Am I the only one who doesn't care about testosterone?

Let’s discuss a few important FACTS about having and maintaining healthy levels of Testosterone in the body,
FACT 1. Every man needs a sufficient, normal amount of testosterone to maintain overall good health and well-being in addition to stronger bone and muscular density while contributing to a healthy libido, more energy and less fatigue! (PERIOD)!
FACT 2. If you have your Prostate removed and there is no more detectable cancer than the “ PSA Factory” has been closed down. As a result, there is no more cancer left to feed off of the testosterone.
FACT 3. Testosterone levels fluctuate in each man but definitely tend to continue to become lower and lower as he ages.

Regardless if you are on Testosterone Replacement Therapy or not,
its very important to maintain a health level of testosterone in order to maintain an overall healthy body.

FACT 4. Most all of the current evidence and research has repudiated the long out of date information from the 1940’s based on one study done on rats that which asserted that taking testosterone after having your prostate removed was dangerous and would create a large number and incidences of Prostate cancer returning.
There is NO evidence that this is anywhere near accurate. In fact,
many physicians are now prescribing “TRT,”
TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY to assist men with a better and faster recovery time following their Prostatectomy.
I was on “TRT” for 12 years prior to being diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. I have severe Hypogonadism and my total “T” goes down between 20-90 if I stop my “TRT!” At 20, I am considered medically castrated.
Due to my ongoing debilitating cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Chiari Malformation for the past 33 years etc. I feel as though I am on the “doorsteps of death” without my “TRT!” Not to mention that I do not have any libido or sexual desire whatsoever. I normally have a very high sexual desire and high libido. So……..speaking as an individual and on my personal behalf, Testosterone gives and provides me an overall quality of life and physical lifestyle worth living. Without out it, I already feel like I am dead as I become totally housebound and bedridden while suffering a number of very unpleasant and debilitating symptoms.
To sum it up……..Testosterone is an absolute must and “lifesaver” for me.
My PSA has remained steady at < 0.014 since my “RALP” was performed on 10/25/22. I quit my “TRT” a month before my surgery and did not resume it until 4 months after my surgery. I went from feeling practically dead to feeling normal in just several days after resuming my “TRT!”
Do your research, assess your personal life circumstances, desires and goals. Have your Testosterone levels checked. If you are really low, I would strongly suggest you consult with a urologist or endocrinologist to discuss trying “TRT!” You will know after a very short period of time whether you are feeling better or not. It might take a while to find the right dosage and delivery method that works best for you. However, you will be able to accomplish that without too much difficulty.
Best wishes and good luck,
Phil

Thank you for posting, again, lol,, I get the biggest kick out of reading that, and it's always good to have a laugh. thanks

Phil: are you talking about all prostate cancer, or just early stage? Mine is stage 4b (oligometastatic), so it's already escaped the prostate to my bones and has to be controlled. That's very different from precautionary ADT for early-stage cancer after radiation or a prostatectomy.

ADT brought my PSA down from 67 to < 0.01 rapidly, several months before I had radiation therapy to my prostate, and (together with Erleada) it has held it there for almost three years.

It's risky making broad, aggressive claims and calling them "FACT," because new forum members coming here for information might not understand that it doesn't apply to their specific cancer situation.

I have mentioned several times that i boosted my testosterone using a cream. My PA made me wait 3 years of no PSA and a clean PET scan and sign a release. Mine was 3+3 clean margins. No further treatments after removal. I am very low risk. I still worry about taking the cream even though I feel much better. If I had any risk or develop any risk then I will not be supplementing my T.

If you're also a Phil, @tuckerp , my apologies for the confusion. I was replying to a different Phil, and also, I have no concern at all about people sharing their own treatment stories (all of which are different, for many good reasons).

No. I am a Mike. My wife always called me old Dan Tucker. But I think Phil had responded to my message about taking T. I agree with your comment that it could be dangerous to make assumptions. Whether the data is from the 1930's or not. I think its to risky. There is also very few urologists that I believe would consider it a safe practice. My Urologist said absolutely no way. My PA wasnt as worried.

Thanks for your reply, further inquiry and clarification. Yes, specifically, I am only and specifically speaking about men who have had their Prostates removed where 100% of the detectable cancer has been removed, (no cancer has escaped from the Prostate bed)!
My intention of the article was to dispel much of the misinformation and or disinformation that continues to get communicated that if you resume “TRT” following a successful Prostatectomy that it will make your cancer return. That’s simply not true. It is true that if you currently have detectable cancer and or it’s escaped your prostate bed taking testosterone will in FACT fuel the cancer. Those are very large distinctions which I thought I had been very clear about.
I certainly stopped taking my Testosterone when I was first diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. I didn’t want to “Feed” the cancer.
However, after my successful “RALP” was performed, I resumed my “TRT.” I also pointed out that I concurrently suffer from several long term disabilities including, CFS, FIBROMYALGIA and CM.
Lastly, my HYPOGONADISM is so severe that I must utilize “TRT” to maintain normal levels of Testosterone.
In essence, the science and research asserts that men who are on “TRT” and have never had Prostate Cancer are essentially, at no more risk of getting PC then men who’ve had a successful Prostatectomy and no longer have any detectable cancer and their PSA levels remain undetectable.
It would not make any sense to tell the first group of men that it’s totally alright for you to utilize “TRT” but not the men who no longer have PC. Of course, like all cancer patients, you should routinely test your cancer markers to evaluate how you are doing and if your current protocol is still working safely and effectively. As you probably know, regardless of “TRT” being in the conversation, there’s a fairly high rate and percentage of men who’s PC returns after the first 5-10 years following successful initial treatment to remove the cancer.
Everybody is different and has to make whatever choices best fits their lifestyle, risk attitudes and other co morbidities etc.
I hope I have clarified my response to your satisfaction.
Best wishes,
Phil

What people overlook is that T is an essential part of your endocrine system. It’s not just a “sex” hormone. In addition to the things listed in a reply above the heart has receptors for testosterone. There’s a reason evolution put them there. Its absense also indirectly affects your metabolic health through sarcopenia. In short it is an anti-aging hormone. I can’t wait to get some back one way or another.

Thanks for the clarification, Phil. Yes, I agree that the medical community's thinking seems to be in flux right now about whether/how long to take ADT after treatment (surgery or radiation) for "simple"¹ early-stage, non-aggressive prostate cancer. I just wanted to make sure people in other situations wouldn't misunderstand.

¹ We all know that cancer is never simple. 🙁

I hope I can some day, too. I'm young enough that if ADT and ARSI can just keep me alive for another 5–10 years, we might get to a point where the medical community knows whether it's safe to let my testosterone come back.

In the meantime, I manage the symptoms with light cardio and resistance training, healthy diet, and lots of testing (and I carry a small towel for awkward hot flushes in public). I had a full work-up at the university heart institute last year, and so far my heart is still strong (aside from minor issues that existed before the cancer) — the cardiologist even cleared me to shovel snow (!!!)

On the bright side, I don't have to shave every day any more. I use to have stubble again by 5:00 pm; now I can get away with 2–3 days before the stubble becomes visible. Always a silver lining ...