Originally Posted by
DowneasTTer
I've been on Androgel for the past 3 years. For me it makes a BIG difference. My blood test before treatment was a big fat 0% now I get tested every 3 months and in the normal range. I'm 65 and also have CHF (congestive heart failure) with an EF of 20% (Ejection Faction, amount of blood ejected from the left ventricle each pump, normal is between 50% and 60%) so between the heart condition and the non existent testosterone level I found it hard to even walk to the mail box. Now I'm classified as a class 1 CHF patient (no symptoms) no change in EF but able to do most of the things I could do before CHF including ride over 8k miles last year. When going to my first follow-up echo about 6 months into my CHF and 4 months or so of Androgel plus heart meds I was sure that my heart had recovered… only to find that they have some damn good drugs out there. Testosterone isn't for everyone and it's not the end all but for some, including me, it can help you enjoy the things you can no longer do. BUT and it's a BIG but the decision to start with the replacement should be based on discussion with your health care provider. Oh and this stuff is NOT cheap. Good luck
Wow- can you still ride with a 20% EF ?
You sorta lucked out-very very few MDs would be brave enough to prescribe testosterone for someone who must/might have CAD.
Especially now-after some recent study(not a great study since patients were probably given large doses)-indicating increased MI risk with testosterone supplementation
You certainly benefit from it-
and it is faintly possible that it has some cardiac protective effect at " low normal" levels -and the "bad cardiac effects" are at much higher levels.
HRT in women- became Verboten after the BIG STUDY(2001 early release and ended early)- 1,000,000 women study or whatever it was called.
It showed increased risk breast cancer and INCREASED CAD risk- the CAD was the opposite of what was expected-breat cancer risk-not a surprise-good effect on bones was demonstrated and some odd protective effects-bowel cancer decreased risk etc
In any case-ALMOST ALL WOMEN were IMMEDIATELY rapidly tapered off HRT- and far far fewer were started on it
fast forward to 2012 or so- followup results of a DANISH STUDY- good study-released(study actually had be stopped early because of 1,000,000 study) anyway followup demonstrated a PROTECTIVE CARDIAC EFFECT- along with good for bones other cancers-BAD BREAST cancer effect was still present I think.(-edit-MEMORY TRICKED ME-DANISH STUDY SHOWED NO INCREASED BREAST CANCER RISK-)
OPPOSITE CARDIAC result from 1000000 woman study-exact opposite
Well the HRT studies-were different-different drugs-different way of dosing-
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY the Danes gave it to perimenopausal women-50,51 yo
We gave it to 61,62 yo women-who hadn't had "much" in the way of hormones in 10-11 years
so we SUDDENLY dumped high levels of estrogens/progestins- on women who were more or less naive to them
and we got the BAD CAD risk - not a surprising result -in hindsight
Now the Danish study hasn't changed current therapy in the USA- HRT is still frowned on-mainly for breast cancer risk-but MI risk is still-incorrectly-touted as a reason to "not start HRT"
HRT also makes women "feel better look younger" middle aged women-their skin and muscle tone-suddenly aged about 5 years after HRT became "bad"
it is POSSIBLE-big maybe- that HRT women and men-is "better" when not passed thru GI track-meaning making a 1st pass thru liver
Oh well-I have run on-you lucked out-brave MD-amazing what hormones can do-same EF but much better work tolerance
Can you still ride (wife had MI- baddish one-LAD etc)-she still manages occasional brief ballet type workouts-she has vasculitis-so her problems are ongoing-since 2005
Can you ride a little?