Tesosterone

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  • testicles001
    Registered User
    • Sep 2016
    • 35

    Tesosterone

    Hi,

    I had oritechtomy and I am on surveillance now. I was feeling very fatigued so I had 3 blood tests to confirm that my testosterone was 8. After several research i've seen that this is the same as a 100 year old guy so I spoke to an endocrinologist and he confirmed that I need an MRI of the pituitary gland as this sends the LH and FSH hormones to testicle to produce testosterone so if something is not working well from brain downwards to testicle this should be investigated. He agreed instead of waiting for an MRI in May for brain, that we should start testo treatment as I am feeling depressed, fatigued, no sex drive etc. I am 34 yeard old.

    My questions are:

    1) Does anyone had also low testo in my age group ?

    2) What tests doctors performed and they manage to find out the real reasons why low testo ?

    3) Which testo treatment do you suggest ?

    4) Any sideeffects such as baldness or infertility ? I wish to have children later on in life and heard that testo can make you infertile.

    Your advise is greatly appreciated.

    Thanks all for your responses in advance !
  • Davepet
    Registered User
    • Mar 2010
    • 4459

    #2
    Fist off, what are your current levels of FSH & LH? If they are normal or high, there is no point in looking at the pituitary. LH shoukld be high with T levels that low..

    1- Pretty sure we have a few memebers in your age group that are on TRT.
    2- LH & FSH levels are usually checked.
    3- I had my best luck with the generic form of Androgel, I'm now on injections ( due to insurance) & find that is more convenient than daily application.
    4- No baldness. Yes some guys become temporarily infertile during tretment because having ample amounts of T in the bloodstream shuts down the feedback mechanism to signal sperm production, this is normally reversable by stopping TRT.

    Dave
    Jan, 1975: Right I/O, followed by RPLND
    Dec, 2009: Left I/O, followed by 3xBEP

    Comment

    • testicles001
      Registered User
      • Sep 2016
      • 35

      #3
      Thanks Dave. All hormones are normal range except TRT which is pretty much low for my age , at reading 8nmol/l or 231ng/dl

      Comment

      • Davepet
        Registered User
        • Mar 2010
        • 4459

        #4
        . Than, I wouldn't expect anything to show up in the pituitary MRI, this looks like primary hypogonadism. Your remaining guy just isn't producing enough. How long ago was your I/O? If it was very recent, you might want to wait & see if it picks up the slack.

        Dave
        Last edited by Davepet; 02-27-17, 02:58 AM.
        Jan, 1975: Right I/O, followed by RPLND
        Dec, 2009: Left I/O, followed by 3xBEP

        Comment

        • Joe.shupe22
          Registered User
          • Nov 2016
          • 169

          #5
          I had my i/o in november, checked T level and itnwas at 279. Im feeling like zombie, zero sex drive, fatigue, even had a few hot flashes, low mood, lots of mood swings and high overall irritability. Oncologist, urologist and primary doctor are all in agreement that if my second blood test is low we will start testosterone treatment right away. One thing my oncologist pointed out is to really pay attentoion to how you feel as you start replacement therapy. Some men feel great at 400, others might feel better at 900. It really is an indiviual thing. I have only had a total testosterone blood test. Im curious, what are the other blood tests that should be taken? I will ask my doctor on monday about them.

          As for treatment I will be trying the gel first
          11/16- Pain/lump in R testicle 11/16- US finds multiple masses 11/16- Right I/O path multifocal largest nodule 2.1cm 100% EC with LVI/rete testis invasion. 12/16- Ct/markers normal stage 1b 12/16- Ct/markers normal 1/17- rplnd pN1 2 nodes 1.8/1.4 cm EC Stage IIA 2/20 ct/markers clear! 3/1/17 started androgel for low T 4/27/17 Relapsed. Multiple lymph nodes in mesentary and few nodes in retriperitoneum. Start 3x bep. Ct after 2nd cycle revealed all masses already resolved! Continue last cycle! 6/26/17 Finished 3x bep!

          Comment

          • Trekga
            Registered User
            • Jan 2017
            • 882

            #6
            i'm hoping they figure out what works as far supplemental T.
            1) My son is 17 years old
            2) No tests yet, wondering if I should have his T levels done when he is finished chem?
            3) n/a
            4) I had no idea that supplemental T impacts fertility even more- ugh, well my son did NOT bank sperm so probably decreased fertility anyway or already infertile.
            Son Grant
            dx 12/21/16 at age 17

            BEP x3
            Post Chemo CT Scan on 3/28/17 still showed a few nodes over 2 cm
            2nd Post Chemo CT Scan on 4/27/17 showed all nodes still over 2cm
            Post Chemo RPLND 5/8/17: Periaortic Teratoma, Intraaorticaval Teratoma, and Paracaval Teratoma found.

            Comment

            • roybatty
              Registered User
              • Feb 2013
              • 158

              #7
              You did have a sperm test before your surgery and treatment ? Just a suggestion but if you got one left - bank some sperm. Its cheap to do so and good emotional insurance.
              "More human than human is our motto...."

              Comment

              • testicles001
                Registered User
                • Sep 2016
                • 35

                #8
                I read that better take HCG together with testo

                Comment

                • unotesticulo
                  Registered User
                  • Jan 2017
                  • 109

                  #9
                  If you're on surveillance, you should think twice before starting taking HCG. After all, that's one of the tumor markers they check for. Your oncologist will get the blood tests back and think you have cancer and start you on chemo. I also have low T (262 ng/dl tested a few weeks back). My urologist says that it happens after orchiectomy sometimes. Hopefully it'll resolve on its own in a few months. He said it can take up to a year after orchiectomy for the T levels to get back to normal. Of course some guys need T treatments, but most don't. Either way, be careful before taking HCG. That would mess up your surveillance and put you at higher risk for the cancer coming back and being undetected. My advice is to not mess with that.
                  11/16/16 Went to primary care complaining of testicular pain. Wrongly diagnosed with epididymitis. Told not to worry, it'll go away on its own.
                  12/8/16 Diagnosed with TC in left testicle.
                  12/9/16 Left I/O.
                  1/5/17 Tumor Markers officially back to normal -- Stage 1A with 70% EC.
                  1/26/17 Robotic RPLND using left MSKCC template as primary treatment.
                  2/2/17 Pathology results: pN0. They say I still have a 10% relapse chance.
                  5/9/18 One and a half year all clear.

                  Comment

                  • Davepet
                    Registered User
                    • Mar 2010
                    • 4459

                    #10
                    Originally posted by testicles001 View Post
                    I read that better take HCG together with testo
                    I've never seen that, where did you read it? The only way to take hcg is via injection.It is a prescription hormone used in cases of infertility. Any over the counter hcg either has none or is illegal in the US as it is nt an approved over the counter drug.

                    Are you sure it ws hcg & not HGH? Human Growth Hormone)

                    Dave
                    Jan, 1975: Right I/O, followed by RPLND
                    Dec, 2009: Left I/O, followed by 3xBEP

                    Comment

                    • unotesticulo
                      Registered User
                      • Jan 2017
                      • 109

                      #11
                      My Dr. had also suggested that one of the ways we could try to bring up the testosterone levels was via giving me HCG. So, I'm sure it's used in some cases. He also said that given that HCG is a tumor marker, we would not want to go with that route.
                      11/16/16 Went to primary care complaining of testicular pain. Wrongly diagnosed with epididymitis. Told not to worry, it'll go away on its own.
                      12/8/16 Diagnosed with TC in left testicle.
                      12/9/16 Left I/O.
                      1/5/17 Tumor Markers officially back to normal -- Stage 1A with 70% EC.
                      1/26/17 Robotic RPLND using left MSKCC template as primary treatment.
                      2/2/17 Pathology results: pN0. They say I still have a 10% relapse chance.
                      5/9/18 One and a half year all clear.

                      Comment

                      • testicles001
                        Registered User
                        • Sep 2016
                        • 35

                        #12
                        Thanks a lot, I also thought that doesn't make sense to take HCG if it is a tumour marker

                        Comment

                        • testicles001
                          Registered User
                          • Sep 2016
                          • 35

                          #13
                          Thanks everyone for their kind feedback

                          Comment

                          • Tuli
                            Registered User
                            • Feb 2016
                            • 1

                            #14
                            I'm 31 years old and received my first testosterone injection earlier this month. I had no further tests apart from testosterone levels, since the most likely explanation are the seven rounds of chemo I received last year.

                            My doctors suggested injections (Nebido) instead of gels, mostly for convenience's sake. While getting 4 ml of liquid injected was on the uncomfortable side of things (the injection itself didn't hurt at all, but the area of injection felt like bruised for a few days) I am happy with the fact I don't need to apply gel on a daily basis. The current plan is to get an injection every 10 weeks, but we'll see how it goes.

                            I haven't yet had a chance to discuss with the doctor, but for what I know testosterone supplements do decrease or probably even halt sperm production, but the effect only lasts for the duration of treatment. hCG can be used to induce testosterone and sperm production in certain cases, but there's really no point except for when you're seriously trying to have a child.

                            Even though I have banked sperm, I find practical sterility and this "assisted manhood" little hard to accept. Apart from that I haven't noticed any side effects.
                            10/2015: Mild pain in right testicle, ultrasound revealed mass of ca. 3 cm. AFP 37,6 kU/l (normal less than 5,8 kU/l), hCG negative (less than 5 U/l). 11/2015: Radical orchiectomy, PAD revealed 100 % embryonal carcinoma (pT2). Post-operatively AFP 234 kU/l, hCG 33 U/l. CT-scan revealed two enlargened retroperitoneal lymph nodes, so classified as Stage II. 12/2015-2/2016: 4 x BEP; hCG back to negative, AFP still 6,6 kU/l. Lymph nodes back to normal size. 3/2016-4/2016: 3 x PEI/VIP; AFP down to normal. 5/2016-: Under surveillance.

                            Comment

                            • Nish115
                              Registered User
                              • Nov 2016
                              • 270

                              #15
                              Tuli I'm just looking at your signature, how comes you received so much treatment? Why 4xBEP for stage 2 and why the extra 3xVIP? Was it just as your AFP was slightly high?
                              24 year old diagnosed 6/11/16
                              Pre/o markers 9/11/16 - HCG 15, AFP 210, LDH 539
                              Pre/o CT Clear
                              Non-seminoma (80% embryonal carcinoma, 10% yolk sac tumour, 5% chorea carcinoma, 5% seminoma)
                              Post-op markers - 14/12/16 - HCG 35, AFP 1050, LDH 430
                              Post-op CT with one enlarged lymph node - 1.5x1cm
                              Borderline stage 2B/3B
                              BEPx3 started 15/12/16 (Borderline BEPx4 - Advise of Dr. E to only do 3 rounds)
                              CT and markers clear - in remission - 28/2/16

                              Comment

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