Testosterone (Acne, Emotions, Estrogen....Oh my!)

My journey down the path of testosterone replacement started with a follow up visit to my family physician after my yearly fire department physical.  I went to see my doctor after years of having my cholesterol hovering at the 201 - 235 range since I was 20 years old.  As we were wrapping up the visit, he asked the question....."anything else bothering you?"  I answered without hesitation, yes everyday around 4 p.m. I am zapped and I am done.  He responded just your energy? Yep just my energy.  Well we are going to draw some blood work and see if we can find a reason.  Cool!!!!! I would love a reason.

A few days later I got called back to the doctors office for a follow up.  Of course my mind starts running what could it be........  Okay Hollis, just push it out of your mind you will find out soon enough.  I sat in that waiting room for what seemed like eternity.   Finally the nurse opened the door and called Travis.  I walk back and waiting patiently.  The doctor came in and said, we can fix your problem.  You have two things working against you. Your thyroid function is low and your testosterone count is low.  He said we will give you an injection of testosterone before you leave and you will need to come back every three weeks.  Well I have an answer, but now I am taking two pills a day and have to get an injection every three weeks.  Great, lovely! geesh!  Okay, Hollis you are going to live another day and now you know what is going on.  I happily dropped my pants and took that injection.  This was on a Thursday.

I woke up Friday and I didn't notice any difference.  Hum, well okay this sucks. I woke up Saturday and I was whistling and felt a pep in my step.  Thought I feel good!  I finished getting ready that morning and walked outside to retrieve something from the Jeep and I took a foot outside and something stopped me.  I started looking at the woods across the street and everything seemed vibrant.  I stood there and cried.  I felt alive............ It was a fog had been lifted.  I got so much done that weekend, I had my drive back.  Okay garage clean (check), yard work done (check), check, check, check, and check.  I had played it off as just getting older, but it was just a lack of a hormone.  The next week and half was good.  Then I noticed the drive starting to wear off.  Whoa...this is not good.

Okay it was time for my next injection, so I go dragging into the doctor's office to get another injection.  The woman behind the desk said sorry Mr. Hollis we are out of testosterone, it will be Monday before we get any.  What?  I need to talk to a nurse and I need to talk to a nurse ASAP.  Wait does that make me a junkie?  Maybe so, but I need my T.  So the nurse calls me back to an exam room and asked what is going on.  I responded, "I need my testosterone injection".  Write my a prescription and I will inject myself.  She responded, you can't give it to yourself.  I countered with I have been a paramedic for 14 years, pretty sure I can administer the injection.  So I got the prescription and immediately gave it to myself.  I needed that surge energy and drive back.

I ended up leaving that doctor after the whole your just depressed and your going to die comment discussed in an earlier blog. THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION, especially if you are take T injections.  When I researched physicians who specialized in endro system.  First thing he told me after looking at my records is you are on a testosterone roller coaster and today you are getting off.   What? Sorry doc, I am not giving up the T.  He laughed and said no, you are going to take injections weekly.  Okay, I hate injections, but I cool with that.  Since that time, I have been consistent (no up and downs).

What I have learned:

1. Injections every 3-4 weeks will jack with your mood and emotions.  Insist on weekly or bi-weekly injections.  
2. T effects people different ways.  For me it calms me emotionally and gives me drive.
3. MAN BOOB ALERT!  Have your Estrogen checked, as T will be converted to estrogen.  Doctors don't test for this.  You have to be your own advocate and insist on it.  Normal estrogen levels for a male is 15-60 pg/ml after being on T mine was at 205 pg/ml.  To reference that for you a woman in ovulatory peak has levels of 130-300 pg/ml.  Glad I found this doctor. I take an anti-estrogen pill once a week and my level are now 34 pg/ml.  Avoided the T Man boobs.  
4. Have your PSA levels checked yearly.  Taking T will put you a greater risk of developing prostrate cancer. 
5. Listen to your body.
6. You will experience acne.  
7. Your not alone.  Low T effects 1 in 200 men.  
8. Firefighters at a high risk of having low T?  Not sure........The Rogers Fire Department has 113 men on the job and I personally know of 9 how are receiving treatment.  Sure there are more.  

Where am I today:
236 pounds (down 39 pounds)
Working out 5 days a week
Running getting faster and endurance building.
Sciatic nerve, has kept me off my bike.  Ugg!  Foam rolling to get rid of the pinch. 

Next Blog.........Hashimoto's Disease (Bring it Samurai) 

BYE, BYE CRESTOR!

Okay in my last post that I made to this blog, I felt like I vomited words on the keyboard.  Stop gather thoughts and take your time Hollis.

Okay back to the weight gain over the last three years.  Back to our friend Jack Pike......."you can't out exercise your fork".  Okay I have my Fitness Pal app downloaded and I am tracking everything that goes into my mouth.  Day after day hitting the target. So what is the deal.

Remember me talking about several issues going on the Hashimoto's disease (thyroid), testosterone, and high cholesterol.   I didn't know which one to tackle, so I choose the high cholesterol.  That medication made me feel horrible and I wanted off of it.  Prior to this point, I was debating getting lapband surgery. I was getting to the point of doing anything, I was sick and tired.  Literally sick and tired.  At this point, I was doing good to make it through the day.  I was using my lunch hour to take a nap under my desk at work.  I was wiped out.  I wanted to feel good period.  Weight loss didn't matter.  I was desperate and willing to do anything to feel better.

So there I was in the Doctor's office loaded with my journal of medication dosage and how my health was from my point of view.  So I explain to him that my muscle hurt deep and my joints are stiff (side effect of cholesterol meds FYI).  I was told that I needed to exercise.  Well duh, I think....I reply with I have been trying to, but I can walk maybe 1/4 of mile and I am in pain.  He simply looks at me and said you are depressed.  Matter of fact you are going to die and die young.  I got up grabbed my Crestor (cholesterol meds), said kiss my ass, and throw the Crestor in the trash and said I don't need those or you anymore.  I was mad now!!!!!

I went to Wal~Mart and bought a juicer, vegetables, and fruit.  I had didn't know what I was going to do, but I had to do something different.  I had to just feel better, weight aside.  That night I found the documentary of Joe Cross, it was called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.  He juiced for 60 days and changed his health.  I thought well I will do this for 5 days, that will give me a plan while I figure out what the flip I was going to do.

So I juiced everything from kale to cactus pads.  My suggestion is to buy some mason jars and juice like a madman for 2 hours.  This will give you enough juice for a few days, if you decide you want to try it. Juice, juice, juice and more juice.  The second day was the hardest for sure.  On the third day, I was at work and bam!!!!  It hit me, so much energy that I had goose bumps.   Wow!  I got up from my desk and walked around the building 5 times.  I knew right then, there was something to a plant based diet.  So I thought I will try a vegetarian or is it a vegan diet.  What is the difference I thought???? I didn't know, so I googled it.  Hum a vegetarian doesn't eat meat, but still cheese and milk and a vegan eats nothing from an animal.  Milk is good for you right??  (I will talk about this in a later blog)  I was turned on to the book Engine 2 diet by another firefighter who had heard about it.

The Engine 2 diet is a strict vegan diet with no oils.  I thought this is extreme, but so is open heart surgery right?  Well at the end of the fifth day, I had dinner at Burger Life in Fayetteville.  I ordered a Veggie Burger with bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, lettuce.  Oh my God, who is the gourmet chef who created this masterpiece.  See when you haven't ate anything in 5 days, anything taste great.

After the 28 days on the Engine 2 diet, I had lost 20 lbs and my cholesterol was the lowest since I started having it checked (Age 20).  More importantly, I felt alive.  This felt great!!!!!  Did I crave a fat juicing New York Strip Steak?  Heck yeah!  I still do from time to time.  But honestly I wouldn't eat one for $100 and those who know me, I will do just about anything for $100.

It now has been 6 months since going vegan and I have no regrets, but I wish I would have done it before.  Now I my weight loss has stopped (2 months +), however my cloths are starting to fall off of my again.  This past weekend, I put on a shirt I found at a garage sale that I loved, but knew I would never fit.  Coach Moe from GGP FIT NWA asked me the other day, how much weight have you lost.  My answer 3 pounds since I started coming here.  With that being said, I can tell I have leaned out and muscle density has increased.  I will cover the coaches at GPP FIT NWA in a later blog, but a huge shout out to them.  Especially Coach Mark "Moe", Coach Chip, Coach Spencer, and Coach Patty.  These coaches are top notch!

Where am I today:
237 pounds (down 38 pounds)
Working out 5 days a week
Purchased a Felt Z95 road bike
Working to increase my range in both running and bicycling
Getting the courage up to tackle the swimming aspect, so I can do a Sprint Triathlon next Spring.

Next Blog.........Testosterone Grrr!