High testosterone in male

Type 1 and LADA
1

Hello All

I need some insight into a particular problem I’m having.
I just saw my latest blood test results. I got an extensive screening this time, because I’ve started sweating a lot more than usual (and I generally used to sweat a lot even before this problem arose), and it’s mostly my face and chest that sweats. Almost never hands, feet or armpits. I never leave the house without some tissues to wipe my forehead with, in case I start one of my sweating “tantrums”. It’s embarrassing having sweat running down my face when I’m just doing normal stuff in public.

My diabetes nurse thought it might be gustatory sweating, so she conferred with my endo, and she disagreed, because it’s sometimes spontaneous and/or with minimal activity, and not only related to eating. My BMI is in the “normal” range.

I regularly get my THS, T4, T3 and all that tested, and it has always been normal. So that was done again, plus many of the “gender specific” hormones.

The blood tests showed that I have slightly low potassium and pretty low carbamide, but the interesting thing was that I have pretty high levels of testosterone. It showed 37 nmol/L where the reference for guys my age (29) is between 11 and 35 nmol/L. I’m somewhere in the 2.5 percentile when it comes to natural testosterone levels in guys. I’m thinking this is highy unlikely to be “natural”.

It’s hard to find info on high levels of testosterone in men online. It’s usually related to women and low testosterone in men. The thing I found that seems the most likely is that it could be a thyroid issue, and likely Graves’ disease, when considering that I have type 1 diabetes, and have Graves’ disease in my family.
The symptoms seem to match. I sweat easily, I’m heat intolerant, my resting heart rate is around 105 BPM (and has been for years) and I get heart palpitations, fatigue, really sensitive bowels, elevated blood pressure, bouts of hand tremors and regular bouts of anxiety among some of the symptoms - most of which have persisted for years, but gotten worse lately.

I’m seeing my endo on October 11th, and we will obviously discuss it then, but I’m really curious of what you guys make of it? Can one have Graves’ disease with normal thyroid numbers?

2

FWIW, I highly recommend pursuing a DX via medical professionals in your area, rather than asking internet strangers for comments on your medical conditions. I cringe when I know people are going to offer up all sorts of ideas despite it being inappropriate.

3

I made that clear in my post that was what I’m doing on October 11th. I’m merely curious if someone has any knowledge or experience on such a matter.

But sure, I can delete the post if you cringe and find it inappropriate.

4

Isn’t that what people do here all the time? Many posts are about various health concerns, related or not to diabetes. Tingling or numb feet, frozen shoulder, weight loss or gain, and possible food allergies are among some recent threads, and “internet strangers” who’ve experienced similar problems have much useful advice to offer. I hope someone here who’s been in a similar situation can share their experience with @Lemonz.

3 Likes
5

I’d be surprised if the testosterone level is of any significance, being that it is so close to within a relatively wide referrence range and varies a lot naturally throughout a mans life.

My doc told me he’d expect my levels to be right around exactly what yours are… actually mine were a bit higher, his only comment was, “well you don’t need to supplement it, clearly”

3 Likes
6

It’s unwise and potentially dangerous to give or receive a medical “diagnosis” on line. It’s fine to chat about one’s experiences and tips for doing things that are related to the subject of the forum; it is NOT ok to give medical advice. " Can one have Graves’ disease with normal thyroid numbers?" is basically asking for medical advice.

7

Interesting - it only showed up as a red number on my blood test, and I couldn’t really find any information about it online, except general information about too high testosterone in men, hence the question here. Thank you for your response. :slight_smile:

1 Like
8

I don’t know if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed or whatever, but I don’t see a reason for you to be so negative with me. “Can one have Graves’ disease with normal thyroid numbers” is as a general question one can have about a disease subject on a board dedicated to disease(s).
It’s basically a yes or no question to satisfy my curiosity, even though I wouldn’t mind a lengthier response. I asked nothing about getting a diagnosis, nothing about treatment, nothing about what to do with this information. I don’t know what you expected me to do with any dangerous medical information I might have gotten to this question, as all treatment and diagnosis of Graves’ disease where I live is through a specialist and requires prescription medications and multiple blood test follow-ups.

I, however, remember you responding to another question I had suggesting that I reduce my insulin dose, which would, in my opinion, constitute more as potentially dangerous medical advice than any relevant answer this current question.

Assuming we are all adults here, I think most of us are careful and/or experienced enough to know that any treatment suggestions with regards to diabetes are for comparison and informational purposes only, and not actual suggestions to what one thinks the other should do. I don’t see this as any different, and I don’t see why you felt the need to comment or follow up on it when the question makes you cringe.

3 Likes
9

You, as is anyone, free to disagree with my comments. Let’s leave it at that and move on.

10

In my opinion, @Lemonz has been on here long enough to be able to figure out which comments should be listened to and which should be blown off as obnoxious and not worthy of further consideration.

That is the benefit of a forum like this. It gives the opportunity for all sorts of response from the very good and helpful all the way to the ones that just leave you shaking your head.

Spot on and totally agreed.

2 Likes
11

@Lemonz - Any chance you had these particular tests run previously or was this the first time for all the additional components?

Reason is there obviously is a wide range of what is “normal” for anybody. As you say, you are seeing your Endo and will discuss it. If it was me, I would request for the same test to be run at six months intervals for the next couple of years unless it is something which is prohibitively expensive. Or maybe nine month intervals which would have the testing slowly rotate through the seasons in case there is seasonal aspects to some of the test components?

Being able to look at a series of tests over time for yourself and seeing if there is any change provides so much more info as opposed to a one time snapshot. Although obliviously that is a super slow process but years down the road and looking back it will be nice to have that data - even if you don’t need it the data may simply be interesting to look at.

On the other hand - I love data and tests results so I understand that I get a little crazy with them. I try to keep it in check.
:stuck_out_tongue:

2 Likes
12

Hey Tim35 :slight_smile:

I’ve finally talked to my endo. He said none of my tests were alarming, and said that the testosterone was fine even though it was outside the reference range, and it was opposite of what he expected to see, because from the symptoms he suspected hyperthyroid or low testosterone (or “premature andropause” as he put it). He ordered more tests for my next visit, because there was no explanation for my symptoms in this panel. If there is no clue next time, then he mentioned potential symptom management strategies - especially for the sweating and heart palpitations.

This is the first time I’ve had my gonadotropin hormones (I think they are called?) tested because there hasn’t been any indication of anything being wrong until now.
I do get all the regular ones, like hematology, immunology, thyroid, lipid profile, liver function, kidney function (urine and blood) once a year. I also get glucose (I don’t even know why this is necessary - I test it multiple times a day) and HbA1c 4 times a year.

Yeah, I’ve been looking through my old blood tests, and things just jump around within the normal range, except for potassium and coagulation factors which are regularly on the low end, and occasionally carbamide is low as well, but that is probably just related to my diet and hydration rather than any abnormality in my body.
These are the regular screening tests that are recommended in my country when there is no suspected problem, and they are paid for by our national insurance (live in Denmark), but they would cost $200 - $300 out of pocket, if I order more of them, so it’s not too bad. However, my doctor will order more thyroid screenings in the future (twice a year), due to some of these abnormalities and recent symptoms, and due to it being so normal in type 1’s and it being in my family.

He also ordered a blood test now to test for the level of catecholamines in my blood, to see if my adrenal glands are overactive for some reason, which can also slightly raise testosterone. If that’s the case, it’s usually some benign growth on one or both of them. It’s very rare though, but as he put it “you won’t find the problem if you don’t test for it!” Hehe…

Me too! I even got a part of my genome sequenced purely out of curiosity. :joy:
But then again, I just started studying molecular biology, so it’s sort of up my alley. :sweat_smile:

2 Likes
13

Don’t know your age, but high Test can increase your chances of prostate trouble…which I also have.

1 Like
14

Hi Rodulf
I’m currently 29. Do/did you also have high testosterone in the past?

1 Like
15

Probably higher than normal. I currently have an enlarged prostate, giving me some grief.

17

Thanks! I will give that a try.

18

Hey again everyone. I just wanted to give an update to this issue, if anyone is interested in knowing about it.

My recent blood tests showed that I have high levels of catecholamines (adrenaline/epinephrine, noradrenaline/norepinephrine, dopamine and some other stuff), which are produced by the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands also produce small amounts of testosterone, which is probably why my levels were/are only slightly elevated. Also, almost all the symptomes I had/have were the same as hypertyroidism (like Graves’ disease), which would also be the most likely cause. However, it seems to point towards a growth on one or both my adrenal glands; most likely being a pheochromocytoma, though it could also be paraganglioma(s), but the latter is more normal in people with certain mutations and syndromes, which I don’t seem to have, so all of it points towards pheochromocytoma(s). More tests are needed to determine what it is exactly and where it is located.

It’s a bittersweet discovery - it explaines all my symptoms and it is fixable, but it will require surgery and it’s extremely rare. Only 2 to 4 for every 1 million people get it each year in Denmark (where I live), and there are only 10 to 15 surgeries of this type done every year here, due to its rarity. The good thing is that only 10% are malignant and they usually don’t come back after the affected adrenal gland is removed. When removed I will probably be rid of the crippling migraines that I’ve had for the last 10 years, and will be rid of all the drugs I’m taking to hold them at bay, I will probably also be rid of my sinus tachycardia, heart palpitations, excessive facial sweating, anxiety-like symptoms and periodic hypertension, as well as have normal potassium levels again. :slight_smile: So all in all, I’m grateful to my doctors for considering this course of action and happy that it’s something that is fixable, even though I would have preferred it to be hypertyroidism, which would have been much easier to fix. :stuck_out_tongue:

5 Likes
20

People take massive amounts of steroids, body builders, levels in the sky and don’t have problems. 2 points above range. No.