62yrs.old and Low T-"Normal" or not? - Men's Health Message Board

Mot1946 · 06-08-2008, 11:20 AM

At sixty two I have started to experience all the low T symptoms.
My free T is 6.9 (6.6-18 is normal). I have checked further and I do not have a pituitary problem , it seems to be in the testes. They simply aren't making enough T, I'm told.
I hate the symptoms, daily mild headache, muscle aches, insomnia, anxiety, depression, loss of muscle tone, and of course low sex drive etc. but should I medicate this "condition"?

Anyone my age or so out there with advice?

Thanks,
Mot

LALOV929 · 06-08-2008, 12:07 PM

If I learned that I had your free T number I'd sure without hesitation get
furthur testing done, at least LH, FSH, E2 and total T as well. I started
TRT ten months ago without even the benefit of any tests except total T,
free T, and SHBG. I was truly naive and just trusted my doctor but I'm
really glad I did and here's why:

1) During the first month all those symptoms you described faded away and
I was inspired to exercise and change my diet and enjoy some good sex.
And I'm more than a decade older than you. Unfortunately I have been on the same dosage the whole time and by the third month everything just flattened out and by the sixth I was going downhill...at which time my doctor was no longer available to me. Really a drag.

2) The eventual decline I experienced inspired me to begin studying and
researching the topic and I have learned a great deal. And thanks to
boards like this I know with certainty what kind of treatment is up to
date and how so many stone age physicians out there can really get
you into trouble. So I encourage you from my perspective to go forward
if you really want relief from those unnecessary and unpleasant symptoms.

Mot1946 · 06-08-2008, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LALOV929

If I learned that I had your free T number I'd sure without hesitation get
furthur testing done, at least LH, FSH, E2 and total T as well. I started
TRT ten months ago without even the benefit of any tests except total T,
free T, and SHBG. I was truly naive and just trusted my doctor but I'm
really glad I did and here's why:

1) During the first month all those symptoms you described faded away and
I was inspired to exercise and change my diet and enjoy some good sex.
And I'm more than a decade older than you. Unfortunately I have been on the same dosage the whole time and by the third month everything just flattened out and by the sixth I was going downhill...at which time my doctor was no longer available to me. Really a drag.

2) The eventual decline I experienced inspired me to begin studying and
researching the topic and I have learned a great deal. And thanks to
boards like this I know with certainty what kind of treatment is up to
date and how so many stone age physicians out there can really get
you into trouble. So I encourage you from my perspective to go forward
if you really want relief from those unnecessary and unpleasant symptoms.

So what kind of therapy did you end up doing, and what were the side effects if any? From my perusal of these boards it seems it is really difficult to find a doctor who understands this stuff. I am a little hesitant to just "dive in" with my GP at the helm, and go for the jell or shots.. I have a urologist who I could see, or perhaps find a endocrine specialist, but from what I have read ,many haven't benefitted from an endo.
Does it require a lot of monitoring with blood tests, etc.?

Thanks!
Mot

LALOV929 · 06-08-2008, 08:17 PM

I confess I'm not a good example of optimal therapy. I pretty well know
what I need to look for in professional help. But I have not as yet been
able to find it so I am struggling along with a new endo who is simply
continuing what my previous doctor started. Optimally I need someone
who will use regular blood testing to keep my androgens in balance. Not
just T supplementation as I am getting now but monitoring E2, FSH and
LH so as to keep my HPTA functioning and my free T up where it prevents
all the symptoms you described and E2 low enough not to aggravate my
BPH and other unpleasant effects. There have been a few such described
in past threads, but far too few. And far too distant.
If you manage to find a good one in your neck of the woods please let me
know as I would be willing to travel that far for skillful care.

Mot1946 · 06-08-2008, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LALOV929

I confess I'm not a good example of optimal therapy. I pretty well know
what I need to look for in professional help. But I have not as yet been
able to find it so I am struggling along with a new endo who is simply
continuing what my previous doctor started. Optimally I need someone
who will use regular blood testing to keep my androgens in balance. Not
just T supplementation as I am getting now but monitoring E2, FSH and
LH so as to keep my HPTA functioning and my free T up where it prevents
all the symptoms you described and E2 low enough not to aggravate my
BPH and other unpleasant effects. There have been a few such described
in past threads, but far too few. And far too distant.
If you manage to find a good one in your neck of the woods please let me
know as I would be willing to travel that far for skillful care.

Your post just underscores how difficult this whole T therapy is. All this fine tuning and then what about side effects down the road?
I am new at this search for an answer, but so far I don't hear anyone raving about T Therapy. Am I wrong?

How about a really strenuous exercise program?
Mot