ChemotherapyRadiation did me in

Anecdotal evidence from a low testosterone support group. (ala "I was diagnosed with depression, but turns out my testosterone was low". and many others chiming in and saying the same thing happened to them. Doctors assumed it was depression. )

Yes there is a link between low testosterone and depression.

Harvard Gazette: Testosterone drives away the blues

Low testosterone can trigger male depression
Atlanta Business Chronicle - by Tom Barry
Low testosterone can trigger male depression - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Again Aceuz I do not want to argue with you. I lived through this, and I have done plenty of research on the effects of low testosterone.

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Now as to symptoms of depression in men being similar to symptoms of low testosterone, here you go:

Depression in Men Symptoms:

http://www.meng … n.com/symptoms/

Feeling guilty, worthless, or that you always fail
Feeling restless and/or irritable
Having no energy
Problems sleeping (not sleeping or sleeping too much)
Feeling angry or violent
Feeling like you can’t work or get things done
Using alcohol or drugs to feel better
Sexual inability
Losing interest in hobbies, work, and/or sex
Having problems focusing, remembering, or making choices
Missing work, class, or appointments
Not caring about anything or feeling “blank”
Always feeling sad or nervous
Changes in appetite and/or weight
Working too much
Feeling alone
Being negative about everything
Thinking about death or suicide

Compare that list to the ADAM test list, see the overlap:

1. Have you had a decrease in libido (sex drive)? Yes No
2. Have you had a lack of energy? Yes No
3. Have you had a decrease in strength and/or endurance? Yes No
4. Have you lost height? Yes No
5. Have you noticed a decreased "enjoyment of life"? Yes No
6. Are you sad and/or grumpy? Yes No
7. Are your erections less strong? Yes No
8. Have you noticed a recent deterioration in your ability to play sports? Yes No
9. Are you falling asleep after dinner? Yes No
10. Has there been a recent deterioration in your work performance?

sta-kool, those were the EXACT symptoms that I had about 2 1/2 years ago. My primary care physician immediately ordered a blood test for testosterone levels and found mine to be low (270 mg/dl, I think).

I started taking the monthly shot and my symptoms cleared up within a month! I’ve been fine ever since. AFAIK, my testicles never shrank, but I am losing a little hair.

Glad to hear you are going so well!

Yeah, keep posting. You could also start a progress report thread, people tend to be supportive here.

I don’t think you’ll find big problems with the newbie routine.

Thanks for the info sta-kool, I’m no expert.. I’m just quite interested as I was on antidepressants, though no longer. This is the first time I have heard of a testosterone and depression linked. How did you go about increasing testosterone or are you still suffering?

Aceuz - I was on testim gel for about a year before I took myself off of it - I’ll probably be back on it again after the results I just got - it’s a prescription- a small tube of gel rubbed into your shoulder each morning - very easy. Looking forward to hearing what my new urologist has to say in a few weeks. I know there are injections as well but not sure I’m interested in that. We’ll see.

Aceuz - my basic story is that I thought I was experiencing very severe work burnout.

At some point, I was trying to lose some fat, so I was reading a men’s fitness and health forum my trainer recommended to me. They had a section for men who had low testosterone, I started reading through it and began to recognize myself in what I was reading. So I asked my family doctor to do a blood test, and it came back very very low. He referred me to an endocrinologist and I was diagnosed with secondary testicular failure.

The doc put me on Androgel, which is similar to to rglassva’s Testim. To make a long story short, my skin is such that I really did not absorb it well. We tried another method, a buccal patch called Striant. This was a tiny little pill sized patch that I put on my gums above my teeth in the morning. Same thing I could not absorb it. I could not get my testosterone up to a normal level at all.

(basically when you start treatment they test frequently to see if your body is responding. If it isn’t they either up the dosage or switch to a different medication/method of delivery)

So we went to a testosterone injection. I split my weekly dose in half, injecting twice a week (and the injection is no big deal - doesn’t hurt, easy enough to do). It took several month to get back to feeling normal.

My current doc is an urologist, he is terrific.

So latest blood tests confirmed - low testosterone - 211 in December, 223 in January - PCP started me on androgel this week. Said it would take 4-6 to start noticing any real results. Now waiting for appointment. With urologist for doppler ultrasound to see if e.d. Issues can be better addressed - pumping 3-4 times a week - haven’t started exercises yet but hope to. This cold weather isn’t helping - shrinkage factor and all!

If you are like me, first thing you will notice is night and morning wood. That was maybe a week in. Then libido. You will experience a big spike in libido. As in “I must singlehandedly repopulate the earth”. That will calm down to more of a normal level, doesn’t last long. But it is a fun feeling while it lasts.

It does take a while for the tissues of the rest of the body to get re-saturated with testosterone. For me several months before I felt like myself again.

Be sure to get your labs done in a few weeks to make sure you are absorbing the androgel. (Your doctor probably already set that up with you)

Good luck with the ultrasound. Keep us posted