For men...hormone replacement therapy for dry eye.

[Guest]

Women are more than welcome to share their ideas and experiences. However, it's hard for me as a man to find info especially on how androgens modulate the lacrimal and meibomium gland.

Quickly about myself, was a bodybuilder for 15 years, 9 years natural and then I decided to start taking exogenous testosterone. Bodybuilding doses, which are huge in comparison to doctor monitored trt. 2 years ago I tapered and did a post cycle therapy in hopes I would get my HTPA functioning properly again. Apparently that didn't work....total test as of yesterday was 252 and bioavalable was 60. Bioavalabke is the number that matters...it's what's not bound and active in the body. To give you an idea of how low my free test was, the bottom of the reference range was 72...so significantly low. My estradiol was at 40...again, it should be between 20-30 for a man.

So why bring all this up? Well it seems that on the bleeding edge of dry eye is the notion that androgens increase the function and lower inflammation of the ocular surface and the glands associated with the tear film (lacrimal, meibomium). Why are post menopausal women 90% more likely to develop dry eye? Androgen deficiency. Men with prostate cancer who are chemically castrated to halt the growth of the cancer develop dry eye. Then my anecdotal case...after scratching my corneas my eyes healed very slowly, not text book in any way. My guess is that my androgen deficiency and increases estradiol played a role in my terrible outcome and healing.

Theyre cureebtky in phase one trials for androgen eye drops. So I don't have time for that lol...so my plan is to go on doctor supervised trt in the hopes I can increase the function of my glands and reduce inflammation by getting my hormones back in line.

I will follow up with this, when I start, how I feel and keep everyone posted bevause I believe this is a crucial link for some of our issues. We all have dry eye for different reasons...I'm on my way to trying to figure out my issues.

Currently on a .2% lotopredanol called alrex...also just started restasis. I personally really like restasis..I love the steroids lol. They've both given me so much relief already however I think I can do better than just decent..I want optimization. I'll never be the same I don't think, but I want to get as close as possible.

Much love!

[Rebecca Petris]

Very interesting! Definitely let us know how it goes. I assume you already looked into testosterone creams? (some people have gotten those compounded for their particular flavor of mgd)

[Guest]

Very interesting! Definitely let us know how it goes. I assume you already looked into testosterone creams? (some people have gotten those compounded for their particular flavor of mgd)

The doctor and I decided on injections because of my past history of bodybuilding. I took supraphysiological doses of testosterone and other bodybuilding drugs. The cream would be pretty ineffective for me as my hpta is completely shut down. I came off about 2.5 years ago and noticed my eyes started burning but thought nothing of it before my accident that induced this dry eye syndrome. Is was pretty asymptomatic ....then boom, corneal abrasion, and things changed.

Ill be starting injections on the 5th so by the end of the month I'll have more info. Having autologous serum drops made on the 10th and blinking exercises have increased my oil flow so much in two days it's insane. I had a meibography and 7/8 blinks didn't touch. So I started exercises and wow, immediately things got better. May consider lipiflow too just to be aggressive...as you can see I prefer an aggressive method lol. Much love!

[Guest]

I took my first 100mg injection of testosterone cypionate on the 5th of April 2018. I can already start to feel my sex drive increase, eyes feel great but I think it has more to do with my consistent compress and cleaning. Plus, I'm training hard again...I forgot how much I squeeze my eyes when I'm lifting heavy. These training sessions will be as beneficial for my musculature as it will be for my meibomium glands.

I had a meibography done, only two glands are truncated...so pretty much all are functioning just sluggish...with a thick meibum. I have a feeling the hormones and the training are going to make me feel so much better. Will I be myself again? Probably not...can I get close? I think so.

My goal with this thread is to offer men (and women) hope. This is a multifactorial disease as most of us know...so let's control all the factors. If this works well for me, maybe someone else will find this thread and pursue the hrt route.

Much love!

[Guest]

Let me add, I feel like I titled this incorrectly. HRT can help women too, I don't want the ladies to feel left out. The reason I felt that I should put men in the title was due to my search results. All I could find in the way of studies were androgen deficient post menopausal women. There is not much in regards to androgen deficient men...aside from chemically castrated men due to prostate cancer. Again, I'm in a different boat. Just didn't want to seem sexist or biased...I just want men in pain like myself, to find a search result tailored to their specific issues. It's been so hard for me to find information on my abrasion and the hormone side of MGD.

So again, much love to all, I hope that everyone out there can find a way to alleviate their pain. I just hope that I can help someone who was in as dark a place as I was at one point.

[Italyboy]

Dowork123 Hey, pretty good topic , I also did bodybuilding for 7 years natural than taked some steroid most like testosterone but not high dose , I have MGD plus dry eye but when I was on steroid I was atleast good without symptoomw, as soon as I come off symptoms come back lol .

my question is

1 what is the test to know if you have androgen Deficiency?never been to doctor to ask it .

2 do you MGD , I mean your glands are blocked and also you produced too much oil or you don’t know it ?

3 what blink exercise are you doing ?its an app or you watch it from YouTube ? Can you share them ?

4 what compress are you doing ? Cold or hot ?

5 did the doctor prescribed you TRT or how you can ask it ?

Thankyou

[Guest]

Dowork123 Hey, pretty good topic , I also did bodybuilding for 7 years natural than taked some steroid most like testosterone but not high dose , I have MGD plus dry eye but when I was on steroid I was atleast good without symptoomw, as soon as I come off symptoms come back lol .

im the same as you, on steroids, minor issues, barely noticeable, off steroids, burning and itching like crazy.

my question is

1 what is the test to know if you have androgen Deficiency?never been to doctor to ask it .

You want to ask for total and free testosterone. Free is the most important bevause that's what's bioavailable. I would also get fsh , estradiol and progesterone just to be sure the HPTA is properly functioning.

2 do you MGD , I mean your glands are blocked and also you produced too much oil or you don’t know it ?

Only two glands are truncated in one eye, all other glands function, my meibum is thick and foamy and my glands move sluggishly.

3 what blink exercise are you doing ?its an app or you watch it from YouTube ? Can you share them ?

you touch your fingers to your temples, then you blink closed softly but all the way down, pause closed for a few second, then open...then close eyes again softly for a moment then squeeze just your lids. If the muscles on your temple move, you're using the wrong muscle to blink. You want to apply pressure to the lids, but not feel any movement from your fingers on your temple.

4 what compress are you doing ? Cold or hot ?

hot compress, I use a bruder compress 18 seconds in my microwave is my sweet spot, if I go too hot I get foreign body sensation.

5 did the doctor prescribed you TRT or how you can ask it ?

he saw my free test was way too low, my number was 60 and the bottom of the reference range was 72...so I was far below what I needed to be. I told him I had a history of bodybuilding And he said, the cream will not work for you, you need the injection, I agreed and he gave me 100mg a week and said if it's not enough we can bump it up. Great doctor actually, I was lucky.

Thankyou

Hope this helps!

[Guest]

Alright so I've been on trt for about a month and everything in my life is better, depression gone, anxiety dwindling, self confidence rising, pain sensitivity lowering, sex drive is better and of course my eyes are much better. I started autologous serum drops a few days ago and that added another level of comfort to my eyes. So I'd say all in all, I'm feeling way better.

I just overlooked how important proper hormonal balance is for general health. It's huge!

[Italyboy]

Dowork123 nice improvements man!! Also I think I Pmed you ( I hope lol can’t see if it went right )

[Guest]

Dowork123 nice improvements man!! Also I think I Pmed you ( I hope lol can’t see if it went right )

Yeah I sent you a pm back, you got it

[Guest]

Quick update to this thread...I was taking 100mg test cypionate per week for 3 months then had blood drawn the day before my injection as requested by my endo. Here's the results...

reference range 72-110
first draw before injections 60
second draw after 3 month course 44

so my testosterone shut down and the amount supplemented was not enough. I've taken steroids for 9 years, I knew I was still low but I didn't know it was that bad. So I self administered 200mg yesterday because I see him today and he will have to give me more test. Today I feel absolutely amazing...I mean AMAZING and I'm withdrawing from xanax if that tells you anything.

Now, it's not just the testosterone at play here, it's the serum, restasis, compress, express and clean my lids, the testosterone of course....and for me the biggest change, sleeping with a mask on and covering all my vents in my bedroom.

I habe a feeling once once I get my hormones right I could get close to being my old self. I'll never be where a was pre injury/dry eye...but I think I can get real close.

[Guest]

He did up the testosterone to 200mg a week. I have a feeling this is going to make my life exponentially better. Not necessarily my eyes, more my depression. Which in turn allows me to deal with my eyes better.

[Johno_87]

Thanks for the updates Dowork. What test did you have done to show your horomone levels were off? I was on a medication before that I think lowered my androgen levels as well (finasteride).

[Guest]

Thanks for the updates Dowork. What test did you have done to show your horomone levels were off? I was on a medication before that I think lowered my androgen levels as well (finasteride).

Yeah, finasteride nlocks DHT which is extremely androgenic. That's why DHT makes you lose your hair.

free and total testosterone will tell you if you're deficient.

[Johno_87]

Yeah, finasteride nlocks DHT which is extremely androgenic. That's why DHT makes you lose your hair.

free and total testosterone will tell you if you're deficient.

Thanks, did you get that checked through a blood test? And did your GP order it?