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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If you've found this page in your search of orgasm gels and orgasm lubes that have been recommended by fellow Mumsnet users, you might find our guide to the best orgasm gels useful. Hope this helps! MNHQ

[Janibabes]

Ha, be good if it was a message lol should say pessary!

[HappenstanceMarmite]

Janibabes regards the dosing with one(?) sachet...how does this work? How do you squeeze out a measured amount? Or is it not so important on a daily basis, as it is the total weekly accumulated amount of Testosterone that is critical? And why don’t you use the pump instead as surely easier to use? Thanks.

[Janibabes]

There's a knack! The sachets are quite solid so you can do a good estimate. You're right it's not necessary to be absolutely exact.
I don't use the pump because the dosage is wrong for me- too strong. I've got quite good at making it work with the sachets

[Losingthewill8]

The menopause is something that I feel, if we didn’t do our research ourselves, goodness knows what a pickle we’d be in!

For me, no period since early 2017. Started taking Tibolone, prescribed by GP, in May 2018, usual menopause symptoms not too bad. Major issue was no libido and terrible sleep. No improvement in libido in 3 months of Tibolone.

Mid July I saw someone from Mr Panay’s team. They said to stop Tibolone and started Sandrina gel 1.0g, utrogestan 100, 1 capsule and to continue using vagifem twice a week. I had to ‘up’ the utrogestan, on their advice, to 2 capsules a night as I started bleeding, had a horrible lingering discharge, (sorry 😯), and such sore boobs!! Mood not great at all! NO libido! Sleeping like a baby!

I have just been back to the clinic and they stopped the Utrogestan and said start to take Northisterone one a day, sandrena gel, keep the same, vagifem, the same, and I have been given tostram gel, half a pump 3 times a week. Literally just started this gel so let’s see what happens. Basically if this doesn’t work, I’m just going to stop it all. To date, the only up side has been sleep.

Janibabes, when they changed your progesterone dose, do you now have a bleed each month? The progesterone that you use as a pessary, is that the exact same as the one you took orally? Would you say it was days, weeks or months before you saw a difference in libido from the gel you are on? I’m on half a pump of Tostran , 3 times a week. I have no idea if Tostram is ‘good’. Plus where and what time of the day do you apply it?

Sorry for long post!

[Janibabes]

Losingthewill8,
Yes, I now have a bleed using Utrogestan as a pessary. It is the same pill as I took orally (My pharmacist had a fit as she said it wasn't licensed to use as a pessary and it may require stomach acid to dissolve. On the basis that they do not reappear (ahem!) it works. She contacted the manufacturer and my GP and eventually dispensed it!!)
I never had a bleed taking it orally so IMO works better.
With regards testosterone 1/8 sachet did nothing for me libido wise so it was doubled to 1/4 sachet and I was a raging nympho within 3 days! 1/6 sachet makes me normal as in not gagging for it all the time but responsive if approached lol! That took maybe a week

[Janibabes]

Oh and I apply it to my inner thighs every morning when I'm getting ready

[Losingthewill8]

Thank you for that. I wasn't sure if it would have 'dissolved', but there you go!

I wasn't sure where to apply it, so I put it behind my knee as there is no hair there for me, but inner thigh could be better.

Does it cause major hair growth?

What strength is your gel? I applied mine last night for the first time and didn't sleep well, I think I will go to mornings too.

By the time the Tostran has dried and the Sandrena has dried, it'll be time for lunch!!

[Janibabes]

Losingthewill8,
I will look at the testogel sachet when I get home and message back. It did cause a bit of hair growth but I had it zapped (lasered) cos I do that anyway and it's permanent. It wasn't unmanageable tho.
The thing with the tostran for me was 1 pump was a male dose and prof Studd said I could use it every 3 days. I felt that the level would be too inconsistent (Don't want to be raging nympho every 3 days and nowt the rest if the time!) So with testogel I'm very consistent
In terms of application I put testogel on first, rub it in, don't wait for it to completely dry and then put 1 pump of oestrogen on top. Then on the other inner thigh I apply 2 pumps of oestrogen and rub in. By the time I've done my teeth it's dry. Also applying in the morning means I get the best benefit in terms of energy and motivation

[Losingthewill8]

Thank you.

[Janibabes]

Losingthewill8,
Doesn't say the strength x

[Losingthewill8]

I'll look it up and see if I can work it out.

Tostran says that 1pump is 0.5g and that 1 pump contains 10mg of testosterone. Don't know what 2% gel means that it says on my info on line.

It looks like your 5g sachet contains 50mg of testosterone, but I can't see the strength.

I have been told to use half of what comes out of one pump, so that should be 0.25g containing 5mg of testosterone.

Doing this dose 3 times a week, means I would be taking a dose of 15mg per week.

Are you doing a sixth of a sachet (6mg approx) every day or just 3 days a week?

I guess it's trial and error. I'll admit I am a bit nervous of side effects but....

[Janibabes]

I'm using 1/6 sachet daily so 8.33mg. However was led to believe strength was 1% whereas tostran was 2% hence the advice to take 1 pump 10mg every third day which would equate to 3.33mg daily of stronger preparation. I think prof said all this when he thought I was still doing 1/8 sachet daily or 6.25mg. Then the numbers fit better. Your 15mg a week doesn't seem much compared to my 58mg! If mine is 1% and yours is 2% it seems your on half of my dose. I don't think you'll get much in the way of side effects on that

[Losingthewill8]

Got it! I may not get side effects; but it also not be enough to make a change in libido!

[Janibabes]

Why don't you ring the clinic and ask if you can change to testogel? I only got tostran when there was a problem with supply of testogel. Periodically it seems there's a problem but now it's back. I also bought myself a 6 month stock as a back up from a pharmacy in London- cost about £60.

[Losingthewill8]

I have literally just been prescribed it fir the first time, so I’m guessing they will want me to try it for a month at least

I will def ask if no positive changes are obtained by then.

[Janibabes]

Hope you get sorted. If I can be of any other help let me know. I could always PM my number if you would like a chat. I'm abroad from 8/11 - 3/12 but otherwise around xx

[Losingthewill8]

[janibabes] thank you. I’m going to keep a daily diary and see what happens.

I will def be in touch at some point; hopefully with positive results!

[Wellhellothere101]

Hi everyone. I’ve just spent some time reading through this really informative thread. I’m on the waiting list for our local menopause clinic and wanted to educate myself on testosterone therapy before I went along as I feel I would benefit from it. I see someone has suggested reading about testosterone on the menopause matters website as there is a good discussion re doses etc. However I find that website really difficult to navigate. I’ve searched on the site and can’t find reference to it so wondered if anyone would be kind enough to post a link to the discussion on testosterone doses for women. Thank you!

[Losingthewill8]

I wish I could help. I’m a member of that forum and I have NO idea how it works! Sorry 😐

[Wellhellothere101]

Thanks anyway losingthewill
I can't use it at all! Think I'm just used to mumsnet and find other forums so difficult to navigate!

[Bellaciao]

Here is the information about dosage that was posted on the Menopause Matters Forum:

The main thing is that Tostran is twice as concentrated as the 1 % Testogel and Testim so for those using a very small amount ( eg tube/sachet) lasting 2 weeks, it can be more difficult to give a consistent amount as variation either way will give more or less to a greater degree than with Testim or Testogel. For those who have higher doses this is probably less of an issue – and may not be an issue anyway – but just a thought! The amount dispensed in each pump of Tostran is very small – only 0.5 g gel (10 mg T) so easier to get closer to the right amount compared to Testogel (1.62%) pump pack – despite Tostran being more concentrated.

The Testogel 1.62% pump pack is more concentrated (by 1.62!) than the sachets but each pump contains 1.25 g gel or 20.25 mg T so unless each pump of gel is transferred to a syringe and dispensed from there it’s difficult to gauge the right dose (which going by the totals would be approx 2/3 the amount of Testogel). However Besins state that 2 pumps of the 1.62% Testogel (40.5 mg T) is approx equivalent to 1 sachet of the 1 % gel (50 mg T) (in terms of absorption in men) so maybe less than 2/3 would be needed?

Testosterone gel products currently available (that are prescribed to women)

Tostran 2 % gel (20mg T/g gel) Pump pack

One gram of gel contains 20 mg testosterone.
One press of the canister piston delivers 0.5 g of gel containing 10 mg testosterone.
3x per week = 30mg T
1 pump on alternate days would give same amount of T as Testogel sachet or Testim tube lasting 10 days
(Starting dose for men: 3 g gel (60 mg of testosterone) applied once daily)

Testogel 1 % gel Testim 1 % gel

One tube of 5 g gel contains 50 mg of testosterone.
For a Testogel sachet/Testim tube to last 10 days (large pea-sized blob) would give 35 mg per week = 5 mg per day
(Recommended starting dose for men is 5 g of gel (i.e. 50 mg of testosterone) applied once daily )

Testogel 1.62% gel Pump pack

One pump gives 1.25 g gel = 20.25 mg testosterone

To dispense smaller amounts of these would need to decant 1 pump into syringe?

(Recommended starting dose for men is two pumps ie 2.5 g of gel (i.e. 40.5 mg of testosterone) applied once daily )

To ask something on MM just go to the All Things menopause Section and start a new thread and ask away - there are loads of members and someone will answer your Q even if it's referring to another post with info like I have just copied onto here.

The Chelsea and Westminster Clinic have produced a leaflet about T replacement. Recommended starting dose for Tostran is 1 pump twice a week.

Testosterone has a longer half-life in the body than for example estradiol so daily administration is not quite so crucial.

Also direct comparison between different products and different concentrations is not strictly accurate as the actual absoprtion of the amount spread onto your skin varies - but it will act as a rough guide as to the right order of magnitude.

In addition - do not judge your dosage and its efficacy in the short-term as many of the effects of T are cellular changes which can take several months to fully take effect. Ditto side effects.

I apply my gel to the soft areas of skin to the side of my knee. It is readily transferred through the skin so you might expect hair growth some disctance from the application site eg the inner and back thigh so be prepared for some focussed regular hair removal.

I used to apply it to upper inner thigh but it had an interesting effect on my "bits" I felt so prefer to keep it at a distance...

[Diana65]

Bellaciao, would you mind to describe in few words the interesting effect on your "bits", when you applied the gel to your upper inner thigh?

[Wellhellothere101]

Wow Bellaciao That's so helpful thank you so much. I'll sit down and read all of this with a cuppa when I get a minute.

[Bellaciao]

Bellaciao, would you mind to describe in few words the interesting effect on your "bits", when you applied the gel to your upper inner thigh? (the star bold thing doesn't seem to work for me?)

May I leave that to your imagination? Shall we say more easily stimulated....so I felt the effect was concentrated more locally as well as systemic - as I said there are lots of T receptors in the skin and the hair growth some distance from the application site was evidence of a more localised effect ( no extra hair growth in places far removed from application site eg face).

[Diana65]

Oh thank you, that was exactly what I was hoping for ;-) So I will start to apply the T gel on my upper inner thighs too :-)