9 replies to this topic

[Bigstar20]

Hi all, for as long as I can remember I have had quite a low libido and erectile dysfunction (I have posted another thread a couple of years ago), but lately it seems to be getting worse and worse. I can go weeks without sex or masturbating and my desire doesn't increase at all - not ideal when I have a girlfriend. 

 

On top of that, I have developed extreme apathy over the past couple of months.. I find it hard to be excited about ANYTHING, music doesn't sound good like it used to, I don't want to socialise and motivation to do things like workout has gone. Although, I don't feel "depressed" or suicidal or anything like that.

 

I decided to get some lab tests to try to see what is going on. I ordered these online, then took them to a blood collection centre so I didn't have to see a doctor to get the tests. 

 

The results are first, then the range is on the right.

 

Colesterol

Total Colesterol: 5.8 mmol/L || 3 - 5.2 (out of range)

LDL: 3.9 mmol/L || 1.5 - 3.4 (out of range)

HDL: 1.3 mmol/L || 1 - 2

Triglycerides: 1.2 mmol/L || 0.5 - 1.7

Coronary Risk Ratio: 4.5 || 5

 

Iron Studies

Iron: 29 umol/L || 10 - 30

Transferrin: 2.38 g/L || 2.1 - 3.8

Transferrin Saturation: 49% || 15 - 50

Ferritin: 287 ug/L || 30 - 250 (out of range)

 

Thyroid Function

TSH: 3.55 mlU/L || 0.5 - 5

FT4: 19.4 pmol/L || 9 - 25

FT3: 5.0 pmol/L || 3.5 - 6.5

 

Kidney Function

Sodium: 144 mmol/L || 135 - 145

Urea: 6.1 mmol/L || 2.5 - 8

Creatine: 97 umol/L || 60 - 110

eGFR: 90mL/min/1.73m2 || < 59

 

Liver Function

Bilirubin: 33 umol/L || < 25 (out of range)

ALP: 37 U/L || 30 - 120

AST: 16 U/L || < 41

ALT: 29 U/L || < 51

GGT: 15 U/L || < 51

Albumin: 43 g/L || 35 - 50

 

Vitamin B12

540 pmol/L || 180 - 680

 

Full Blood Count

Red Blood Cell Count: 5.77 || 4.5 - 6.5

White Blood Cell Count: 4.2 || 4 - 11

Platelet Count: 156 || 150 - 450

Haemoglobin: 164 g/L || 138 - 180

Haematocrit: 0.48 || 0.4 - 0.55

 

Adrenocortex Hormones

Cortisol: 451 nmol/L || 110 - 550

DHEA-S: 5.5 umol/L || 4.8 - 13.9

 

Metabolic

Fasting Glucose: 4.7 mmol/L || 3 - 6.9

HbA1c (DCCT): 4.7% || < 6.5

Insulin: 8 mU/L || 2 - 12

Lipase: 144 || 70 - 390

Amylase: 45 U/L || 25 - 120

 

Hormone Panel

Testosterone: 20.5 nmol/L || 6 - 28

Free Testosterone: 352 pmol/L || 200 - 600

SHBG: 47 nmol/L || 15 - 50

Oestradiol: 89 pmol/L || < 150

FSH: 5 IU/L || 1 - 8

LH: 6 U/L || 2 - 8

Prolactin: 159 mlU/L || 45 - 375

 

Bone Health

Calcium: 2.53 mmol/L || 2.15 - 2.55

Corrected Calcium: 2.48 mmol/L || 2.15 - 2.55

Vitamin D: 85 nmol/L || 50 - 250

Urate: 0.37 mmol/L || 0.18 - 0.47

Phosphate: 1.00 mmol/L || 0.75 - 1.5

 

 

I have obviously indicated which results are out of range, but I'm hoping someone else can spot anything obvious within the results that could be affecting me - or how the out of range results could be affecting me. 

 

I eat relatively healthy, lots of vegetables, chicken, greek yoghurt, fruits, nuts. I don't smoke, don't watch porn at all and drink alcohol about twice a month.

 

Thank you

Edited by Bigstar20, 12 January 2018 - 04:07 AM.

[Galaxyshock]

Jiaogulan to normalize cholesterol, bring back energy and interest in life. Schizandra for liver health. Zinc to decrease iron absorption and for male health.

[Mind_Paralysis]

That Bilirubin level... are you sure it's 33 umol/L and not *330* umol/L?

 

170 is usually the level considered too high for adults, so the fact that the range only goes to 25 is a bit odd.

 

https://en.wikipedia...erbilirubinemia

 

As I understand it, Bilirubin blocks the metabolism of regular LDL into oxidised LDL - perhaps that's why you have both high cholesterol and high Bilirubin?

 

 

Btw, I just read that Bilirubin can be raised with a disease called Gilbert's Syndrome - usually the patients don't have any symptoms! But, here's the kicker, there's also reports of tiredness and weakness - perhaps you have a unusual form of GS, which presents with these anhedonic symptoms?

 

https://en.wikipedia..._syndrome#Other

 

Read up a bit on it, like the blood-tests after fasting which show much lower Bilirubin-levels, and the genetics and the like - could you be one of the peeps with this?

 

 

Otherwise, you could of course simply be depressed - if so, I'd suggest you try a combination of the SNRI antidepressant Duloxetine and the atypical antipsychotic Aripiprazole - this drug is very helpful with sexual anhedonia, as the partial D3-agonism it exhibits have been known to cause hypersexuality in non-anhedonic patients taking the drug.

 

 

EDIT:

Here's a bit more info, not from wikipedia.

 

Another guy with high bilirubin and high ferritin:

https://www.justansw...-bilirubin.html

(hope that doesn't scare you too much...)

 

A form of anemia also causes high bilirubin and high ferritin:

 

http://onlinelibrary...999.01745.x/pdf

 

That seems unlikely though... I mean, your blood count is GREAT! A note though... one of the peeps in the study showed up as having the most common gene which causes Gilbert's Syndrome.

 

 

Are there any cases of Jaundice in your family? Gilbert's Syndrome is hereditary, one of your parents has to have it as well - this can be checked with a gene-test of you and both of your parents, if possible. Does any of your parents present with any of the symptoms of GS? Or any of the symptoms that YOU have? Anything like fatigue and stomache-pains?

Edited by Stinkorninjor, 12 January 2018 - 03:02 PM.

[Krocius]

According to the information from the internet your TSH pretty high ideally it should be around 1. Nevertheless your FT3 and FT4 are optimal but on your place i would try thyroid hormones to see any improvements. Also you can use iodine to treat this. Check stopthethyroidmadness website for more detailed information. I have something simillar and i think i noticed improvements after T4/T3 use but it causes anxiety to me probably due low cortisol. By the way hypothyroidism increases cholesterol and LDL. Have you been using any supplements for prolonged period? If yes name what supplements and what duration. Check your ReverseT3 it can cause you problems. You have pretty high Ferritin actually what doctors say about this? You can have raised rT3 due to high ferritin consider a bloodletting to treat this.

Edited by Krocius, 12 January 2018 - 03:43 PM.

[jack black]

for that borderline elevation of iron, should should consider regular blood donation. good for you and society. but it will not make you feel better, except for the psychological thing. they will also test you for infectious diseases during the blood testing screening, that's also a plus as your results could indicate chronic inflammation. you need CRP and ESR to confirm that. if confirmed, subclinical gluten sensitivity could easily give you chronic inflammation. agree with the above posters about Gilbert syndrome too, it could be a separate issue, but can contribute to fatigue.

 

your TSH is borderline for a young male, but if you have no symptoms of hypothyroidism (gaining weight, losing hair, etc), no need to fixate on that.

 

are you familiar with CFS? are your symptoms similar?

[Brendang3]

Any luck bigstar? I have the same thing going on. No idea where to start

[Bigstar20]

That Bilirubin level... are you sure it's 33 umol/L and not *330* umol/L?

 

170 is usually the level considered too high for adults, so the fact that the range only goes to 25 is a bit odd.

 

https://en.wikipedia...erbilirubinemia

 

As I understand it, Bilirubin blocks the metabolism of egular LDL into oxidised LDL - perhaps that's why you have both high cholesterol and high Bilirubin?

 

 

Btw, I just read that Bilirubin can be raised with a disease called Gilbert's Syndrome - usually the patients don't have any symptoms! But, here's the kicker, there's also reports of tiredness and weakness - perhaps you have a unusual form of GS, which presents with these anhedonic symptoms?

 

https://en.wikipedia..._syndrome#Other

 

Read up a bit on it, like the blood-tests after fasting which show much lower Bilirubin-levels, and the genetics and the like - could you be one of the peeps with this?

 

 

Otherwise, you could of course simply be depressed - if so, I'd suggest you try a combination of the SNRI antidepressant Duloxetine and the atypical antipsychotic Aripiprazole - this drug is very helpful with sexual anhedonia, as the partial D3-agonism it exhibits have been known to cause hypersexuality in non-anhedonic patients taking the drug.

 

 

EDIT:

Here's a bit more info, not from wikipedia.

 

Another guy with high bilirubin and high ferritin:

https://www.justansw...-bilirubin.html

(hope that doesn't scare you too much...)

 

A form of anemia also causes high bilirubin and high ferritin:

 

http://onlinelibrary...999.01745.x/pdf

 

That seems unlikely though... I mean, your blood count is GREAT! A note though... one of the peeps in the study showed up as having the most common gene which causes Gilbert's Syndrome.

 

 

Are there any cases of Jaundice in your family? Gilbert's Syndrome is hereditary, one of your parents has to have it as well - this can be checked with a gene-test of you and both of your parents, if possible. Does any of your parents present with any of the symptoms of GS? Or any of the symptoms that YOU have? Anything like fatigue and stomache-pains?

 

Yes that's the billiruben reading that they gave me, I just double checked. Thank you for the links I've been looking into Gilbert's Syndrome - I'm unsure if anyone in my family has it. I don't ever get stomach pains or "fatigue". 

 

According to the information from the internet your TSH pretty high ideally it should be around 1. Nevertheless your FT3 and FT4 are optimal but on your place i would try thyroid hormones to see any improvements. Also you can use iodine to treat this. Check stopthethyroidmadness website for more detailed information. I have something simillar and i think i noticed improvements after T4/T3 use but it causes anxiety to me probably due low cortisol. By the way hypothyroidism increases cholesterol and LDL. Have you been using any supplements for prolonged period? If yes name what supplements and what duration. Check your ReverseT3 it can cause you problems. You have pretty high Ferritin actually what doctors say about this? You can have raised rT3 due to high ferritin consider a bloodletting to treat this.

 

 

I haven't been to see a doctor - I ordered these lab tests myself. I had my rT3 tested a few weeks ago though, here are the results:

 

465pmol/L || 140 - 540

 

Any luck bigstar? I have the same thing going on. No idea where to start

 

Hi brendang, see below.

 

Hey everyone, I appreciate the replies. I'm feeling a lot better mentally at the moment. I've changed my diet, I'm eating 98% gluten free, a lot more vegetables and healthy fats and making sure to get sufficient amount of calories each day. I'm working out a few times a week, doing weights and a bit of cardio. I used to work out religiously in the past but it slowly got less and less over the past year. It's good to be back into it. 

 

I feel much more confident and "manly" at the moment. I'm also feeling extremely motivated and focussed to get work done. 

 

However, in saying all that - my libido is still terrible/non-existant.  

 

I got my Reverse T3 tests done a few weeks ago, these are the results:

 

465pmol/L || 140 - 540

 

I should add this in: the ONLY time my libido feels right is if I take Phenibut. I haven't taken any in months, and only ever used it very rarely. But when I took a single dose, I would have very high libido/good erections for 2 or 3 days. I know Phenibut affects dopamine, but I've tried many other dopamine-affecting supps in the past and none have any effect on libido for me. 

 

I also forgot to add in: years ago I was tested for the MTHFR gene mutation and was tested positive for a mutation (C677T Heterozygous). I was prescribed to take the active forms of Folate, B6 and B12 - but this absolutely killed my erections and libido, so I stopped. At the moment I can still get an erection if I "need" to.. there's just no desire/arousal/drive. 

Edited by Bigstar20, 01 March 2018 - 03:19 AM.

[Bigstar20]

Update:

 

I've still been feeling the same as I was in the original post (mainly no libido/erectile dysfunction). A few weeks ago I decided to go see an Integrative Doctor in my city that had lots of good reviews. I took along my previous test results (the ones posted in the OP) and he was particularly interested in the high Bilirubin, but he also wanted me to get another hormone panel done, however he wanted a Saliva test done (instead of blood). The results came back today, here they are:

 

DHEAS: 5.0nmol/L || 5.0 - 30.0

Androstenedione: 0.17nmol/L || 0.07 - 0.53

Testosterone: 334.0pmol/L || 100.0 - 720.0

DHT: 3.9pg/mL || 2.0 - 10.0

Estradiol (E2): 5.2pmol/L || 1.0 - 6.0

Estrone (E1): 6.0pmol/L || 1.5 - 22.0

Testosterone/DHT Ratio: 85.6 || 10.0 - 350.0

Androstenedione/E1 Ratio: 0.03 || 0.05 - 1.10 (out of range)

 

As you can see, DHEAS is low, E2 is on the higher side and the Andro/E1 ratio is out of range. He has put me on DHEA supplement and Zinc (to try stop the conversion of Testosterone to Estrogen).

 

Does anyone have any input on my latest results? Could is be as simple as low DHEA?

 

[John250]

Neurosteroids like dhea, pregnenolone and progesterone can play more of a role in libido than testosterone. He should have checked your pregnenolone and progesterone as well but I’d start with 30mg transdermal dhea (life-flo is a good brand) if pregnenolone and progesterone are low the dhea alone may fix them but you may need to supplement with them as well.

[triguy]

Adrenocortex Hormones

Cortisol: 451 nmol/L || 110 - 550

DHEA-S: 5.5 umol/L || 4.8 - 13.9

 

 

these numbers may be in the range but are they "GOOD"  .......for your biochemistry?

 

adrenal fatigue causes havoc on your hormonal system