some weight. Of course it is hard to do when you have low energy and feel depressed but it surely can't hurt.
 
According to the BMI I am supposed to weigh around 155, I am 5'5 185. Not fat, but I do have a little extra.
 
I have been dealing with Low T for many years.. tried many different things.

I was doing the injections for several years until my insurance switched and the cost increased prohibitively. I tried numerous dosing patterns and schedules, but all resulted in high and low swings.... I would feel good for a day or two and then slowly decline until the next injection. I did IM and SubQ (yes it can be done) injections, micro dosing (daily injections), was up to 400mg/wk at one point. Currently doing the gel daily and taking a T Booster. Here is my observations:

Take a hard look at your diet. Eliminate processesfood, junk foods, foods that deplete your T levels and eat foods that increase them. Avoid soy like the plague.

Regulate your sleep and cortisol levels. Working shift work for most of my life has caused 50% of my problem with weight and low T levels. Diet is the other 50%. I take ZMA daily and increase the dose when I am on nights.

If you are not exercising with any of the ways to increase your T levels, you are wasting money.

Most of the T supplements you can get don't increase your T levels, avoid any that have caffeine, horny goat weed, or their " proprietary blend" of whatever.
I've used Prime Male and Testogen and they both have worked well for me, however they are pricey.

Using the gel daily and taking 1/2 the recommended dose of Testogen daily, which seems to be working well for me, I don't have the highs and lows I did with the injections.
 
Please take my advice on this, I've been around the block and know a thing or two...Do NOT jump into topical or shots until you've tried less extreme methods and have proven they don't work. For starters, I'd pickup some:

ZMA (combination of zinc and magnesium aspartate and vitamin B6)
Ashwaghanda (herb)
Fenugreek (herb)

Eat high quality fats and cholesterol - whole eggs and avocado specifically

MDs love to put you on steroids unnecessarily. At the end of the day, ya, it's cheaper with insurance than herbal supps and eating right, but could prove to be just as or somewhat close to the benefits without shutting down your bodies natural testosterone production.

If it doesn't do the trick, then by all means, have a go with the Rx, but there is no reason not to try natural means other than laziness.

If you do need to go the Rx route, do the injections. Simple, easy and no mess. 1x/wk and fugghetaboutit. - highs and lows attributed with injections are usually due to doctors giving them once every two weeks. Testosterone Cypionate and Enanthate have a half life of two weeks.



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