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Medical Forum / General / General / July 2005My Experience with Hypogonadism (Low Testosterone Production)
Dear Men, and those who care for them: I wrote to Planned Parenthood Federation today to recommend that they add a few sentences to their web page in the teenwire section of their web site, on testicular self-examination. That lead me to write this post. I was diagnosed with hypogonadism about three years ago, and my clinician was concerned treatment with testosterone (T) would make me aggressive. As I learned later from my urologist, who now has got my levels in the normal range, her attitude was medieval! As it turns out, in well documented studies, it is the low T condition that is associated with aggressive behavior. I frankly have no information on the condition of excessive T, suspecting that a survey of the professional athlete population would be revealing. She insisted I obtain a note from a psychiatrist to the effect that I was "stable enough for treatment with testosterone". I obtained the needed note and began treatment. When I asked my urologist about T, he took on the task of normalizing my levels. After about two years, we hit on a combination that seems about right. And things have changed. I'd complained to my clinician that I was (1) losing hair, (2) gaining fat, and (3) depressed. Suicidally depressed. I knew these were symptoms of T depletion, but left it to her to check me out. And she did a thorough job. We even did a blood hormone test for depression. Cortisol, I think it was. Now, I have confirmation from the mental health center nearby that *marijuana* depletes T levels. And on examination of my lab test file (which goes back around twelve years), I find *for myself* that it seems likely my marijuana use at MIT many years ago left me chronically T depleted. It all makes sense. Not in a Eureka way, but a careful way. To be honest, my sex life hasn't changed much. My anatomy has changed, however. My urologist explained to me that when T is low, the testes (testicles) enlarge in an attempt to produce more T, to bring things back into balance. So any thought that big testicles connote manhood must be met with an opposing opinion based on T depletion. It's not an ironclad case, though. Anyway, my testicles are normal sized now. At least my urologist says they are, I haven't been that close up to that many men. I had been proud of my "swingers", though.... What has really changed is my irritability. A lot of the aggression I had, to be brutally honest, has evaporated, and my Teri (19 years together) is the better for it. Depression and irritablity are associated by the phrase "I just want the world to go *away*!", a signal to a psychiatrist, or someone deeply caring, that the edginess has progressed to despair. I was really knocking Teri around *with language* for many years, and we both knew it, but had no idea how to deal with it. Finally, some relief. I've never hit a woman... but I can see how it could progress to that! Clinical hormone levels can have psychiatric effects. My urologist tells me half of the men who are depressed have low T, and half of the men with low T are depressed. I've heard an even larger proportion of criminal men have low T. I do not know if prisons are handing out Androgel yet.... Yours, Doug Goncz Replikon Research Falls Church, VA 22044-0394 Sustaining member PPFA DGoncz@aol.com DGo...@aol.com wrote: > Dear Men, and those who care for them: > [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] > Sustaining member PPFA > DGoncz(at)aol.com Hello Doug Thanks for sharing your story. I'm glad to hear you managed to work this out. What a nightmare! There are probably many men posting and reading to sci.med.cardiology who suffer the adverse effects of lowered testosterone (albeit from a different reason than you). Statins, a medication taken to lower cholesterol, will also lower testosterone. Dr. Beatrice Golomb, Principal Investigatgor of the five-year NIH funded STATIN STUDY has noted agression, hostility, irritability and depression among men who are taking statins. She is looking at the relationship of cholesterol/testosterone/other hormones/CNS disorders. Here is the abstract for Dr. Golomb's STATIN STUDY. Dr. Golomb and her team of researchers posted here today asking for contact with anyone who has had experiences with STATINS. Perhaps there is some way you could help with their study, or they could answer some questions for you about LOWERED TESTOSTERONE. Certainly, the symptoms are similar, if not the same. I suggest you put "lowered testosterone" in your e-mail subject line. Dr. Beatrice Golomb Statin Study contact: statinstudy@ucsd.edu Best of luck to you. Zee ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ STATINS AND NON-CARDIAC ENDPOINTS Authors: GOLOMB BA Author Address: BGOLOMB@UCSD.EDU, UNIV OF CALIFORNIA-SAN DIEGO, 9500 GILMAN DRIVE, 0995, LA JOLLA, CA 92093 Source: Crisp Data Base National Institutes of Health Abstract: DESCRIPTION (adapted from investigator's abstract): A relation of lowered cholesterol to increased aggressive behaviors (including suicide) and impaired cognition has been variably demonstrated and remains to be established or excluded with confidence. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors ("statins") are the most widely used agents and their effects are of special interest. Purpose: To examine the effect of statins on aggressive responding, cognition, and serotonin in individuals with moderate LDL and no identified cardiovascular disease (CVD). Hypothesis: Statin therapy will increase aggressive responding on the PSAP (Point Subtraction Aggression paradigm, a standardized aggression measure that correlates with both violent behavior and serotonin); will reduce measures of cognition (including psychomotor speed and attention); and will change serotonin (gauged by whole blood serotonin), which may be a mediator of effects on behavior and perhaps cognition. Secondarily, it is hypothesized that simvastatin (lipophilic) will exert more potent effects on cognition (and perhaps aggression) than pravastatin (hydrophilic); that serotonin (5HT) changes will related to changes in aggressive responding and perhaps cognition; and that a "susceptible subset" may be defined by baseline characteristics including biochemistry, mood, personality, and extremes of cardiovascular reactivity. Keywords: serotonin hydropathy blood chemistry antihypercholesterolemic agent clinical trial drug adverse effect oxidoreductase inhibitor human subject HMG coA reductase aggression cognition psychomotor function human therapy evaluation violence clinical research behavioral /social science research tag Language: English Publication Types: Research Supporting Agency: U.S. DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE; NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE Country or State: CALIFORNIA Entry Month: December, 2004 Zip Code: 92093 Year of Publication: 2003 Secondary Source ID: CRISP/2003/HL063055-05 Award Type: G Document Number: CRISP/2003/HL0630 Best Advice ~ ! Get a routine physical ~ ! > DGo...@aol.com wrote: ... > > What has really changed is my irritability. A lot of the aggression I > > had, to be brutally honest, has evaporated, and my Teri (19 years [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > see how it could progress to that! Clinical hormone levels can have > > psychiatric effects. ... > Statins, a medication taken to lower cholesterol, will also lower > testosterone. ------------------- > STATINS AND NON-CARDIAC ENDPOINTS ... > DESCRIPTION (adapted from investigator's abstract): A relation of > lowered cholesterol to increased aggressive behaviors (including > suicide) and impaired cognition has been variably demonstrated and > remains to be established or excluded with confidence. It makes sense to me now. When Linda, my lover's sister and my first lover, died of breast cancer September 22, 2000, I started eating less and lost weight. I developed spectacular ejaculations and became suicidal. All this happened again after treatment with Zyprexa made me gain weight and we switched to Geodon, and again with somewhat less intensity after treatment with Topamax, which caused me to lose more weight. Each time my weight got below 165, I became depressed and suicidal. Each time, my blood fats came down. Some times, my T was measured. My dose of T was never adjusted. Once, I missed a single dose of T and became irritable, despairing, and suicidal. I hope the Dr. returns my email! Thia is totally fascinating. In me, the cholesterol/testosterone axis is connected to my psychiatric condition. Doug (who is 188 and content now) I got your message Doug. Why am I not surprised to hear that you were indeed taking a statin? I hope you will contact Dr. Golomb. She needs your input. You need hers. She can help you with your recovery and with your physicians. Zee > Dear Men, and those who care for them: > [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] > Sustaining member PPFA > DGoncz@aol.com >>I was diagnosed with hypogonadism about three years ago, and my clinician was concerned treatment with testosterone (T) would make me aggressive. As I learned later from my urologist, who now has got my levels in the normal range, her attitude was medieval! As it turns out, in well documented studies, it is the low T condition that is associated with aggressive behavior.<< COMMENT Is it really? They've got to stop castrating those stallions to make them placid! They've been doing it all wrong! Heaven knows how much damage has been done to cowboys, and a lot of in the 'nads, too. And now we have an explanation for the feared Warrior Castrati. Google it. But what do we do with all those cases of `roid rage in muscle builders? It should be `Roid Togetherness and Sharing Sessions. Does not compute. Why don't you go over to alt.fitness.weights and see if the nice people there can help you? >>I'd complained to my clinician that I was (1) losing hair, (2) gaining fat, and (3) depressed.<< COMMENT: You know, if somebody is telling you that hair loss is a symptom of LOW testosterone, you're being had. Too many Sharing Sessions. SBH "COMMENT ~ You know, if somebody is telling you that hair loss Is a symptom of LOW testosterone, You're being had. Too many Sharing Sessions." ~ SBH "In Deed. Very HIGH testerone drive. Or The Test ~ Orgone, or The Eros." ~ Folly > >>I was diagnosed with hypogonadism about three years ago, and my > clinician was concerned treatment with testosterone (T) would make me [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > SBH Case in point. |
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