Hello guys,

This is my first post and was just hoping one of you guys could throw some light on this matter.

Since I started on T just over a year ago I have been itching something chronic. I spoke to the doctor who is prescribing my T about this and she said she had never had anyone mention this before. She got a book out and looked through it and said that apparently this can be a side effect of testosterone injections. The areas where the itches are mainly are where my hair is now growing through which, I suppose does make sense (buttocks, stomach, face).

I have had 3 diffferent doctors in the last year as the first one left to work with children, so I had a temporary doctor for a few months (who advised me to switch to Nebido) The new doctor I am seeing has told me this (itching) can be a sign of liver damage. My blood test results for liver function test say that my liver is fine. All my other results are great too, been told my cholesterol levels are the best she has ever seen. Does any one know how accurate these results are? I have imbibed rather large quantities of the intoxicating liquor in my past

I was originally on Sustanon 250mg (every 3 weeks) and my serum testosterone levels were quite low but ok according to my doctor. Since being switched to (on supposedly good advice) Nebido 1,000mg every 10-12 weeks (10 at the moment) my serum testosterone readings have rocketed to (previous test) 28.30nmo/L and now to 32.2nmo/L which apparently is way too high and possibly dangerous levels.

Anyhow, I just wondered if any of you guys have had the itching? It hasn't got any worse since my levels shot up.

Sorry if I am not allowed to put my testosterone readings on here and I will remove them if necessary.

John

I haven't quite started T yet so can't comment on the itching, but the piece of paper I got from CX today said that they aim to get T levels to the "high normal" male range which is apparently 25-30 nmol/l, so it does look as if your levels are a smidgen higher than ideal.

Thanks for the reply Alan. The 32.2 reading was taken just before my last injection was due so my levels should (in theory) have been at their lowest. I feel fine though, not overly aggressive (more assertive) and sex drive high but not through the roof like I was getting straight after a Sustanon injection. I think the itching is something to do with the new hair growth as it seems to be in the areas it is sprouting fastest. One thing I really must admit my temp/stand in doctor was right about is that Nebido is much more steady, even though the injections are further apart I feel no different towards the end of the doseage than at the beginning. One thing I have found out is that most doctors will avoid giving Nebido for financial reasons. My new doctor was quite shocked at the difference in price between Nebido and Sustanon. Sustanon costs the NHS around £2.50-£7.00 per ampule (250mg) whereas Nebido costs around £70-£80 per ampule (1,000mg), although you do need (these is not exacting doses and vary from person to person depending on blood test results) to inject Sustanon every 3-4 weeks instead of Nebido every 10-12 weeks).

Incidentally the doctor who recommended me switching to Nebido did this to a lot of other patients at the same clinic and is now, for obvious reasons, is not very popular with the new doctors (could have been on commission from the drug company.

I haven't been on T for that long yet, and haven't had any itching proplems so far. However, it seems to be a very common side effect, from what I've read - and as you say, to do with new hair growth.

As Alan says, at CX they try and keep your T levels at the high end of the normal male range. I had mine checked last time I was there, and my trough was just below the normal range and my peak just above it, I think (I can't quite remember; I could try and hunt out the results later on maybe). The endo there wasn't at all concerned that my peak was above 30, but did increase my dose as my trough level was too low - so I doubt that 32.2 actually is dangerous - who told you that it could be?

Dave

Cheers to both of you for your help. It has made me feel a lot less concerned.

I have a new doctor at the moment and she is very young and says she hasn't been qualified for long. She seemed very concerned that my levels were dangerously high so hopefully I can mention CX recommendations as she wanted to widen the gaps between the injections even further (I am on 10 weeks at the moment and am happy with how it is going but am willing to go up to 12 weeks but no further apart).

What I don't get with Nebido is why it is only available in 1,000 ampules. Surely it would be easier to moderate (and take a hell of a lot less time injecting it, seems to take forever to get it all in) to do it in more than one size like Sustanon.

Incidentally the itching has eased off in the areas where I am getting hair growth now so I presume it was whatever it is in the skin that triggers the hair folicles to grow in the first place that was causing it. Getting very spotty in the hairy areas too.

Right, I've just been and checked what my levels were. According to the info I have here (on the results sheet that my doctor gave me), "normal" male levels are 10-35 - so you're within that anyway. My peak level was 37.4, and the endo at CX (who seems to be very good at his job) had absolutely no worries about that. So it sounds like your young, inexperienced doctor needs to check up on stuff - or refer you to a specialist endo!

Dave

Odd that, because on my blood test results it says:- Serum testosterone level (XE2dr) 32.20 nmol/L (0.30 - 3.80). What are the figures in brackets? Is that the range it should be for a biological female?

The previous 2 doctors I had in the last year said my levels were fine with Sustanon but unfortunately I do not have the test results from that time to compare with the Nebido results. Not sure I have much choice in what doctor I see unless I move to another area.

At a rough guess, I reckon you're probably right and that she's looking at the normal levels for females - and then panicking because your levels are so high! Are you sure that you're listed as male at your surgery? Have you had a new NHS card through showing you as male?

The surgery should have your previous blood results on file, surely, so you could ask for a copy of them to compare. Is the doctor that you're talking about a GP at your local surgery? If you're not happy with your surgery, you can change to a different one in the local area. Or any GP can refer you to a specialist endocrinologist, I think - and if they're concerned about your T levels that's what they should be doing.

Dave

The doctor that I am speaking about is the one who is prescribing my hormones and my dysphoria treatment. I have only seen her once since she started and to be honest, I am not confident about her knowledge, particularly after what you guys have told me on here. Not just a GP. She says these levels are far too high even for bio males and could cause high risks of Pulmonary embolism and heart attacks at these levels in anyone.

I would be interested in knowing if anyone else who is being treated at the same clinic is having problems. I do know they have been without an andocrynoligist for a while like me (that's what her job is primarily) but don't want to start giving out names etc on a forum.

The 2 previous endos I had before her said my levels were fine but like I said this was when I was still on Sustanon.