Hello everyone,
First of all I want to say this is my first post and I greatly appreciate anyone here who is taking the time to read it along with any advice you're willing to share.
Please bear with me as I explain my somewhat lengthy situation.. I'm sorry if I ramble a little but I'm not sure if these things can contribute to low T or if there might be a correlation. My energy levels are at an all-time low these days and so my quality of writing is somewhat lacking.
I've had a lifelong history of mild depression, anxiety, emotional trouble, lack of confidence, low self esteem, low motivation, low sex drive, ED. Being born this way I never really thought much of it unfortunately. This led to a pot addiction when I was 20 that eventually just made things worse.
I've had ups along with the downs but those periods are fewer and far between.
Fast forward to now (actually 3 months ago) and I seem to be getting worse every week. I've had:
All these things I've had before in some sense but not this consistently, not to this extreme and not all at once. It's been seriously affecting my life.
The only thing that has changed in 3 months that I can pin point is I've:
Anyway a couple months back I go to my GP. I got many routine blood tests done (including Vitamin D) and everything coming back normal. My doctor thinks I have depression and so refers me to a psychiatrist and was prescribed anti-depressants. I took them for 2 days and stopped because they made me feel worse.
Unsatisfied, I started doing my own research and recently came across "symptoms of low testosterone" in men. Every symptom was a check for me. I asked my GP to have my testosterone levels checked. They came back and I'm apparently sitting at 209 total testosterone.
Without a discussion they prescribed me testosterone cypionate 1ml intramuscular once every two weeks for 60 days.
So here I am, a 28 year old male with what I would assume is very low testosterone. I'm left wondering, have I always had low T and didn't know it?
I have an appointment with a very good endocrinologist but that's not for another 3 weeks. I'd like to know why a person of my age has such low T. I mean, obviously something isn't working correctly. Pituitary tumor? Naturally high cortisol?
Honestly I'm anxious to start TRT just so I can have any mental/physical energy because right now I'm really starting to lose my mind psychologically due to the depression, irritability and lack of focus, energy.
I'm just worried that if I do then when I go see the endocrinologist that my hormone levels will be skewed and I'll have to have them rechecked. Meaning I'll have to temporarily stop the TRT anyway. I want to beat this naturally if I can and not be on TRT forever.
Here is my plan and tell me what you guys think: I'll get a "pre-TRT male hormone / wellness panel" before I start the TRT. Then start TRT. That way when I go see the endocrinologist he'll already have all my baseline levels to look at and we can have a discussion from the get-go.
What do you guys think?
I really want to get out of this terrible mindset. My work performance is suffering BIG time. I feel like my shitty attitude is effecting the people around me and I hate it.
First of all I want to say this is my first post and I greatly appreciate anyone here who is taking the time to read it along with any advice you're willing to share.
Please bear with me as I explain my somewhat lengthy situation.. I'm sorry if I ramble a little but I'm not sure if these things can contribute to low T or if there might be a correlation. My energy levels are at an all-time low these days and so my quality of writing is somewhat lacking.
I've had a lifelong history of mild depression, anxiety, emotional trouble, lack of confidence, low self esteem, low motivation, low sex drive, ED. Being born this way I never really thought much of it unfortunately. This led to a pot addiction when I was 20 that eventually just made things worse.
I've had ups along with the downs but those periods are fewer and far between.
Fast forward to now (actually 3 months ago) and I seem to be getting worse every week. I've had:
- Unrelenting fatigue. I'm tired when I wake up and stay mentally/physically tired all day long.
- NO motivation. It's a huge task to do even the smallest things unless it's absolutely necessary.
- Bad sleep. It's been getting slightly better but not much. I usually wake up after 5-6 hours and since I'm too lazy to get up I'll roll getting 15 minute mini naps until my alarm goes off.
- Depression. Much worse than I've ever had before. I'm extremely apathetic (nothing interests me), no inner monologue, suicidal ideation (I would never do anything).
- Terrible brain fog, concentration, memory. I have lot of trouble lately just listening to people and thinking of my reply. I feel like a 90 year old man, honestly. Writing this post is extremely draining.
- Irritability, which I try not to show.
All these things I've had before in some sense but not this consistently, not to this extreme and not all at once. It's been seriously affecting my life.
The only thing that has changed in 3 months that I can pin point is I've:
- Stopped smoking marijuana due to having panic attacks.
- Moved out of my room mates place because him and his girlfriend have gotten very serious.
- Had to move back home to recoup/figure out if I want to move into an apartment or save up and get a house.
- Last but not least I've been clearing my throat and finding grey phlegm every day, multiple times a day for 3 months. At first I thought it was my lungs clearing the tar from the weed but my GP I did a sputum culture and said that it tested positive for aspergillous. So I went to a pulmonologist 2 weeks ago because I thought it was my lungs but they did a CT of chest and said they're clear. We did a CT of my sinus and he says I have mild chronic sinusitis and a polyp. I'm waiting to get an appointment with a ENT and infectious diseases doctor next but I believe I have some kind of fungal infection that is also causing some fatigue.
Anyway a couple months back I go to my GP. I got many routine blood tests done (including Vitamin D) and everything coming back normal. My doctor thinks I have depression and so refers me to a psychiatrist and was prescribed anti-depressants. I took them for 2 days and stopped because they made me feel worse.
Unsatisfied, I started doing my own research and recently came across "symptoms of low testosterone" in men. Every symptom was a check for me. I asked my GP to have my testosterone levels checked. They came back and I'm apparently sitting at 209 total testosterone.
Without a discussion they prescribed me testosterone cypionate 1ml intramuscular once every two weeks for 60 days.
So here I am, a 28 year old male with what I would assume is very low testosterone. I'm left wondering, have I always had low T and didn't know it?
I have an appointment with a very good endocrinologist but that's not for another 3 weeks. I'd like to know why a person of my age has such low T. I mean, obviously something isn't working correctly. Pituitary tumor? Naturally high cortisol?
Honestly I'm anxious to start TRT just so I can have any mental/physical energy because right now I'm really starting to lose my mind psychologically due to the depression, irritability and lack of focus, energy.
I'm just worried that if I do then when I go see the endocrinologist that my hormone levels will be skewed and I'll have to have them rechecked. Meaning I'll have to temporarily stop the TRT anyway. I want to beat this naturally if I can and not be on TRT forever.
Here is my plan and tell me what you guys think: I'll get a "pre-TRT male hormone / wellness panel" before I start the TRT. Then start TRT. That way when I go see the endocrinologist he'll already have all my baseline levels to look at and we can have a discussion from the get-go.
What do you guys think?
I really want to get out of this terrible mindset. My work performance is suffering BIG time. I feel like my shitty attitude is effecting the people around me and I hate it.
