Low testosterone and RLS
I just paid for my ambien cr script yesterday and it eased all of my symptoms back off. From what I can tell from some limited research is that it can be addictive and can case some severe withdrawl symptoms. I had bronchitis and that was easy compared to the ambien thing. I took one last night and drifted off to sleep and today feel just fine.
Randy
Long
I had my neurologist appointment and he talked to me for a long time about hormones. He told me there is a big relationship between dopamine and testosterone(google it, tons of info). He urged since I did get relief to pursue getting my testosterone levels raised. So there is my problem...one thing doctors are as just as paranoid as narcotics about is hormones, namely testosterone.
My current specialist for this tells me that my levels are fine...well they never tested my levels while on injections, I was taken off that and put on fertility drugs and then tested and even though they have no idea what my levels were when I was feeling good they are comfortable with what they are now. Problem is I feel like crap, but any more hormone perscribed and it might raise an eyebrow. My neurologist thinks that I should push them to do it anyways but then again he is the only doctor I have EVER found who won't bat an eye at giving ultram or tylenol 3 etc...
Just tired and cranky and really just venting again.
My current specialist for this tells me that my levels are fine...well they never tested my levels while on injections, I was taken off that and put on fertility drugs and then tested and even though they have no idea what my levels were when I was feeling good they are comfortable with what they are now. Problem is I feel like crap, but any more hormone perscribed and it might raise an eyebrow. My neurologist thinks that I should push them to do it anyways but then again he is the only doctor I have EVER found who won't bat an eye at giving ultram or tylenol 3 etc...
Just tired and cranky and really just venting again.
Randy
-
ViewsAskew
- Moderator
- Posts: 16596
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
- Location: Los Angeles
<big sigh>
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest
Managing Your RLS
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.
Managing Your RLS
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.
Randy- My first "specialist" told me that even though my T levels were low that I should just deal with it as long as it wasn't "affecting" my sex life. 
(as if that was the only thing that was important enough to deal with) I'm only saying this because once I went to a sexual health MD, he knew a lot more about levels of testosterone and depression, sleeplessness, etc that can become a real nightmare for us. He said flat out that some guys need to be on the higher end of normal to feel normal and healthy. You may want to look for a sexual health physician and approach it from a different direction. I've found that some endocrinologists can get "hung up" on levels whereas other specialists can be a bit more understanding of what a lower level can do to a guy's health. Just a thought.
(as if that was the only thing that was important enough to deal with) I'm only saying this because once I went to a sexual health MD, he knew a lot more about levels of testosterone and depression, sleeplessness, etc that can become a real nightmare for us. He said flat out that some guys need to be on the higher end of normal to feel normal and healthy. You may want to look for a sexual health physician and approach it from a different direction. I've found that some endocrinologists can get "hung up" on levels whereas other specialists can be a bit more understanding of what a lower level can do to a guy's health. Just a thought.Josh
ViewsAskew wrote:You know, this makes me wonder if a lot of the guys here should get tested. Maybe it's like iron and it only helps some people, but who knows? We do know that women are definitely worse at certain times when hormones change their balance. Maybe low testosterone has some effect of worsening RLS in some men.
This is all quite interesting. This is Reason # 2002 on why I love this board! I too will do some research to see if this can help me and I'll be tested. Thanks everyone for this.
I emailed Dr. B and this is what he said re: Testosterone and RLS. Needless to say, it's so unresearched it's still great that it works for some.
It is very common for pregnant women to have worsening of RLS but this is thought that it may be due to decreased iron stores (however anything is possible as these are just all theories with no real proof).
Many women (but still a minority) also complain of variations in their RLS with their menstrual cycle and after menopause. However, this also is not well understood. There is even less clinical information about testosterone and RLS, so no recommendations can be made.
Glad you enjoyed my book. It took a lot of work to get it ready.
mjb
Hopefully we can get more guys to look at this, I know I was embarassed to talk about it to my doctor. It wasn't till I had a cyst that I had to have looked at, and when they did bloodwork found it to be low...I had all the other symptoms of low testosterone too, I was just embarassed to talk to my wife and doctor and chalked most of the lethargy and sleep issues to the RLS.
Randy
low testosterone
I also have very low testosterone level. Also had very heavy sweats that would break out for no reason. Went to an endocrinologist and explained it to her and told her I'm taking methadone for my rls (I swear by methadone as the only thing that keeps my acute rls under control) and she said, 'oh, that's what causes the low testosterone. As long as you take methadone you'll have low testosterone.' Since nothing else touches my rls there was no way I was going to stop methadone so I I started taking testosterone patches. The sweats stopped. Question is, are the others who report low testosterone taking opiods for their rls?
I found this at http://www.redfernclinic.com/c/2007/05/ ... -fact.php4
"A number of studies have shown that plasma testosterone is lower in male heroin addicts than controls. Many studies in animals and humans have shown that opioids suppress testosterone, acting at the level of the hypothalamus to reduce secretion of gonadotrophins: "hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism". Amenorrhoea is common in women using heroin, and menstrual cycles tend to normalise during MMT (Schmittner et al 2005).
However, studies of men on prescribed opioids have given contradictory results. Only 10% of 92 MMT men reported by Brown et al (2005) had low testosterone, but low mean testosterone was reported in 54 men taking oral sustained-action opioids for chronic pain (Daniell, 2002); and also in 37 men on methadone maintenance (Bliesener et al 1995) while the mean testosterone level of buprenorphine-treated patients did not differ from that of healthy controls. Bliesener et al suggest buprenorphine might be preferred over methadone for this reason. Daniell has called for androgen replacement for men taking opioids who have low testosterone, citing low energy, muscle weakness, sexual dysfunction and higher risk of osteoporosis."
"A number of studies have shown that plasma testosterone is lower in male heroin addicts than controls. Many studies in animals and humans have shown that opioids suppress testosterone, acting at the level of the hypothalamus to reduce secretion of gonadotrophins: "hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism". Amenorrhoea is common in women using heroin, and menstrual cycles tend to normalise during MMT (Schmittner et al 2005).
However, studies of men on prescribed opioids have given contradictory results. Only 10% of 92 MMT men reported by Brown et al (2005) had low testosterone, but low mean testosterone was reported in 54 men taking oral sustained-action opioids for chronic pain (Daniell, 2002); and also in 37 men on methadone maintenance (Bliesener et al 1995) while the mean testosterone level of buprenorphine-treated patients did not differ from that of healthy controls. Bliesener et al suggest buprenorphine might be preferred over methadone for this reason. Daniell has called for androgen replacement for men taking opioids who have low testosterone, citing low energy, muscle weakness, sexual dysfunction and higher risk of osteoporosis."
Josh