Testosterone effects on blood

My doctor told me that testosterone might have some effect on my blood. I really didn't understand this. What are the effects? Is it dangerous?

In general, testosterone therapy in older men tends to cause an increase in the oxygen-carrying capacity (hemoglobin) of the blood. This can bring improved energy levels and a decrease in fatigue in some men. In others, however, the increase can be great enough to cause concern. Just to be safe, the hemoglobin level should be measured before and during therapy for a period of time. <br> <br> When injectable and implantable testosterone were the only therapy choices, this large increase in hemoglobin occurred more often. New delivery forms such as patches or gels provide a more uniform testosterone level from day to day, which may help prevent this change from occurring.

What tests should I have before I go on testosterone. It sounds like I need my blood tested. Do I need anything else tested?

Before you talk with your doctor about a blood test, you might want to read through our material on diagnosing low testosterone at <a href="http://www.seekwellness.com/andropause/c_do_you_have_low_testosterone.htm" target="_blank">http://www.seekwellness.com/andropause/c_do_you_have_low_testosterone.htm</a> ;<br> <br> The best information about whether or not you need testosterone may come from you in the form of a good list of your symptoms. Try completing our two self-quizzes and taking the results to your doctor. Here are the URLs:<br> <br> <a href="http://www.seekwellness.com/andropause/adam_quiz.htm" target="_blank">http://www.seekwellness.com/andropause/adam_quiz.htm</a><br> <br> <a href="http://www.seekwellness.com/andropause/ams_quiz.htm" target="_blank">http://www.seekwellness.com/andropause/ams_quiz.htm</a><br> <br> Once you and your doctor decide that treatment with supplemental testosterone is indicated, the doctor should perform further tests to rule out prostate cancer including a digital rectal exam and prostate specific antigen (PSA) level. These tests should be repeated at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and annually thereafter. Monitoring your health while on treatment is very important and more information about this process will be available at this Andropause Center in the next couple of weeks.