Author: e.r.regular
Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 12:50 am
In late 2009 or early 2010 I started this Low-T topic under the Side Effects heading fearing that people would tell me that it is not a side effect of Suboxone and should not be placed in this section. However, after 2 years of casual research, there is enough medical, circumstantial and anecdotal evidence for me to say that there IS a connection between Low-T and opiates, including synthetic compounds like Suboxone in small number of people.
Many body systems rely on sufficient hormone levels to operate properly, though unless your voice is starting to sound like Michael Jackson, or you’re lactating, YOU are the only one who can say if you are normal. This makes determining the proper T-level within the “normal range� very difficult for even an Endocrinologist.
My Endocrinologist starts our quarterly appointment by reading my blood test results, and then asks me if I think my Androgel dose is correct or if I want to try using more. The first time he did this I said, “Aren’t YOU supposed to be telling ME that?� Can you imagine what we would have done when we were using if a doc asked us that about Percoset or Vicodin?!
NORMAL T level is a very subjective measure for anyone and varies by age. I have seen charts that say a number as low as 200 or as high as 1200 is “normal.� Most of them peg it between 241-800. Anyone lower than 241 is often recommended hormone replacement therapy with one of a number Testosterone of medications. I was given Androgel; a clear alcohol based gel that is indistinguishable from anti-bacterial hand sanitizer. You rub it on your shoulders and upper body. (be careful to stay away from your neck after shaving). Personally, I would not recommend starting the replacement therapy unless your number is under 200 and you are experiencing negative symptoms (constant fatigue, sore breasts, no sex drive, etc.).
I started on 1 packet per day and have increased over 18 months to 5. During my quarterly Endcrinologist visits, he looks at my blood test results to get my T level. I have not been able to get my T-level over 389 even using 4 (x1.62mg Testosterone) pumps per day. He said he would like to see it between 500-600, and upped it to 5. The side effects from the Androgel are getting too much to deal with at 5, so I am cutting down.
On the PRO side, the Androgel did, bring back my sex drive (almost too much). My breasts stopped hurting and swelling, and my weight gain ceased. On the CON side however, I am growing lists more body hair especially in the areas where it is applied. I have mild non-pitting edema in my ankles, and my prostate will swell to they point that makes it difficult to urinate. I have had to go in the stall to pee in a public bathroom because of the embarrassment of standing at the urinal while 5 other guys came and went in the ones next to me.
It has been a controversial theory for years that Methadone use causes a decrease in testosterone. I don’t know if there have been tests or if it was just anecdotal evidence from male methadone patients who lost interest in sex. I have also heard the same thing about Heroin, but I assumed that with Heroin it was because people were just too high to care about getting off.
Suboxone saved my life, marriage and career, and I’m grateful for it. Nevertheless, I do think that the Suboxone use, is somehow related to my low-t issues.
