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Urology (Expert Forum)
Lack of Sexual Development
Questions in the Urology forum are answered by Dr. Stephen Liroff, affiliated with the Henry Ford Hospital. Topics covered include benign prostate disease, penis curvature, cystisis, kidney stones, pediatric urology, prostate, sexual dysfunction, urinary tract infections (UTI), and urological cancers.
Lack of Sexual Development
by Bruce__0, Aug 03, 1998 12:00AM
I am 37 years of age, and have little to no sexual development.
I have deficiencies in my pituitary and thyroid glands that
required me to have shots of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) which
caused me to grow to my current height of 5'11". (I was 3'11"
at age 16). I took HGH shots from Age 15 to Age 18.
After I reached my current height, the doctors started me on
testosterone shots to jump start my sexual development, shots
that I was told I must take daily until the day I die.
The shots did nothing to aid growth in size or development, but
seemed to retard loss. I evidence no effects of puberty at all
except for the deepening of my voice which seemed to occur
instantaneously without any period of voice problems to signal
the change.
It has been almost 15 years since I have taken my medication
or consulted any medical professional. I felt that the money
could be better spent elsewhere since the shots did not greatly
help fix the problem.
What I would like to know is if there is any new medical
breakthroughs on this problem that would enable a cure to my
problem.
Please advise.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Bruce,
I’m sure it has been very difficult to manage your problems over the years and the fact that the testosterone replacement had little or no effect on your sexual differentiation was quite disheartening.
You must have been under the care of an Endocrinologist for the care of this disease and I suggest that you see a doctor that specializes in these problems to get the latest information. In the Henry Ford System,
Dr. S. Zafar specializes in the diseases of the pituitary and would be of help to you. I will provide you with the phone number of or health system at the conclusion of this response. If you chose to follow with
Dr. Zafar I’m sure he would be happy to help you.
The problems you are describing stem from the pituitary axis. If you were more specific in your question an are sure that your problem lies in the pituitary gland itself, than I would say that testosterone would be your only option. The reasoning behind this choice is to compensate for the end organ(testosterone producing cells) and provide your body with the needed hormone. These days there are better delivery systems than the shots they gave twenty years ago. There is a dermal patch(Testoderm,Androderm), a similar shot, and another drug to stimulate the testosterone producing cells if your problem is actually in the hypothalamus which would be more common.
The pituitary gland produces its hormones due to a signal sent to it by the hypothalamus. If this signal is not sent then the pituitary gland is not turned on. If the pituitary does not send its hormones to the testicle and thyroid, then these organs do not function. In fact it is possible that the testicles and the thyroid are entirely normal. Therefore if you supplement the signal to turn on the pituitary pituitary both the thryroid and the testicles my function normally. This medicine is called a GnRH agonist.
Please take what I have said as a suggestion only. I would speak with an expert in this field an endocrinologist.
This information is provided for general medical educational purposes only. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition. More individualized care is available at the Henry Ford Hospital and its satellites (1 800 653-6568).
Sincerely,
HFHS M.D.-AK
*keyword:Sexual Immaturity
I have deficiencies in my pituitary and thyroid glands that
required me to have shots of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) which
caused me to grow to my current height of 5'11". (I was 3'11"
at age 16). I took HGH shots from Age 15 to Age 18.
After I reached my current height, the doctors started me on
testosterone shots to jump start my sexual development, shots
that I was told I must take daily until the day I die.
The shots did nothing to aid growth in size or development, but
seemed to retard loss. I evidence no effects of puberty at all
except for the deepening of my voice which seemed to occur
instantaneously without any period of voice problems to signal
the change.
It has been almost 15 years since I have taken my medication
or consulted any medical professional. I felt that the money
could be better spent elsewhere since the shots did not greatly
help fix the problem.
What I would like to know is if there is any new medical
breakthroughs on this problem that would enable a cure to my
problem.
Please advise.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Bruce,
I’m sure it has been very difficult to manage your problems over the years and the fact that the testosterone replacement had little or no effect on your sexual differentiation was quite disheartening.
You must have been under the care of an Endocrinologist for the care of this disease and I suggest that you see a doctor that specializes in these problems to get the latest information. In the Henry Ford System,
Dr. S. Zafar specializes in the diseases of the pituitary and would be of help to you. I will provide you with the phone number of or health system at the conclusion of this response. If you chose to follow with
Dr. Zafar I’m sure he would be happy to help you.
The problems you are describing stem from the pituitary axis. If you were more specific in your question an are sure that your problem lies in the pituitary gland itself, than I would say that testosterone would be your only option. The reasoning behind this choice is to compensate for the end organ(testosterone producing cells) and provide your body with the needed hormone. These days there are better delivery systems than the shots they gave twenty years ago. There is a dermal patch(Testoderm,Androderm), a similar shot, and another drug to stimulate the testosterone producing cells if your problem is actually in the hypothalamus which would be more common.
The pituitary gland produces its hormones due to a signal sent to it by the hypothalamus. If this signal is not sent then the pituitary gland is not turned on. If the pituitary does not send its hormones to the testicle and thyroid, then these organs do not function. In fact it is possible that the testicles and the thyroid are entirely normal. Therefore if you supplement the signal to turn on the pituitary pituitary both the thryroid and the testicles my function normally. This medicine is called a GnRH agonist.
Please take what I have said as a suggestion only. I would speak with an expert in this field an endocrinologist.
This information is provided for general medical educational purposes only. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition. More individualized care is available at the Henry Ford Hospital and its satellites (1 800 653-6568).
Sincerely,
HFHS M.D.-AK
*keyword:Sexual Immaturity
