Allopurinol and loss of sex drive/function?

My weight has always gone up and down a bit over the last few years but I tacked on an extra 10-15 lbs without any change in diet or anything. I'm a stay at home dad for the time being, so I don't get to excercise much. As far as testosterone, I am not sure what it was in the past, but my doctor told me it was in the 200-300 range I believe. As for the uric acid, I am unsure, she just said it was "fairly high". Yes, the testosterone is the patches, 2 mg daily. 

My biggest concerns were if this would ever get better, and if there was possibly some underlying issue here. My doctor assured me my heart was OK, and even did an x-ray and blood work (twice), so I guess it's only right to believe her, I just for some reason feel funny about this. Literally the day after I started taking the Allopurinol is when this started, I don't feel it's just "coincidence".

As for my height/weight, I'm roughly 5'7" and CURRENTLY about 186. At the beginning of the month I was pushing 200, but I've been trying to eat healthier and I also think the treatment I have been recieving is helping a bit also.

Forgot to mention that I am on 300 mg of the Allopurinol.

Worrying that they gave you 300 mg as it is recommended that you start at 100 move up to 200 then 300 every couple of weeks. This reduces the chances of severe reactions; particularly skin problems. While 300 mg is the most common therapeutic dose, there is a big variation around the norm, and you need blood tests to see how it's going on that dose.

NB if you have any Chinese or SE Asian blood it is dangerous to use it at all.

As I'm sure you know, you are overweight. This is bad for gout and testosterone - fat absorbs the stuff. If you get down the gym and lift weights (not anaerobic exercise), that will help your weight, your gout and will increase testosterone.

There's research that stay at home dads with little kids have lowered testosterone (there's good reasons for it in evolutionary terms - you don't want angry dads). I'm afraid you need to get away from the chikd sometime and do some exercise.

How old is the child?

Were you doing a physical job before?

Yeah, I know I'm overweight, unfortunately. My daughter is a little over one year old. Before, I was doing all different kinds of work, some physical, some not. 

My doctor wanted to see me back in about 2 months to see how my body was taking to the treatments. I just don't think I have the patience or mind power to wait 2 months to get back to my normal sex drive. I mean literally the day before I started taking the Allopurinol I was fine, one day later and I was totally unable to function at all.

I can live with any other minor side effects, but not being able to function like I was just a WEEK AGO is really driving me nuts!

My advice - cut the 300mg into 3 and see how you are on 100 mg. Give it a couple of weeks and see how it goes. Maybe get some viagra in the meantime?

What do others think please?

Forgot to say - increased weight, decreased exercise and looking after a small child will trash your testosterone levels... and yours are low (mine are higher and I'm double your age). However, lose weight, stop looking after a little child (s/he will grow) push some weights... you're under 45 - you'll get back to your old virile self!

Good advice on the Allopurinol.

Definitely, ask your if you can use viagra in the meantime. It wouldn't hurt.

My doctor actually asked me several times if I wanted it but I feel like at my age (28) I shouldn't need it, nor do I want to become reliant on it.

The more I am reading up on high uric acid the more I am getting concerned about possible kidney issues, but I would assume that my doctor would have noticed something else in my blood work if there was a serious issue?

This whole thing has just got me going nuts...

If there was something else going on it would have shown up in your blood work. However, since your urate acid is being caught early you can start prevention of other possible issues now.

As for the Viagra, why not use it until the androderm kicks in, then once the urges come back you can stop. It's just temporary and it's not addictive so you won't become dependent on it.

My hope is that it was caught "early" and is not something that has been going on for years. I'm a bit of a worry wart when it comes to my health because I have a family history of many health issues.

I don't really have an objection to taking Viagra per se, it's just that I don't understand how I could go from fine to unable to function in less than a week. It just seems strange to me.

I am really hoping this will just get better with time.

a) try the viagra as a stop-gap;

b) kidney and heart problems are issues with long-term hypereucemia... in your case don't worry - you're not old enough to have this issue long-term - problems set in after 10, 15 years or more. Also, with treatment (eg allopurinol), the excess urate in your organs and tissues, including your kidneys, will get flushed out. While its natural to worry about your kidneys - are you "worried well" or do you have cause for concern - pain or blood in your urine? At your age I'd be amazed. Indeed, if you were a car, you're still on under 20,000 miles, and however poorly driven or maintained, the car runs okay.

All this worrying though, is not good for erectile function.

My advice - and others please chip in - you have a long term illness along with 2% of the male population. As soon as you get your head around that it's a syndrome that can be easily managed with a bit of change in lifestyle and a pharmaceutical - you'll be okay.

One last tip - for gout and kidneys - drink a couple of liters of water a day, on top of tea / coffee whatever and your kidneys and joints will love you for it. Conversely give up sugary drinks and juices and beer. Drink water!

Frankly, it probably has been going on for years - but it's decades to do damage, and indeed many people have high urates and are unaware of it.

What are your family health issues? There's no point in worrying about stuff which isn't genetic.

As for the sudden erectile problem - it's not a surprise when you've suddenly started taking 300 mg allopurinol which can cause it in some people. By the way, weight loss (and allopurinol) will bring on gout attacks - so be prepared for them. They'll stop once your blood urate returns to normal - which is between 1 and 33 months (most patients under 1 year).

So - don't panic! You don't have any problem that 10s of millions don't have, and sort out very successfully.

Live in the present, and deal with issues that are in the present. Right now your present is high urate levels, get that under control. You also have ED, like rusty suggest, use it as a stop gap. Stop future tripping and stay in the present.

Good advice!

Thanks to both of you, rustygecko and Sochima822, you have certainly put things in perspective and made me feel a bit better about everything. 

I was actually doing some research on coffee, as I LOVE coffee, but I've heard mixed reviews on whether I should drink it or not with gout. So, it's essentially OK to drink coffee as long as I'm not overdoing it?

Yes, drink it in moderation and you should be fine.

You're very welcome.

I agree. Drink coffee. But coffee is a diuretic and therefore drink plenty of water too.

Thanks again to both of you.

 

Thanks again to both of you.