# Update: Low Testosterone & now Low Cortisol??



## clairey83 (Apr 20, 2012)

Ok, brief run down of where we were prior to this morning...

I sent my other half to the docs in February convinced he has Low Testosterone. Doc does bloods, confirms he has low testosterone. Does more bloods, confirms again for definite and refers him to the endocrinologist at the hospital. He then took 10 more different blood samples for testing, then sent him for an MRI. He had the MRI 2 weeks ago and today he had a follow up appointment.

On Tuesday this week he had an appointment with his GP - a separate regular thing. The GP had mentioned in previous appointments that the endocrinologist hadn't let him know what's been going on. So on Tuesday it turned out that he'd finally been sent a letter - which said nothing conclusive. But the GP also had access to the MRI. Told my other half the MRI showed a pituitary microadonema.

So I googled some more (Story of my life just now), the GP had told him that surgery is an option and would mean going to the city for the op but that it's relatively straight forward.
Anyway, after my googling I reckoned that his pituitary tumour would be secreting prolactin - which lowers testosterone. And I also saw that the tumour could be treated with dopamine agonists. So I figured he'd be coming home with a prescription of some description (I'm a doctor now you know  )

Anyway, yesterday he got a letter for another appointment for today - so that's 2. Off he goes to the hospital this morning. The first appointment consisted of him lying flat out for an hour. They took loads of bloods, injected him with cortisol and then took more bloods after 30 mins and then an hour. This appointment then ran over the other one so he didn't have it. But the consultant did pop in and tell him the MRI showed nothing to worry about!! So Bob asked him about the tumour the GP had seen and was told that's nothing to worry about. Pituitary glands come in all shapes and sizes?! 

So that's where we're at now...apparently he not only has low testosterone, but low cortisol too. And now I've got sooo much stuff to put into google it's just flooding my brain full of medical jargon.

So we still don't know where we're at, or when he's likely to be diagnosed or starting to be fixed! He was told today he'd have another appointment sent out and Bob suggested they hurry it up a bit, he's fed up trailing to the hospital with no results!

Oh, and I see on google something about cortisol and fertility, but in case anyone knows about it or feels to mention, he's had the snip already so infertility is no worry of ours  3 kids between the 2 of us is plenty 

Oh, and in other good news, we're just about managing sex once a week now...sometimes twice. Much better than the 6 week waits i've been having to get used to!!


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## lamaga (May 8, 2012)

Wow, that's lots to take in! but you seem to be in good hands, medically, so YAY!


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## livelaughlovenow (Apr 23, 2012)

I am not a medical person, but I would get a second look at the MRI, one says tumor, one says no, I would get a formal second opinion. My Pop had a tumor on his PTGland and it caused him all sorts of issues. But isn't cortisol a stress hormone? Have you been able to pinpoint which glands regulate that? Is it possible an enlarged pituitary could be a problem and be treated? I will be thinking about you for continued success and a formal diagnosis that isn't so confusing! Been there and it's horrible!


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## clairey83 (Apr 20, 2012)

I'm not sure really. It doesn't help that my other half doesn't really take in what they say and by the time he relays it to me, he's forgotten. Think I'll go to the next appointment. 

We're not hugely worried coz they're clearly doing a lot of investigating. I think there's obviously more than just low t. And going by folk on here, it seems we're lucky he's actually getting decent treatment. 

We just wish they'd get to the bottom of it a bit quicker and start to get him sorted. Coz it's not even all about the sex, he's lethargic on a daily basis, has back ache, no motivation etc.


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## prc911 (Dec 20, 2010)

cortisol is a critical hormone that modulates stress, its activated in the adrenal gland by the ACTH which is releases from the pituitary gland....
cortisol is very important and low cortisol levles can be life threatening.....ask them to do an "ACTH stim test" to determine wether is primary (adrenal) or secondary (pituitary) condition

I have a damaged pituitary gland and have tons of experiences on this, it isnt pretty but first thing also is to rule out any pituitary tumor....


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## PBear (Nov 16, 2010)

My GF has the same tumor (I believe), and is on the dopamine agnostics. Theoretically, her sex drive should have been reduced, but if that's the case, all I can say is "thank god!". . Cause I'd never keep up with her if this is her "reduced" sex drive.

I believe her doc has discussed the surgery as a possibility, but they're trying to shrink and control the tumor with the agnostics. I believe that's been working ok, as she's had a couple MRI's since I've known her, and they've cut her prescription dosage in half.

As an FYI, at one point she was having very tender breasts, and went to her doc. This was just after we started seeing each other. Her doc did another round of blood work, and asked her if she was getting more than normal breast stimulation. Whoops, my bad! Our fun and games was messing with her prolactin levels, which caused her doc to wonder why she wasn't spontaneously lactating. Anyway, she went on her mess, and things have stabilized. So life is good, and we didn't have to stop our fun. 

C
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## clairey83 (Apr 20, 2012)

Prc, I'd imagine that's one of the tests they'll have done as they're being very thorough. Theyre doing so many blood tests he'll soon have no blood left ha. 

I think it's the case that rather than just getting him on the hormone replacement, they want to know the cause of it all and exactly what all is amiss. 

Like I said, we're not worried as the doctor is doing waaaay more than we thought. We just expected him to be given a prescription for testosterone. 
It's also clearly nothing serious in that none of his appointments have been urgent. Theres about a month between them all. 

I'll keep you all posted though, hopefully we're now closer to the finish line than the start!


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## clairey83 (Apr 20, 2012)

Oh and pbear, that's good too. At least your girlfriend is getting sorted and nothings had to suffer  

I can't wait til we're back to normal...or better than normal ha


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## Enchantment (May 11, 2011)

Hi clairey ~

Is your husband a younger guy? Since having low testosterone is more common in aging men, having it in a younger guy may indicate there's something else going on - hence all the testing. I think I'd look at all of these tests as a good thing as the doctors try to rule out pituitary tumors and other such things as potential causes.

A body's hormones and steroids that are part of your endrocrine system can be quite a complex cauldron and are interrelated. I have severe hypothyroidism (my thyroid produces extremely low amounts of thyroid hormone) which affects about every bodily system I have. I also had to have the STIM test done (the one where they check your cortisol levels - I thought that test was horrible btw) because when you have wonky hormone levels in one area, you may also have impact in another. Your adrenals can work overtime and become fatigued when you have hormonal imbalance.

Hang in there, clairey! I hope that they can find a resolution for your husband, and you should go with him to his appointments so you can ask questions. A person who has hormonal problems often has "brain fog" - you become kind of fuzzy headed and forgetful about things - you don't really think crystal clear sometimes. If they can rule everything else out, it may come down to something as simple as testosterone replacement therapy. My own H started that this last year (he's 50) and it has made a world of difference.

Best wishes.


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## clairey83 (Apr 20, 2012)

Aye he's young. At least too young for all this ha, he's 33. Think that's why they're investigating so much. Why like you say, is only a good thing. 

After him finding out all the testosterone deficient symptoms he'd started to wonder if he could have had it for years and years and years. As long as he can remember he's always been sleepy, trouble motivating etc. He doesn't need to shave often - like every 10 days to 2 weeks! Although he just figured that was as a result of never shaving coz he doesn't like it. He also said when he was early 20s he asked his doctor lots about why he was always sleepy and they just never found out. I mean literally if he sits still for 10 mins, he'll fall asleep!

And yep, I'm starting to discover all these things are interlinked and complex. Think I'll definitely go to the appointments. I'll have a list of questions. I had half a ream of printouts from the Internet the last time I went to the gp with him haha 

Just looking forward to it all being sorted


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## Enchantment (May 11, 2011)

It's entirely possible that your husband has always had low T...could be that something just didn't develop normally and his testes have never made enough of it. I'm pretty sure I had my thyroid issues for years before it got to the point where it was so bad I couldn't help but do something about it.

Extreme fatigue and low energy was my husband's number one complaint with his low testosterone. His doctor didn't even initially want to test him (before his appointment I told him to insist upon it) because he didn't have erectile and sexual difficulties. I'm glad his doctor gave in and ordered the test ... his level was way below the low end and nowhere near 'normal' for a man his age. When the doc got the results there wasn't even a quibble about him having to be treated.

My H takes injections now, and he's very perky and feels much better ...oh, and the other thing that his injections have done (shhh... don't tell your husband this since he likes shaving so little) ... but he has gotten much hairier ... everywhere.


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## clairey83 (Apr 20, 2012)

Hahaha, i definitely won't tell him - he'd cancel the appointments!! 

And it won't bother me, I don't mind a bit of hair  ha. 

And more won't do him any harm, at the minute he's literally hardly got any. Anywhere. I've got hairier arms than him - he's just got like fluffy baby hair ha. He'll be devastated if he gets a hairy chest I think...but I'll like it...just as long as he doesn't get a hairy back!! Haha. 

Oh and we're not married. He's just the love of my life  (aaaaaww)


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## Mr B (Feb 6, 2009)

Cortisol is the body's fight or flight hormone. Too much of it can wipe out sexual desire within seconds. Many who suffer from sexual dysfunctions caused by various kinds of sexual anxiety are dysfunctional due to the anxiety causing the body to release too much cortisol. In men it kills/prevents erection.

Low cortisol is something I have never heard of before. It is fairly rare.

Are you sure you heard right about dopamine agonist treating the tumor? Are you sure it wasn't using dopamine agonists to counteract the side effects of the tumor? That makes more sense.


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## clairey83 (Apr 20, 2012)

I didn't hear anything about the dopamine agonists treating the tumour, this was what I found on the Internet. 

Again, I can only go by what my boyfriend told me, that the doctor mentioned cortisol to him. And I googled it, discovering high cortisol causes low t and sexual problems. And when I told him this he told me he thinks it's low, as the doctor injected him with cortisol during his appointment and then took further bloods at later intervals. 

And the sexual problems are physical. At least not anxiety related anyway. He simply does not think of sex ever. In the past he has had ed and the doc gave him some pills...and never investigated any further. 

We'll just have to wait and see the outcome of the next appointment. Which I'll go to, and take some more information in


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