Older men: beware of testosterone supplements for fatigue.

[Jonathan Bailey]

My healthcare provider is the VA. I'm a vet, age 55. I complained of tiredness, chronic fatigue. The VA did blood tests for me and found low testosterone levels. 2.0 on a scale of 2.0 to 7.5. This woman 'doctor' I have automatically prescribed me testosterone supplements for treatment without even consulting with me about the possible risks. I emailed her and told her to never again to prescribe me any new drug without consulting with me first. I sent this link about the risks and possible safe treatments for this condition:

How to Fight Fatigue From Low Testosterone


A male doctor at a VA clinic in another state told me that testosterone treatment can cause possible heart attack so I never opted for it then. This was three years ago when a VA clinic blood test showed me as low back then. I have been troubled by serious chronic fatigue for about eight years now.

I told this woman "doctor" that I want an opinion from another doctor about all possible safe treatment options for low testosterone. I'm now waiting for feedback.

I always check up on Google for research whenever a VA practitioner prescribes something new. I've heard horror stories about vets who have died from bad health management by the VA and were victims of pill-pushing.

"There’s a caveat to supplementing testosterone: These supplemental forms of testosterone inhibit the normal ability of the testicles to produce the hormone, and Lentz says that means your testicles may never produce testosterone again once you start therapy. Once you start, you may need to continue the therapy for life."

 

[Revoltingest]

Sounds like woman doctors are the problem.

 

[BSM1]

Sounds like woman doctors are the problem.

Uh-oh...

 

[David1967]

Sounds like woman doctors are the problem.

Now you've done it.

 

[Galateasdream]

I told this woman "doctor"

Interesting choice of wording and punctuation.

You certainly start some interesting threads. I'm not sure how these conversations are helping you though.

 

[Jonathan Bailey]

Interesting choice of wording and punctuation.

You certainly start some interesting threads. I'm not sure how these conversations are helping you though.

They help me vent if nothing else. They help men here to understand the risks with certain treatments for LTL. I'm very skeptical about government doctors in general. I've had male doctors at the VA clinics in the past I didn't trust either. If you want to take testosterone supplements and die of a heart attack, go ahead. Govt. doctors were undoubtedly failures in private practice medicine where more money can be made.

 

[Darkforbid]

8 Proven Ways to Increase Testosterone Levels Naturally

 

[The Hammer]

My healthcare provider is the VA. I'm a vet, age 55. I complained of tiredness, chronic fatigue. The VA did blood tests for me and found low testosterone levels. 2.0 on a scale of 2.0 to 7.5. This woman 'doctor' I have automatically prescribed me testosterone supplements for treatment without even consulting with me about the possible risks. I emailed her and told her to never again to prescribe me any new drug without consulting with me first. I sent this link about the risks and possible safe treatments for this condition:

How to Fight Fatigue From Low Testosterone


A male doctor at a VA clinic in another state told me that testosterone treatment can cause possible heart attack so I never opted for it then. This was three years ago when a VA clinic blood test showed me as low back then. I have been troubled by serious chronic fatigue for about eight years now.

I told this woman "doctor" that I want an opinion from another doctor about all possible safe treatment options for low testosterone. I'm now waiting for feedback.

I always check up on Google for research whenever a VA practitioner prescribes something new. I've heard horror stories about vets who have died from bad health management by the VA and were victims of pill-pushing.

"There’s a caveat to supplementing testosterone: These supplemental forms of testosterone inhibit the normal ability of the testicles to produce the hormone, and Lentz says that means your testicles may never produce testosterone again once you start therapy. Once you start, you may need to continue the therapy for life."

I was put on Testosterone by the VA, because my 2.0 testo levels caused me to end up with Osteoporosis (Testosterone controls calcium reuptake at the bone). They may just be looking out for your health. BTW, I am only 32, so at 55 you are at a much much higher risk than I.
Maybe get checked for sleep apnea if you are chronically fatigued, and don't think it is your testosterone levels.

 

[Jonathan Bailey]

8 Proven Ways to Increase Testosterone Levels Naturally

Thank you. In the past, the VA docs had been prescribing me multi-vitamins with minerals. Since about September last year, they have only been prescribing me vitamins without any minerals. It seems like my fatigue has been more severe since then. This female doctor insists I only need vitamins and no minerals in the supplements. I dink a lot of nonfat milk and non-fat plain yogurt, do I still need more vitamin D?

 

[Darkforbid]

@Jonathan Bailey 'Govt. doctors were undoubtedly failures in private practice medicine where more money can be made.'

No, some doctors work in low paid jobs because they actually care. And the VA isn't a low paid job

'The average VA primary care physician earns just shy of $178,000 annually, while the surveys found average salaries ranging between $194,000 and $256,000.'

 

[Jonathan Bailey]

I was put on Testosterone by the VA, because my 2.0 testo levels caused me to end up with Osteoporosis (Testosterone controls calcium reuptake at the bone). They may just be looking out for your health. BTW, I am only 32, so at 55 you are at a much much higher risk than I.
Maybe get checked for sleep apnea if you are chronically fatigued, and don't think it is your testosterone levels.

VA tested me for apnea three years ago. Sleep study lab. Test negative. The blood tests last two weeks clearly indicate low testosterone level.
I am OBESE, 300+ pounds, 5-10, but I don't smoke or drink.

I've been depressed a lot lately too. I still need to get an appointment for VA behavioral health.

 

[Darkforbid]

Thank you. In the past, the VA docs had been prescribing me multi-vitamins with minerals. Since about September last year, they have only been prescribing me vitamins without any minerals. It seems like my fatigue has been more severe since then. This female doctor insists I only need vitamins and no minerals in the supplements. I dink a lot of nonfat milk and non-fat plain yogurt, do I still need more vitamin D?

I wouldn't know without knowing your real diet

 

[Jonathan Bailey]

I wouldn't know without knowing your real diet

I wouldn't know without knowing your real diet

As far as I know, Vitamin D only comes in dairy products and vitamin pills. Figure about a quart of plain yogurt and a gallon of milk a week for my average dairy intake. Occasionally I buy a quart of buttermilk for stomach/bowel issues. I don't get much sun at all. Mostly indoors.

My daily vitamin pill has 400 IU/100% daily value Vitamin D.

 

[Darkforbid]

VA tested me for apnea three years ago. Sleep study lab. Test negative. The blood tests last two weeks clearly indicate low testosterone level.
I am OBESE, 300+ pounds, 5-10, but I don't smoke or drink.

Well in that case follow the advice of people who have lost lots of weight and you'll realise why they all say they've got so much more energy now

 

[Darkforbid]

As far as I know, Vitamin D only comes in dairy products and vitamin pills. Figure about a quart of plain yogurt and a gallon of milk a week for my average dairy intake. Occasionally I buy a quart of buttermilk for stomach/bowel issues. I don't get much sun at all. Mostly indoors.

My daily vitamin pill has 400 IU/100% daily value Vitamin D.

Milk in the UK is considered a poor source of vitamin D, because it's not fortified. In the US you can buy both fortified and unfortified

Vitamin D is also found in a small number of foods.

Sources include:

• oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel
• red meat
• liver
• egg yolks
• fortified foods – such as most fat spreads and some breakfast cereals

In the UK, cows' milk is generally not a good source of vitamin D because it isn't fortified, as it is in some other countries.

 

[Wu Wei]

@Jonathan Bailey 'Govt. doctors were undoubtedly failures in private practice medicine where more money can be made.'

No, some doctors work in low paid jobs because they actually care. And the VA isn't a low paid job

'The average VA primary care physician earns just shy of $178,000 annually, while the surveys found average salaries ranging between $194,000 and $256,000.'

VA doctors make between $150K and 310K per year, not exactly low pay, and do not have to pay the high cost of malpractice insurance. Private practice is difficult to get started and much more costly than working for a hospital be that VA or private hospital. And General Practitioners, in private practice, do not make much more. Specialist can make considerably more depending on the specialty

 

[Darkforbid]

VA doctors make between $150K and 310K per year, not exactly low pay, and do not have to pay the high cost of malpractice insurance. Private practice is difficult to get started and much more costly than working for a hospital be that VA or private hospital. And General Practitioners, in private practice, do not make much more. Specialist can make considerably more depending on the specialty

Why are you telling me the pay rates I just posted. I'm not the one saying they failed private sector.

 

[Jonathan Bailey]

Well in that case follow the advice of people who have lost lots of weight and you'll realise why they all say they've got so much more energy now

You are probably right. The depression seems to take away my motivation to want to get up and exercise religiously. I haven't had much interest in wanting to do much of anything but sit at my PC all day long, eat, shave, use the toilet, shower, go to the store, wash dishes, put on CNN news and lie in my bed. My doctor also prescribed Prozac and that is a heart stimulant I read. My doctor in another state said no stimulants for me when I suggested energy drugs to combat fatigue: heart problems can result. Certain drugs and caffeine make my heart palpitate badly and give me bad pains in the head. I told my doc what I read about Prozac was then put in for a consult with mental health.

I love watching Lassie reruns on YouTube so I will try to make it a habit of pedaling my exercise bike at least an hour daily while watching YouTube and CNN. It's rather hard to sit and type while using an exercise machine.

Being in a culture, place and time so remote from what I knew as a young person helps me not either, psychologically speaking.The culture shock of these times is making me mad.

I once knew a very happy, jolly and gay middle-class white neighborhood in coastal California during boyhood and earlier manhood. Now I'm in the armpit of America, Oklahoma (in a state of poverty) with a crumbling infrastructure and all these dirty low-grade people it an aggravating southern drawl in my midst that are dumber than a rock. I'm accustomed to being around clean, well-dressed, white, educated middle-class people in areas with great infrastructure and wonderful natural beauty. I now feel out of place outside of my own culture. I'm homesick for the San Francisco of the 1970's and 1980's. I am also a very lonely person. People I knew when I was young and loved have either died or have been lost forever, they went their own separate ways. Oklahoma makes me sad. A sunny California beach and redwood grove always made me happy.

 

[Wu Wei]

Why are you telling me the pay rates I just posted. I'm not the one saying they failed private sector.

Sorry, you did not use the standard quotes and I made a mistake

 

[Wu Wei]

They help me vent if nothing else. They help men here to understand the risks with certain treatments for LTL. I'm very skeptical about government doctors in general. I've had male doctors at the VA clinics in the past I didn't trust either. If you want to take testosterone supplements and die of a heart attack, go ahead. Govt. doctors were undoubtedly failures in private practice medicine where more money can be made.

VA doctors make between $150K and 310K per year, not exactly low pay, and do not have to pay the high cost of malpractice insurance. Private practice is difficult to get started and much more costly than working for a hospital be that VA or private hospital. And General Practitioners, in private practice, do not make much more. Specialist can make considerably more depending on the specialty