Testosterone on HRT: PLEASE share your experiences (should I start?)

[oxymomon]

Hey,
So I'm on HRT oestrogen patches + utrogestan, and it has helped with my anxiety and night sweats. But I still have low energy.
Should I seek testosterone to help with my energy? I really feel like an old woman with such a lack of energy, and I'm not getting as much done as I'd like to. Should I start testosterone, and will it help my energy?
I should note that I am seeing a private UK menopause dr, so I can get testosterone if I want it. The dr is going to do a testosterone blood test first.

Once my oestrogen was sorted I started testosterone specifically for libido. It helped with that; I'm not so sure about energy to be honest but I'm certainly not feeling fatigued.

I’ve been on testosterone for a year and only difference it’s made is I’ve got hairier…

I take Androfeme cream daily. Feel like it's the final piece of a full HRT regime in addition to Estradot and Utrogestan. Works well for overall energy. Wouldn't not take it.

I loved it as I felt like 25 again, then 6 weeks in my hair started to fall out so I stopped. I miss it but I would miss hair on my head more.

Did anyone get oestrogen tests or indeed testosterone tests first?

I worry about testosterone making hair fall out (though for some women the opposite seems to happen) but my testosterone levels are v low according to a test. I'm on 100 patches

I had my testosterone tested before I started and again after a few weeks. How low was yours?

Interested.

0.1 (medichecks) which is low on their levels

Thats incredibly low! Mine was 0.8 before I started then went to 1.8 in 7 weeks and that was 2 weeks after I stopped it completely. I've been advised to take it every 4 days maybe and see how that goes but I'm a bit scared of losing hair again.

I'm worried about negative side effects but also really feel I need the positive.

I promised myself I'd complete 3-4 months on this latest patch though (100). So see how I am after that.

If it's low it's definitely worth it. I was at 0.3 l, I went to 0.77 after about six months and now I'm around 1.8 and I really feel the difference with my energy levels. Exercise is much easier and I hardly ever feel tired. Just have a lot more stamina. No negative side effects.

4 months in it does nothing except make my head hair fall out more.

I started about 5 weeks ago and haven’t seen any real positive improvement but I am slightly concerned about the potential hair loss. I’ve got shoulder length hair and always seem to be moulting (before testosterone too) so can’t tell if it’s something I should be worried about yet.

@gezzab33 How much hair were you losing?

My hair grew back and is probably thicker than it's been for many years after I started a year ago hrt. I can see a lot of extra hair at the hair line. For a while it stopped falling out at all. Now it's what I'd call a normal level.

I wonder if it's about having the right level of oestrogen on top? I know there are other hair factors though. Thyroid, some vitamins etc.

I'm worried about negative side effects but also really feel I need the positive

I have been taking it for around three months now and haven’t noticed any negative side effects. That said, the positive effects are subtle. I have slightly more get up and go (I think). I wasn’t prescribed it to libido, but I don’t think there is much of a change there. It has always been low.

My testosterone was .6 before; it went to 3 after just a few weeks! Main effects have been much improved libido and a marginally harier chin, I think my brain is sharper too, but definitely no hair loss.

My testosterone levels were very low when my bloods were done (privately) so started testogel.

Only side effect is hairy thighs where I apply the gel. I hate the hairiness actually but I think I feel better with it.

I started taking it about five months ago. I had hair loss problems before and still do a bit now so it's hard to know what to attribute it to. I do feel sharper in myself and less sluggish. Oddly my muscles feel a bit stronger. It took about three months but then started to improve my libido too.

Thank you so much for replies and experiences.

I did full shebang on medichecks with full thyroid advanced (knew thyroid was ok but wanted the other things) and even vit d is now optimal.

It's just the testosterone that's flatlined. I know my Gp will double check oestrogen (and thyroid actually, she keeps doing that presumably as if on thyroxine it can worsen) before anything else as she was v firm about upping Oestrogen first.

Everyone's comments are so helpful: THANK YOU! I have now had blood tests and my testosterone level is 0.7 nmol/l. On this basis, I've been told that I can start on Androfeme.
But I'm scared! 😱
Some people in these comments said their levels were way lower (e.g. 0.1 and 0.3). Is 0.7 actually high enough? Am I mad to consider taking it?
My energy is low, and my libido is almost non-existent despite being very much in love with my husband. But it's the energy more than the libido that is more concerning for me if I'm honest.
Is it really okay to take testosterone when I'm already at 0.7?
I'm already overweight ... would this give me the energy to go to the gym more, so I can lose the weight. Or will I lose my hair and turn into my elder brother 😱😱😱
Thoughts and advice most welcome!

Sorry if I've skewed it! I think I've always been v low and also somewhere read being on thyroxine can sometimes make getting testosterone up harder. (Though Davina is on both.)

Did you have full thyroid panels too, as well as vit d etc?

And did they test oestrogen levels?

I don't think you've got anything to loose; for many I've read it's the missing link. I suspect if I was with Newson I'd have been given it by now.

Re libido, I've found when I'm using utro vaginally for 12 days x2 my libido is a little better, but that's not the main reason I'd like to try testosterone.

My level was 0.7 after three months on Androfemme. It’s low, I was told that women usually start to feel better around 2.2 and up. Due to have another test soon but I feel it’s kicked in, my energy levels are up and I’m about to have sex for the first time in 11 years!

I was apprehensive too but there’s really nothing to be scared of.

That's great news!

I've heard it can take up to 6 months to kick in

6 months!!! Here's me getting impatient for results after a week!!

Up to!

Some seem to have instant results!