Testosterone

[FifiChi]

Has anyone ordered testosterone from the Internet? My GP can't prescribe it. I have to be referred to a menopause specialist. Unfortunately the NHS waiting list has been closed until next year! I will have to go private.

Can’t or won’t? My NHS GP was happy to write me a prescription. In fact, she suggested it.

Can you use the BUPA menopause service? You don't have to be a regular BUPA member but you pay £250 (I think) to access specialist advice for a whole year and they can request GP to prescribe for you and many will do that so you can get testosterone on the NHS that way.

If you can get a private prescription, it isn’t particularly expensive to buy. About £40 for enough to last 7-8 months.

Following - GP is sympathetic but can't prescribe even privately as not licensed on NHS and so her indemnity insurance doesn't cover her

She's trying a workaround by contacting a sympathetic consultant at local hospital that may prescribe off license just based on her letter . Failing that she said I'll have to go private which she hates to recommend

Apparently it's not down to price that nHS won't prescribe but lack of research proving that it's safe even though she believes it would be effective .

As usual womens health is far less of a priority for big pharma than men and their ED

Rant over

@FifiChi @Racingadmin But many GPs ARE prescribing it for women! There are posts here saying that.

It's not licensed as such but can be prescribed off-label.

I'd really caution against buying it online because all the women I know who use it have blood tests to work out if it's the right level.

As an option, you could have one appt privately and the dr will hen write to your GP to recommend it (but as you have found out already, it's up to the GP to agree or not. Legally they don't have to if they don't want to.)

As usual womens health is far less of a priority for big pharma than men and their ED

Nothing to do with BIG Pharma- it's down to NICE what is available.

I had to be referred to a menopause clinic for testosterone, then the GP was able to prescribe it. I think that's what OP's GP is also suggesting, it's just the waiting lists are very long. I think I had to wait about six months.

I also had to wait about three months for a private clinic consultation, prior to moving back to the NHS. It's so difficult.

I'd really caution against buying it online because all the women I know who use it have blood tests to work out if it's the right level.

You do need a blood test to determine your particular level. If you are at, or close to, the top of the normal scale for women, it will be of no benefit and may even have undesirable side effects.

However, it’s perfectly safe to buy online with a prescription from your doctor.

I go to a private clinic and she has recently prescribed testosterone. The cost is probably not as much as you might think. I think the initial consultation (via Zoom) was £250 and the prescriptions are about the same as from the GP. From memory my tube of testosterone were £58 each and last 3 months but the gel and oral tablet were £106 for both for 6mths. I have to have an annual checkup and that is about £80 I think. Honestly, so worth it compared with hassle of a GP appointment and going to collect prescriptions every month. My prescriptions just turn up in the post (6 mths worth).

Nothing to do with BIG Pharma- it's down to NICE what is available

This is true. “BIG Pharma” make it and it is readily available, it’s just that some GPs are reluctant to prescribe it.

This is what I was prescribed…

www.pharmacy2u.co.uk/testogel-p9536.html

A pack of 30 will last 260 days. If you have a private prescription, it will cost £39.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll go private and take it from there....

I got Tostran from my NHS GP without seeing a specialist or going to a clinic.

I mentioned the NICE guidelines that testosterone can be prescribed off licence for women who have already tried HRT (I’d been on it 4 months) and who continue to have low libido.

My Tostran canister is very easy to use. I use 1 measured pump every other day. That canister will last me about 9 months and has cost me the price of 1 prescription item.

I have to say though, that at every stage of my HRT journey, I have read up in advance of any appointments. I have made sure I knew what I thought I wanted to have had the details and access to NICE guidelines and info from the British Menopause Society to hand when I had my GP tel call. Largely it has felt like me telling them what I want, but I have hoped that if at any point I am asking for something unwise or unsuitable for me personally, that they will know that and not prescribe. But so far I have had Oestrogel and Utrogestan and have now got them on 6 month repeat prescription to give me 3 mpumos of Oestrogel a day, plus the Tostran too.

Re the Testrosterone, although the GP was prepared to prescribe off-licence, she was very limited in knowledge. She initially orescribed a male dosage for me, and I had to return for another appointment and point this out. Additionally, I had to push to get a blood test to check I remain within female range. This involved me sending her a link to the BMS page where it recommends women have this blood test. To be fair to her, when I pushed, she asked me to send her the info and she then did get back to me and say I could have the blood test, but it is disappointing that a patient needs to give the info and the GP doesn’t know it. I suspect many other women who are on HRT who would benefit from testosterone don’t like to ask or won’t push for it and it’s certain that different areas of the country and different GPS have different approaches.

Good luck in moving forward with it.

Thanks for the info. And I totally agree about being prepared before a GP phone consult. I did my homework on HRT but didn't know about "off licence" prescriptions. I wish more GPs had specialist training and that there was more info out there for women. But I do believe things are changing (slowly).

I’m interested in this too after 5yrs on HRT and every single month I have to re-request the flipping prescription. I need to try get an apt about testosterone but I find it frustrating that this link describes everything that as a woman I struggle with yet it it refers to men all the way through anyone know if women can acces this online service it would be far easier as like many working parents it bloomin hard to get a Apt at the best of times! www.pharmacy2u.co.uk/onlinedoctor/testosterone.html

it it refers to men all the way through anyone know if women can acces this online service it would be far easier as like many working parents it bloomin hard to get a Apt at the best of times!

Men can’t either. Out of interest I started a dummy purchase but you need a private or NHS prescription regardless of whether you are are male or female. The online service is not available.

I’m not post but it was given to me primarily because of low energy.

I hadn’t noticed decreased libido or mentioned it to my GP, but then I think it has always been a bit on the low side.

I have just started taking testosterone today. I mentioned it to my GP at the end of a consultation about something else, focusing on low libido (but being more interested in the impact on energy). She said she would discuss with her team and then somewhat unexpectedly I got a prescription, without having had my levels tested (which I had assumed would be the next step). I have been prescribed 5mg per day, of Testim gel (0.5 gr of gel - pea sized.

I took my first dose today and fairly quickly feel quite edgy - like I've had a few cups of coffee too many. No idea if that's normal.

The chemist who deals with my prescription has said she would like to speak with me a week in so I can discuss this with her. But interested in other experiences like @WombatChocolate's

I’m surprised it was prescribed off licence with no test of your existing levels.

Everything I have read suggests that it takes several weeks before you notice any changes. I suspect feeling different immediately after your first application was psychological. It certainly didn’t affect me that way.

can you take it with patches?

GPs can prescribe it and mine suggested it. With Testogel the dosages are intended for men's use so I use a small blob each day making the sachet last a week. I learned this from reading up on it. The GP told me to use an entire sachet once a week 😯

I’m on Testagel and was prescribed an eighth of a sachet a day.

can you take it with patches?

No, gel only as far as I am aware. I think there are some tablets but they seem to be used in extreme cases for men.

Thanks @Plumbathread I was surprised too and I will ask to have my levels tested just to be clear where they are.

The 'effect' is odd. It really doesn't feel psychological though I guess that's the wonder of the placebo effect. It was accompanied by an odd taste in my mouth within a few minutes of putting the gel on which is partly why I connected the two.

My GP prescribes it for me in Scotland