Exploring Blood Tests and MRIs: Uncovering Testosterone and Vitamin D Deficiencies

After four weeks, I was simply having far more symptoms than I have ever had with generalised anxiety. Many of which were foreign to me in my lifetime. My body and mind felt like they were running up a one-way street the wrong way. With my mind going a million different directions of thought, I wondered if there might be something else.

So far, I was dealing with a complete inability to sleep without medication every night. Initially, I had no appetite. I was forcing food into myself when I could stand it. I was rapidly losing weight, 7 kilos down (15.5 lbs) in two weeks. Headaches were daily on top of overwhelming anxiety and what felt like depression. Thoughts about suicide were a fairly often occurrence, and my fear from those was off the charts. My bed became soaked with sweat each night and I was going through multiple t-shirts and towels each time. Cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, felt like it was pumping into my chest, burning me. Each morning, I would wake up with tremors that would rattle throughout my body. My memory and ability to think clearly felt doomed. I was at a complete loss of why this was happening.

Blood Tests & MRIs – Ask for them

Remember, in a past blog, when I said, you need to push your GP for other possibilities? I thank my mother, who got this idea into my head through a conversation over the phone. My GP easily would have prescribed me antidepressants and had me on my way.

I came back and requested a blood test and to take my blood pressure. When the first blood test came back without any huge red flags, I requested a different blood test and then another. I sought an MRI so we could check my brain. I was relieved to find I didn’t have brain cancer, but we did find low Vitamin D and very low testosterone levels in those other blood tests. This process helped cross out a lot of things that “could be wrong.” When you are feeling like I was, your brain goes down many tragic paths. Google can be your worst enemy while searching through worrying symptoms.

Testosterone

Also remember when I said your GP is the catalyst? Considering my testosterone level was very low in my blood tests, he put me onto a urologist. The appointment took weeks to get, but I waited and went. The outcome was that I should get my Testosterone levels back up to normal and gauge the outcome. Low testosterone levels in men can mean depression, anxiety, irritability and difficulty sleeping, for starters.

Currently, I have testosterone therapy for the next two months. Each morning, I wipe a slimy packet of goo on my shoulder after my morning shower. We will check in at the end of that time and see how I am feeling. If it’s miraculous, I get to go on to an endocrinologist who will work with me on a longer-term plan from there. It’s been two weeks and I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Vitamins and Minerals

One of my blood tests showed low vitamin D. Bone and muscle pain can link to low Vitamin D levels. It can also associate with increased symptoms of anxiety and depression. I have often been a skeptic about the vitamin industry. I have read that our vitamins should come from our food primarily. How can I plan daily meals to do that every day of my life? That seems really challenging if you are busy. I am now embracing vitamins and am taking the following. Per my research an impact should be felt in as little as a few days, as long as a few months.

• Vitamin D – Low vitamin D levels are associated with increased symptoms of depression and anxiety
• Magnesium – Some studies have identified how magnesium may ease certain symptoms of stress and anxiety
• Zinc – has been shown to be a potential nutrient in anxiety reduction by acting on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamatergic, serotonergic, neurogenesis, and immune systems
• Vitamin C – Research shows deficient vitamin C levels can result in cognitive impairment and motor deficit. These studies also show that vitamin C supplements can potentially offer beneficial results in treating certain mental health conditions, like major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety.
• Multivitamin – For anything I may be leaving out, and am not aware of.

I have been taking the above for approximately two weeks. Do I feel miraculously better since I started? I do feel better incrementally each day. Honestly, I can’t say it’s because of taking vitamins at this stage and I feel like I need more time to tell. It’s also difficult as I am taking vitamins, an antidepressant, a medication to sleep and testosterone therapy. It may not be the cleanest test in order to judge the impact of one of the above.

I completely encourage anyone to give me feedback on their vitamin usage. Has it helped you in ways with anxiety or otherwise? Am I missing something? I’ll keep monitoring mine and provide some information down the track.