The First Steps .... what you should do if you think you are Andropausal
1. Seek the advice of your General Practitioner, and
tell him/her your symptoms, which are the most important factor in establishing a
diagnosis.
2. A blood profile may be suggested, which needs
to include not just total testosterone, but a test for free
active testosterone, which is best obtained in the form of the Free
Androgen Index (FAI) by calculation from the Sex Hormone Binding Globulin.
Where this is not available, the free testosterone and the free-and-weakly bound
testosterone can be used. The symptoms you are suffering are more important than the lab
data, as accepted reference ranges vary widely.
If you are over 50, it is advisable to include a
Prostate Specific Antigen test, and is mandatory before and after
starting on testosterone treatment.
3. If after discussing your condition with your
local physician, you require further advice, then you may wish to search under
"Andropause" or "Male Menopause" on other web sites for further
information.
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