I have been diagnosed with Andropause by 789

Thanks Dude, it’s your post and I am stealing info from you. Good luck to you also.

For a more accurate reading schedule your blood draw in the morning when testosterone is highest.

I guess you might’ve not checked out that link I sent you but I would HIGHLY recommend that you do. I am a member and have out of whack hormones as a result of a prescription drug. Before you start TRT I implore you to go on that board and give your story. You might not even need TRT, it’s possible that you could kickstart your system with HCG and clomid. 43 is pretty young to be doing TRT. I don’t like to pester, but I I REALLY REALLY REALLY think you should check this out before you make any huge decisions with your life. Why don’t you post yoru story,and do some more research first.

Pm me if you need any other help

Tr84

tommy,

I signed up for the group yesterday afternoon after I read your thread. I started reading some of the posts but didnt feel comfortable posting just yet. I didnt want to come across with a question like “does masturbation effect gains” and have everyone jump all over me for not using the search button and reading more.

I sincerely appreciate the advice though.

789

I have the same symptoms!

Went through the same routines, went to the regular doctors, none knew what was going on or how to change it until I found an andrologist, which is a urologist that specializes in male reproductive endocrinology and fertility. They know this stuff. They’ve seen it before and when I finally found one he went through all my symptoms without me telling him!

Be prepared to be a pin cushion! It’s all about blood levels. My doctor believes, as do I, that the acceptable range for “normal” testosterone is way too broad. “Low-normal” should not be deemed an acceptable level.

What he put me on was Clomid! Clomid is almost always used by women trying to up their fertility but rather than replace testosterone from an artificial source and thus causing your pituitary to shutdown your testes to compensate (thus causing atrophy), Clomid stimulates the pituitary to tell the testes to up testosterone production. Check it out. Some guys do well on it, others don’t, but it can help.

Definitely check out the Hypogonadism2 group at Yahoo. Awesome bunch of guys but I have to tell you. This problem requires a ton of research to understand how to manage it and very, very few doctors short of andrologists and some endocrinologists know how to treat it effectively. You will need to search for just the right doctor and be prepared to travel to find one. You will also need to know what all your numbers mean and be sure to get estradiol numbers too. Most doctors won’t test for this. You have to push them to do so. Few labs can do “free T” tests either.

Finding the right doctor and educating yourself is key to successful treatment. Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals and be sure to grill potential doctors about their knowledge of secondary hypotrophic hypogonadism. If you can find an andrologist (they’re rarer than drag queens at a Bush family reunion), then go. It’s worth it.

Are you still taking Propecia? Mental fog and tiredness can sometimes come along with it. It’s all anyone bitches up on hair loss sites.

The Yahoo group finasteride_side_effects is dedicated to problems from that drug. I didn’t care for all the registration BS. They make you state a reason for joining. Too many hoops for me. I’ve never taken propecia. I only wanted to check out the archives and see what problems guys were having.

789,

You said “Same exercise and diet and yet I put on 30 lbs in no time at all”…

With all due respect, if you have been exercising and eating right, but are a 200# flub, then it sounds
like you need to up the intensity. Your body has adjusted to the exertion you put it through, and no
longer needed to adapt. Call it a “plateau”. Your routine is not longer stimulating your body.

Mix things up, up the intensity. Mind over matter… and squats.

BFLR

The man obviously knows what he is doing in the gym! Sorry if I offended anyone else.

789,
Say it aint so brother!
I feel so bad for you my friend. Especially with all the other crap you have gone through in the last year.

I think S&G is on the right path, no doubt, but I think you will need to look at your diet/exercise/lifestyle/STRESS equation. Ive recently ordered a book called Natural Hormone Enhancement by Rob Faigin and from the information I can gleen from others it may be a big help to you also. Its aimed wholey and soley at increasing levels of good hormones and suppresing levels of other hormones.

Heres a post from a 59 y/o guy at bb.com who has used it for a while and has added muscle and dropped bf while on the diet. Reports feeling much, much better.

“Here are the hormones and their properties that NHE works to influence:

Growth Hormone, anabolic, pro immunity, anti-aging. Enhancement is the goal.

Testosterone, anabolic, lipolytic (fat burning), anti-aging. Enhancement is the goal.

Inuslin, anabolic, liponenic. (fat storing) This is a two edged sword. You want to optimize this hormone. The goal is to take advantage of the anabolic effects and suppress the lipogenic (fat stroring) effects.

Glucagon, catabolic, lipolytic. This is a two edge sword. You want to optimize this hormone. The goal is to take advantage of the lipolytic (fat burning) effects and suppress the catabolic effects.

Cortisol, Catabolic, indirectly lipogenic, anti-immunity, pro aging. Suppression of this hormone is the goal.

Source: Rob Faigin”

I expect it to arrive any day now. Once I have a read of it ( and the million and one references to scientific literature supporting all his claims), Ill let you know.

Good luck buddy.

Jason,

Thanks for the heads up. I will be looking at all my options and learning as much as I can about this problem. As I have stated before, I dont want to stay on drugs forever, but if I have to I want to make sure that I am taking the right ones with the right doses. I will tell you quite honestly, I dont like being consumed with dealing with doctors, doctors visits, referrals. I have had two doctors visits a week for the last couple of weeks and I am already over it. I know I have a long row to hoe but I lose patience fairly quickly when it comes to being bouned around. That being said, I fully understand that I have to know my options better than the doctors do in order to get fully treated.

789

I read the same thing and would have taken myself off the Propecia for a month if my testosterone levels werent so low. I have been on Propecia for over a year and a half and had no complaints.

I will try today. hobby, you have given me a number of good leads and advice. I honestly cant tell you how much I appreciate it.

I honestly couldn’t increase my time or intensity I have been so tired. Even my buddies at the gym were changing my routine regularly. You know when you work out with people for months or even years and they see major body changes they try to help you out.

I will be re-working my routine over the next week or so. I usually never do legs because I am short and already have muscular legs from being on the treadmill for almost an hour a day, but I am going to start doing legs and changing my cardio some also. I hate squats and the death walk but I am going to do them.

Drew,

Boy is that interesting reading. I am going to get the book also as I think in the next decade or so this will be the area where people look to alter their aging cycles and lose weight.

Thanks buddy,
789