Hi Everyone - This forum as been a very valuable resource to me in my pursuit to learn about TRT.
I'm an American currently located in Asia. At age 28 I had Testicular Cancer and an orchiectomy/chemo/rplnd treatment. I'm now 37 and have recovered well.
Recently I begin feeling a bit unfocused, not recovering well from workouts, generally more tired, and my sexual performance hasn't been as good (though I can still get erections I have a hard to maintaining them. I thought it might be a venous leak). I have started putting on a little belly fat for the first time in my life too.
I lift, swim and workout 3 times a week, walk a lot, eat clean, don't smoke, and take care of myself. I'm ectomorph build (that's why the belly fat thing is new to me). I have good musculature but I'm tall and thin and struggle to really build muscle.
So, last month I decided to get an RIA total testosterone test (the only thing I have available here) and it came back as:
TESTOSTERONE (RIA) 11.30 (326ml) nmol/L range - 9.00~38.00
After that test I decided to do a more complete blood test on my own (I don't have health insurance and the medical care for things like Low T here are basically non-existent).
I waited 3 weeks and did another draw. This time I checked the following:
IMMUNOLOGY
T3 (ECLIA) 1.76 nmol/L 1.30~3.10
T4 (ECLIA) 100.10 nmol/L 66.00~181.00
FT3 (ECLIA) 5.34 pmol/L 2.80~7.10
FT4 (ECLIA) 17.54 pmol/L 12.00~22.00
TSH (ECLIA) 1.530 uIU/mL 0.27~4.20
PSA (ECLIA) 1.040 ng/mL 0.00~4.00
FSH (ECLIA) 19.56 mIU/mL range - Male : 1.50 ~ 12.40
LuteinizingHormone(ECLIA) 8.65 mIU/mL - Male : 1.70 ~ 8.60
Estradiol (ECLIA) 26.90 pg/mL Male : 7.63~42.60
Cortisol (ECLIA) 480.80 nmol/L (7-10AM): 171 ~ 536 (4 -8PM): 64 ~ 327
SPECIAL TESTS TESTOSTERONE (RIA) 25.60 nmol/L 9.00~38.00
I didn't do the free testosterone test or the SHBG test because they are crazy expensive here. I thought I'd take this in stages.
I understand that the RIA test for total t are not considered the gold standard, but how could it more than double in 3 weeks? I can't say I really fell much different.
From my research a high FSH and LH level are associated with primary testicular failure. One of the most common causes of this is chemotherapy from cancer treatment. These high levels are often associated with low levels of T and primary hypogonadism.
By now I'm sure many of you are saying 'Dude, go see a doc". I know, I need to but I won't be back in the USA for another 5-6 months. In addition, I'm not sure many TRT docs know about test cancer and many test cancer docs know much about TRT. I was never warned that low T could happen as a result of my treatment, but from what I've read in many medical journals it does appear that it can happen.
I know medical advice can not be offered here. But I was hoping someone might chime in with personal experiences that relate to Test cancer, high FSH levels, the reliability (or lack of) RIA tests, and anything else that might concern my situation. Or what sort of steps might you take in terms of testing to learn more? Should I do another RIA draw? Are these RIA draws worth anything at all?
Thanks in advance and I appreciate any feedback
I'm an American currently located in Asia. At age 28 I had Testicular Cancer and an orchiectomy/chemo/rplnd treatment. I'm now 37 and have recovered well.
Recently I begin feeling a bit unfocused, not recovering well from workouts, generally more tired, and my sexual performance hasn't been as good (though I can still get erections I have a hard to maintaining them. I thought it might be a venous leak). I have started putting on a little belly fat for the first time in my life too.
I lift, swim and workout 3 times a week, walk a lot, eat clean, don't smoke, and take care of myself. I'm ectomorph build (that's why the belly fat thing is new to me). I have good musculature but I'm tall and thin and struggle to really build muscle.
So, last month I decided to get an RIA total testosterone test (the only thing I have available here) and it came back as:
TESTOSTERONE (RIA) 11.30 (326ml) nmol/L range - 9.00~38.00
After that test I decided to do a more complete blood test on my own (I don't have health insurance and the medical care for things like Low T here are basically non-existent).
I waited 3 weeks and did another draw. This time I checked the following:
IMMUNOLOGY
T3 (ECLIA) 1.76 nmol/L 1.30~3.10
T4 (ECLIA) 100.10 nmol/L 66.00~181.00
FT3 (ECLIA) 5.34 pmol/L 2.80~7.10
FT4 (ECLIA) 17.54 pmol/L 12.00~22.00
TSH (ECLIA) 1.530 uIU/mL 0.27~4.20
PSA (ECLIA) 1.040 ng/mL 0.00~4.00
FSH (ECLIA) 19.56 mIU/mL range - Male : 1.50 ~ 12.40
LuteinizingHormone(ECLIA) 8.65 mIU/mL - Male : 1.70 ~ 8.60
Estradiol (ECLIA) 26.90 pg/mL Male : 7.63~42.60
Cortisol (ECLIA) 480.80 nmol/L (7-10AM): 171 ~ 536 (4 -8PM): 64 ~ 327
SPECIAL TESTS TESTOSTERONE (RIA) 25.60 nmol/L 9.00~38.00
I didn't do the free testosterone test or the SHBG test because they are crazy expensive here. I thought I'd take this in stages.
I understand that the RIA test for total t are not considered the gold standard, but how could it more than double in 3 weeks? I can't say I really fell much different.
From my research a high FSH and LH level are associated with primary testicular failure. One of the most common causes of this is chemotherapy from cancer treatment. These high levels are often associated with low levels of T and primary hypogonadism.
By now I'm sure many of you are saying 'Dude, go see a doc". I know, I need to but I won't be back in the USA for another 5-6 months. In addition, I'm not sure many TRT docs know about test cancer and many test cancer docs know much about TRT. I was never warned that low T could happen as a result of my treatment, but from what I've read in many medical journals it does appear that it can happen.
I know medical advice can not be offered here. But I was hoping someone might chime in with personal experiences that relate to Test cancer, high FSH levels, the reliability (or lack of) RIA tests, and anything else that might concern my situation. Or what sort of steps might you take in terms of testing to learn more? Should I do another RIA draw? Are these RIA draws worth anything at all?
Thanks in advance and I appreciate any feedback
