Recent labs, not feeling well

[1Draw]

Vince you are welcome Bro! I've learned so much about high RT3 and thyroid hormone levels since I had the blood test done in Feb. Been with Defy and on T therapy for 3 years now and even when my T, FT, E2, etc. were optimized, felt something was missing and kept looking for the piece to the puzzle..... Maybe I have finally found it! Only time will tell as I continue to get the RT3 back in line.

So many of us (and I am including myself) think that testosterone is the magic bullet to feel good, have good libido, etc. but, its not necessarily so.

It would be good to see how many have really felt GREAT once starting T therapy and how many feel like it has helped some but are still MISSING something. I would bet the percentage would favor the missing something since the majority of us are over 40 or 50 and when Thyroid rears its ugly head and we start searching for cures.

Most main stream MD's are so ingrained in treating symptoms rather than finding CAUSE.

That is why I like Defy so much..... They identify and try to treat the cause of the symptoms.....

 

[sh1973]

Is it possible that by having shbg as high as mine, that it’s better to do once weekly. It’s been in the 50-70 range for the last couple years.

 

[Vince Carter]

Its entirely possible once per week with the kind of SHBG though typically high SHBG guys need to run high(er) TT in order to their Free T to the upper lab ranges as so much is bound up.

 

[DragonBits]

The only thing I can tell you for sure is, The higher my dose regardless of frequency, the worse I feel. Whenever I start going over 1000ng is literally feels like flu type symptoms. The only thing I know to do is, let my levels fall until I feel good again and pull labs like two days in a row. I really didn't want to have to go the topical route, but the fact is the best I ever felt in my life, not just including being on TRT was on A-gel 1.62. My insurance will now cover it, perhaps thats my best option.

IMO not every problem and everything one is dealing with is going to be connected to male hormones issues and thyroid issues,

Since you seem to have tried many ways to address this, I would do a Neurotransmitter Panel. If you look at what these Neurotransmitters do, they are intimately connected to mood, motivation, [FONT=&quot]irritable, difficulty concentrating, etc.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]This panel contains the following 9 neurotransmitters:[/FONT]

Neurotransmitter	High levels in urine	Low levels in urine
Serotonin is an inhibitory neurotransmitter and contributes to feelings of happiness and well-being	May contribute to anxiety, high blood pressure, irritability, and low libido	Associated with depression, worry, obsessive thoughts, carbohydrate cravings, PMS, difficulty with pain control, sleep disturbances, and IBS
GABA functions as the brain's major inhibitory neurotransmitter	Associated with sluggish energy, feelings of sedation, and foggy thinking	Implicated in feeling stressed, overwhelmed and/or irritable, impulsivity, anxiety, ADHD, and seizure disorders
Dopamine regulates the pleasure/reward pathway, memory, and motor control	May contribute to hyperactivity, anxiety and schizophrenia. May also be related to autism, mood swings, psychosis, and attention disorders	Associated with memory issues, loss of motor control, cravings, compulsions, loss of satisfaction, and addictive behaviors
Norepinephrine (noradrenaline) Involved in a wide variety of actions including attention, focus, regulating heart rate, affecting blood flow, and suppressing inflammation	Linked to anxiety, stress, elevated blood pressure, and hyperactivity	Associated with lack of energy, focus, and motivation
Epinephrine (Adrenaline) is heavily involved in the acute stress response and helps regulate muscle contraction, heart rate, glycogen breakdown, and blood pressure	Associated with ADHD, hyperactivity, anxiety, sleep issues, and acute stress response	Leads to difficulty concentrating, fatigue, depression, insufficient cortisol production, chronic stress, poor recovery from illness, and dizziness
Glutamate functions as the brain's major excitatory neurotransmitter	Can cause excitotoxicity, a process that damages nerve cells through excessive stimulation. Associated with panic attacks, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, OCD, and depression	May result in agitation, memory loss, sleeplessness, low energy levels, and depression
Glycine is inhibitory and plays a dual role as both a NT and an amino acid. Glycine improves sleep quality, calms aggression and serves as an anti-inflammatory agent	May be associated with compromised cognitive processing	May contribute to poor sleep, poor cognitive function and issues with memory
Histamine is an excitatory neurotransmitter involved in the sleep/wake cycle and inflammatory response	May be associated with allergy-like symptoms, gastro-intestinal concerns and inflammation	May affect digestion and appetite control, learning, memory and mood and may result in drowsiness
PEA (Phenylethlyamine) promotes energy, elevates mood, regulates attention and aggression, and serves as a biomarker for ADHD	May contribute to anxiety with very high levels having amphetamine-life effects. May be associated with higher cortisol levels	May be associated with ADHD, depression, Parkinson’s disease and bipolar disorder

[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]I took this table from the LEF (lifeextension), they list the panel at $150, I would get this if I were feeling as off as you describe. It might point to an imbalance.

 

[sh1973]

Thanks dragonbits I will definitely look into that

 

[Charliebizz]

Great post dragon bits I've had a lot of success with low dose ssri helping with a lot of my “low hormone related” symptoms. They are also not a cure all but one of the best things I've taken during my health journey

 

[sh1973]

Should a person wait two full weeks after last shot to start topical testosterone? I asked my urologist and he said I could start right away. Just wanted to see if anyone’s made the transition and how they implemented it.