TRT with adrenal issues?

[JimRat]

LH/FSH look dead low. If prolactin is highly elevated, a benign pituitary growth could be the source of your issues... Good luck.

I've had the scan before. It's a breeze.

[EnduroMan]

I meant to post this yesterday evening but I was finished up with work too late.

OK, my endo called me up yesterday afternoon after me trying to contact him for over a week, also the letter explaining the MRI scan results came in today. He explained to me over the phone that the scan showed no evidence of a pituitary tuber thankfully. According to the letter there is a lack of symmetry in the cavernous sinus on the right side which is a congenital variation of no significance.

He said that I should now begin to take Testim gel at one tube applied daily. Well I was not so impressed by this as the only blood tests ever taken were total test, LH, FSH and prolactin and nothing else...

I tried to explain to him that more tests were needed and that there was very little lab work taken, next I recieved a lecture about how I cannot trust all of what is on the internet and that he is satisfied that the treatment plan is satisfactory, that I will have follow up bloodwork done at my next appointment in 4 months time anyway, yes Feb 2010. I can't really say that I am happy at the standard of treatment and knowledge shown by this endo who is apparently the best in the city (and is very expensive too). I talked to him further for a while but it was a waste of time and although he was kind and genuinely thought he was doing the right thing he wasn't having someone like me telling him what should be done.

So thats my story and at NO time were the risks of TRT mentioned, infact I was not educated at all and I strongly suspect that all of his patients are kept in the dark regarding side effects and not informed about HPTA shutdown, E2, DHT etc.

I am still determined to get to the bottom of this but trying to manage a new business at the same time is not easy, lol.

So I still have a question. Does anyone else know why my prolactin levels could be so high? Assuming they are so high, in UK units (see below).

Testosterone 4.8
LH 0.6
FSH 1.5
Prolactin 266

Thanks guys.

[Lammermoor]

Hi Enduroman,

I'm in the UK and have had prolactin measured. My result was 118 mU/L and the range is 60-500 mU/L. That will probably be the same as your test units I would think.

I'm a runner and have had low test. My journey on the NHS has not been a smooth one unfortunately. Eventually I got onto Nebido (gels are not good as I have children) but they seem to want to go on a 12 week interval and I don't think that's enough. I was a bit shocked at my last Endo appt as they just didn't seem interested at all. The doc I got that time just kept going on about the placebo effect as if she didn't believe TRT worked at all! Unreal! Also - no more follow up blood tests either to gauge the Nebido dosage!

I'm now stuck with my GP who's not interested in TRT and a random bunch of endos (some good, some bad!). I think I'm going to go for a private consult with a Dr in Doncaster if I can get my GP to agree to work with him.

[EnduroMan]

Originally Posted by Lammermoor

Hi Enduroman,

I'm in the UK and have had prolactin measured. My result was 118 mU/L and the range is 60-500 mU/L. That will probably be the same as your test units I would think.

I'm a runner and have had low test. My journey on the NHS has not been a smooth one unfortunately. Eventually I got onto Nebido (gels are not good as I have children) but they seem to want to go on a 12 week interval and I don't think that's enough. I was a bit shocked at my last Endo appt as they just didn't seem interested at all. The doc I got that time just kept going on about the placebo effect as if she didn't believe TRT worked at all! Unreal! Also - no more follow up blood tests either to gauge the Nebido dosage!

I'm now stuck with my GP who's not interested in TRT and a random bunch of endos (some good, some bad!). I think I'm going to go for a private consult with a Dr in Doncaster if I can get my GP to agree to work with him.

Hi Lammermoor,

I went private for this as I luckily had insurance but can't say the service impressed me. Its not right to do TRT badly like this and then suffer poor health as a result.

With my (very limited) spare time I am trying to research treatment protocols for adrenal fatigue/insufficiency as I don't believe I ever recovered from this and may well be main cause of my problems. If anyone knows what is best for this I would love to hear from them! I still really don't have a clue.

Thanks

[Lammermoor]

Originally Posted by EnduroMan

Hi Lammermoor,

I went private for this as I luckily had insurance but can't say the service impressed me. Its not right to do TRT badly like this and then suffer poor health as a result.

With my (very limited) spare time I am trying to research treatment protocols for adrenal fatigue/insufficiency as I don't believe I ever recovered from this and may well be main cause of my problems. If anyone knows what is best for this I would love to hear from them! I still really don't have a clue.

Thanks

I could have gone private but didn't as I thought it was too much hassle to try and persuade them to cover it.

Good luck with the adrenals - I think mine were compromised through the use of Seretide (now stopped) and I have consistently low body temps but no one cares in the medical profession!

Cheers,