+ 1 Andropause (male menopause)
Haven't been on eroids in a while but I always come here when I need help/advice or when I can offer any help/advice.
I'm 40 years old and just been diagnosed with low T (272) and I've been feeling like crap for months (moody, hot flashes, fatigue, heart palpitations, anxiety etc.) so I Went to the doctor to get some blood work done she did all sorts of bloods and something told me to ask for testosterone bloods and I am glad I did. Neither my GP or my cardiologist ever suggested that low testosterone could be the culprit.
After doing tons of research I discovered "Andropause" or male menopause. Basically once you are in your 40's your hormones (testosterone) can start to decrease significantly and I'm not just talking about low T and erection problems. That's the problem with low T, everyone thinks it's just about erections and sex but it can be so much more.
Like women's menopause, andropause in men are also characterized by many different symptoms. The male menopause symptoms may include: low energy and virility, low sex drive / libido decreased with age, general tiredness, fatigue, hot flashes, night sweats, heart palpitations / irregular heartbeat, erectile dysfunction, poor memory associated with the aging process and hypogonadism (a condition where the body does not produce adequate amounts of sex hormone / testosterone deficiency).
There are also some emotional symptoms of male menopause that maybe experienced including: the awkward feeling of confusion, moodiness, nervous, irritable and depressed; split personality; stressfulness; lose sense of purpose; craving for the new order of things or more ventures, spinning out of control and feeling of inability to support his family as well as to manage complex business.
So it's much more than ed problems. We're all different and we probably won't experience the same symptoms but don't be afraid to ask your doctor about Andropause.
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Like the lads have said below, that was the biggest part of my own "discovery" that low T could effect men in other ways than sexual. Within a few weeks of pinning, I felt like I could concentrate better when people were speaking to me, etc. I became more decisive too. Decisions were easier, and I didn't have analysis paralysis from over thinking things. Having a "normal level of testosterone" in my system simply let me be "more at peace" if you will. I felt more patient, which has added to my confidence a lot.
The "swol muscles" benefits of testosterone is a nice bonus, no doubt, but dang, it's all mental in my world. The mental focus has helped me with my lifting, which my body has benefited from just as much as the actual anabolic properties of test.
Spot on, little did I know the suffering and pain I was having that ultimately affected my family, marriage, friends etc was because of low T and not something worse.
The part about the added body benefits is a nice bonus but nothing beats the mental acuity and quality of life. Can I get an Amen!! LOL
Agree with many of the comments below. I had brain fog, moodiness, depression, lack of motivation along with no libido. Thought it was a thyroid issue since I had that removed in 2009. Changed doses of thyroid meds several times,and tried a few anti-depressants (which only made things worse for me). Finally found a doc who was open to testing everything and found I had low T. Prescribed 200mg Test C per week and after a few months, felt like a new person. Energy returned, fog lifted, confidence went up. Way better than any anti-depressant many drs. rush to give you.
Started lifting again and even received a few compliments.(LOL) Get my bloodwork done regularly which is critical. This medicine has been a blessing. And this site has been a huge help as well. Spend more time reading here than on anything else. Some great advice to be found.
Ditto. All of the above!
Same..... I had all of that and started self prescribing. I'm paying for that now, I've been diagnosed with hypogonadism but because of the self prescription they wouldn't start treatment until I stopped the medication and they had another blood test where my blood levels of T came back low. So I stopped injecting test prop a few weeks back and I now feel like I've been hit by a bus. Brain fog, struggling to move, aching everywhere, dizziness, irritable........ I actualy forgot what it felt like to be this way until the last few days. Now I'm trying to drag myself off the sofa to get dressed and go to work. Wish I could have held out for those extra months the first time round and I wouldn't be here now. You live and learn
Hang in there. That brain fog, fatigue and irritability can be a nightmare. There were times I should not have even been driving I was so groggy and out of it. I think some of these doctors don't realize or care how bad people actually feel and expect you to wait 4-6 weeks until you feel better. I understand they have to think of our long term health and safety. But I have had the flu and felt better than with these symptoms. I would have self prescribed myself too if I knew it would make me feel better.
I hope you get your test back soon so you can start feeling better.
Thanks. I know I've just got to ride it out this time and then I will get a proper prescription along with bloodwork etc that I need. I just keep thinking at least it's going to get sorted. There's a hell of a lot of people who don't get the help they need and live through not knowing any different because doctors don't care or should I say aren't knowledgable enough to test our hormones, and recognise the huge impact it has on people's lives. I had to push for getting tested through my own research. Even then they still thought it was all apart of my "generalised anxiety" as they said, "which can manifest as health anxiety". They just wanted to up the anti depressants again.
They won't even comment on any of this now when I ask them, it's as if the last few years all the times I've presented them with my symptoms, which all point to hormones, didn't happen
Of course NOT!!! The medical industry for profit is all about treating the symptoms and not the root cause of disease.
Depression = Anti-Depressants (pick your poison). Erectile Dysfunction = Viagra / Cialis. High Cholesterol = Statins.
Really all of the above just signals that your endocrine system is out-of-balance and needs proper adjustment through testosterone. But that is too simple and cost-effective as a fix. So they perpetuate the fraudulent but more lucrative secondary "treatments".
In all fairness patients are probably more to blame. When my cholesterol was high my doc wanted to prescribe a drug. When I asked what I can do naturally she mentioned most patients don't follow through with life changes in diet or exercise. In other words, they have basically given up trying because we the patients rarely follow the doctor's advice..
So sad and so true! A few years ago I had to stop working out because of an injury and let my diet go to shit. Cholesterol was 250 and doc wanted to put me on statins automatically. I said no thanks I will fix it myself and he said he wished other people would do the same thing.
Started to eat cleaner and added krill oil and pure red yeast rice and within 6 months total cholesterol was down to 170.
That's a sad realization, Greg. In our world, we know that AAS isn't a magic pill. It's medicine only. The real magic pill is always diet and exercise. There's tons of variables to both of those words, but it's still that simple. Diet and exercise. Every time, without fail. I hope we can keep men here on eroids focused on that simple, yet very true reality. Diet and friggin exercise.
The most noticeable effect it had on me was brain fog. Everything just seemed disconnected. For example the phone would be ringing and after like 3 or 4 rings it would finally dawn on me that hey, the phone is ringing and that means you are supposed to answer it. It also seemed like I was totally lost at work. Couldn't concentrate or focus on any anything. Productivity really suffered. Then there was also the obvious libido issues.
I know the brain fog all too well. I finally got treatment and the difference is like being in the grave and dancing on the grave.
This right here is perfect. I've had the same thing and it's bloody awful
I found low thyroid to be a bigger part of the puzzle than low T.
My urologist checked that too and came back good so I lucked out there.
Brain fog reduced, energy increased, nearly eradicated panic attacks, cholesterol down 60pts, blood pressure down, sensitivity to many meds reduced, the ability to consume nearly 1k calories more per day without consequence, and on and on. My entire metabolism was just FUBAR.
I get that too, especially while driving. I'll miss a turn or just have a brain fart. It's amazing how our bodies work and how one thing can affect so many others. I had to explain everything to my wife and now she fully understands what is going on. Low T isn't just low T, it can cause a slew of health problems.