How to survive the 'male menopause'/Andropause/"mid-life crisis"

My gp rang late this evening to tell me the results of the blood test he took on my testosterone levels. I have a level of 6.4 nmol/L. That's very low, apparently. Nmol/L or nanomole per litre are SI (System international) units and are used in the UK, the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries. In the US, Belgium and other countries they use conventional or traditional units represented by ng/dl or nanogram per decilitre. [Source, and conversion: https://balancemyhormones.co.uk/testosterone-units-conversion-tool/]

The gp quipped "There is such a thing as the male menopause, but we don't talk about it". There are a significant number of psychological and mental health aspects to these changes from the 40s on (depending on the man). Some professionals dispute the 'male menopause' term - "The "male menopause" (sometimes called the andropause) is an unhelpful term sometimes used in the media" - but there is a general consensus that significant changes happen in men from the 40s on:

https://www.healthline.com/health/menopause/male

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/male-menopause/art-20048056

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/male-menopause/

https://www.webmd.com/men/guide/male-menopause

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At any rate, 6.4 nmol/L is almost 185 ng/dl, which as the American measurement we see commonly online. "Low testosterone, or low T, is diagnosed when levels fall below 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). A normal range is typically 300 to 1,000 ng/dL, according to the Food and Drug Administration." [https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone/warning-signs]

I'm only in my 40s and I haven't had an erection all year so I knew there was something up (or not!). It seems from this - https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone/warning-signs#mood - that low testosterone has much wider consequences than erectile disfunction and hormone replacement treatment isn't too successful in addressing erectile disfunction - "In a review of studies that looked at the benefit of testosterone in men with erection difficulties, nearly half showed no improvement with testosterone treatment. Many times, other health problems play a role in erectile difficulties". [https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone/warning-signs#low-sex-drive]

Apparently if your reading is less than 6.9 nmol/L it's "diagnostic of hypogonadism", and "Unless it’s caused by a treatable condition, hypogonadism is a chronic condition that may require lifelong treatment. Your sex hormone level may decrease if you stop treatment." (https://www.healthline.com/health/hypogonadism#treatments].

If you're feeling fatigued and depressed perhaps get your testosterone levels tested. I got about seven other tests as a result of that one, rare, visit to the doctor, including a hospital appointment for a testes ultrasound, colonoscopy, gastroscopy and so forth so the gp is now expecting a link depending on these results. He was giving out when I told him there's definitely something in my lower right abdomen that shouldn't be there, and I've felt it for about 9 or 10 months. (I've a surprising long seven-week wait for a colonoscopy and gastroscopy even with private healthcare, for the record)

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How did you survive these years?

greenspurs

Any update ?