Ever had your testosterone levels checked?

[W/In 1 Stand Dev]

Hi all,

I am going to meet with my urologist in about twelve hours. I had my testosterone levels checked a couple of months ago. The numbers the uro's office gave me were something in the low 300's. Sorry, I don't know what units those were in.

I actually had my testosterone checked back in 2008. My numbers then were a little higher but still in the 300's.

Back then...I guess you could say I was naive because I took it at face value that if those were too low or abnormal that the Doctor would have mentioned something about it right then and there.

Since the last test, I kinda wised up and did some internet sleuthing of my own. I found this link:

Male Normal Testosterone Levels - Average Ranges by Age in Men

I will be turning 39 in a few weeks . Looking at the table at the link for men in my age group of 35-44 year olds, the average testosterone is 668 with a standard deviation of 212.

So if that chart ....the second one....scroll down some...is in the same units as my testosterone levels, then I am more than 1.5 standard deviations out from normal/average. From my stats days, in a normal curve/distribution, plus or minus one standard deviation from the average encompasses about 65% of the population. That leaves 35% ....divide by two...gives 17.5%....

sooooo.....basically ...I am at the lowest 10% in testosterone levels.

The last time I communicated with my uro doctor she (yes a she!) said via email that she would rather meet in person at her office and that she would rather treat anything erectile dysfunction-wise with something like cialis or viagra.

So, to me, she seemed rather dismissive about any ideas of me going on a testosterone (replacement) therapy .

Again, looking back on my life, to me it seems that having low testosterone could account for a lot things ....not just any erectile dysfunction issues.

If she is equally dismissive at the appointment (in about 12 hours), I might just get a little ticked and at the least go get a second opinion from another urologist.

What do you think?

Is there anything I should say to my urologist to convince her to put me on testosterone?

Thanks!

 

[bronchoboy]

Hey guy,

I'm 26 and had a similar situation this Fall. My guy hasn't been performing the same the past 3 or 4 years. I just got married and it began doing some real psychological damage being a newlywed and not being able to keep it up sometimes.

so - I went to an Osteopathic Dr (just who was recommended to me - I'm not a health nut or anything). What I appreciated about him is that his goal was to keep me off of meds if at all possible.

My testosterone levels were very similar to yours and when I asked him about it he explained how going on testosterone replacement therapy can severely impact your body's ability/desire to create it's own testosterone. (Actually, now that I think about it, there's an episode of King of the Hill like this..)

For me it was my Vitamin D levels (specifically D3). They were significantly low (most American are low but I was way low) and he gave me some supplements for that. That was 8 weeks ago and my wife and I have talked about a noticeable improvement in my erections. He also encouraged me to take 2 weeks and cut out fried foods and get my recommended dose of fruits and veggies and I noticed I felt a lot better (but the holidays ruined that).

Your case is unique as was mine I am sure. But taking a boner pill for the rest of my life sounds expensive if there are no other alternatives (believe me I did fill a small prescription for the honey-moon just in case). I am currently checking into pumping to see what that has to offer. My erections are almost back to normal (at least not frustrating to maintain/achieve) but if I could make it better I would for my wife.

I hope that is helpful - if I could clarify anything just ask. Sorry it was so long but stuff like this usually needs full disclosure. Best of luck mate, please respond with what you decide. If you want I can post some specifics from my blood work from Oct. 2010.

 

[W/In 1 Stand Dev]

that was a good sixth post. thanks! I do appreciate any and all info.

luckily, for now, I have a girlfriend who doesn't seem to be that all into sex.

my regular doc....general practionep is actually a physician's assistant. he was really plugging vitamin D a few years ago, and he tried talking me into it. I wasn't really into what seemed like a hard sell at the time. then about two weeks later a report came on the local TV news about how most vitamin D blood testing was flawed.

getting back to the sex/girlfriend thing...I am reminded of one of those keychain wisdom things..."when sex is good, it's 10% of the relationship. when sex is bad, it takes up 90% of the relationship!"

lucky for my girlfriend, my tongue is still operable 100%.

she has an IUD.

which is a good thing because with my ED issues I could never get or keep a condom on.

 

[bronchoboy]

Interesting about the Vit. D. I'll have to check out more research on the subject. All I know is my erections have been significantly better since taking the stuff (surely no placebo effect.. haha).

Glad you have a magic tongue. Maybe you can share a few tips/tricks with a newlywed?

And I am with you 100% on the condom thing. I'm about to give pumping a try (in a few weeks) - If I have any notable success I will definitely share. I wouldn't go blow $200 on a professional system just yet but I hear you can get a decent set-up going for $50-60. And the research is there as far as helping with ED. Just a thought.

 

[bigjd69]

Better off seeing an Endocronologist if your test levels are low!

 

[starstruck]

I have been to many medical conferences where Vitamin D3 is encouraged. Most people have dangerously low doses of D3 due to not being out in the sun much and the use of sunscreens in the summer. Start to take it !!!!!!!!!!! Unless one lives near the equator, one probably has low Vitamin D levels.

Those who are overweight and/or with dark skin need it especially !! Dark skin prevents absorption from the sun. Being overweight, D3 gets absored into othe fat tissues and thus never gets where it is needed.

 

[Hardballin]

good post.. my doctor would not put through a testosterone test because he said i didnt need it, i have no problems but wanted to know what it was!

 

[onewatcher]

Better off seeing an Endocronologist if your test levels are low!

Absolutely correct. They are much better to deal with this issue. If on T replacement, you will need to see the Uro. for frequent PSA tests. Testosterone can cause a rise in PSA, unrelated to prostate cancer, or, if prostate cancer is prevalent in your family, may cause an early case in you.

I've been on replacement for two years, feel great, have great sex. Yes, it does inhibit your body from making it's own testosteron, hence some shrinkage of your testes.

Your endocronologist should moniter your testosterone regularly, as your body might begin producing it on it's own, or, the dosage of the testosterone might be too great. My levels on T are around 800. Without, it drops to below 100. My low T is caused by a small, benign tumor on my pituitary gland, they think. Or, it could be just a part of aging. yuk!!!
I give myself an injection once a week and so far, no probs! Message me if you want more info. I've really done a lot of research, and was also in the medical field for all my working life.

Drop your Urologist is SHE can't come up with anything better than a little blue pill.. Low T causes a host of problems for men, and is so ofter underdiagnosed! Best of luck!

 

[W/In 1 Stand Dev]

is it just me or does it seem like docs are just pill salesman in disguise???

argghh!!!

the urologist wants me to take cialis for daily use for the next month.

she also wants me to meet with the "vacuum equipment device" salesman next Monday.

in other words, the penis pump salesman.

I have to wonder what her kickback is on the penis pumps and the cialis.

my insurance will cover the cialis for daily use if she sends them a letter of medical necessity.

however, the penis pump is not covered.

I talked to her about the study I found, stating the averages and the standard deviaions.

her response was that "everbody is different". and then she said that she feared that since I haven't had kids yet that testosterone treatment would cause my sperm count to go down to zero. and if I went off the testosterone that might sperm count would NOT necessarily go back up.

I went ahead and called around to two endocrinologists yesterday. the soonest they could get me in would be March 28th....

jeeeeshhh ....(rolls eyes)

I set up an appointment with my general practioner for January 4th. I will talk to him about my testosterone issues. I will also talk to him about my vitamin D levels too. he was really gung ho about vitamin D a few years ago.

thanks for all the replies. I might just send you a PM.

 

[hjake26]

Absolutely correct. They are much better to deal with this issue. If on T replacement, you will need to see the Uro. for frequent PSA tests. Testosterone can cause a rise in PSA, unrelated to prostate cancer, or, if prostate cancer is prevalent in your family, may cause an early case in you.

I've been on replacement for two years, feel great, have great sex. Yes, it does inhibit your body from making it's own testosteron, hence some shrinkage of your testes.

Your endocronologist should moniter your testosterone regularly, as your body might begin producing it on it's own, or, the dosage of the testosterone might be too great. My levels on T are around 800. Without, it drops to below 100. My low T is caused by a small, benign tumor on my pituitary gland, they think. Or, it could be just a part of aging. yuk!!!
I give myself an injection once a week and so far, no probs! Message me if you want more info. I've really done a lot of research, and was also in the medical field for all my working life.

Drop your Urologist is SHE can't come up with anything better than a little blue pill.. Low T causes a host of problems for men, and is so ofter underdiagnosed! Best of luck!

I was DXd with low T a year ago at age 35! I get regular prostate exams for enlarged prostate. After a year of shots, I'm feeling great. My doctor wasn't quick to prescribe cialis or viagra. It's been a year and now I'm trying them both.

Good luck man!

 

[MoneyForNothing]

Outside of an operating theatre an M.D. is a salesperson.

Rule #1: Never consult and buy from the same person.

 

[W/In 1 Stand Dev]

^^^ Exactly!!

 

[Rikter8]

is it just me or does it seem like docs are just pill salesman in disguise???

the urologist wants me to take cialis for daily use for the next month.

she also wants me to meet with the "vacuum equipment device" salesman next Monday.

in other words, the penis pump salesman.

What kind of Quack doctor is this??!! Holy shit dude, you need to seek another opinion, pronto.
Yes - she sounds like a big time pill pusher. One too many freebies from the drug reps.
Cialis on a daily basis??? That doesn't sound safe at all!

 

[COMountainGuy]

I believe that I was told that my level was 950 when I was 22. It was considered "high."

There are pros and cons to everything in my opinion. Being middle aged, my levels have dropped a lot. Seems about right now.

High t-levels cause one helluva lot of problems for a lot of people.

 

[Big_Red]

Most information regarding androgens, both testing for them and their replacement, is highly faulty. First off, the only relevant measure for testosterone, is free testosterone- not SBHG (sex hormone binding globulin), or bound testosterone. According to the reference figures, that puts optimal values for free testosterone around 130 pg/ml, which I believe translates to 13 ng/dl in the link above. By "optimal", I mean the levels for a 25-30 year old man, which is what your levels should be. They should not be "good for your age"- but optimal for optimal health.

I recommend having a full hormonal assay via a saliva test, administered 4x in one day. All free levels should be tested, especially of testosterone, DHEA and estradiol. If your testosterone is low, it should be supplemented with bio-identical testosterone, taken transdermally, or sublingually (testosterone enanthate). 4 mg of test enanthate sublingually to deliver 3 mg of actual test into the blood, or 15 mg of test transdermally, to deliver the same 3 mg of test into the blood.

Natural, bio-identical testosterone in the correct dosage, taken the correct way, PREVENTS disease and staves off prostate cancer, depression and other things which are often associated with higher levels of testosterone, or its supplementation.

 

[D_Ernest Porknine]

I has suspected that I alwasy had a very high testosterone levels because A) when I was younger I was ALWAYS horny and B) I put on muscle mass quite easily.

Several years ago I noticed a drop in my test levels. My libidio was feeling low (for me) and I did not have the gains in the gym, etc. so I asked my doctor during my annual physical to have my test levels checked. I think normal range for my age was something like 250 to 750. Imagine my surprise when my levels cam back over 1,000!

They must have been 5,000 when I was in my 20's! And while my levels were above "normal" they were low for ME. My "normal" levels were obviously much higher than the "normal" person.

Since then my levels have dropped every year and I'm probably around 700 or so now. Again, probably higher than most but very low for ME.

Because my levels are so high above "normal" I probably cannot get TRT although I would like to because I would like to get back feeling like I did in my youth again.

Death is "normal" to someone who is older but it doesn't have to be so. Likewise, I should not have to suffer because my levels are above "normal" people but low for me.

 

[D_Aston Asstonne]

No need to,i can screw all night and still keep going.

 

[Riven650]

The endocrine system is complex and interacts with several other systems. Our bodies produce hormones in response to stimuli of several kinds. An obvious example is when something scares us, we get a massive rush of adrenalin which prepares us for 'flight or fight'. Our sex hormones are released in a similar way but are stimulated by seeing, smelling, or feeling something sexually stimulating. As we get older our hormones aren't released in such huge amounts (thank goodness) but we also become de-sensitised to stimuli that might have caused a rush of hormones when we were younger. In other words, when the novelty wears off, the usual sexual stimuli doesn't do it any more. But it's easy to overlook that factor and instead to think there's something wrong physically, when it might be that we just need some new stimulation.

But there's an added complication, which is that as soon as we think we might be losing our sexual powers, our worrying about it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy, and actually causes a worsening of the problem.

2 things I can think of should be tried before putting yourself in the hands of the medical profession:

1) Increase the amount of cardio exercise you get. The release of endorphins and the increase in overall fitness is very good for you, and will definitely help combat flagging sexual performance. You don't have to subscribe to an expensive gym. Just go for a good brisk 30+ minute walk (or swim) on a regular basis. You will like your body better, and the improved body self image will make you feel sexier too. It's a win-win. (However, it can flip into reverse, in that people who massively over-train can upset their hormones.)
2) Try taking your partner (or just yourself, if you're single) out to a night spot full of attractive people dancing and having a sexy time. The visual stimuli of the sexual body language plus an atmosphere full of pheromones will trigger your (and your partner's) sex hormones. We evolved to be social animals so this sort of thing needs doing reasonably regularly if we are to maintain our sex drives.

 

[MoneyForNothing]

My libido started very low and built up very slowly into my 20's. Assuming that testosterone is the only factor, I must have a very late peak age.

 

[Big_Red]

It's not that simple. Testosterone is not the only hormone that influences sex drive. DHEA, DHT, androsterone, androstenedione and androstanediol- the other 5 androgens- also influence sex drive. So you can technically be deficient in testosterone, yet still be horny as hell.

The same goes for muscle mass. Building muscle takes testosterone, growth hormone, insulin, IGF-1 and various vitamins and minerals. If your testosterone is deficient, you can still build muscle but it will be more difficult and losing fat may be a problem. Body composition remodeling is very difficult with a testosterone deficiency.

One other thing: it's impossible for a man to overproduce testosterone. Only a woman can overproduce it. And when a man supplements androgens (either synthetic steroids or bio-identicals), if too much is detected in the body, it will "aromatize" into estrone and estradiol. This causes secondary female characteristics, called gynecomastia, otherwise known as "gyno" or "bitch tits".

So your testosterone wasn't much higher than everyone else when you were younger- but your other androgens were higher than they are now, which is probably the reason why your sex drive was higher back then.

I has suspected that I alwasy had a very high testosterone levels because A) when I was younger I was ALWAYS horny and B) I put on muscle mass quite easily.

Several years ago I noticed a drop in my test levels. My libidio was feeling low (for me) and I did not have the gains in the gym, etc. so I asked my doctor during my annual physical to have my test levels checked. I think normal range for my age was something like 250 to 750. Imagine my surprise when my levels cam back over 1,000!

They must have been 5,000 when I was in my 20's! And while my levels were above "normal" they were low for ME. My "normal" levels were obviously much higher than the "normal" person.

Since then my levels have dropped every year and I'm probably around 700 or so now. Again, probably higher than most but very low for ME.

Because my levels are so high above "normal" I probably cannot get TRT although I would like to because I would like to get back feeling like I did in my youth again.

Death is "normal" to someone who is older but it doesn't have to be so. Likewise, I should not have to suffer because my levels are above "normal" people but low for me.