Low testosterone 21 male

[MaxJS]

I had readings of 297 and then 250 total testosterone in two tests. FSH was 1 and free testosterone was 70.
I suffer from depression, night dreads, social anxiety etc.  
Can this be the cause?
After a year and 1/2 of anti depressants and meeting with psychiatrists, nothing is working.
I have been tested and come up negative for cushings and klinefelters.

[zdeville]

Let's see where I start.  I've been having hypothyroid symptoms for 3 months.  Went to 3 dr's, 6 different blood test and a ct scan of my head.  Well they ruled out thyroids.  My testosterone level was 153 and IGF-1 is 183.  I was finally put on Androgel and after a month did more blood work.  Testosterone level is 203 now... still way below normal.
I'm 27, 5'6", 185 lbs now.  Before falling sick I was 164lbs but I have a natural muscular build so that's a good weight that I would stay at.  My problem right now is still the low T symptoms, but my weight and belly is increasing at a very fast weight.  I exercise daily yet my stomach is growing.  I think the 20 lbs I gained is all in my belly.  I'm starting to get desperate as I don't go for a follow up for 3 months.
Mentally I am fine and have a positive outlook, but it's kinda getting out of hand.

I guess I'm hoping someone could say yeah, this is the reason you are feeling bad or what not.

thanks

[James186282]

I'm not a doctor (Just a fellow patient with this sort of problem) so take this as just two cents worth of advice.  I think that the total Testosterone labs you got indicate you need to be further diagnosed and treated in some way.  The current thinking is that labs under 325 ng/dl is abnormal.  I know that not long ago they had this level much lower.  Google AACE Guidelines for Male Hypogonadism for a very technical document on the current thinking of how its treated.  Age plays a part you should maybe print out a copy of an Age vs Average Testosterone levels chart.  There is one in the Files section of Support ED Partners.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/supportEDpartners

A good book (Although a tad dated) is Dr E. Shrippen's "The Testosterone Syndrome" I highly recommend this if you want to understand this issue.  All of the symptoms you report sound very much like what I had and which were solved when I went on Hormone Replacement Therapy.  I used Androgel and later (for cost reasons) Injectable Testosterone.  Either form works great but it does take some work to get the dose right.

Good luck!

I had readings of 297 and then 250 total testosterone in two tests. FSH was 1 and free testosterone was 70.
I suffer from depression, night dreads, social anxiety etc.  
Can this be the cause?
After a year and 1/2 of anti depressants and meeting with psychiatrists, nothing is working.
I have been tested and come up negative for cushings and klinefelters.

[rmprdl1964]

Hi,

Medications can add to urological problems in regards to ED, but I have not heard of it causing low testosterone levels. I would not rule it out.

Ask your doctor about treatment with testosterone injections. I was born with undecended testes. The left one came down with in the first 6 months, but the right one not untill I was 12. Later due to an infection after surgery, I had my left testicle removed.
Just prior to that I was experiencing problems with ED.
After having consulted with a urologist, I was put on monthly testosterone injections to boost the levels.

Low testosterone can be the cause of ED, low bone denstity and muscle loss. Most people will be concerned about ED but you can see that normal levels are also needed for other functions.

God bless.

Ron