Joe's Recovery Journal

[Ratchet]

Current hormone panel:

Total T
844ng/dL
Ref range: 240-871ng/dL

Free T
172pg/mL
Ref range: 47-244pg/mL

DHT
84ng/dL
Ref range: 30-85ng/dL

Estrodiol
22pg/mL
Ref range: <41pg/mL

In spite of these very normal hormone results, I still experience the side effects (physical and psychological) of Dutasteride 6 months after having taken it. Is this normal with PFS?

EDIT: Like I said in the OP, my problem more so is with the brain and nervous system rather than sexual side effects. I can still get erect through some brief physical stimulation but have trouble climaxing and have no libido/visual sexual arousal. Penile sensitivity is also reduced and I feel very disconnected from the world and just flat out different as a person, which is scary on a daily basis. Outer facing skin on limbs, hands, and feet are very cold and burn like being sunburned and is sensitive/disturbed by textures. Systolic blood pressure is also higher than normal. I always ran low pre-PFS around 80-90. Now, it runs 100-130 and, for the first time in my life, I was told my cholesterol is high and my blood is thick. Don't understand it. Very weird.

First off, nobody knows or understands the pathology of PFS. But yes, it is normal to still experience many of the sides of PFS despite a normal serum hormonal panel. Understand this: any decent endo will tell you that serum levels don’t mean shit. It’s all about what is going down at the cellular level, at which point we are very limited in observing and testing outside of a clinical setting. Do not concern yourself with your labs. Especially do not concern yourself with something as variable as blood pressure. As long as you’re not passing out when you stand up, lower is better, yes. But a systolic of 100-130 is totally fine. You’re probably raising it just by observing it, killing the proverbial schrodinger cat, so to speak. Also, your “thick blood” might have something to do with the fact you’re on TRT & HCG. You are not in homeostasis. If this baffles your doctors, find new ones. Also, help others and donate some of it.

Drop your worries. Follow the protocol. Amazing days are ahead.