Medical Question for the multitude here

[Pizza]

Here is the thing - medical science wants to see a man's total testosterone between 300 and 890 ng/DL.

As of 2008 (at age 48), mine was 202 and I have been injecting under a doctor's care ever since. The most she could get me to was around 470 (I did hit 550 once). She came to the conclusion that my body was making the stuff, but then metabolizing it. Evidence was strong that I've been low since my late 30's

I just came back from the doc's. He told me to stop taking the stuff and now I agree - my level is at 904.

I do not understand how I could have 'healed' from this. I have not been able to contact my former doctor for her take on all of this and my current doctor is no specialist in this at all.

The only thing I can come up with is this: Back in April/May, I had the heart scare and have been moving toward a vegetarian diet. Could that explain this?

I mean, the vegans would LOVE to hear this. And I don't care WHAT the truth is - I just want to know how my life-long sentence of once-a-week injections could be over !




Does anyone here have any input on this? Could diet (and the fact that I reject most stress these days) explain this? I have been on WebMD and other sites this morning and I am coming up with very little. For there to be such a dramatic turn-around SOMETHING has to have changed, I just cant grasp what it could be.

 

[reba]

Dont settle for one opinion... test numbers can jump around... I dont trust numbers... " the test" for ovarian cancer is CA125 my number stayed in the normal range while having a cancerous 3+ pound ovarian tumor...

 

[Gary]

Here is the thing - medical science wants to see a man's total testosterone between 300 and 890 ng/DL.

As of 2008 (at age 48), mine was 202 and I have been injecting under a doctor's care ever since.

As of 2013 (at age 56), mine was 35.

Other than being sexually dysfunctional, I was in near perfect health. I had no complaints with my quality of life so my doctor and I decided against treatments.

 

[Willie T]

As of 2013 (at age 56), mine was 35.

Other than being sexually dysfunctional, I was in near perfect health. I had no complaints with my quality of life so my doctor and I decided against treatments.

Smart. Don't take ANYTHING unless you may die if you don't. God didn't design us to eat crap and not exercise... then try to make up for all those years of abuse by pumping ourselves full of laboratory compounds.

 

[Pizza]

As of 2013 (at age 56), mine was 35.

Other than being sexually dysfunctional, I was in near perfect health. I had no complaints with my quality of life so my doctor and I decided against treatments.

I don't see how that could be your total testosterone, FREE testosterone is normal from 47 to 244, but for total to be that low, you'd be lower than a menopausal women. I can't imagine your digestive tract is very healthy at that level, to say nothing of your sleep patterns and bone density.

Are you shorter now than in the past? At 202, I lost 1 1/2 inches in ten years.

 

[Pizza]

God didn't design us to eat crap and not exercise....

My exercise has not changed, I keep my HDLs over 44 as I exercise for HOURS a week.

But as to diet, I THINK that is a big part of my story - my diet is way better than before the heart scare. I'm moving towards vegetarianism as time goes by. I will never be a strict vegan, but I AM moving that way.

 

[Pizza]

Reba, the doc drew more blood today to see if things come back the same.

I'm ready to see an endocrinologist (Hey, spelled it right first time!) if it comes to that.

 

[Kathi]

It is dangerous to get opinions from anyone other than your physician.If you do not like the way your physician is approaching your issues get a second opinion.I stick with specialists.They know everything about a particular area of the body.

 

[Gary]

I don't see how that could be your total testosterone, FREE testosterone is normal from 47 to 244, but for total to be that low, you'd be lower than a menopausal women. I can't imagine your digestive tract is very healthy at that level, to say nothing of your sleep patterns and bone density.

Are you shorter now than in the past? At 202, I lost 1 1/2 inches in ten years.

That's what my doctor said too. I just had a physical last month. Everything came back fine.

I've lost about 2 inches in height over the last 30 years. I'll be wearing Garanimals before long. I've always had problems with sleep. I've been taking OTC sleeping aids for the last 25 years.

 

[Pizza]

I got this from a friend:

The thing you'll need to watch out for are the phytoestrogens, the estrogen mimics that exist in the plant world, and there are a good number of them. Watch the soy products! Soy is has phytoestrogenic properties in large amounts. (Tough for me because it can also bind the thyroid receptors lowering the effectiveness of thyroid replacement)

Another gotcha for "Low-T" in the animal world are the antiandrogenics that we pump our meat (and ultimately dairy) full of. Girls are not infrequently hitting puberty at crazy-early ages these days - eight, nine, ten years old. If you want to keep eating meat, you need to dump the fast food and focus on the better "wilder" meats. The grass-fed cattle certified hormone-free, grass-fed buffalo, venison, etc.

I had the opposite problem, likely contributed to by being a vegetarian (and a professional athlete). Once I stopped cycling crazy miles every day, my hormones fairly well stabilized, although my estrogen levels are still on the lower end and progesterone and testosterone on the higher end. "Damage done", even after gaining weight my quads are larger than my waist.

I have made tremendous diet changes this year, as well as learned to reject stress rather well. I get the idea I was eating way worse than I thought!

 

[Pizza]

It is dangerous to get opinions from anyone other than your physician.If you do not like the way your physician is approaching your issues get a second opinion.I stick with specialists.They know everything about a particular area of the body.

I'm not looking for opinions, I'm looking for those who have had experience with such a problem, as my friend above.


And if I go to a specialist, that won't be a 'second opinion', because my current doctor has no opinion and he demonstrates no curiosity, either. (Rather alarming to me.) His attitude is, "whatever..."

 

[Pizza]

I will say this, I still like my doctor - I am just not so sure we are a 'match'.

As many of you know, I have made major changes this year - I am just wondering if I made SUCH major changes that a problem that I've had for over ten years could be cured simply by (let's just say it) living and eating right. Thing is, I don't think I am living 'that right'...

 

[Pizza]

Well, Lynn just posted again:
Yes, diet can make a tremendous difference.

Look, I'm pretty logical, don't fall into the conspiracy theory traps or nutrition fad traps very readily - but that fast-food crap is a killer to the body. It's just too overprocessed and crapped on too much for the body to find what it needs.

I don't think one has to go psycho-whole-food, or even entirely vegetarian (I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian, and have been since 1988, but even I am not saying one has to dump the meat, just be smarter about it), I think we just need to eat better and it'll clean up a lot of hormonal issues.

And stress has medically been shown numerous times to be the #1 contributing factor to hormonal imbalance (esp. low-T and high corticosteroid levels)

 

[Pizza]

See, if I can substantiate that learning to deal with stress and eating better really DID heal me - I can fit it into the book I'm writing (and besides, knowledge is a good thing.)

I am of the mindset that much of our problem with illness and "disease" is food and lifestyle-caused. As my doctor in Michigan once told me, "Most of America can walk themselves healthy, and many more could improve their diet and quit smoking and do the same..."

This is why I often pray NOT for God to heal me, but for Him to open my eyes and show me what I am to learn from what I am going thru. In fact, I am almost convinced that MIGHT be what has happened this year. Would it not be wonderful if my illness earlier this year led me to changes that greatly improved my health (as I go from middle to old age)? I really turned my eyes to Him when the heart thing hit - but I did NOT just sit around and pray for healing. In fact, I NEVER asked for healing, but for a smooth transition to the next life (as I was sure I was not going to make it anyway.)

But I did get better. And I"m getting the idea I did more than get better, I'm getting the idea that I am unknowingly making changes that HAD to be made, sooner or later.
I just never thought my hormone problem would turn around, and neither did my former doctor OR the specialists she consulted about me.



Of course, there is always the possibility that God healed me of that condition intentionally, but I don't think that was the case, as I NEVER asked for it. That is why I am looking for answers, did I unintentionally heal myself, did God heal me? What happened? My current doctor is not curious, but I am.

 

[Gary]

I am of the mindset that much of our problem with illness and "disease" is food and lifestyle-caused.

I think GMOs have a lot to do with it. We can't ingest all that poison and expect to walk away clean.

 

[Pizza]

I think GMOs are a distraction. While people are chanting about GMOs, they are lining up for that awful non-food at BK, McDs, Wendy's, Applebee's, etc.

 

[jasonc]

I think GMOs are a distraction. While people are chanting about GMOs, they are lining up for that awful non-food at BK, McDs, Wendy's, Applebee's, etc.

its not cheap and good luck finding affordable wild and free roaming chicken and beef. organic food is pricier and for some that isn't easy to get.i can garden in my mini lot of .10 acre but well that isn't much to plant with to grow food.even if you have the acreage one doesn't save much on raising the cow, feeding it and keeping it healthy just to simply eat it over the store bought food. I know a coworker who does that.

 

[Gary]

I think GMOs are a distraction.

Do yourself a favor and do some research on GMOs. You may be surprised.

While people are chanting about GMOs, they are lining up for that awful non-food at BK, McDs, Wendy's, Applebee's, etc.

I don't do fast food. Maybe a couple times a year but that's it.

 

[Kathi]

I'm not looking for opinions, I'm looking for those who have had experience with such a problem, as my friend above.


And if I go to a specialist, that won't be a 'second opinion', because my current doctor has no opinion and he demonstrates no curiosity, either. (Rather alarming to me.) His attitude is, "whatever..."

I can see your frustration.There are some good doctors out there and there are some bad.If you are not happy you need to move on if your insurance will allow.

 

[Kathi]

I think GMOs are a distraction. While people are chanting about GMOs, they are lining up for that awful non-food at BK, McDs, Wendy's, Applebee's, etc.

WHAT??? You consider Applebees's fast food?I love their Oriental Chicken Salad (chicken crispy please)