Got the results back. Low testo levels. What to do?

Renholder,how are things going?

Im eating Tortilla chips right now,muhaha they taste good and you get all horny afterwards :D

Thanks for asking, C. phantasy:)

I tried the tortilla chips and while tasting very good and all (always loved them), I unfortunately did not experience anything in regards to libido:(

I`ve been doing some research on my own since last we spoke and I have learned a thing or two about high ferritin levels.

My first test showed ferritin levels of 340, with the upper reference range being 250. When I talked to my doctor about this and expressed my concerns, he told me that they never “did anything” unless it was close to 500.

According to my other sources (doctors), if ferritin reach levels close to 500, there could already be damage to internal organs due to iron toxicity.

I was told by my doctor to wait 6 months to take a new test, but since I`ve been feeling like shit lately (periodically at least, I have great days as well but low libido overall) I showed up personally and demanded a new blood test at the lab.

So it turns out that my new lab test shows that my ferritin levels now are at 405. In other words, they are rising.

This could possibly be hemachromatosis. It would explain my low energy levels, tiredness, lack of erections and morning erections, etc.

It could also explain my low levels of particularly LH and FSH. Perhaps iron poisoning is affecting my adrenals, etc.

I don`t know if any damage would be reversable though.

The cure for hemachromatosis is very simple: draw blood several times a year.

I`ll keep you guys posted.

Best regards,

Renholder

Guys,

I got a test for hemochromatosis and it was negative. Transferrin saturation were 33% and serum iron was within the normal range. But, ferritin had risen even further. Last test shows 450. My doc says it is normal and he does not seem interested in doing anything about it.

Regarding my condition:

- Libido is definitely better than when I first started this thread.
- My penis is more plump during the day and not shriveling up like when I first wrote here.
- Erection quality is still not 100%. I have had sex with a few girls (yay!) in the last month, but was not able to get a 100% erection. My desire was not very strong either, even though I enjoyed it.
- Rarely morning erections.
- Some joint pain at times, but nothing that worries me. Just feel it should be mentioned.
- I typically feel strong fatigue and ache in my body, especially upon awakening. Very tired even though sleeping 8-9 hours. Even when just working at my desk, I need to use willpower to keep me seated and not laying down in bed some days.
- I have noticed that there seems to be a pattern to my fatigue: in the evening, I often start to feel very energized, the fatigue seems to dissipate and I`m much more focused/motivated. Often weights/cardio induce this as well, even though I may really dread doing the training in the first place due to lack of energy. For example, last week I had an appointment with a friend to go hiking. I felt literally sick and hoped he cancelled, but he didn`t. When I started moving I eventually started feeling great and we even broke our old record in terms of performance.
- On the other hand, some days the fatigue seem to persist all day. Also, I have experienced longer periods, like a week, where the fatigue seemed to be completely away.

Since last I posted I have been back working full-time. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but I was typically very fatigued when I came home even though the work was not very physically demanding. Going out with my friends seemed like a chore and as a consequence I often stayed home on fridays. I`m in between jobs at the moment, so I`m more aware of the fatigue I guess.

I did remain higher on calories with plenty of fats, red meat, eggs, etc, for a while, but it did not seem to help except for a slight boost in the beginning.

I tried the a supplement called Catuaba (muira puama, maca, catuaba, tribulus, etc) , and while I think it had some effect, it was not very significant.

I started on Mucuna Pruriens, but was not feeling very good that week. It may have been a coincidence, but I decided to quit. May try again later.

I have now decided to try out some new supplements. The first being the fouintan of youth combo, recommended by Dino. Thanks!

The combo consists of Acetyl-L-Carnitine 500mg and L-Ornithine 500mg. Taken before bedtime, a few hours away from the last meal of the day.

I`m also going to order Tongkat Ali and Maca. Everything from Iherb (excellent service, prices and speed of shipping).

What do you guys think?

I`m curious if my condition simply can be explained by the fact that my testosterone is in the lower range (which I would accept and try to treat naturally), or if the high ferritin levels actually are a problem and may be causing my lack of energy and fatigue, and also affecting libido.

Regards,

Elijah

Hey Renholder,

Do you partake in Ganga Mon? If so, you might want to quit and see alot of your problems go away. It affects everyone differently, and you have some of the classic side effects.

What is that? Weed? Marihuana?:)

If so, no:) I have tried it briefly in the past, but I quit smoking cold turkey when I was 18 and have not touched it since. Now I`m 25.

Last week I did something called a PSMF - protein sparing modified fast. Basically, it is a diet with a significant calorie deficit and only protein. No fats except a tablespoon of essential fatty acids every day. It is an extreme diet and not conducive for high testosterone, but I just wanted to do one week to rid some fat.

The strange thing was that this week my libido was actually above average and I usually had a plump penis all the time and a tendency to get erections several times per day. According to the theory, I should have experienced the opposite!

I`m curious if it could indicate that I have any food intolerances since my food intake that week pretty much was limited to chicken, red meat, broccoli, fat-free cottage cheese and protein shakes.

Some things have happened here since the last time I wrote.

Ferritin kept rising through 2009 and by the end of the year I measured 490. I eventually got to see a specialist after lots of back and forth, but since my ferritin dropped fast after my first phlebotomy (red cross) she said that I did not have hemochromatosis. I got a second opinion from another expert in Norway per email and he confirmed her diagnosis.

On the other hand, I have an expert from the Iron Overload Ass. in the USA, who is confident that I have hemachromatosis and that I need treatment. It should be said about hemachromatosis that it is a fairly complex disease that is not easily diagnosed and many Norwegian family doctors barely knows what it is. Perhaps he knows more than the Norwegians or perhaps he is biased? He did send me some good research though. I have talked with some Americans who got diagnosed with lower ferritin levels than I have now, so I guess everything is possible.

Regarding my health, I have definitely improved. When I started this thread, I felt so tired and weak that it literally was a big effort just to write the content. This extreme fatigue and extreme level of low energy did go away eventually and I have seen some improvement in sexual function (I was basically at zero), but there still is lots to improve.

I am 25 years old and should be in my prime, but I am feeling tired and my body feels “old”. It is kind of similar to the fatigue you have after working out or having done some physical demanding work, except that I have it for no reason. I have not worked out in 2-3 weeks now, so I have now had a chance to see that that is not what is causing it.

I am now working as a carpenter, so that could be exhausting, but my work has not been that demanding lately and since I did feel even worse when I was a student and well-rested, I suspect that it still is the same problem beneath the surface.

High ferritin can also be an indicator of an inflammatory condition in the body, but I have never gotten a clear answer from my doctors whether this can be an option. My CRP tests have been normal, so I thought this negated that condition, but I have never learned for sure. I will do some research tonight.

Renholder, joint pain, low libido and fatigue are all symptoms of hemochromatosis, as you probably know. I have the gene for it, so I am aware, and scheduled for some blood work to test. Interesting that it came up negative. I am not aware of how difficult it is to diagnose. Good luck.

Hey.

Good to hear that you are being monitored.

Yes, it is difficult to diagnose because the condition has so many different faces so to speak. The gene test only tests for the three most known mutations, while there are found over 40 genes that could cause problems with iron metabolism. Thus, the gene test can only confirm hemachromatosis, not negate it.

Also, there have been people with only slight elevations in ferritin and transferrin saturation, but who still have been diagnosed with hemachromatosis because their liver biopsy showed iron saturation there.

New measurements show that my ferritin has once again risen and is slightly above 300. No words from my doctor though.

I am quite confident that this means that I`m either loading iron or that there are something else going on with my body.

If I were rich, I would have flown over to the USA and seen the best doctor money could buy ;)

Any other ideas? Any online doctors in the USA which provide medical counseling?