This morning I had my 2nd decompression surgery of my left L-2 spinal nerve root in 2 months. I had disabling pain progressing since last Summer rendering me unable to walk due to pain on most days. One day after the first surgery the pain actually got worse due to "hypoxia re-perfusion injury", and it never got better. It turns out that my hypogonadism (low testosterone syndrome) from ADT contributed to this in at least two ways. First is that I had lost so much muscle that I did not have good strength stabilization of my spine. Low T also contributed towards bone weakening from demineralization. Now it turns out that the regulatory (autonomic) functions in the spine are regulated and maintained by androgen receptors. ( See article below.)This probably contributed to my profoundly strong and prolonged reperfusion response. (Decreased blood flow from vascular spasm and resulting ROS damage and sequelae.)
For this repeat surgery I had a 400 mg injection of testosterone cypionate two days ago. I will go very gently for the first two weeks, and then hit my exercise program with progressive intensity to recover my normal strength. BTW I feel so much better on testosterone. Not just libido, but mentation is sharper and clear, moods positive, all systems "Go!".
Also reporting on the results of the "second half" of my personal test of the effects of testosterone on my PC. Recall that after a 6 week trial of injectable T (400mg T-cyp q 2 weeks)my PSA rose only modestly: from 0.080 to 0.180. The second half was to determine if my PSA would continue to rise even after, off the cycle. Last week, 4+ weeks off the testosterone, my PSA had come down to 0.123. This suggests that, for now at least, my PC does not respond adversely to cycled T therapy. So I will continue to use it intermittently in cycles to control my severe hypogonadism.
Androgen Receptors in Spinal Cord and Brainstem
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...
Sex hormones, including androgens and estrogens, play an important role in autonomic, reproductive and sexual behavior. The areas that are important in these behaviors lie within the spinal cord and brainstem. Relevant dysfunctional behavior in patients with altered androgen availability or androgen receptor sensitivity might be explained by the distribution of androgens and their receptors in the central nervous system. We hypothesize that autonomic dysfunction is correlated with the androgen sensitivity of spinal cord and brainstem areas responsible for autonomic functions. In this study, androgen receptor immunoreactive (AR‐IR) nuclei in the spinal cord and brainstem were studied using the androgen receptor antibody PG21 in four uncastrated young adult male cats. A dense distribution of AR‐IR nuclei was detected in the superior layers of the dorsal horn, including lamina I. Intensely stained nuclei, but less densely distributed, were found in lamina X and preganglionic sympathetic and parasympathetic cells of the intermediolateral cell column. Areas in the caudal brainstem showing a high density of AR‐IR nuclei included the area postrema, the dorsal motor vagus nucleus and the retrotrapezoid nucleus. More cranially, the central linear nucleus in the pons contained a dense distribution of AR‐IR nuclei. The mesencephalic periaqueductal gray (PAG) showed a dense distribution of AR‐IR nuclei apart from the most central part of the PAG directly adjacent to the ependymal lining. Other areas in the mesencephalon with a dense distribution of AR‐IR nuclei were the dorsal raphe nucleus, the retrorubral nucleus, the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental area of Tsai. It is concluded that AR‐IR nuclei are located in specific areas of the central nervous system that are involved in the control of sensory function and autonomic behavior. Furthermore, damage of these AR‐IR areas might explain related dysfunction in humans.
Yes I know it's cats. but it shows some of the wider distribution and functions of AR in mammals. Meow.
Met to spinal cord surgery ahead!!
MSSC - Spinal Cord Compression 
Bipolar Androgen Therapy (BAT) and CRPC
