Re: new hypogonadism dxed please help before i start trt

December 13, 2008

I am kinda in the same boat as you. I had some major stress due to job

problems in Dec, 2006. It shouldn't been a big deal, since I've worked

at the place for 20 years, but for some reason this really took a toll

on me. I had also just turned 40. Major anxiety to the point of a

breakdown, terrible insomnia. I've never had sleep problems in my

life, could easily sleep all night w/o waking. I loved my sleep.

Couldn't sleep at all. I felt like I was losing my mind. After many

trips to the dr's and many different meds, my T was tested and found

to be very low, 140 range. Started on Testim, then switched over to

Androgel. Went back and forth on doctors, who never could really get

the dosage of T right, keeping me at the min. 5% level. My symptoms

never really improved, and I went off TRT, and stayed on the sleep

meds (klonopin, ambien, lunesta, trazadone, etc) until Sept 2008.

Since learned that most likely low T and high E2 were my problems back

then.

Another physical showed low T, this time around 241, and Dr suggested

I start back on Androgel, but this time raised my level to 7.5%, and I

feel better than I have in years. However, I have had to learn the

rest of the way myself, including self administering HCG and DIM to

help control E2/Estradiol levels. I will be switching to arimidex

soon. My Dr refuses to test for E2 levels, saying its not necessary.

My sleep has not improved to the point where it was before, but it is

certainly better. I still take Lunesta 2/3 nights a week to get a full

night's undisturbed sleep, but certainly not every night. I have the

energy and motivation to go to the gym and workout, the libido to

chase my wife around the house several times a week, and a general

better outlook on life. I am still trying to get my weight under

control, would like to lose about 20 lbs.

Finding a good Dr is key, but unfortunately, there are just not many

out there.

>

> need help. I had a severe reaction to an antibiotic back in may 08.

before that I never any low t symptoms. shortly after the reaction I

started experiencing extreme fatigue/major sleep disturbances-waking

every hour or so/muscle cramps from any physical execurtion/ almost

like chronic fatigue syndrome type symptoms. since then 3 confirmed

low t tests all under 200. 2ndary hypo confirmed with low lh +fsh. I

am so bad now I am basically bedridden from fatigue and off work. my

main concern before starting trt is if the insomnia-sleep disturbances

has caused my t levels to get this low or is the severe low t causing

the sleep disturbances. I have not slept over 2hrs straight without

waking and not over 6hrs total since this all started in may. I have

tried trazodone/klonopin/atarax/chloral hydrate and more with no

change in sleep disturbances. no previous sleep problems my whole life

before this.makes me wonder if it is low t related since no meds make

a difference and maybe trt will improve my sleep. please any advice or

similar stories I am desperate for help. 36 male

>

December 13, 2008

My insomnia and history is very similar to yours. Low T was the

culprit. If you can get your T level to a range that is 500+.

Then keep an eye on the estrogen. It took me several months of

restored T and lots of sleep hygiene discipline to get back to an

acceptable sleep pattern. The sleep meds just keep you messed up

and delay the process of restoring normal sleep patterns. If you are

consistently on Klonopin then you will want to taper off of it very

slowly. I was on a very low dose and it took me about two months to

taper off of this medicine. I hope you can get started and when

you do be patient -- it takes time.

>

> need help. I had a severe reaction to an antibiotic back in may

08. before that I never any low t symptoms. shortly after the

reaction I started experiencing extreme fatigue/major sleep

disturbances-waking every hour or so/muscle cramps from any physical

execurtion/ almost like chronic fatigue syndrome type symptoms. since

then 3 confirmed low t tests all under 200. 2ndary hypo confirmed

with low lh +fsh. I am so bad now I am basically bedridden from

fatigue and off work. my main concern before starting trt is if the

insomnia-sleep disturbances has caused my t levels to get this low or

is the severe low t causing the sleep disturbances. I have not slept

over 2hrs straight without waking and not over 6hrs total since this

all started in may. I have tried trazodone/klonopin/atarax/chloral

hydrate and more with no change in sleep disturbances. no previous

sleep problems my whole life before this.makes me wonder if it is low

t related since no meds make a difference and maybe trt will improve

my sleep. please any advice or similar stories I am desperate for

help. 36 male

>

December 14, 2008

I am lucky I have a good endo who right off the bat is letting me do my own

shots at home. I have just read more stories of trt causing sleeping problems

more so than helping them. I got off the klonopin quick when I realized it

wasn't working. just on trazodone now. I guess im hoping its like when women

have menopause and insomnia. not getting the normal sleep in over 6 months is

killing me.

> >

> > need help. I had a severe reaction to an antibiotic back in may

> 08. before that I never any low t symptoms. shortly after the

> reaction I started experiencing extreme fatigue/major sleep

> disturbances-waking every hour or so/muscle cramps from any physical

> execurtion/ almost like chronic fatigue syndrome type symptoms. since

> then 3 confirmed low t tests all under 200. 2ndary hypo confirmed

> with low lh +fsh. I am so bad now I am basically bedridden from

> fatigue and off work. my main concern before starting trt is if the

> insomnia-sleep disturbances has caused my t levels to get this low or

> is the severe low t causing the sleep disturbances. I have not slept

> over 2hrs straight without waking and not over 6hrs total since this

> all started in may. I have tried trazodone/klonopin/atarax/chloral

> hydrate and more with no change in sleep disturbances. no previous

> sleep problems my whole life before this.makes me wonder if it is low

> t related since no meds make a difference and maybe trt will improve

> my sleep. please any advice or similar stories I am desperate for

> help. 36 male

> >

>

December 14, 2008

I am lucky I have a good endo who right off the bat is letting me do my own

shots at home. I have just read more stories of trt causing sleeping problems

more so than helping them. I got off the klonopin quick when I realized it

wasn't working. just on trazodone now. I guess im hpoing its like women having

menopause and insomnia. its just not normal to wake up every hour even when

sleep meds don't work makes me think something more health related than just the

usual depression/anxiety story. all my regular dr want to do is keep prescring

AD's. she presceibed me Prozac last week! I laughed. I said I have terrible

insomnia and no libido and that are the 2 known side effects of Prozac. all

that's gonna do is make me worse. I'd much rather stick a needle in me once or

twice a week than take freakin prozac.

> >

> > need help. I had a severe reaction to an antibiotic back in may 08.

> before that I never any low t symptoms. shortly after the reaction I

> started experiencing extreme fatigue/major sleep disturbances-waking

> every hour or so/muscle cramps from any physical execurtion/ almost

> like chronic fatigue syndrome type symptoms. since then 3 confirmed

> low t tests all under 200. 2ndary hypo confirmed with low lh +fsh. I

> am so bad now I am basically bedridden from fatigue and off work. my

> main concern before starting trt is if the insomnia-sleep disturbances

> has caused my t levels to get this low or is the severe low t causing

> the sleep disturbances. I have not slept over 2hrs straight without

> waking and not over 6hrs total since this all started in may. I have

> tried trazodone/klonopin/atarax/chloral hydrate and more with no

> change in sleep disturbances. no previous sleep problems my whole life

> before this.makes me wonder if it is low t related since no meds make

> a difference and maybe trt will improve my sleep. please any advice or

> similar stories I am desperate for help. 36 male

> >

>

December 15, 2008

Hey clay,

You & I sound a lot alike. I've had insomnia for 9+ years now, & have

noticed labs report decreasing T almost each time I test. I've tried

to improve sleep in order to raise my T, but that method hasn't proven

very successful. It's just another vicious cycle :-)

Do you find yourself drenched in sweat when you " awaken " ,

panicked/anxious, or burning hot? Men can have hot flashes like women

due to high E2 & other hormonal imbalances. In my case, it isn't

racing thoughts, hot flashes, night sweats, or sleep apnea (I think-

I'm not overweight, so this never crossed my mind as a strong

possibility)- it's just utter inability to stay asleep longer than a

few hours at a time. Like you, I tried Trazodone, in addition to

Restoril, Ambien, Melatonin, 5-HTP, & anti-anxiety meds- none of which

were able to keep me asleep. L-tryptophan seems to be working now,

but I still don't feel rested upon awakening.

Your mention of trazodone caught my attention. I don't want to scare

you, but I would encourage you to be watchful. Trazodone can

potentially cause things like priapism- a painful erection that

persists for 4+ hours. This source notes that there were some 20

cases reported between 1982-1988- a relatively small compared to the

number of people taking the drug

(http://psy.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/46/4/367 ).

Combining trazodone with other drugs known to produce priapism could

increase likelihood (i.e. Prozac, Celexa). Testosterone itself can

also produce priapism. If you have to take trazodone, by all means

don't discard it, but do be watchful with a combination like this.

I hope your insomnia will resolve with TRT, or that you'll find out

some strategy that works for you.

~Xian

> > >

> > > need help. I had a severe reaction to an antibiotic back in may 08.

> > before that I never any low t symptoms. shortly after the reaction I

> > started experiencing extreme fatigue/major sleep disturbances-waking

> > every hour or so/muscle cramps from any physical execurtion/ almost

> > like chronic fatigue syndrome type symptoms. since then 3 confirmed

> > low t tests all under 200. 2ndary hypo confirmed with low lh +fsh. I

> > am so bad now I am basically bedridden from fatigue and off work. my

> > main concern before starting trt is if the insomnia-sleep disturbances

> > has caused my t levels to get this low or is the severe low t causing

> > the sleep disturbances. I have not slept over 2hrs straight without

> > waking and not over 6hrs total since this all started in may. I have

> > tried trazodone/klonopin/atarax/chloral hydrate and more with no

> > change in sleep disturbances. no previous sleep problems my whole life

> > before this.makes me wonder if it is low t related since no meds make

> > a difference and maybe trt will improve my sleep. please any advice or

> > similar stories I am desperate for help. 36 male

> > >

> >

>

December 16, 2008

so you are on trt and not had improvemnts in sleep?

From: d00fu524 <calvin1564@...>

Subject: Re: new hypogonadism dxed please help before i start trt

Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 1:03 AM

Hey clay,

You & I sound a lot alike. I've had insomnia for 9+ years now, & have

noticed labs report decreasing T almost each time I test. I've tried

to improve sleep in order to raise my T, but that method hasn't proven

very successful. It's just another vicious cycle :-)

Do you find yourself drenched in sweat when you " awaken " ,

panicked/anxious, or burning hot? Men can have hot flashes like women

due to high E2 & other hormonal imbalances. In my case, it isn't

racing thoughts, hot flashes, night sweats, or sleep apnea (I think-

I'm not overweight, so this never crossed my mind as a strong

possibility) - it's just utter inability to stay asleep longer than a

few hours at a time. Like you, I tried Trazodone, in addition to

Restoril, Ambien, Melatonin, 5-HTP, & anti-anxiety meds- none of which

were able to keep me asleep. L-tryptophan seems to be working now,

but I still don't feel rested upon awakening.

Your mention of trazodone caught my attention. I don't want to scare

you, but I would encourage you to be watchful. Trazodone can

potentially cause things like priapism- a painful erection that

persists for 4+ hours. This source notes that there were some 20

cases reported between 1982-1988- a relatively small compared to the

number of people taking the drug

(http://psy.psychiat ryonline. org/cgi/content/ full/46/4/ 367 ).

Combining trazodone with other drugs known to produce priapism could

increase likelihood (i.e. Prozac, Celexa). Testosterone itself can

also produce priapism. If you have to take trazodone, by all means

don't discard it, but do be watchful with a combination like this.

I hope your insomnia will resolve with TRT, or that you'll find out

some strategy that works for you.

~Xian

> > >

> > > need help. I had a severe reaction to an antibiotic back in may 08.

> > before that I never any low t symptoms. shortly after the reaction I

> > started experiencing extreme fatigue/major sleep disturbances- waking