Testosterone

[jlba1067]

Hi, I’m from the Philippines. I was diagnosed with 4mm pit last august of 2009.As of now, all my laboratory tests are within normal level except my testosterone. I’m on testosterone replacement therapy since August of 2009 but I’m afraid of the possible side effects like prostate problem. My question, is it possible if I decide to discontinue my testosterone replacement therapy? I really need your opinion. Pituitary tumor is very very rare here in the Philippines

[rumpled]

Since this post is 4 years old, I am not sure the other person will post back...

Tips for finding a pituitary doctor locally are university and larger hospitals and to look on the internet for papers written by doctors in the Philippines and many of those papers have contact information or contact those hospitals to get information. Usually they can refer you to them or someone else.

I hope that helps.

[tj0424]

Hi,, I am from Philippines also.. I guess you were right that pituitary tumor is rare in our country..

I am looking Foundation or association regarding Pituitary Tumor.. Because medication is not cheap, just like me I don't have money for my medication that's why i am searching the internet if there is a foundation that can help for some less fortunate patient like me.. Because it is really so frustating having this kind of tumor that we can't live a normal life like others do.

[jlba1067]

I will discus this with my doctor in my next visit.  By the way I’m 42 years old. My next MRI  will be on August. Thank you again Rumpled. God bless.

[rumpled]

The thing is, your tests are not complete enough to show what *type* of tumor you have. You only have LH tested, not FSH but in that kind of tumor (which is super rare) the values would be high. There is no TSH, no ACTH, no IGF-1 (which is the form of growth hormone the body uses) etc.

Your thyroid check was dismal - check out the thyroid boards here - but I get Free T3, Free T4, and antibodies should be there and since the pit is suspected, the TSH.

A known hormone that lowers testosterone is cortisol - your doc may think she has covered it with the one 8am cortisol test but a point-in-time test may miss a surge in cortisol and also, what time were these tests done? ACTH, dhea, etc. all will reveal it - but needs to be done. A 24 hour urinary free cortisol may help here too.

You see, the low testosterone just may be a symptom - not the entire problem - so treating it may not work of just be a band-aid on leaking boat - there is something else going on here and the mystery has yet to be uncovered.

I suppose you went to the doc for symptoms?

[jlba1067]

Rumpled  thank you for your reply. My LH is also low. That’s the reason my Doctor has requested for an MRI. You mentioned about comprehensive androgen check, My Doctor has not yet requested  for it. Maybe in the future. The following are my laboratory tests, maybe you have something to share about it.


      TEST                         RESULT              REFERENCE        UNIT

LH                                     0.962                         1.7 - 8.6                    mIU/m

TESTOSTERONE                 0.242                          2.8 – 8                      ng/ml

FT4( free thyrosine)             20.46                          12.0 – 22.0               pmol/l

PROLACTIN                          95.61                         86 – 324                    mlU/L

A.M. CORTISOL                    385.8                         171 – 536                   mlU/L  

SERUM GROWTH
               HORMONE             0.20                            0.01 – 1                     ng/ml  


                            

Regarding my testosterone test, I have no idea whether it’s free or total. I will ask my Doctor about it.                                                

[rumpled]

Pituitary tumors are not rare in the Phillippines - like everywhere else, they are often overlooked or treated symptomatically.

If your testosterone is low - what about your LH/FSH, estradiol, DHEA sulfate? As well, Which testosterone? Free, total? Did  you have a sex binding hormone test done? All this would be part of a comprehensive androgen check.

The thing with hormones that docs seem to fail to remember from their training - is that they work in feedback loops. So if testosterone is low, other things are working overtime high to make up for it or not functioning at all - so the loop is broken. And since the androgen can come form the pit or the adrenals, they need to test you well.

If you are low, and just replacing to the point of feeling better, your side effects should be reduced - talk to your doc or pharmacist about your risks.