Any Men on Testosterone Replacement Therapy?

Since treatment, my Total Testosterone has fallen to very low normal (290) and my Free Testosterone is below normal (45).

Are any men out there taking supplemental testosterone therapy? If so..

. What was your Total and Free Testosterone both before and after therapy?
. Did you do a patch, gels, injections? What doses and frequencies?
. Any positive effects? Mood? Energy? Muscle Mass? Sexual Function? Cholesterol?
. Any negative effects? Mood? Energy? Skin? Cholesterol? Other?
. How frequently are you monitored during therapy and are there any other monitoring tests you advise besides total test and free test?
. At age 60, am I too old to win the Tour de' France, or will the Testoserone therapy make me competitive?

Thanks all.

-- Jim

[debnevada]

I'm interested in the answer to this one. My gyn wants to put me on some testosterone to do something with my...um...."drive".  Remember I had both ovaries removed in Nov. which was the start of this whole mess. my testosterone is very low even for a woman

and illo BTW, i went UND at two weeks. I'm on Estrace. Plus highish BMI. So i am told that the HRT makes a difference.

Deb

[illo]

My husband did, and I'm using precursors to boost mine.  He used a homeopathic method and I used DHEA and pregnenelone supplements.  I'm due for a test on them soon.  My Free was high, but my ND thought the DHEA would straighten that out.  Since I've had a hysterectomy, I have to monitor mine more closely.  I've heard it said it's more difficult to go SVR if one has had that surgery. ND said guys start losing their butts as their testossterone dwindles.  I wish MD's tested more for these important hormones.

Best of Luck!  

[returntosender]

As you know my testosterone was beat up by therapy dropping to 200.  I am not aware of where it was before therapy or during.   I took Androgel and after a couple of months it went up to 300 with free testosterone at 12.4.   I was told that the free range is 7.2 to 24 so your 48 is above normal according to my doc.  

When I started the Andogel, I felt better immediately - hot flashes stopped - but after a couple of months noticed that I was feeling fatigued and "out of sorts."   Around that time my blood pressure shot way up - and I mean way up!   HBP is a side effect of the gel so I thought I would get the blood pressure under control before I worried about the tesosterone.  

I have been off the gel for around 2 months now and I am interested in the next test cause I feel terrific - lots of energy, libido is back, all systems go.   If I had to guess, the tesosterone seems to be a non-issue at this point.  The blood test will tell - I will advise you as to the result.  Good luck

[illo]

Thanks for the promising post on HRT's.

[jmjm530]

Thanks for the comments and info.

RTS -- Do let me know how things work out.

Beamish -- Yes, I understand the added risk but currently have a very low PSA so probably more concerned about how it will affect my BHP (enlarged prostate)and cardio labs. Will of course go over all this with my doctors including my urologist before I start any supplementation. Thanks for the heads up.

-- Jim

[beamishboy]

you are aware that testosterone replacemnt may increase your risk of developing prostate cancer? a very real concern for american males...GOODLUCK

[Tallahassee]

What is "HRP"?

[Tallahassee]

Sorry, HRT is Hormone Replacement Therapy? God, my brain is still foggy, foggy :)

[tkd4u2]

Yes, being on testosterone replacement therapy can increase your risk of developing cancer but according to everything I've read and my doctor, that typically only happens if you are already at or near the high mediums to high levels of T already. Taking testosterone then will certainly put you over the top which I could believe then.

Also I would think that if you are taking therapy and never get your levels checked this may take place if things start to work normally and your T levels rise. Go talk to you doctor about this if it is a concern.

Me personally, I've had not adverse affects yet. The last couple of days before the next shot my mood gets a little down but nothing serious. I am not however experiencing the energy levels that I thought would take place with it. Everything else seems to be doing great.