Testosterone gel.... how much is a dose, and how do you apply it?

[Dorje]

Hi all, so my GP recommended I try out some testosterone gel from a sachet.
The gel is prescribed off license to me, as it's formulated for men.
It comes in a sachet, which amounts to 5g, a single daily dose for a man. There used to be a testosterone for women but they don't make it anymore.
I'm on a bioidentical hrt and don't want to take triblone, as I'm happy with the regime I'm on.

My GP recommends a small amount every day. But how small is a small amount? It sort of melts to a liquid when I squeeze it out on my finger, and it's difficult to see how much is there. She recommends I rub it onto my lower abs, but it's all drippy by then...

So, my questions are:

If you use it, how do you do it?

How much do I use.... should this sachet last me a week or 10 days? Obviously I won't need a sachet a day, but how do you measure your amount? Have you a handy spoon, or measure?

Where do you put yours!?

What are the time scales when I could see a difference in energy levels?

Has anyone had any side effects?
Beards, acne, bulging muscles, speeding tickets, toyboys, an appreciation for sports cars
You know, am I going to be able to join a barbershop quartet with my new basso profundo voice, or will I still be able to hit the high notes of Celine Dion not that I want to sing her stuff but you get the picture

Is there a long term higher risk of cancer.... if so what kind, and does anyone know any stats?

TIA fellow vipers ladies

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[ihatethecold]

How expensive is an appointment with Dr studd?
I really think I need some testosterone. My libido has vanished and that upsets me.
I’m 43 and I’ve been peri for about a year.
I hate it that I don’t want sex anymore 😞
I really want to try and get it back.

[Janibabes]

Losingtgewill8 I wish you well. At least now you have lots of info and you know you don't have to settle for second best or a GP that isn't well informed. Good luck! xx

[Janibabes]

He charges £350 for the initial consultation- quite a lot of money but so worth it in my case- cheap really when it saved my sanity.

[Losingthewill8]

Thank you. 😀

[ihatethecold]

Thanks Jani. Do you have to go back very often ?
Can I also ask how much the prescription is?

[QueenoftheNights]

ihatethecold Name changed for this and not a patient of Studd, but wanted to say that he is expensive compared to other consultants. There have also been many negative comments about his manner and after-care availability on other meno forums. As well as the cost of the first appt, he does blood tests, bone and pelvic scans ( I suppose you can always refuse those) and some women have parted with over £1K for their 1st appt. Obviously some women think he's fine so it's horses for courses, but thought I should drop by as a lurker to say this.

[Janibabes]

I get my prescription on the NHS so not sure of cost. I know that the testosterone from Australia which is made for women is about £1 a day. I went for my initial app then a follow up 3 months later. I now see him once a year

[Janibabes]

Queenofthenights, you make a good point. He won't be for everyone and there will be other menopause clinics available. I think it's important to know they are out there and that we have a choice.

[ihatethecold]

Thanks for the comments. There is a clinic in the nearest city to me (Cambridge) has anyone tried this one?

[QueenoftheNights]

The other thing is...I have a friend who uses testosterone. Pretty sure you can't have it on its own. Only if you are using HRT ( estrogen and progestogens) already. Used alone it's too 'masculating'. Cambridge? Look at who is available at the Nuffield; think there are meno drs there.

[ihatethecold]

There is Queen. Just wondering if anyone has tried them.

[sunshinesupermum]

Janibabes I originally saw Prof Studd many years ago at Chelsea & Westminster when I was first prescribed HRT (I also had testosterone at one point too)

The Menopause Clinic at C & W is now headed by Mr Panay (who worked with Studd) and the service there is first class. I came off HRT two years ago when my GP frightened me with talk of higher risk of breast cancer etc etc but then osteoporosis in my spine showed up on an MRI last year and I suffered severe hot flushes and complete lack of energy and libido as well as increased depression so she agreed to refer me back to C &W. I'm now back on HRT and after 5 months (flushes reduced, energy a little better but still no libido) Mr Panay prescribed Tostran and I have a follow up appt in August.

BTW Prof Studd's bedside manner was not the best I've come across but I am grateful for life being given back to me and plan to carry on with HRT as long as I can. I am 70 next month.

I just wanted to add to this thread that Dorje and anyone else in London, don't have to pay for private consultations - they can ask their GP for a referral to C &W Menopause Clinic.

[sunshinesupermum]

Losingthewill8 Professor Studd said when he first prescribed me HRT that the symptoms of menopause would hit when I stopped taking HRT. Boy, was he right. I suffered horrendous hot flushes, some days I could barely drag one foot in front of the other and libido disappeared completely. Horrible!

[sunshinesupermum]

QueenoftheNights just seen your post - there is no need for menopausal women to pay Professor Studd's high prices whether themselves or through their health insurance (btw I was told by another consultant that hospitals charge patients with insurance a higher fee).

Menopausal/post menopausal women can ask to be referred to an NHS menopause clinic as most GPs do not know enough about HRT options. I recommend Chelsea & Westminster for anyone living in London.

[Losingthewill8]

Sunshine - thank you. Why did you come off HRT?

[Losingthewill8]

With the freedom of choice within the nhs, can anyone choose Chelsea and Westminster even if not in central London? Does anyone know?

[QueenoftheNights]

sunshinesupermum I was replying to another poster who asked for information about menopause clinics in Cambridge. I'm not sure how the referral system works for women not in London. Clearly there has to be some sort of cut off point otherwise everyone would flock to the C&W and ask to see Panay and his team (you don't necessarily see him.) I know there is info on the C&W clinic (online). I know they try to see new patients within 6 weeks. Panay himself has something like a 6 month waiting list for his own private work. Obviously it's great to get this help free, but the downside is - assume- you have to wait for your appts after the first one and don't have the freedom you have with a private appt where you can choose your days/ times and see the consultant as and when you feel you need reassurance etc.

[QueenoftheNights]

(btw I was told by another consultant that hospitals charge patients with insurance a higher fee)

Most private hospitals have a scale of fees for insured patients and self-funding patients. It's up to the consultant themselves to set their fees (many work freelance, in effect, hiring a room/ base in hospitals) and they can vary the fees for insured/ non insured.

[Losingthewill8]

Got it! Thank you

[sunshinesupermum]

Losingthewill8 I came off because the lining of my womb thickened and I had some breakthrough bleeding. That coupled with GP reminding me of risks of breast cancer etc and I was over 65 by then I thought I would be ok without HRT.

[sunshinesupermum]

Queenofthenights As far as I'm aware there are menopause clinics in various parts of the country.

I only ever saw Mr Panay a couple of times at C &W - his team there are very efficient and it was the menopause nurse who talked me through all the options when I wanted to go back onto HRT and also told me of the possibility of testosterone should it be needed.

The point I am trying to make is that women shouldn't feel pressured to go private unless absolutely necessary. In the case of NHS treatment in London I doubt C&W can be beaten.

[QueenoftheNights]

Yeah I get your point. But menopause clinics are like hen's teeth in many most areas of the UK. Menopause Matters has a list.menopausematters.co.uk/clinicfinder.php
Some/most are staffed with NHS GPs and I've read on Menopause Matters forum how some women going to them have been given very poor advice, no different to their own GP.
The C&W is unique. But their website does say that you will be referred back to your GP quickly, so all I'm saying is that some women actually prefer to spend their money on health care if they can't go to a meno clinic.

[Diana65]

Hi Ladies :-)

Sorry for my bad english, I'm from Germany. I'm looking for informations about testosterone after the menopause. I'm 52 and on HRT since 5 years, combi patch plus additional Estrogel, since I need higher E2 levels to prevent bad anxiety and depression, which started during my perimenopause.
I always had quite high testosterone levels, but I always felt great on them, despite more facial hair and oily skin. Also my libido was always above avarage.
To make it short- during the last year my T levels started to decrease, with all not pleasant symptoms, but since in Germany testosterone for women isn't allowed, my gyn said, we can't do anything, so I have to accept it.
When my T levels were almost under the norm range, I started to google. I found few articles from Prof. Studd and I decided to order Testogel from UK and to be my own guinea pig.
I read on some menopause and HRT boards that ladies are usually using one pea size of Testim Gel. I was using 2 pea sized blobs of Testogel . It's not really easy to measure out the gel from the pump bottle... One pump should be 20.25 mg of testosterone, one sachet of Testim gel 50 mg and as far I know it should last for about 10 days, if one pea size is the daily dose, as recommended by Prof. Studd.
Is this correct? I'm just not sure, if two pea sizes dose of Testogel is the same as one pea size of Testim Gel or much higher?
Anyway, I started to feel simply great on this dose and all my negative symptoms dissapeared within few weeks. But after 3 months I checked my blood and my T levels were really high, much over the norm range. The only negative side effects were some spots in the face, but nothing else. Nothing to bother about. But I had T levels like a russian female shot-putter(grin)
I was little bit affraid of some possible bad side effects, so I reduced the dose and since few weeks I'm using only a small pea sized dose daily. But I again started to feel fatigued, with less libido, having weak muscles, poor sleep and low motivation. Not really what I want :-(
So I wonder how to find a optimal dose. Does anyone else is using Testim gel in the pump bottle? ( 20.25 mg testosterone per one pump)? I don't have much possibillities to ored sachets, which are easier to use and my gyn shouldn not know that I'm using illegaly testosterone. So I'm quite alone with this problem. Unfortunately I can't afford to visit Prof. Studd in London..
I hope I will find some helpful informations and advices here. Do you know which testosterone norm range are still normal for Prof. Studd?
I wish I had such an expert here in Germany...

Wishing you all the best,
Diana

[Bellaciao]

There is detailed discussion about testosterone on Menopause Matters Forum including detailed breakdown of the doses of the different types. I recommended you join that forum and ask on there - and look at all the threads on testosterone. I am surpruised you were able to buy it online without a prescription, from UK unless you got a man to get it for you?!!!! In UK women talk about buying it online from elswhere!!

[Diana65]

Hi Bellaciao,
thank you for your answer! I tried to register myself on Menopause Matters, but I was rejected. Don't know why...
I ordered my Testogel from Evopharmacy, I didn't need any explanations or something and they knew I'm a woman.. I thought in the UK it's easy to buy testosterone for women! Where do you buying it usually?