Is my low testosterone caused by diabetes? - Anon. Question

[Anonymous Question]

Anonymous question submitted:

Hey to you all. I am 30 year old with type one diabetes for the past 8 years. I am on insulin and enalapril 5 mg for my kidneys. A month ago I went to hospital to seek help on my growing breasts. I was informed that this was due to my low testosterone which were at 1.9 and normal is between 3.5 and 4.5. I cant recall what measurements were used. I would like advise from your experiences on natural ways to increase my low testosterone levels. I am currently not on any medication as I did not have any problem other than my enalarged breasts. I also would like to find out whether low testosterone is a compliaction of type 1 diabetes. I have also read somewhere that low testosterone and type 2 diabetes are linked. I was just wondering whether I was wrongly diagnosed as type 1 when in fact I am type 2. My family has a history of type two diabetes and not type 1. You comments and advise will be greatly appreciated.

To submit a question, please go to http://www.diabetes.co.uk/ask-an-anonymous-question.html

 

[Osidge]

Re: Is my low testosterone caused by diabetes? - Anon. Quest

Information appears to indicate that low testosterone levels are more common in men with diabetes. That said, low testosterone is a problem either of the testes or the pituitary gland. I was diagnosed with low testosterone some weeks ago and, as a result of blood tests, it has been established that it is a pituitary problem with me (an MRI has shown no growths on the pituitary gland, thankfully). I have started on testosterone replacement therapy - I elected to have an injection every 12 weeks rather than daily gel application - and I am not sure that there is any other way to increase your testosterone levels other than replacement therapy.

Hope this helps.

Doug

 

[NELLYBAX]

Re: Is my low testosterone caused by diabetes? - Anon. Quest

Ive been wondering about my low sex drive etc for some time.....could I have a low TT ??? So I went to my doc who is great & had a blood test..........the result I'm "normal" with a reading of 11.1nmmol/l. The NHS guides are 12-31 for someone my age (58).

I have T2 Diab & am 6'1, weighing in at 104kg...........my weight hasnt changed for over 5 years.

I take Mformin x 4 per day + 1 x Glicoside + 1 x Rosunvastatin.

Looking at all the stuff on the i/net it seems that Im not normal but low for my age, depending upon which NHS area/trust figues you look at. I am now taking 2 x Tribulus every day to see if that makes any difference.

I dont take my bloods regularly but my last Hbac1 was good with no instructions to change............I dont exercise, work shifts in a stressful environment and love red wine, meat 7 a few pies!!!! (Sorry)

Hopefully with a bit of exercise (?) & the tablets maybe I can increase my libido as 58 istoo young to stop enjoying things!

Any comments / suggestions gratefully received......PS...........I use Cialis from time to time as well.

 

[RustyDrummer]

Re: Is my low testosterone caused by diabetes? - Anon. Quest

Hi
I'm a type 1 controlled with a pump, who was recently diagnosed via a blood test with low testosterone of 5.8. I also had inappropriate levels of the FSH and LH hormone. Following an MRI they discovered a pituitary adenoma tumor which has been causing my levels to drop and to basically feel awful on a daily basis. I'm also have hypothyroidism (approx 10years) which my endocrinologist now believes was attributed to my tumor which could have been growing for a number of years.
Strangely enough this has also indicated in the past that I may have been becoming insulin resistance because I was taking a considerable amount of insulin, to basically no effect on my blood sugar levels, where now it has been proved that the low testosterone was indeed the reason for this. I'm currently now taking Bromocriptine to shrink the tumor and to increase my dopamine levels ( oh happy days !! I can't keep smiling now !!), and blood sugar and insulin requirements are now reducing way back down to what i would normally expect. This has been extremely postive outcome for me as I 've have gone from a quite an aggressive, low self esteem, etc to back to my normally bouncy self with loads of energy and regained my spark once again !!

 

[kempstonflyer]

Re: Is my low testosterone caused by diabetes? - Anon. Quest

I wonder whether the question is worded the wrong way around - in 2004, after a number of years of testing (I assume for diabetes, although I've never been told) because of the symptoms I was displaying, I was diagnosed with type 2 - I think the GP said my reading was 24, which was (I seem to recall) 3 to 4 times what a 'normal' reading would have been

Because of problems with my sex life, I have been prescribed variously Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, sometimes taking a mixture of both Cialis and Viagra - I am presently on Viagra 100 - the main effect that all of these have achieved is incredible headaches, although they have each, from time to time (but sadly not recently), managed to assist in achieving the desired result.

But the reason for my writing is that just recently I happened across a website run by some American chap (Lee Brady?- can't remember exactly, although a google search under testosterone will probably reveal), and which has caused me to wonder whether my initial problems stemmed from low testosterone, which lead to my diabetes, rather than the other way around, and this might well have explained why my diabetes was not diagnosed for so long (2 - 3 years) - I have recently (and reluctantly against the wishes of my GP) had my testosterone levels checked twice, and they show a decrease from 8.8 to 8.3 - both of which my GP says are 'normal' (because they fit within the range of 6.6 to 50-odd (I think is the higher end)) however a specialist at my local hospital has called my results 'borderline' and wants to see me to see where we might go from here, and I'm due to see him later this month - I live in hope that my testosterone levels might be boosted (up to about 15, if I'm lucky) and simultaneously my diabetes abates

I wonder whether my GP is typical of the medical profession, where he is (seemingly) generally ignorant of anything other than to try to persuade me to take the flu vaccination (unsuccessfully last year and this, as I won't have the swine flu vaccine, and rather like the MMR vaccination, it is a case of all or nothing); his last comment to me when I asked to have my tetosterone levels checked was along the lines of (almost verbatim) "you always do this, bringing in articles from the Daily Mail" as if it is a crime to do your own research; I was quite surprised that he actually made appointments to see a specialist