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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by deprime82 on August 2, 2009, at 11:56:46
hey!
i have done 3 tests on global and bioavailable testosterone and at least the global testosterone was each time too low (although the test was conducted in the early morning).
it was each time around 2.8 ng/ml of global testosterone (the bioavailable was okay)..
at that time i was on 10mg lexapro and 5mg selegiline - maybe testosterone was suppressed a little by these meds, but in my opinion testosterone would be a starting-point for treatment of my depression (i am not treatment refractory, ssris always helped me very well, but motivation was always a problem).
i have got no real libido problems, but i suffer from endogenous depression when i am not on ADs..
beard growth isn't very dense.
as i am only 24 years old, I wonder if the low testosterone could contribute to my depression or if the testo level is a result of 5 years of SSRI use...?any help would be appreciated..
yours, dep82
Posted by jerrypharmstudent on August 2, 2009, at 14:28:59
In reply to ANY EXPERIENCES WITH TESTOSTERONE FOR DEPRESSION?, posted by deprime82 on August 2, 2009, at 11:56:46
I'm TRD and finally saw an endocrinologist about 5 years ago who found my testosterone to be low as well (not sure about the exact numbers). He started me on AndroGel 5% I believe it was. No side effects but no "good" effects either so after about 3-4 months on it he took me off it (I can't remember why).
Long story short, my Pdoc at the time came to the conclusion that I could have been helped by the testosterone replacement therapy and that I was probably at too low a dose to be effective.
Long story longer - She never followed up on it because I was moving to another state at the time. So I never got the chance to see if it would have helped at a higher dosage.
My advice, see an endocrinologist if you haven't already. They do much more in depth testing. Maybe see if your doc can refer you to one? Or if you've seen one ask about hormone replacement therapy.
Good luck!
Jerry
Posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on August 3, 2009, at 16:04:42
In reply to ANY EXPERIENCES WITH TESTOSTERONE FOR DEPRESSION?, posted by deprime82 on August 2, 2009, at 11:56:46
> hey!
>
> i have done 3 tests on global and bioavailable testosterone and at least the global testosterone was each time too low (although the test was conducted in the early morning).
>
> it was each time around 2.8 ng/ml of global testosterone (the bioavailable was okay)..
>
> at that time i was on 10mg lexapro and 5mg selegiline - maybe testosterone was suppressed a little by these meds, but in my opinion testosterone would be a starting-point for treatment of my depression (i am not treatment refractory, ssris always helped me very well, but motivation was always a problem).
>
> i have got no real libido problems, but i suffer from endogenous depression when i am not on ADs..
>
> beard growth isn't very dense.
> as i am only 24 years old, I wonder if the low testosterone could contribute to my depression or if the testo level is a result of 5 years of SSRI use...?
>
> any help would be appreciated..
>
> yours, dep82If you go to Meso Rx forum men's health.
you will find that many find a direct correlation between testosterone levels and depression.
Also search google for "mens hormonal health" and look up the depression section.Many have found that their depression was vanquished when they reached an optimal level of testosterone. Maybe so will you. I urge to to pursue the idea.
SSRI's detrimental efffect on testosterone levels:
PURPOSE: To evaluate endocrine profile and hypothalamic- pituitary- testis (HPT) axis in male depressed patients with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)-induced sexual dysfunction (SDF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-six fertile depressed male patients with SSRI-induced SDF, aged 18 to 50 years, were enrolled in the study (group 1). Sixty-two age-matched depressed fertile patients who currently receive one of the SSRIs but without SDF (group 2), and 68 age-matched healthy fertile men who had never received a psychiatric diagnosis (group 3) served as controls. Pretreatment evaluation included history and physical examination and International Index of Erectile Function. Two blood samples were drawn from each subject at 20-minute intervals for the determination of the resting levels of the following hormones: luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulatin g hormone (FSH), testosterone, prolactin, and estradiol. The HPT axis was also assessed using
> the gonadotropin- releasing hormone test. RESULTS: The prevalence of hormonal abnormalities in groups 1, 2, and 3 were 83.7% (72), 51.6% (32), and 11.8% (7), respectively (P = 0.001 vs group 1 and 0.007 vs group 2). Compared with normal controls, the subjects taking SSRIs had significantly lower serum levels of LH, FSH, and testosterone. In addition, there were significantly decreased LH and FSH responses to gonadotropin- releasing hormone test in groups 1 and 2 compared with normal controls. Of patients in groups 1 and 2, 68 (79.1%) and 27 (43.5%) had elevated serum levels of prolactin (P = 0.0001 vs group 1 and 0.001 vs group 2). CONCLUSIONS: Most depressed subjects taking SSRIs with and without SDF had diminished HPT axis function. This should be replicated in further studies.
Posted by tepi on August 5, 2009, at 23:29:56
In reply to ANY EXPERIENCES WITH TESTOSTERONE FOR DEPRESSION?, posted by deprime82 on August 2, 2009, at 11:56:46
One doctor suggest to try my depression with this.
My testoreno levels were a little low , so he gave me these pills.
Unfortunately I didn`t feel anything , it was not good for me.
They also check my brain with a PET and found my hypofisis glandula smaller than the normal people
so they sent me to the endocrinologist and he check my thiroid levels and they were also a little bit low , but in the normal ranges. He then prescribed Shynthoid , it helped me a little bit , and just for a while
This is my exprience
Tepi
Posted by Maria3667 on August 6, 2009, at 12:58:42
In reply to ANY EXPERIENCES WITH TESTOSTERONE FOR DEPRESSION?, posted by deprime82 on August 2, 2009, at 11:56:46
Hi !
Well for me testosterone supplementation certainly worked.
I've tried both the gel as injections, on seperate occassions.
On both occassions I felt a bunch better. More resilent, less sensitive to remarks, more happy with myself in general.... no to mention libido increase!!
Couldn't try it longer, because of side effects (masculinzation).Just my 2 cents.
Maria
> hey!
>
> i have done 3 tests on global and bioavailable testosterone and at least the global testosterone was each time too low (although the test was conducted in the early morning).
>
> it was each time around 2.8 ng/ml of global testosterone (the bioavailable was okay)..
>
> at that time i was on 10mg lexapro and 5mg selegiline - maybe testosterone was suppressed a little by these meds, but in my opinion testosterone would be a starting-point for treatment of my depression (i am not treatment refractory, ssris always helped me very well, but motivation was always a problem).
>
> i have got no real libido problems, but i suffer from endogenous depression when i am not on ADs..
>
> beard growth isn't very dense.
> as i am only 24 years old, I wonder if the low testosterone could contribute to my depression or if the testo level is a result of 5 years of SSRI use...?
>
> any help would be appreciated..
>
> yours, dep82
Posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on August 6, 2009, at 15:41:02
In reply to Re: ANY EXPERIENCES WITH TESTOSTERONE FOR DEPRESSION? » deprime82, posted by Maria3667 on August 6, 2009, at 12:58:42
> Hi !
>
> Well for me testosterone supplementation certainly worked.
>
> I've tried both the gel as injections, on seperate occassions.
>
> On both occassions I felt a bunch better. More resilent, less sensitive to remarks, more happy with myself in general.... no to mention libido increase!!
> Couldn't try it longer, because of side effects (masculinzation).
>
> Just my 2 cents.
>
> Maria
>
> > hey!
> >
> > i have done 3 tests on global and bioavailable testosterone and at least the global testosterone was each time too low (although the test was conducted in the early morning).
> >
> > it was each time around 2.8 ng/ml of global testosterone (the bioavailable was okay)..
> >
> > at that time i was on 10mg lexapro and 5mg selegiline - maybe testosterone was suppressed a little by these meds, but in my opinion testosterone would be a starting-point for treatment of my depression (i am not treatment refractory, ssris always helped me very well, but motivation was always a problem).
> >
> > i have got no real libido problems, but i suffer from endogenous depression when i am not on ADs..
> >
> > beard growth isn't very dense.
> > as i am only 24 years old, I wonder if the low testosterone could contribute to my depression or if the testo level is a result of 5 years of SSRI use...?
> >
> > any help would be appreciated..
> >
> > yours, dep82
>
>Sounds great Maria. I will receive HRT treatment in a month for thyroid, adrenals and testosterone. Not sure whether how we will increase testosterone since I belive my lowish tesotserone was caused by SSRI's. Would prefer to try and kickstart the bodies own production. However we go about it, I as a male don't mind masculinaztion and look forward to any mental and psychial benefits. I certainly need them!
Posted by deprime82 on August 11, 2009, at 13:48:39
In reply to Re: ANY EXPERIENCES WITH TESTOSTERONE FOR DEPRESSION?, posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on August 6, 2009, at 15:41:02
as for me, I don't mind masculination either.. but in fact, in austria it's nearly impossible to convince a normal doc to prescribe testosterone.. I already tried, but all i got were remarks about my incredible high cortisol and an assignment to the urology to get my pituitary gland checked (dexamethasone-suppression-test). today I did the test, let's see what it will bring up...
in my opinion, I don't have cushings syndrome or a pituitary adenoma.. if the dexamethasone test is positive, then maybe because of light depression which i've got at the moment...
anyway, it's all relatively complex..
as far as I know, high cortisol and low testosterone (including low thyroid hormones) is also caused by the SSRI and I'm taking 10mg lexapro at the moment..dep82
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