I’m 50 and take Cymbalta. I also take heart medication. I believe I have low T due to my drive, etc.
Has anybody ever gotten tested and if so what did you do about it? Whats the cost for low T therapy? Any info would be appreciated.
Moved to lounge 
C’mon guys, nobody here deals with low-T?
I don’t deal with it but I’ve read up on natural alternatives for raising it. Indole 3 carbinol is your friend. Found in cruciferous veggies like broccoli cauliflower and kael, it acts as an anti estrogen and est in your system will cause the body to shut down test production. Tribulus will stimulate lh and fsh which will also help raise your t levels. As for tx drugs to boost it, can’t say. Artificial test to supplement, I know a little but sadly its easier to convince a doc to pump you full of est, slap some silicon under your chest and chop your wager off to make you more feminine than it is to get some sustenon 250 or deca to help make you more masculine.
I’m not a guy but I can answer your question. Keep in mind I am not a doctor either LOL.
Its easy to find out your levels. The doctor just takes some blood tests and a medical history and thats generally enough for them to know if its low and why. There can be different reasons for Low T in men. Depending on your medical history they will probably then prescribe some form of Testosterone replacement like the patch or gel. Cost for replacement is rather high especially if your uninsured. $200 to $300 per month.
However since your 50 which is still relatively young for severe low T and the only symptom you mentioned to make you suspect low T is your “drive”, I dont think its your T levels. They may be slightly low but not so bad you cant deal with it through diet.
What can be causing it… From the info you provided…
Cymbalta, will effect your sex drive. Its one of the most common complaints people have about it. This could be the culprit and would be my first suspect.
I am not sure how your Heart is playing into this to. If you have high blood pressure studies have shown that it coincides with lower testosterone. If I recall correctly it was something like 12% lower in men with HBP. They are unsure whether one causes the other though.
Being overweight for your height and build plays a big part in both hypertension and Low T. So if that is a issue just losing some weight and building muscle mass can help both these problems.
Things you can try…
Diet >>>> As Rad suggested eating as lot of crustaceous veggies can help increase T levels. Problem is people generally cant eat as many as they need to do this. I usually suggest people get a good juicer and drink there veggies. My friend Greg didnt have severely low T but he is in his 50’s and headed that way. I got him juicing and within a month his symptoms left. If you plan to change your diet eat or drink a lot of celery. That’s what did it for him a combo of celery kale broccoli with a few added fruits for taste.
Make sure your getting enough zinc in your diet to. If not take some.
Also eat more nuts and lean meats.
Potassium… your on heart meds and depending which ones your on potassium levels can decline. You need it to make testosterone so eat a banana every morning.
Things to avoid…
I am sure you have seen me talking about how “to much of anything can be bad for you” here in the forum. Caffeine and Alcohol will help lower your T counts if you over do them. One or two beers or caffeinated beverages is OK a day but more of that and your t levels will go down.
Edit to add >>> When I say one or two beers or caffeinated beverages a day I mean a day. That means if you drink 1 beer you can have one soda or a another beer. If you drink 2 beers dont drink any soda or vice versa. If you dont drink any beer all week but have 7 beers on Sunday that is not one beer a day LOL I mention this because when I tell people not to drink alcohol or caffeine they always say “well i only drink on the weekend so it doesnt apply” Yes it does.
There are other alternative supplements people talk about but I dont want to suggest them because you mentioned heart condition and I am unsure what effect it can have there. You should ask you doctor before you decide on one of those.
Tisha
Juicing is really the way to go. I absolutely HATE broccoli with a passion, but have it in my juice daily. I cannot emphasize just how right Tisha is
I did testosterone therapy for a while. I quit because of the cost. I may do it again if I can afford it. It is unlikely that your insurance will pay for it unless it is something more dramatic than just age related decline, which is likely if you’re over fifty. You’ll have to do some research to find a doctor who is willing to prescribe it. It is a little controversial, though there is a lot of evidence showing optimized testosterone levels support good cardiovascular health, prostate health, mental health, etc. The last doctor that prescribed me was actually a gynecologist. They don’t have androcologists!
You can order a blood test through the Life Extension Foundation www.lef.org (or simply have your doctor draw blood). You want to check for total testosterone as well as free testosterone. While you’re at it, you may also want to check SHBG (probably part of the testosterone test), estradiol, DHT and PSA. Some doctors will also want thyroid and DHEA to get the entire picture.
If you begin testosterone therapy, you’ll need regular (every six months, perhaps) blood tests. You may need additional drugs to keep estrogen and/or DHT levels in safe ranges. If you want to stay fertile you need additional drugs for that, otherwise your LH and FSH levels will drop due to artificially boosted testosterone levels. Testosterone is typically administered as either injections or cream. From what I’ve read cream is best because the spikes caused by injections are more likely to raise your estrogen levels. You want to get a “bioidentical” testosterone rather than a synthetic analogue.
Round number, $200 per month. Many variables.