Normal Testosterone Levels

[ed1223]

What is considered a "normal" testosterone level for a healthy 45 year old man?  I have been suffering from a variety of symptoms consistent with low testosterone: low sex drive, lack of morning erections, less intensity during ejaculation, less hard erections, irritability, etc..  I had my doctor run blood tests and everything came back normal.  Testosterone was 257 on a scale of 241 - 800.  Doctor says this is normal and will not consider hormone treatments.  The only medication I take is a statin, which has lowered my cholestorol to normal levels.  I am not overweight, nor do I feel depressed.  This has become a major quality of life issue, as my wife is feeling somewhat undeisrable and neglected. I'm not ready to give up on a healthy sex life, but now that my doctor has determined thal all is "normal," I'm not sure what my next step is.  I have unable to find a chart that lists normal testosterone levels by age.  I'm hoping that if I could find some evidence of what I suspect (that my testosterone is indeed low) then I might be able to convince my doctor to consider treating me.  Can you help?

[markusa1]

Your doc is stubborn i am 49 and just last week had my level tested.  Was 287 and was prescribed androgel 1% your level is borderline failure, 250-1100 is considered normal. U are 7 points above acceptable. My doctor put it like this, you should be between 500-1000.  After only 2 days of treatment i am feeling a tinge more manly so to speak and feel my mind and libido feeling slightly better. Get rid of that quack and go see a different doc.  For crying out loud

[mmmdedek]

I believe HCG causes cell growth and increases metabolism.  It stands for, I think, Human Chorionic Gonadtropin.  It's critical for the development of a fetus and that's why it's known as a "women's" hormone.  It's one of the steroids athletes use to bulk up (often against the rules of their sport).  It causes muscle growth.

[mmmdedek]

Men are also affected by low sex drive.  I'm not a doctor and I don't know if your man has low-T.  However, I know what a total lack of sex drive and performance ability for 12 years has done to my ego, self esteem, and the pleasure I (used to) get out of life.  It may not apply in your case but when a man who is used to having really great sex 3/night 3 nights/week goes down to once a month, and then to never, it affects him emotionally too.  Regardless of your man's T level, it sounds like he has some additional issues...even with my almost total impotence i still would like to sleep with and cuddle with a woman, just not with the sex included.

[mmmdedek]

Apply for ssdi, and 4 months later apply for reconsideration.  If you're one of the lucky 30%, they'll approve you.  If not, get a lawyer (works on commission, part of your back pay if you win, no charge if you lose), and file for a hearing before an administrative law judge.  60% of cases are approved at this level.  That just leaves 10% unapproved that would need to appeal to a federal district court.  The process generally takes about 2 years (mine took 20 months, 14 of which were waiting for the hearing, and then the judge made a summary decision (granted me ssdi without the actual hearing) based on the evidence.  So I would encourage you to apply again, appeal, and then get a lawyer.  I am a regular in a chat room for bipolar people, and have heard this same story about getting ssdi over and over.

Oh, and don't worry if they review you.  They reviewed me at 4 years and haven't since (I've been on it 11 years now).  But my mom knew a paraplegic who got reviewed every year!  Just be honest and consult your lawyer if you're not sure how to answer a question.

-Mike

[mmmdedek]

You people are asking your doctors about your numbers and they say your results are in the normal range.  Different labs have different tests that result in different "normal ranges."  Ask the blood lab for a copy of your test, it will show the normal range for their test.

Also, while there may not be a separate set of charts for different age ranges, the fact is that "normal" (or at least average and median) T level goes down as we age.

My tests read 299 on a normal scale of 250-1100, and 47.5 on a scale of 35-155.  I asked my family doctor to be tested and described the problem (10 years of essentially being a eunuch - i was able to successfully have and complete intercourse twice in that time  and yes in my 30s i was a total stud).  So if the T treatment leaves me with no balls I don't think I'll be much different.  I don't want romance, I don't want sex, cialis/levitra/viagra don't do a thing, i've lost muscle mass,   I've been able to get enough of an erection to masturbate twice in the past 3 years, and was only half hard when I ended ejaculating, which isn't that much fun.  My energy level is quite low.  Oh and I was married to a beautiful woman 25 years my junior and she couldn't turn me on, except that oral sex worked beautifully - but I couldn't expect her to just give me oral over and over with nothing for her (she didn't like oral).  Ok this is tmi.  Anyway my family doctor said the test was expensive and the normal range so large that insurance wouldn't pay for the test and he wouldn't order it.  I checked, my insurance pays for the test, so I got my pain specialist to order it, and he indicates he'll pprobably prescribe the shots.  BTW that family doctor is gone for incompetence in this and other areas.

Let me clarify - rationally, i want romance and sex, but physically i just don't give a damn about it.  I just turned 50 and this started fairly suddenly at about 37.  It is complicated by my diagnosis of bipolar disorder at 39, which added about 6 medications to my regimen (and side effects galore) and thus I am only now getting around to being assertive about taking action for low T.

I for one am going to try the therapy if prescribed it.

[jcfogelman]

Hey there is most definately a connection between narcotics and low testosterone levels. I am 29 years old and suffer from severe chronic back pain, after two unsucessful surgeries, I finally gave in to temptation and switched from "semi-narcotic/almost" pain killers (nucynta) and a low dosage of hydrocodone and began taking Opana (oxymorphone) and hydrocodone. While soley on Nucynta I was still in a lot of pain but experienced no symptoms of low-T. After my second surgery hydrocodone was added to the mix for break through pain and within two months I noticed a significant decrease in libidio and energy levels. Over the next several months those symptoms had only become worse and with the addition of opana, I had NO!!! desire for sex and was always tired, I began having trouble maintaining and losing weight, I didn't feeel like myself anymore, and noticed I was only shaving half as often. I was very upset and confused about the symptoms, not making the connection myself. The lack of sex began seriously affecting my relationship. I still loved my girlfriend with all my heart and wanted to have a physical relationship with her. I knew it wasn't boredom or Erectile Dysfunction (I still got erections in the AM), or even the back pain. It finally dawned on me when trying to figure out why I had no libido when remembering that my sex drive had always superceeded my pain, the hormones ultimately always would eventually outweigh the pain. It was that thought that made me connect the rest of my symptoms and I asked my doctor to test me after explaining my suspisions. Keep in mind I am only 29 years old, my level was 64 ng/dl my range was supposed to be between 364-1199 ng/dl for a man my age. I was hust prescribed androgel so hopefully everything improves,