Testicular Cancer - Low T Symptoms

[Makrexd45]

Testicular Cancer - Denied TRT

Hey, I'm brand new to the forums so forgive me if this subject has been beaten to death.

Im am 27 years old and was in the prime of my life physically. In May I found that my right testicle suddenly became super hard and small. Odd because testicular cancer typically presents with swelling after some time. Anyway blood tests and an ultrasound confirmed it was Seminoma (Testicular Cancer) they removed my testicle the next day. Pretty quick. I asked about issues with hormone levels and requested a test. To my surprise they were a bit defensive and didn't order the test.

After my surgery I had notice that I was severely fatigued, Urologist said it was just the recovery from surgery. I have had two other surgeries prior to this and never felt this before. I finally got my Oncologist to order a Testosterone test. 370ng/dl at 4pm. Urologist sent me to the Endocrinologist who gave me a 9 question test and told me I was depressed...........She "humored me" (her words) and ordered another testosterone test, for some reason they did not order free test or SHGB levels just total testosterone with reflex to free. This one came back with a peak of 480ng/dl first thing in the morning. They told me that even though I'm on the low end of the spectrum, that I am technically in the normal range and they will not treat me. My symptoms are as follows:

No morning wood (not normal for me at all)
very low sex drive
Severe fatigue (hits like a brick wall around 4:00-5:30pm)
Cognitive issues (I'm not as sharp as I was)
Weight gain (loss of muscle, gaining fat)
Loss of strength (385 bench in May, can't hit 305 in July)

Every study I can find puts me at a level of a 65-70 year old man. Not sure what to do...seems like I have read multiple posts where guys my age with my numbers are being treated with TRT. I feel like doing it myself at this point, they order blood work all the time for me any way for the cancer checkups. Any advise from guys who have been down this road before?

Sorry for the text wall but feel like I needed to give the background story.

 

[Steeldude99]

Get your SHBG, Albumin and free test checked. Also get your FSH and LH levels checked.

FSH and LH are part of the pituitary axis. Readings of these levels will allow you to rule out primary (problem with testies) and secondary (problem with pituitary axis) hypogonadism.

You could possibly have primary hypogonadism which can be caused by testicular trauma. For primary hypogonadism check for a low free t level and high FSH and LH levels.

Total test levels are subjective to the individual. You could have been 7-900 before surgurey so now the 480 is low for you. Hence the low t symptoms.

T levels peak in the morning 8-9am and fall throughout the day this is why your morning and afternoon reading were different.

I am in the same boat as you normal t levels but low free test and hugely severe quality of life issues same as you have mentioned. I plan to take in academic journal articles to my gp to try and convince him to precribe trt. Most gps do not have specialist knowledge in this area and rely off the reference ranges. They will also be reluctant to prescribe trt to someone your age. IMO, you need to fully educate yourself in trt, hormones, reference ranges and related matters so you can try to educate your gp.

Good luck brother pm me if you want some more info.

 

[bigorse]

Re: Testicular Cancer - Denied TRT

480 isnt that low... i was 175ng/dl and couldnt get a script for trt properly. try test your adrenals (fasting cortisol test) as it could well be an issue of stress rather than sex hormones

 

[j_p]

go to a new doc, get full hormone panal done. and tell them although you are not a doc you have done countless hours of research and feel this is the issue and you want it fully checked out (remember they work for us, not us for them, though they seem to think and treat us like dumb animals or like they are doing US a favor...