Posted by jrbecker76 on October 1, 2013, at 6:36:53
In reply to Low testosterone level - medication-induced?, posted by doxogenic boy on September 22, 2013, at 17:58:58
> Hello,
> I have recently got the results of a lot of blood tests I took, some of them to check that my liver is ok because of the agomelatine, which it is. But the tests showed that I have low testosterone levels, the lowest I have ever had.
>
> The normal range for testosterone is from 6,7 to 31,9,(I don't know what unit of measurement it is) and my testosterone level is 5,9. Also the luteinizing hormone is low.
> ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luteinizing_hormone )
>
> Could this be medication induced, and is it due to some of the drugs, or because of the combo as a whole, and its interactions? (See my meds in my signature below.)
>
> I have no sexual desire, but I have experienced that also when I have been medication free. I am not depressed now.
>
> Should I use testosterone injections to combat the lack of sexual desire, or can testosteron injections cause depression in the long run? Have any of you got low testosterone levels because of your meds? (It can happen to both men and women.)
>
> Are there other hormones I should check with blood tests? My psychiatrist suspect high cortisol levels, and I probably will take blood tests for that, but how can cortisol levels be high when I feel calm and euthymic?
>
> My former doctor prescribed testosterone injections in 2001/2002, and it had some effect for my libido, but it lost its effect completely when my depression worsened April 2002 because of a breakup.
>
> Here is the article "Antidepressant-Induced Sexual Dysfunction Associated with Low Serum Free Testosterone":
> http://www.mental-health-today.com/rx/testos.htm
>
> Excerpt:
> In the course of an evaluation for treatment of antidepressant induced sexual dysfunction (ASD) with a new agent, an unforeseen pattern emerged in the pre-treatment laboratory assessment. Free serum testosterone levels in both men and women study subjects were found to be below the normal ranges in 75 percent of subjects in this small study. There were no other consistent laboratory findings that could account for such a high percentage correlation. Further inquiries into the possible causes for decreased serum testosterone and its association with ASD seems warranted.
> --------------------
>
> I would greatly appreciate any response to my questions above.
>
> - doxogenic
You might have low T to begin with but melatonergic drugs can definitely lower testosterone. I've had quite a bit of experience with agomelatine, rozerem and OTC melatonin. They had a mild impact on my sexual functioning, including a noticeable impact on the size of my testicles while taking them! On the upside, I find melatonin and drugs like it to be fantastic mood stabilizers.I've had experience with exogenous testosterone (both gels and injections), actually around the same time you did in '01-'02. My experience with it though was it helps erections but not necessarily libido or other issues. And plus, taking exogenous T creates a negative feedback loop that results in lowered T of your own. As you probably know, this has all sorts of backfiring side effects like shrunken testicles, etc. And on top of it all, the T enhancement did not help my depression and energy issues.
poster:jrbecker76
thread:1051148
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20130930/msgs/1051485.html