A Leader In Diabetes Research And Care
Diabetes can affect a mans sexual health as well as his heart, blood vessels, kidneys, skin, eyes and nerves. At the Mens Wellness Clinic, we understand that managing diabetes requires a team approach, and we are always bringing the latest treatments to our patients.
Our patients have access to advanced therapies for diabetes through the Kovler Diabetes Center. Many of these treatments, including investigational medicines, are best used at academic medical centers with specialized expertise such as UChicago Medicine.
Chronic Illness Or Medications And Low Testosterone
An acute illness, such as heart attack or sepsis, can decrease testosterone levels, but the effects typically only last a short while and no treatment is necessary.
A chronic illness, such as diabetes and hypertension, or medications that affect testosterone levels, should be assessed in order to address the decreased testosterone and raise it to normal levels. Some medications that can affect testosterone are:
- Beta blockers, which decrease testosterone and impede arousal by interfering with nerve impulses. Alternative treatments include antihypertensives, such as calcium-channel blockers, that don’t interfere with sexual function.
- H2-receptor antagonists, such as cimetidine and ranitidine , which are used to treat gastrointestinal disorders . Alternative treatments include changes to diet and sleep habits, or trying melatonin at night and during the day, consuming several glasses of water with one tablespoon of apple-cider vinegar and one tablespoon of honey mixed in.
Check On The Services
It is not just having testosterone injected in your body, there is more that goes. Because you are looking for a testosterone replacement therapy clinic, you need to know if they offer in house services like nutrition and physical training to ensure that your body will get to replenish its natural testosterone. In as much as a clinic might have the best reviews, you have to check if the services are sustainable about your finances. You need to have a medical treatment plan that you can foot its bill with ease.
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Testosterone Treatment And Management
If the hormone test comes back saying that you have low testosterone you will likely begin on a testosterone replacement. They may also prescribe you estrogen blockers and/ or human chorionic gonadotropin to take alongside the testosterone to reduce side effects and potentiate effects.
As the treatment goes on there will be continued hormone level tests to ensure the dosage is the right amount for you. Ensuring that you attend follow up appointments and take the medications as prescribed is vital to your treatments success.
What Kind Of Doctor Checks Testosterone Levels
Its actually the primary care doctor. Testosterone levels are not just about aging. You want to be tested especially if your *** drive has decreased or you have trouble with erections it could be a sign of late-onset hypogonadism. Low testosterone levels and the resultant symptoms ? reduced libido, depression, fatigue ? can be treated or controlled with testosterone replacement. The doctor will do a physical exam and lab tests, and will give you a prescription, most likely for testosterone gel or patch, which you apply daily..
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What Doctor To See For Low Testosterone
These creams are very strong medications that do work for many men.
That said the very real risk of side effects both to the man himself and those closest to him do raise some serious concerns about their viability and safety.
Great care needs to be taken when using testosterone creams.
The facts are that they do actually lack a lot of clinical testing, especially when using them in the long term.
Personally I would steer well clear until more studies have been carried out to balance the benefits that they could deliver against real risks to your health.
What Are The Treatment Options For Low Testosterone
There are several treatment options for low testosterone, and medications arent always necessary. Changing certain lifestyle factors, such as exercising, reducing stress, improving sleep and improving dietary habits, will help significantly. Many people benefit from losing weight or getting a sleep study and using a CPAP machine, which delivers steady air through a hose connected to a mask or nosepiece to help you sleep.
Others may find benefit from hormone therapy using testosterone gels, patches, injections, pellets or alternative hormone medications. The majority of low T patients use injections for treatment. Injections are typically performed weekly or twice weekly to keep levels stable.
Testosterone gels are usually applied to the chest, upper arms, underarms or inner thigh once a day.
Pellets are placed under the skin during an office visit and re-done every three to five months. Theres also an oral option, but this medication is newer and often not covered by insurance.
Risk factors for all testosterone therapy include: elevation in red blood cell count, elevation in estrogen, acne, skin reactions, testicular atrophy, blood clots and cardiovascular risk.
Id encourage all men to a see a doctor if they think they may have low T symptoms. This is a real medical issue that can safely be helped by a primary care physician, an endocrinologist or a urology provider to improve quality of life.
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Testosterone Supplements Vs Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Some over-the-counter supplements claim that they contain testosterone. However, only your doctor can prescribe testosterone replacement therapy. Although testosterone supplements may help increase your testosterone levels, they may not address the underlying cause of low testosterone. Thats why its critical to talk to your doctor about the best approach for you.
To determine whether you are a good candidate for TRT, your physician will perform a physical exam and discuss your symptoms and conduct blood testing to assess your hormone levels. Your doctor may also want to rule out any serious underlying causes of low testosterone, such as a pituitary tumor.
If you suspect that you may have low testosterone, schedule an appoint with your primary care doctor to discuss your options.
Are There Any Side Effects To Taking Testosterone
The top hormone optimization doctors in the world go as far as to use therapeutic testosterone as a front-line treatment option for depression in lieu of psychotropic medications. Testosterone can help improve working memory in men, which is the basis for virtually every cognitive process required for proper brain function.
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Does Trt Shorten Your Life
According to a study published in the journal of the American Medical Association, erectile dysfunction is a marker for poor vascular health. Researchers followed men aged 40 to 70 for a mean of 10 years. During the study, the men were assessed for erectile dysfunction and were categorized as having either good or poor erectile function. Poor erectile function was defined as an inability to maintain an erection during intercourse or penetration. Men with poor erectile function had a higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease..
What Is A Testosterone Test
In order to know whether testosterone levels are too low, a normal level has to be established. This has been a challenge for clinicians. However, according to a press release from the Endocrine Society in January 2017, results from a recent study have helped to define the normal ranges for testosterone levels in those assigned male at birth: 264916 nanograms per deciliter . This range is for those assigned male at birth between the ages of 19 and 39 years who dont have obesity.
A testosterone test measures the amount of testosterone in your blood. If a doctor wants to test the hormone levels in your blood, theyll most likely specify a time of day for your test. Hormone levels are highest in the morning, so this test is often performed in the morning between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Your doctor may have your levels tested more than once.
Your doctor may ask you to stop taking certain drugs before your test, as they could affect your testosterone levels. Its important to tell your doctor about all medications youre taking. Include both over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
Testosterone home-testing kits are also available from companies such as LetsGetChecked. They use your saliva to test your hormone levels. After taking the test, youll send your sample to a lab for testing.
There may be certain lifestyle changes to help increase testosterone levels, such as adding resistance exercise and losing weight.
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What Symptoms Develop Due To Low Testosterone
As your testosterone levels decline, you experience symptoms such as:
- Loss of muscle mass and strength
- Memory problems
- Difficulty concentrating
These symptoms can also appear in other health conditions. For example, a low sex drive commonly occurs in men with low testosterone, but this can also be caused by fatigue, stress, medications, and relationship problems.
What Tests Will Be Done To Diagnose Low Testosterone
The following tests can help confirm low testosterone and determine the cause:
- Total testosterone level blood test: This test usually requires two sample collections between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., when testosterone levels should be at their highest. If youre sick or have recently been sick, its important to tell your provider. Acute illness may cause a falsely low result.
- Luteinizing hormone blood test: This test can help determine if the cause of low testosterone is an issue with your pituitary gland.
- Prolactin blood test: High prolactin levels may be a sign of pituitary gland issues or tumors.
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How Do I Know If I Need A Prescription For Testosterone Therapy
As you age your testosterone level naturally declines. Once you are over 30, the decline in testosterone can lead to a number of debilitating conditions that collectively are known as male menopause or andropause.
If you are looking for a doctor to provide you with a prescription for testosterone therapy, chances are you are a man between the ages of 35 and 65, who has started to feel the symptoms of low testosterone.
The signs and symptoms of low testosterone in men include:
- Weight gain, even when eating right and exercising
- Foggy thinking or other cognitive issues
- Irritability, mood swings, and/or depression
Even when you have found the right kind of doctor to treat your symptoms of low testosterone, do not expect him or her to immediately write your prescription for testosterone therapy.
Prescriptions for testosterone therapy are not written lightly by ethical doctors. Before you are given testosterone therapy, any legitimate doctor will need to take a complete medical history and physical exam, which will then be followed with a specialized blood test to check for your testosterone levels.
Doctors Wont Always Prescribe Trt
What most people fail to understand is that there are people who legitimately have low testosterone in their bodies. A medical doctor should know that his patient has low testosterone levels by doing a simple blood test. The doctor will usually use the normal range of 300ng/dL to 1000ng/dL and compare it to the blood work results. The issue with this is that the levels of testosterone in a mans body tend to change over the day. Testosterone levels tend to be the highest during the morning hours.
It is good to remember that not all doctors have a clear understanding of what hormone therapy is all about and how it should be administered. If the testosterone replacement therapy is administered wrongly it can be catastrophic. Your therapy will not be similar to the next patient, there will always be a difference in dosage from one person to the next and the length of medication will also differ depending on your medical history. Testosterone replacement therapy is to be done uniquely for each person. It should be re-evaluated regularly to check on whether to increase or decrease the dose in regards to the benefits and risks towards the patients health.
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How Do I Know If My Testosterone Is Dipping
Gaining muscle mass can be a product of increased testosterone levels. If you are looking to build muscle mass, then get your testosterone levels checked. The normal range for men is 180-540 ng/dL. Anything below 300 is considered low testosterone. Some of the typical symptoms of low testosterone include fatigue, decreased libido, mood swings, memory loss, erectile dysfunction, loss of motivation, depression, and weight gain. Check your testosterone level once in two months to determine if it needs to be measured again..
How Can I Get My Testosterone Tested
For the test, you will need to get yourself tested for total testosterone, free testosterone and your estrogen levels. These tests can be done in any lab. This is the most basic test which you need to get done before you can go for more tests. You can always get more tests done based on your symptoms and the possible root causes..
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Is Testosterone Replacement Therapy Safe
If a patient isn’t evaluated and treated properly before beginning therapy, testosterone injections may cause blood clots, stroke, heart attack or liver toxicity. Testosterone replacement therapy can also increase the growth rate of prostate cancer, which is why proper screening is important before beginning testosterone therapy.
If, after a thorough evaluation, your doctor feels you could benefit from testosterone replacement therapy, it is generally considered a safe course of treatment, as long as you continue to see your doctor for regular screenings.
Should You Be Tested For Low Testosterone
You might need to be tested for low testosterone if you have erectile dysfunction , a very low sex drive, low sperm count, loss of body hair, decrease of muscle mass, and osteoporosis. Conditions other than low testosterone could be the underlying cause of ones symptoms. A doctor will want to rule out other conditions before diagnosing and treating low testosterone.
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What Is Low T
Low T refers to a set of symptoms that can result when your body doesnt produce enough testosterone. Testosterone plays a number of important roles in your body. Its necessary for the physical changes you undergo during puberty, and you need testosterone to produce sperm.
Its normal for your testosterone levels to slowly decline starting around age 30. Eventually, if your testosterone levels drop enough, you may experience symptoms or conditions including:
- Loss of muscle mass
You may think of these symptoms as simply a part of getting older. However, theyre often the result of low T, and they can improve if you undergo treatment to correct the testosterone levels in your blood. Note that not everyone with low testosterone has the above symptoms, and these symptoms may result from other conditions.
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Q & A: What Does The Treatment Of Low Testosterone Involve
There are several basic medical procedures that are followed in the medically responsible diagnosing and treating of Low T levels that are accompanied by certain symptoms. Also involved is specific blood testing that measures the amount of available testosterone circulating in a patients bloodstream. The blood tests that are used are highly sophisticated and precise so in learning what type of doctor treats low testosterone levels successfully, you can see why it needs to be doctors who are experienced and familiar with all of the aspects involved in effectively treating patients who have Low T symptoms.
Yet this doesnt mean that the process for receiving a diagnosis and treatment needs to be one that is complicated or cumbersome for patients to follow. Nexel Medicals innovative breakthrough has been in streamlining the process and making it accessible to every adult in the US who medically requires Low T treatment. We have done this by utilizing digital technology to facilitate and simplify our procedures for treatment, which are:
- Having a specialized blood draw test performed in your local area
- Having a basic medical exam performed by one of our local medical doctors in your area
- Submitting your medical history to Nexel Medical online by using the simple form on our website
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What Are Signs Of Low Testosterone In Men
There are several warning signs to look for if you feel low testosterone is an issue. Five of the most important factors are:
- Low sex drive: You may not feel as strong an urge toward intimacy as before.
- Erectile dysfunction: You may experience issues with maintaining an erection during sexual activity.
- Fatigue: You may have a general feeling of tiredness.
- Loss of muscle: Low testosterone and muscle mass go hand in hand. You may experience a loss of lean muscle.
- Irritability: You may experience sudden mood swings or hot flashes.
Warning Signs Of Low Testosterone In Men
You may have noticed that you dont have as much energy as before, or that you have developed issues during intimacy. This is not something you should be ashamed of instead, it may be a sign of a larger medical concern.
Low testosterone is something that 19 to 39 percent of older men deal with. And while low testosterone can lead to several health issues, the opposite can also be true in that certain conditions can lead to low levels of testosterone. If you have any concerns, its critical that you speak with an experienced specialist in mens health to determine the problem.
Here are some answers to questions you may have around low testosterone:
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