Posted by LostboyinNC34 on November 22, 2003, at 16:32:50
After six years of battling severe depression with minimal success, I finally had my first breakthrough recently. I have been formally diagnosed thru blood labwork as having hypogonadism (low testosterone). Ive recently been placed on testosterone therapy, 5 mg Androgel. Andro gel is an extremely easy to use drug and since Ive been on it, Ive been able to ditch my antidepressant zoloft.
I have been totally amazed at this, and quite frankly it took me by surprise. I recently had an ECT consult during which I was basically persuaded to not get ECT because I was not in a "psychiatric crisis" and my depression had become so chronic. I was told by the ECT doc that if I was looking for six months to a year of good health from a session of ECT, that he didnt think Id get it. He told me it was basically up in the air how long the ECT would last, basically he talked me out of it.
But he suggested I have a sleep study, which showed I was getting ZERO "deep stage sleep" ie; no stage four sleep whatsoever. NONE. Stage four sleep is the critical stage of sleep when your body rebuilds and a lot of hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone are released (if youre healthy that is). I didnt have any sleep apnea though.
Anyway, this guy suggested I try "androgens" in his words and my family doctor sent me for the blood tests recently...the second testosterone check in less than a year. Last time I was checked my T levels came back in the low normal range...technically OK but low normal. This time I FLUNKED bigtime. My total serum testostone levels were lower than a 60 year old man's T levels should be! And Im only 34 years old. I flunked total serum testostone and free serum testosterone (free serum T is a more accurate assessment of whether you have low T levels or not).
Anyway...Im just on Androgel and no antidepressants and feeling better than any antidepressant ever made me feel with the one exception of the MAOI parnate. Side effects are about nil. I have to have regular blood work done to monitor PSA, red blood cell count, liver function.
Anyway...I just wanted to get the message out to all the TRD men out there. If youve tried all these stupid monoamine drugs that dont work good, you are 30 or over, get your testosterone levels checked out. You might be surprised.
Testosterone is a GOOD antidepressant!
Eric
poster:LostboyinNC34
thread:282569
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031121/msgs/282569.html