Chemotherapy and low Testosterone Can't Gain Mass

[rookx750]

This is my first post so bare with me if it supposed to be beginner forum.
Let me start off my saying i know most of the responses aren't coming from doc's,(although they may) and not looking to just a reason take gear but the purpose of this is to get maybe so education from someone who has been though something like this or know any info I don't know.

BODY- 21 year old, 6 foot 2-3, 195LBS, body-fat % unknown ill post a pic you can gess

DIET-Between 2500 and 4500 cal a day try an get 50+ gram per meal, I know nutrition facts pretty much every kind of food I put into my mouth.
(tried pretty much every kind of diet, but carb cycling works the best)

morning: scoops whey pro, 2 slic ezekiel bread,spinach, 5 egg whites, 1 egg.

2 or 3 hours later

chicken breast, brown rice maybe a veg

2 or 3 hours later

Turkey,peppers, complex carb

2 or 3 hours later

pre wrk-out: make a drink with 25 g carb Gatorade light 50 g whey protein, bcca, fiber, a a ton of vits

Post wrk-out: 60 g whey protein

2 or 3 hours later

Lean Beef, green vegs, olive oil

2 or 3 hours later

45 g Casein protein with flax seed

BACKGROUND-Started lifting in 8th grade for football, got really serious in summer of my sophomore year trying to get a college scholarship, but every skinny no matter how much I ate. (good food though also proper training techniques from ex pro body builder.) Freshman year,2009-10 of college no more football but got very serious into my diet and training, studying in nutrition science. only gained about 7 LBS of muscle.( I think it was because of the lymphoma, cuz a symptom of cancer is weight loss.)

CANCER-Diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in july 2010. lose 29 pound siting in a hospital bed for 3 weeks wasting alway before I could go home. Took 6 rounds of r-chop chemo. During this time a gained a tons of weight due to Gma spoiling me with all the food I could eat. I was addicted to sugar and carbs. Weighed 208 at my fattest lol after 2 mouths. Not taking the doctors advise I started doing cardio, walking, jugging and resisting band training at/around my house.( I totally believe this is what made me get through all this, thinking positive, saying im well enough to get to work out today, hating when ppl felt sorry for me and being different.) Body weight drooped to about 190 LBS at this point in Nov 24 when I went in for my bone-marrow transplant. Only lost about another 5 LBS over the month. Dec 24 I got to leave the hosptial i was all done. When I was well enough to get back on my grind I started training hard, but I can't gain more that 193-195 rang, enough though I make strength gains, but no mass no matter what diet I try, and quick to loss whatever progress I make.

THE BIG ????? IS DO YOU THINK I HAVE LOW T? (I know there no way for know for-sure without blood work, getting it done as soon as I can see a doc) opinions.
1) Chemo is know for destroying you test levels? Proven in some ppl.
2) I burn out every quick even when on creatine. Used to never happen.
3) Blood work chemistry good normal.
4) always tired. Have had 3 scans since all clear since, one last month. remission.
5) Maybe estrogen prone, carry most my fat in my chest? No matter how lean I get.

I have asked several doc's from Moffitt cancer center and others but its the same response they just blow it off cuz their more censured about other thing about my body.

 

[Rory33]

Quit drinking so much damn protein and eat bro. Solid food. I like sirloin steaks personally. 3lbs a day minimum plus my eggs, tuna or chicken. Sometimes 5lbs a day is my thing. Does great. Eca stack for energy.

 

[SAGE74]

Wow rookx you've been through a tremendous iliness and have pulled through! That's great man, but your cancer issues may have nothing to do with your problem of putting on muscle mass. I'm sure by now you have had just about enough tests, but you need to see your doc, or go to an endo to run more tests. Hey at least your healthy! Good luck.

 

[Elvia1023]

I personally wouldn't touch an ECA stack. Just wait for your blood results and then you can see where you are. You sound like you have a good head on your shoulders so with your results and guidance I am sure you will reach your goals. If that is the diet you are going to follow it looks good. I would recommend adding some fruit such as pineapple and bananas. In addition to more fat such as nuts (walnuts, almonds) and maybe an avocado in there.

Just take it one step at a time. Follow a good diet and go the gym and train well. 3 days per week and no silly volume would probably be best for you (I do 3 days now too). Just be consistent with it all and you will get there. When you get your blood results you can see where you are... until then I wouldn't be adding anything in supplement wise. Hey a coffee before the gym will give you a good boost. Goodluck with everything.

 

[Gaintrain]

i would personally eat solid protein b4 the gym an sip on a carb drink threw out the workout maybe with some bcaa's mixd in the drink...

 

[one more rep]

I had lukemia when i was 17. I am now going to be 40.Some chemotherapy drugs affects your bodies ability to absorb nutrients.I know when i was on chemo for 3 years it was hard to gain weight.My concern wasnt lifting but getting better.Just take it easy with thiungs.My weight was 125lbs at 5-10 and now is 215lbs.This took long time to get their.Chemotherapy defiently affects your testosterone.My best advice is to later on get blood work done to check for low levels.Stay healthy and postive and things will fall into place.

 

[Mini Truck]

Really Important

Once you decide to have your test levels checked, tell your Dr you want both your overall test levels checked and more importantly your "Free Test
Levels" checked.

Your overall test levels may be fine, but your Free Test Levels may be low. Without knowing that specific number, you and your Dr won't get the clear picture. Very important to request this.

Your FTL will determine how you feel energy wise, mentally, and is ultimately the most important number in regards to putting on lean muscle.

Peace,

Mack

 

[Bio]

Hopefully Alpha6164 checks this thread, as he is a doctor!

I wouldn't worry about taking a bunch of supplements. I would say Humanafort would be one to look into though. PM Emeric Delczeg and let him know what's going on. For now, I would stick to balanced meals with a protein drink here and there. Go to TrueProtien.com and get some LBA's or make a custom mix that suits you!! Good luck!!!

 

[thatbloke]

ill let others give you advice on this topic

i just wanna congratulate you on getting through your cancer experience, as it can be a very difficult thing to go through for not only yourself, but the ones who love you

i wish you the best for the future

 

[SlimyToodleTot]

While I never had lymphoma (low white cells), I did have to through a whole year of interferon. I used test the whole time 200-600 mg's per week sometimes mixed with Deca. It made my RBC's normal and sometimes high. Usually on this drug, it knocks down your white AND red cells. The white was knocked down but I still had energy and the treatment was effective. The Dr kept scratching her head as to why the RBC's weren't dropping. You're eating too clean, like you're getting ready for a contest or something. Get more fat in your diet. Those drugs turn your system on high. They make so you don't sleep and your system is really cranked up. Eat pasta w/ meatballs or sasuage or whatever else you like. Treatment is much more effective when you keep your mood up. You eat "comfort food," whatever the hell it is that makes you comfortable. You keep your spirits up by getting rid off all the negativity. I only watched comedy's to keep my mood up. Movies, SNL's, Mad TV, etc. I would not watch the news or other crap on purpose. Those drugs make you sad for no reason. I would cry and I didn't even know why. Keep your spirit up and eat whatever you want. I still ate semi clean, but you're hardly getting any calories. During the whole time I lifted and my strength remained pretty good. I didn't grow, but I continued to squat, bench, etc. Just hang in there. In your case, I'm not sure how much test would hurt. I doubt if a HRT dose would hurt at all but any more than that may be detrimental. Mine was for hep C, so it was a completely different disease.

 

[SlimyToodleTot]

Error, got leukemia mixed up w/ lymphoma. Disregard 1st statement about low white cells

 

[Gaintrain]

BEST of Luck bro

 

[rookx750]

Thank you all for the support n love,
At first I was hesitant to write about this on the forum, but im so glad I did. Knowing there are many others in the fitness world that have gone through the same thing I look up to all of you, and respect you all.

Add-I do get 8-12 hours of sleep as im a college student an love my sleep.
My diet does vary its not exactly like that every day def add fish, fruits, fats, in there. Just showing the base of it up there.

Wrkouts- 3-4 days of lifting
2-3 day of cardio to get my heart pumping

 

[alpha6164]

Thanks Mack for pointing me to this thread.

Yes, chemo can definitely cause low T. For people that dont know r-chop therapy is when Rituximab is added to the standard CHOP therapy which is cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, oncovine and prednisolone. These drugs can potentially cause premature ovarian failure in female and biologically and embryionically testes and ovaries originate from same stem cells. Only difference is that during fetus development and presence of testosterone, the ovaries descend from the abdomen, the labia majora stretch out to become the sac and the said ovaries eventually settle down there to become testicles.


So it is very possible that 6 rounds of r-chop have caused your testes to not function properly. Having said all that it means nothing but to check a simple total and free testosterone and we know very quickly if any of that happened or not. Hope that makes sense.

 

[rookx750]

^^^^^^^ Thanks for the info, getting blood wrk done sometime next week.
Im deff not fertile cuz I check every night if iamlove:

 

[NZRABBIT]

I'll take a stab at 10-12%. Congrats on your over-coming of your challenge. I hope you feel you're with family here.

 

[deceiver]

You've got good structure. Take it easy and be patient. I know you wanna move on with your life, but don't make any stupid move you can regret. If you have low T doctors may prescribe you hrt and you will gain muscle much easier.

 

[Elvia1023]

You've got good structure. Take it easy and be patient. I know you wanna move on with your life, but don't make any stupid move you can regret. If you have low T doctors may prescribe you hrt and you will gain muscle much easier.

x2

Good structure. But just take it easy. Ask your doctor what he thinks. If your levels are low and you are put on trt I can see you making great gains within a short period. But again everything should be taken slowly as you and your body have overcome alot. My best wishes go out to you. Keep us updated how things go.

 

[rookx750]

Got the blood work back everything seems to be in normal range except FSH witch is 24.1. and glucose was 118 I am happy to hear this just time and hard work from here on out.

FSH - 24.1
LH - 8.4
PROLACTIN - 16.5
TESTOSTERONE,TOTAL,MALES - 598
Had a terrible sleep the night before to.

 

[qbkilla]

bro best of luck with everything god bless you,,if you ever need someone to talk to hit me up text or whatever,,,2 years ago i thought i was going to be diagnosed with lymphoma i had a scare but the PET scan came back fine,,,although i had the swollen nodes above collar bone,,,docs were worried....anyway i hope everything goes well your bf is pretty low