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Hello. I am 44 years old. 2-1/2 years ago, on the urging of my wife, I

had my T checked. It was very low- around 250 (normal range around

300-1100). The test was prompted by a vanishing libido.

I was on effexor and BP meds at the time and the doctor was concerned

that these medications, especially effexor, might be at least

partially responsible for the low libido. So he tapered me off effexor

and onto lexapro (both pills are for anxiety, which I started getting

pretty bad about 15 years ago), and switched me to a different bp

prescription. My libido didn't improve, and during the space of a

couple months my T went even lower, to just about 200.

He put me on androgel, and I think I felt something improve, but it

was only a fleeting improvement, maybe a day or two. Then I started

feeling even worse and my breasts got tender. So he took me off that

and put me on HCG.

I was lucky to find this doctor, but unfortunately for me, as soon as

I got the HCG we moved away, so I continued giving myself shots

(500IU, every other day) for about a year. I can't say I really felt

better at all, although my testosterone did go up to about 750.

However, my E2 went up as well- before any therapy it was around 22,

and after a year on HCG it was 42.

I found another doctor who works with hypogonadism. After seeing him I

stopped HCG injections for a month, and got another blood test. My T

went back to around 200 and my E2 dropped to 22. The doctor then put

me on a compounded T cream. He also had me take DIM to keep my

estradiol low. After two months my T went up to 550 and my E2 crept up

to 26. I had been taking 400mg of Source Naturals DIM every night. I

had read somewhere that it was desirable to keep E2 to approximately

15, so I upped my DIM to 600mg/day (I think I know better now about E2

amounts, having read postings and references in the " files " section of

the forum).

So I've done all of this and I still don't feel better. On occasion I

will have a very fleeting period when I feel a bit of an urge and

sometimes I'll wake up with an erection (maybe once every 3 weeks).

Based on advice I've gotten from this website, I just bought Indoplex

and will start taking it next week.

A few other comments and questions to people:

1. My insurance plan changed and this new doctor is no longer covered.

So I'm seeing another doctor who a) doesn't want to " do " HRT, and

doesn't trust non-endocrinologists with HRT. So I'm not sure how easy

it will be to get blood tests right now. My doctor wouldn't order them

for me because he doesn't think I should be messing around w/this

stuff, and unfortunately, I can't find an endo who will work with me

on this. My other doctor (I'm still in contact with the doctor who put

me on the T cream, and have made arrangements to see him on a cash

basis; however, I don't think my insurance will pay for blood tests

that he orders). So I'm wondering if I can use " feel " as a reliable

indicator of T and E2 levels. I'm counting on the indoplex to do more

for me than the other brand did.

2. My second doctor (I'm now on number 3) wanted me on T cream rather

than HCG because he's more familiar with the T cream. Do people think

that HCG is still a better option for people who can make testosterone

with HCG? I kind of think so, but I want to know other peoples'

opinions.

3. I find it really frustrating that I've been through all of this

with very little to show for it in terms of libido. The lack of sex is

really taking a toll on my marriage. Any suggestions people can offer

would be appreciated.

4. One other question, that's kind of unrelated: for the past 15 years

or so I've had ingrown hairs in my chin that would never disappear. I

went to dermatologists and had liquid nitrogen treatments, and been

given pills and creams, but they would never go away. I mean one would

go away, but almost within a day a new one would take its place

somewhere else on my chin. Anyway, they recently went away completely.

100%. I haven't had an ingrown hair in months. The only thing this new

development correspond to is me starting testosterone cream and DIM.

I'm wondering if the DIM has anything to do with this. Any thoughts?

If you think that the ingrown hair was somehow estrogen related, I

then wonder if my testosterone has been getting low for over a decade.

I know that the answer is of course " yes, " but I'm talking about a

bigger than normal drop.

I also mentioned above that I've had anxiety for the past 15 years or

so. I'm wondering if it's also related to possible low testosterone

for a long period of time.

My libido has been getting low for a decade or more- it just got

really low within the last 3-4 years.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Finally, I want to say that I'm very happy to have found this forum. I

don't read it all the time, but I find useful information on it each

time I do read it. So, thanks to all of you.