My Testosterone Levels were very low (294 ng/dl) 6 months back. It was
suggested to discontinue taking Propecia (which I had taken for 9
years...no issues until 9mos ago).  I did, and after 6 weeks my levels
rose to 490 ng/dl.  After 4 months of no Propecia my levels are still
somewhat low (for a 29 yr old healthy male) at 446 ng/dl. My prolactin
levels checked with in range...as did my LH leves. Though my LH levels
were somewhat high...7.2 out of a range of 1.5 - 9.3.  Is it possible
for someone to receive TRT for a few months to get to normal healthy
levels and then discontinue as body is making Testosterone but not
enough to replace what was eliminated by medication?  Please ask me if
you need clarification.
Thanks

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Clarification of Question by thedon1-ga on 06 Oct 2005 13:18 PDT

I'm a 29yo Male. 5'10" 185lbs. work out regularly/eat healthy.  Soon
to be married to a wonderful girl...who's very patient and
understanding..god i love her.

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Clarification of Question by thedon1-ga on 07 Oct 2005 08:11 PDT

One thing I've noticed is a swelling in my left testicle..every few
days or so. I never have had this before and can't find anything on
the web regarding it.  When I had my blood drawn my Dr. said he wasn't
sure what it could be...though he felt them and said they felt fine. 
I'll ask the urologist. Any idea of what i can be. It's a dull
pain..but I'm used to it now.

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Clarification of Question by thedon1-ga on 20 Oct 2005 10:09 PDT

I've been prescribed Testosterone Replacement for 4 months...Testim
1%. Anyone have any experience/knowledge about it?  Also, how long
does it normally take to be effective..if at all.  Not expecting
results overnight...but just curious.

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Clarification of Question by thedon1-ga on 31 Oct 2005 11:13 PST

I'm putting in some comments on this question in case anyone is
looking for answers similar to my question.

Any and all looking for answers regarding Low Testosterone.  Do
yourself a favor...get your E2 levels checked (Estradiol). Do an
internet search on it or read this
link...http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcls-txt/t-prtcl-130.html
Some great information!

Anyway, I mention below that I was gonna do the TRT..well I did for a
week and it didn't bode well with me. Felt weird and bloated all
day/night...like i was putting water weight on. So I quit the TRT. 
Anyway, I began taking a vitamins that added up give me 40mg of zinc.
I'm sure you can find one that has the daily recommendation of 80mg
zinc for Zinc deficiency patients. Anyway, my drive is Alive!!! You
can't imagine the smile on my face as I type this..nor the look in my
fiance's eyes...just pure happiness getting the feeling of being
desired by the man she loves.  that look is something i treasure.
I hope everyone else can experience the same success I had with Lot T issues.

According to Web MD it is relatively safe. 
 I would be concerned about would be the reduction of testicular size
though, one has to wonder if that would affect future production of
testosterone... have seen nothing on that though.
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/57/66248.htm?z=1818_00000_0000_rl_08
-----------------

What Are the Side Effects of Testosterone Replacement Therapy?

In general, hormone replacement therapy is safe. It is associated with
some side effects, including:

    * Acne or oily skin
    * Mild fluid retention
    * Stimulation of prostate tissue, with perhaps some increased
urination symptoms such as a decreased stream or frequency
    * Breast enlargement
    * Worsening of sleep apnea (a sleep disorder that results in
frequent night time awakenings and daytime sleepiness)
    * Decreased testicular size

Laboratory abnormalities that can occur with hormone replacement include:

    * Changes in cholesterol concentrations
    * Increase in red blood cell count
    * Decrease in sperm count, producing infertility (especially in younger men)

If you are taking hormone replacement therapy, regular follow-up
appointments with your doctor are important.

Thanks. I read that on Web MD also. Was confused about Breast
Enlargement...is that for women? In fact, since my levels of
Testosterone have been low I've noticed my body fat has increased (yet
my diet/excercise is the same). I'm 29 btw.  I have well defined arms
and shoulders but my chest is soft..almost breast like. As is my
stomach...oddly have a gut for someone in great shape.  It's
weird..and frustrating! I thought HRT would decrease body fat. Should
I see a Urologist for the treatment..or an Endocronolgist. My main
concern here is my sudden (well 9mos now) loss of libido and
spontaneous erections. Even my my morning erections..if i get
them..are very weak.  Urologist or Endo?

Hi elids....

As a woman who has been dating a man with ED issues for 16 months,
believe me I've run the gamut as far as looking for causes and
treatments.

Good for you to at least take that first step in getting a
testosterone test!! My SO is still balking at that one :(

My suggestion? Go see a good urologist. They are trained in men's
health issues and would be up to date in the current/ best treatments.

Good luck!!!

Steph53

Thanks Steph-53...sorry to hear ur still having issues w/your man to
address is issues.  I'm taking control of mine.  I'll set up an appt
w/the urologist (again). He knows my Testosterone is low...and now
that I've quit the propecia for 4 months and still have low
Testosterone I''m sure he can help get me to normal levels.

Hi Steph, I often have enough time on my hands to get bored yet not
enough time to effectively work on major projects, so I fill that
'down time' in part by browsing through these questions, don't look at
them all but if the title catches my eye then I'll pop in and learn
something or add my two cents. The later was the case this time. Trust
me when I say I have no lack of testosterone.... often times the thing
is oozing off of me (think of an elephant in musk)... shouldn't be a
problem but I'm just not in a relationship right now. So you see,
keeping my mind occupied all the time is imperative for me.... lol

glad u two restored messaging thru my question:)  can either one of
you confirm that 446 is a low testosterone level for a healthy young
male?

Sorry, thedon1, that I addressed you by the wrong name in my previous post.

Rest assured I have never met elids before and I only posted on your
question because I have been the partner of a man with a similar
issue.

I joined a Yahoo group for partners of men with ED. However, this
group may be of interest for you. Mostly men with ED issues and they
are very knowledgeable about testosterone levels and treatments:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Impotence_Support/

Again, good luck...

Steph53

it's all good.  thanks for the link. it's sort of scary reading it as
i never thought i would have to.  i'm hoping that testosterone
replacement for a few months will help me out...as i read a couple of
posts that said once they were in the upper 2/3 range they felt great
and had no ED issues.

Steph...

man that site u referred me to on yahoo is scary.  everyone has ED yet
no one says what's their possible causes.  no mentione if they're
old/young, on meds for other issues, depression, etc.  also, its scary
to see so many young ppl on there with issues as early as their teens.
 i discontinued reading it as its too scary..don't want to mess with
my head!  a lot of the ppl on there slip in their antidepressants and
other meds...which probably doesn't help much.

Hi again, thedon1...

The site I belong to is mostly for partner of men with ED, but there
are a few men that belong too. They are also very informative,
especially a guy named "james". Here is the site:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/supportedpartners/

Steph53

Hey Steph-53

Saw my Uro yesterday and he did confirm that my T levels were somewhat
still low.  We agreed to take Testim1% (testosterone gel) for 3 mos. 
Filling my prescription today.  Because all my levels
(FSH/LH/Prolactin) are normal and within range it suggests I don't
have Hypogonadism or any other type of Testicular failure.  The gel
will hopefully give me a jumpstart to get my normals back to level and
once I discontinue my body will begin producing those levels on its
own...a 'rebound mechanism'.  Will update the site here w/my results.

Good luck with your partner.  Does he accept that he has ED or ignores
it? Does he have erections ever? In the middle of the night?

Good luck

As a physician who treats this sort of problem, this is what I'd recommend...

First the good news...the swelling in your testicle is probably a
congested vein.  Now the bad news...you must get an ultrasound done of
your testicle because any new mass in the testicle should be
considered cancer until proven otherwise.  Your doctor should also
draw a serum hCH and AFP.

The fact that the mass comes and goes tells me that it's probably
congestion of a mild varicocele (like varicose veins of the spermatic
cord).  But, you're right a urologist should examine you and do an
ultrasound of your testicle unless in his/her opinion the mass seems
to be definitely a varicocele.

As for the hormonal part of your question, yes you can do some things
to raise testosterone levels.  The propecia lowers dihydrotestosterone
(a product of testosterone) and can lower testosterone levels as well.
 But, with good healthy levels, it's usually not a problem and I'm
suspicious that your levels may have been borderline before taking it.

For raising levels of testosterone after being on testosterone, sub q
HCG is the best prescription medication.  I'd recommend you see an
endocrinologist or an internist who's expert in this therapy
(urologists are surgeons and the best surgeons aren't necessarily the
best endocrinologist though some of them may think that they are). 
You see the urologist about the mass because they're best with
diagnosing and treating cancer; you see the endocrinologist for the
blood work.

HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is uaually given to men with low
sperm counts to stimulate the testes (it's chmeically close to LH). 
But, can stimulate the testes to make testosterone as well. 
Bodybuilders routinely use it after taking very high dosese of
testosterone.

For the best non-prescription ways to raise testosterone and for more
on the best prescription therapies, I'd recommend you see my book 
Anytime...for as Long as You Want:  Strength, Genius, Libido, and
Erection.

Good luck,
Charles Runels, MD
http://TempleRepair.com
251-625-2612

Thank you so much for the comments/post...will check your book out.  I
failed to mention that lately i've been constipated...and with that
i've had a lot of blood on the TP after wiping...sometimes pretty
excessive.  As time went on my aching correlated with the bowel
movements...this is been going on for quite a while now looking back. 
Uro did check my testicles for any mass (hand check) and said nothing
seemed unordinary.  Blood can be from a phiser (small cut from
constipation) or hemroid. Uro says hemroids can cause that type of
pain because of the enflamed area...normally report pain/ache to the
gonads area.  I'm taking Fiber tablets over the last 3 days now...will
see the results. first time in a long while i didn't have blood on the
TP.  Looking back I sound like a mess..but fortunately I'm not. I'll
be ok. Thanks for your post.

There is a very good forum about male TRT over at
http://forum.mesomorphosis.com/forumdisplay.php?f=9 that I highly
recommend prior to making a decision about testosterone replacement
therapy.

Low-normal testosterone along with symptoms of hypogonadism often
means that the patient can benefit from appropriate TRT.

As for Propecia, it significantly lowers dihydrotestosterone, which is
an important male hormone.  This can itself lead to symptoms of
hypogonadism.