I have been hiv+ for nearly 2 years. I have been feeling fatigued a lot for several months and have intermittent joint pain. My doctor just diagnosed me with low testosterone. My level was 191. He wants me to start using a product called Androgel. I have not taken any hiv medications yet but may be starting in the next couple of months. Can my low testosterone be caused by my uncontrolled hiv infection? Should I hold off on the testosterone and see if my level returns to normal after I begin hiv medications? I have always been a very active guy, lifting regularly and doing cadio. But over the last 12 months my endurance at the gym has really gone downhill. I had to give up my cadio routine several months ago because I am wiped out for a couple of days after I lift. But now even lifting weights is becoming more difficult and I tire easily. Will the Androgel fix this? Or is it more likely caused by hiv? I'm nervous about taking the testosterone because of the possible side effects, but honestly I feel like I am 80 years old now(real age 41). Thank you for any advice you can give me.

Starting testosterone is a life long commitment. It can make you feel great but it may have a few side effects on a minority of patients. Gels are usually pretty easy on the body, with some gynecomastia (breast enlargement) or urinary restriction problems in some older men.

We really do not know what causes higher rates of hypogonadism (low testosterone) in men living with HIV. It may be due to inflammatory issues, direct attack of the virus of testicular cells, or other factors. No one has ever done a study that follows patients who have low testosterone who later start HAART. You can do your own study of one patient by retesting your testosterone after your viral load becomes undetectable, if you are willing to live with the symptoms until then (it could take weeks or even 6 months in some patients to have undetectable viral loads after starting HAART)

If you are starting Androgel, make sure your doctor retests your testosterone after two weeks of using the product to see where your testosterone stands. Some people require more than one packet to bring their total testosterone above 500 nanograms per deciliter, a level that has been shown to improve energy and sexual function.

Let us know what you decide to do.

If you want to read more about testosterone, go to our website medibolics.com under http://medibolics.com/test.html

Nelson testosterone information from medibolics.com