Low testosterone levels symptoms and conditions

First of all let me state that I stopped Advair (or Seretide 125 here in the UK) before I was aware of a plethora of potential side-effects.

I've had asthma for 4 years (male 39) and I started just over two years ago when I had a chest infection. Two days later I developed quite a bad pneumonia and ended up in hospital. Thankfully it cleared OK and I got out quickly enough. After that I continued with it. Around late summer last year I noticed my libido dropping off, bad sleep patterns (really tired at 10pm yet waking up at 2am and unable to sleep again), depressive episodes, mood swings and mental fogginess especially in the afternoon. Blood tests showed borderline low testosterone levels and I was referred to an endocrinologist early in 2009. A few tests later and I was no further forward but I started to suspect my adrenal function was poor. An ATCH stimulation test was done but it was "normal". I then had a tremendously bad depressive episode and went to the doctors. He offered me prozac until we got to the bottom of the issue but I declined as I suspect it would make things worse. I then started to analyze what had changed in my life and the only thing that had the potential was the Seretide. I then changed back to Clenil (beclomethasone) and the difference was like day and night. My sleep patterns immediately restored themselves and my mental state went back to normal. I also run up to 50 miles per week and suffered occasional cramps - I could even cramp at will by placing my lower leg in a particular place! Needless to say this has gone too. I now have another blood test next week and it'll be very interesting to see where my T levels are now.

I suspect that Advair/Seretide causes adrenal issues in susceptible people. Once your adrenals are out of whack then your thyroid and other hormonal systems start to get affected.

I have had a total thyroidectomy due to thyroid carcinoma about 2.5 -3 years ago. I have been on synthroid and levoxyl and both have caused tingling and numbness in my hands and feet, what I call a general fog (hard to concentrate or think, sometimes talk). I have been tested for neuropathy since endo said radiation may have caused issues. Only to be cleared by neurologist. Now endo switched does lower after rebout of cancer from 300mcg to 274mcg and have knee joints now going numb I want to sleep all the time, general weakness and now low testosterone levels.

I'm 23 and I got prescribed Yasmin because I have PCOS, where I only got my period every 3-9 months (very irregular) where I suffered severe period pain and my period would go for about 8 days. The doctor thought regulating my period would decrease the pain, which it did. My period is around 3-4 days, very light and no pain since starting Yasmin. But I have had migraines weekly, constant headaches, usually starting with my vision going blurry and seeing flashing white light. I also lost my appetite for the first month, but have gained weight. I was going to the gym and exercising everyday and now I have no motivation to exercise at all, but feel bloated ALL the time. I have had trouble sleeping since taking it. I suffered from depression and anxiety attacks about 2 years ago, but since taking Yasmin I have been feeling very depressed and had several anxiety attacks, although the anxiety has only started after being on it for 4 months. After having another migraine this week and having to leave work for teh second time in 2 weeks, I decided I was going to stop taking it. (I had also had 3 anxiety attacks this week) since stopping I have instantly felt relaxed, no anxiety, and I no longer feel depressed.

After suffering all of this for 4 months, 8 day periods and 4 days of being in pain doesn't seem so bad. The depression and Anxiety is the scaries part as I haven't experienced it for so long, and don't want to!

Does anyone know how long it takes to be fully out of your system? I just want to get back to normal weight, moods, energy levels etc as soon as possible!

51 yr old male; Lipitor therapy for 3 yrs due to high cholesterol levels and family history on both sides; always been pretty active but noticed a lack of energy and fatigue; muscle aches, tingling legs, loss of memory; figured it was me aging but I wasn't willing to accept it. Also have been tested for and found to have abnormally low testosterone levels; guess what the doctor prescribed for that- testosterone hormone, the cream Androgel. He never once mentioned that the Lipitor could be working against the testosterone; I've been on doses as high as 60 mg but down to 40 now. I have an appt with a new doctor and you can be assured we'll be discussing this; I recently had a cardiac calcium scoring exam and it revealed a cyst on the top of my liver; ? could it be related, who knows.

I went off Yasmin four days ago after taking it for about 4 years. I am 36. Before Yasmine, I was on and off various pills since I was in college. I had never thought I had a problem with it until my doctor ran some tests and showed that I had extremely low testosterone levels. I then did some research and found that this can be caused by the pill, and side effects can be low libido and low energy/fatigue. This stunned me because for years I have been trying to figure out while I am tired all the time. I've gone to nutritionists, sleep clinics and psychopharmacologists to figure this out, and noone ever mentioned that it could be related to the pill and my testosterone levels! So, after four days of being off of it I can report that I definitely feel like I have more energy (perhaps at this point it's the placebo effect) and have a greater sense of well-being. I expect that I may break out a bit since my skin has been pretty great on it. In terms of hair loss, I see women post who experience hair loss on the pill as well as off, so I guess that remains to be seen. I also have noticed that my stomach and hips seem thinner and wonder if I was carrying around extra water weight due to the pill. I'll keep you posted on how things work out.

Hi BitterRN!!

(Sorry ladies if this seems to get a "privat chat", but I think our "written books" can surely be helpful to others of you, too....)

Well, I absolutely understand, what you say. And this is surely an option I will get checked (ok, if I ever will have the power to go to another doctor again after my aimless oddyssey in 2005.......!). I think I should mention, that here in Germany the health system has gotten really difficult in the past 6 - 7 years so that the doctor's could not make every test on you which might be helpful. So it's really difficult to get blood tests (especially the expensive ones as homormonal testings...) done by a doc. That's what my situation always made even more difficult, than it already was...

But one thing I really don't understand: My perhaps low testosterone levels still don't explain, why I was doing so much better the last few months (as I already told here in former posts, I even started singing in my band again and I really felt good, about 85% like my old self!!) and now, after that bad cold 3 weeks ago, the tiredness and muscle weakness and stiffness (also craming in my legs during night and day) kicked in at once as if I was thrown back to nearly one year ago... I really feel and think, that his must be a lack of some minerals or vitamines again (magnesium because of the cramping legs and fingers, perhaps b-vitamines??? I feel so unsure......). Maybe this comes on top of the testosterone or other hormonal problem and makes my symptoms worse...!??? But I deeply feel, that there MUST be something else above the definitely still lasting hormonal imbalance...

Thank you BitterRN for answering so quickly and detailed!!

best wishes
Silke