Will Someone Pls. Read My Hormone Results-Female Low on Testosterone

01-15-2011, 09:42 AM

Hi, Salty :wave:

Long time, no talk. I suffer from many of the same symptoms as you, in addition to aches and pains and loss of muscle mass on my upper body. These are all symptoms of low testosterone. I'm low in progesterone, too. I think you should give the T a try, though. I've heard a compounding cream is best. Most likely, I'm going to have to go on a low dose one myself if I want to feel better. I'm worried about side effects as well because I'm very sensitive. I don't see any other way, though. The progesterone cream I'm using is helping, but it's just not enough. Hopefully, a really low dose T cream will work well for me.

01-15-2011, 10:19 AM

Hi kittywitty - yes, your hormone issues are opposite of mine, but i do believe we both have Hashimoto's? and low iron issues?

I didn't spend to much time on birth control, maybe one and a half years, then i went off it for 6 months and tried to conceive, but no luck. A few years later when i began getting my monthly cycle issues my gp put me on 3 various branRAB of birth control and each one had side effects worse than the other.

In my case i think it was the major stress i went through in my then marriage, plus most people, when they suffer hypothyroidism, appear to have hormone issues too. I think this could be due to most of us having adrenal issues too and the adrenals are one area where hormones are manufactured. The 3 muskateers appear to be thyroid, adrenal and hormone

On the weekend i purchase a light weight stainless steel type of bottle from my healthfood store. It's 500ml and i'll use it for water. It's a good alternative to plastic and there is too much plastic going into landfill anyway, while a glass bottle is too impracticle to carry around and heavy. They had these stainless steel bottles in all kinRAB of colours and sizes. I hope the water will taste ok out of it.

At the moment i'm having issues with pap smears/bleeding and my doctor trying to work out what is going on. I hope it's nothing serious, but it's one more annoying thing to deal with. As if it wasn't enough dealing with my hormones, thyroid and digestive issues!!

**Salty** · 01-15-2011, 10:51 AM

Thank you, kittywitty. I am also thinking about those side effects she mentioned. I'm sensitive to many things also. I wish she'd write back.

I keep checking the top of my hair for any signs of baldness!

If I would have known you were going to see your endocrin., I would have had you ask a bunch of questions for me.

Did you ask him about the side effects or anything that other meraber wrote about? Did you ask him anything you think I might find helpful? Sorry, kittywitty...I'm getting discouraged.

So the cream may be slow to act because of the lex. You aren't on any of the meRAB you were on (or any new ones)? You are off all meRAB now? (I'm hoping you will say you aren't so I won't feel so bad about the lex.)

Oh, kittywitty...I don't want to go off it. It's the only thing that ever helped with my anxiety/depression bouts. Yes, I know a lot of good it's doing now around my period. It's a catch-22.

I'm sure other meRAB must lower T, not just SSRI's-- other people must have to deal with this too, right? And the ones who are on an SSRI must have to deal with this.

There have to be people who have to stay on certain meRAB that also happen to lower T, so they add T, right? I'm also asking this of Audrey-B.

I could try posting about the SSRI's and T. What board do you think I should put it on?

Uggh! Kittywitty, I saw it online about it lowering T. I'd like to hear I'm doing something right by adding the T.

Please write back to my zillion questions when you can. I'm upset about this...it just seems like when I think I have the answer and it's going to help (adding the T)--I hit some kind of roadblock. I just want to feel better, you know?

I guess that answers my question about adding any another med.

Could you please keep me posted about what happens with your test results and what your endocrin. is going to do, etc.?

I hope you do better than I am right now...I'm having a little pity party for myself and the tears are starting again.

Lots of hugs kittywitty and thank you for being here,
Salty

**Salty** · 01-15-2011, 11:05 AM

Hi, sweetie. Still no cream, this time the pharmacy said they called me at home to get my permission to go ahead and make it for $35 and that they left a message.

Of course, they must have dialed the wrong nuraber because I have been waiting and waiting for them to call.

Anyway, I should now have it Thursday...ugghh!!!:dizzy:

I want you and kittywitty to know I was also on birth control from about 22 on for years and years.

The very last time I tried to go on the pill, I got so low in mood,

I had to go off of it...it was horrible.

Hugs,
Salty

01-15-2011, 11:27 AM

Hey, salty, I'm feeling better now. I was at a festival last weekend and I had just a few sips of some girly drinks that night and I ended up feeling like garbage (depressed) for a few days afterward. I don't know if it has anything to do with my hormones changing or what. I've never even been a heavy drinker. All I know is if I want to feel good, I have to stay away from the booze.

Anyway, hope your cream kicks in soon. I've got to go get me some and try to get my sex drive back. My husband is driving me nuts and I've got to shut him up! If it weren't for him, I wouldn't care if I were celibate for the rest of my life.

I know what you mean, though, I wish that person would post back on here. I'd like more information from her. What she said creeped me out, too. Take care.

01-15-2011, 12:43 PM

Hi Salty - I just did a reply on kittywitty's thread about boosting testosterone and thought i'd repost it on your thread which you might want to look into.

I was doing a clean up today and found a book i was making notes in over the last couple of years while researching my own issues. I wrote down some information i found, which said for optimal testosterone levels you need to take zinc and magnesium and have as many successes in your life and if you are exercising, keep workouts to 45 mins or less.

I know my zinc and magnesium were excellent a couple of years ago when i was seeing a doctor about my hair shedding. My testosterone comes up at being a little higher than the maximum lab range. So my testosterone ties in with my good zinc and magnesium levels. Another lady i know has a much much higher testosterone than mine but she isn't shedding hair, hasn't developed a deep voice or any other manly charecteristics so don't over stress regarding your future Testosterone levels by using the cream you have.

01-15-2011, 12:48 PM

Hi Salty - Sorry to hear you have been through such a BIG rollercoaster ride emotionally

I haven't been on much as i've had to go and stay with my parents to help them out with a few things.

Has your doctor ever explained why your testosterone dropped to such a low point? I know with age both men and women lose testosterone, but the fact that some people lose so much so soon must stem from something.

In my case my testosterone was high and that was due to my thyroid issue. My doctor told me that once my thyroid was stabilised and on target that my testosterone would self correct. I received my new results and it has self correct and has dropped to what is considered fine.

A lot of hormone issues are triggered off by something or other. I also have to agree with Jill regarding estrogen. A lot of doctors will say something is 'normal' or within range, yet what they consider to be normal could actually be causing awful side effects for someone. Just look at how many years i was told my thyroid was normal, yet i was losing hair abnormally, bad PMS, the most awfully irregular menstrual cycles and then the tiredness and loss of motivation, yet i was supposedly normal and not a thing wrong with my hormones, thyroid and all other health aspects. This is why i still feel there is something else going on, not just your testosterone. Health issues which leave us feeling so awful usually aren't acting alone, but have other health issues in tow which are affecting your health.

The Vitamin section of the boarRAB can sometimes move very slowly. I ended up learning more about vitamins when i posted on the Anemia board regarding my low ferritin issues. You can do a search on the internet to find iron inhibiting fooRAB, vitamins and minerals. You can also probably find information on other vitamins which interact negatively with one another.

I've never experienced the strength of PMS symptoms which you are experiencing. Mine i'd say are more minor. My main ones were physical eg: extreme stomach bloating. I would sometimes have feelings of sadness running for a few months or a month here and there, but only about a week prior to my period being due. It wasn't a debilitating sadness as i could still go to work and live my life.

It's good you are getting your ferritin and Vit D checked. I'd be including your B12, zinc and whatever else might seem appropriate. Something as simple as a lower Vit D can cause a host of symptoms. The problem with testing is that you also need to know where your vitamin levels ought to be at for maximum health as some doctors wont tell you where you ought to be at. They simply tell you your tests are fine, yet things like ferritin, Vit D and B12 need to be at the higher end of the lab range.

With your Testosterone meRAB it's good that you are seeing even the slightest improvement. I'm not sure about the other meRAB you are on and how they affect Testosterone.

My worry is that doctors will simply see your case as too difficult and find it easier to put you on some type of antidepressants or other meRAB which alter the mind and how you feel. Until some doctor gets to the root of the problem and also looks at other things which need fixing, things which are working in conjunction with your testosterone issues, then i'm worried that you will simply keep plodding along like this going in out of the PMS rollercoaster.

Can you more or less pin point when most of your symptoms began or what symptoms began occuring first? It's likely it all began much earlier than you realise. With the thyroid, for instance, a lot of people have been on antidepressants and other such drugs for a nuraber of years prior to finally finding a doctor who said "yes, you have a thyroid problem". Once they quit the antidepressants and began a proper treatment for the thyroid their symptoms all went away. This is why i'm worried that there are other issues linked to your thyroid.

I sincerely hope the Testosterone cream continues to show evidence of working and i hope you get a lot out of your doctors appointment in July. I'd start making lists of things to bring up at the appointment. There must be a solution. Simply using unnessasary drugs as a bandaide treatment isn't the right thing.

You take care and wishing you all the best. BIG HUGS to you. I think you are very brave for trying to fight this

01-15-2011, 01:18 PM

Hi Salty - Did the boric acide suppositories help your cervix 100% ??? I only used to get the bleeding during pap smears once they touched the cervix, but never after intercourse. This was the first time ever that i had the bleeding after sex and it scared the you know what out of me as i read so much about people finding out they had cervical cancer. I don't think i could deal with that on top of everything else!!

I was thinking to simply tell the doctor to get the procedure done where they freeze the affected area and just be done with the whole thing!! The problem is different doctors will say different things, info on the net is varied, people's real life experiences are varied. It's so hard to know which way to go.

I'm glad you aren't being skimpy with your "pea sized" portions

I'd hazard a good guess that as you are on a bio-identical cream, made specifically for you, that you shouldn't have any dramas. At least the bio-identical one is identical to what your body would produce and it's natural. It's not synthetic like those HRT med's some years back when all those women were getting cancer.

Maybe keep a daily diary and note your symptoms and general feelings. This should be a good inicator on how things are progressing. You can also keep a wall calender and at the end of each day give yourself a score out of ten. When you go from week to week your scores should be getting higher. This is handy for when you visit your doctor when he/she asks how is progress. You can have your list of symptoms and general wellbeing. It's difficult when you go back to the doctor and you mention a symptom or of feeling better/worse and they ask "when did that start happening" and you can't remeraber whether it was one week or one month ago.

All the best to you

01-15-2011, 04:46 PM

When I had the bloodwork ran, it was in the late afternoon because at the time I didn't know to do it in the morning. I wonder if it would've made any difference in my results? Next time I'll be sure to go in the morning. I will ask them to dig deeper into the thyroid issue, too. Thanks so much, Audrey. You're so helpful :-) .

01-15-2011, 05:05 PM

So, how did your appointment go, salty?

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