Talking to your
doctor

If you have symptoms of low testosterone you can do something about it

Talking to your doctor

If you think you may be experiencing symptoms of low testosterone, then you should talk to your doctor. Testosterone deficiency is not an easy topic to talk about, and many men put it off for months, even years, while suffering in silence. But the sooner you tell your doctor about your symptoms, the quicker you are likely to receive treatment, which will get your sex life and energy levels back on track. So why delay? 

It takes guts to tell a doctor about your low testosterone symptoms, especially sexual problems. But your doctor can’t know what your problem is until you bring it up - so unless you make the first move, you won’t get the treatment you might need. 

After you have told your doctor about your symptoms, he/she will probably further assess your symptoms by asking questions about your sex life, use of any medications, and your lifestyle. Your doctor may ask you to complete other more detailed questionnaires, such as the Ageing Males’ Symptoms (AMS) scale, which asks you to grade the severity of your symptoms. Your doctor will probably also take your body weight and height, to find out your BMI (body mass index). A BMI of 30 or higher is the diagnostic threshold for obesity 1,2. However, men with symptoms who have BMI below 30, or waist circumference of 94 cm or higher (regardless of BMI), can also have low testosterone.

Talking to your partner


Have you talked to your partner about your symptoms? Read our tips on talking to your partner.

Breaking the ice

If you’re embarrassed to mention your specific symptoms, try this lead in:

“I’ve heard a lot about the consequences of low testosterone and think I may be affected - can we talk about it?”

References

M-NEB-HQ-01-23-0010