Test Results! 25 yo Male

[AlmostEasy]

Hello all!

Well I've suspected I've had low testosterone for quite a while, even though my doctor assured me *smuglaughter* that this is in fact not the case . I should expect to be disappointed by my test results and when I am I can then come in and get my prescription of Cymbalta because I am in fact depressed without even knowing it. What a classy and honorable man.

Anyhow, here's what came out. Mind you this was over a year ago.

Free Testosterone @ 8.9 ------- UNITS: pg/mL ----- Reference Range: (9.3-26.5)
Total Testosterone @ 399 ------- UNITS: ng/dL ------ Reference Range: (348-1197)

To me this is quite obviously low and warrants treatment but I guess I just want some reinforcement. I'm a 25 year old male with mild chronic fatigue (mind you I may have chronic undiagnosed lyme disease as well; getting tested for this ASAP - it's one hell of a misunderstood condition btw, quite frightening and bizzare, weird political stuff going on with it), I went through puberty much later than my peers (probably around 13-14), I have glandular gynecomastia, and almost no facial hair. My father claimed he could grow a full mustache at 19. I'm not even close. Sexual function and libido seems OK, definitely could be higher but I don't really consider it a problem atm. Orgasms are very weak though, that sometimes alarms me. My sleep is horrid but most likely is from the lyme. I don't remember what feeling well rested is like really.

I'd say this isn't very debilitating for me and I'm not sure what I should do about it. If I start TRT is it a lifetime thing? Does insurance cover this kind of thing? I've heard injections are the best way to go about this? Do you take other substances with T like people do on steroid cycles?

I guess I'd just like some confirmation before I start delving deep into the research.

Thanks guys!

AE

[Justin]

If you truly have low testosterone, the only thing that will remedy it is testosterone therapy. When and if you discontinue therapy you will simply go back to having low testosterone. So yes, it's life long if you want to remedy it but that doesn't mean you cannot stop...you'll simply go back to where you were and all the symptoms that came with it if you stop.

Some insurance policies cover portions of TRT. Some will cover part of the blood work, many will not. Some will cover doctors visits but many won't. Most will not cover all possible medications. There are insurance plans that do cover a large portion of TRT but the majority do not. Further, the coverage for TRT in most policies is declining across the board due to the changes in the healthcare law. As for our program, we do not accept any form of insurance. However, many of our clients find our program is cheaper than using their own insurance when you consider deductibles and copays. If that applies to you I can't say.

Injections are the most effective with the highest rate of success. Other forms of administration can work well but it depends on the individual in terms of how well.

When on TRT, many men also take HCG. This is an injectable peptide that stimulates natural testosterone production, which will help keep levels stable in-between testosterone injections as well as greatly protect fertility should you want to have children. Many men also like it because it prevents the testicular atrophy often accompanied by the use of testosterone. Take testosterone, this shuts down natural production. If you have low testosterone the shut down of natural production isn't a large concern as you are not making enough anyway. But as testosterone is manufactured by the testicles, the lack of production causes them to lose some fullness, it doesn't cause actual physical harm. However, HCG keeps the natural production you have going, keeping the testicles full. It should be noted, not all men respond to HCG. Many men also take anastrozole or other anti-estrogens when and if needed. Testosterone naturally converts to estrogen. If estrogen is too high or too low this can cause many of the same symptoms as low testosterone. There is a fine balance that you want to achieve. Not all men need an anti-estrogen, many believe they should take one to be proactive but it doesn't work this way. You should only take an anti-estrogen if needed as unneeded anti-estrogens will lower estradiol too much.