Testosterone - what benefits other than libido have you noticed

[putthehamsterbackinitscage]

Just started Testogel this week after 18 months of hrt tweaks and changes. Now on Evorel 100, utrogestan 100 continuously and topical estriol as well.

Can anyone share their experiences besides libido from a similar combination?

Hrt has helped a lot with some symptoms - sleep issues (were horrendous), overheating & flushes etc over the past 18 months but I am still hoping to resolve my remaining issues too.

Testogel has been prescribed for libido but I also have significant joint/muscle/tendon issues, lack of energy, disturbed sleep especially after alcohol, lack of motivation, some brain fog.

Is there any hope this new regime will help?

@SamR36 that sounds like a total misprint!

You'd be hairy and talking with a very low voice! How long were you taking it?

Yes. I'm on evorel 100 patches. Wondered if I could be deficient but recent bloods indicate all levels are fine. It's a nightmare.

@Moredarkchocolateplease my thoughts exactly! Ive never even seen these figures before. Also my oestadiol levels were 19485.5 pmol! Threw me!. Ive been taking it 5 months, tedtogel pea sized amount every day, im sure i'd be starting fights in the street with that amount of testosterone, and yes definetlty a beard! Im no hairier & my voice hasnt changed 🤣.
Im getting in touch with my gp, see if they will finally do bloods 🙄

@SamR36 do update once you've had your result!

Good luck!

@Moredarkchocolateplease absolutely. Have to get gp to write up blood forms first. Like trying to get blood out of a stone! Thats the reason i did what i did.
These are the results that Randex lab sent me. Shocking!

@Moredarkchocolateplease response from Besins no help - just restating PIL that gel should be used in one go. Presume men never use any different dose that whole sachets?

Unsure now if I should continue to store at room temperature (like oestrogen) or refrigerate?

^Testogel® 40.5mg, transdermal gel in sachet (testosterone) – Stability after opening
As you may be aware, there is no information in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL)1 or the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC)2 on whether this product can be stored after the sachet has been opened.
However, section 3 of the Testogel 40.5mg PIL, states the following:
“The recommended dose is 1 sachet (i.e. 2.5g of gel which contains 40.5 mg of testosterone) applied once daily at approximately the same time, preferably in the morning. The daily dose may be adjusted by your doctor, on an individual patient basis, not exceeding 2 sachets (i.e. 5g of gel which contains 81 mg of testosterone) per day.
How to apply this gel:
• After opening the sachet, the entire contents should be taken out of the sachet and applied immediately onto the skin.
• The gel must be gently spread onto clean, dry, healthy skin.
• Apply as a thin layer on the right and left upper arms and shoulders.
• Allow the gel to dry for at least 3-5 minutes before dressing.
• Wash your hands with soap and water after applying.”
We cannot recommend Testogel to be used in any manner that is inconsistent with the license. Any decision to do so would the responsibility of the clinician in charge of the patient.
As you will have also noted, the instruction is that the entire content of the sachet be taken out and applied. We do not recommend that a partial dose be taken out of the sachet and reused as we do not have any stability data supporting this.
References:

1. Testogel 40.5 mg, transdermal gel in sachet PIL (September 2022) 2. Testogel 40.5mg, transdermal gel in sachet SPC (June 2021)^

Ive only ever used a pea size amount at a time & stored mine in the fridge. I feel same benefits from it. I just try to keep it as air tight as possible. You could decant it into an air tight pot?
Looking at the testosterone results i had i think mines working 😂

I've just put my first pea sized blob on and used an IKEA clip to seal it and put it in a drawer with all my other HRT. My testogel came with absolutely no instructions other than to use a bit each day for 8 days... Literally no application instructions, nothing, an empty box!!

I have a feeling they don't prescribe it very often.

I'm so desperate for some energy to counteract the exhaustion from the coil. Praying it works fast.

Another quick question...

Just got confirmation my GP has accepted the recommendations from the consultation last week and added Testogel etc to my repeats...

But, they have prescribed Testogel in a pump bottle and having read the leaflet, 1 pump is equivalent to half a sachet so I need a quarter pump per day - anyone had to do this - will it work to dispense into a syringe then use 1/4 as daily dose? If it works well , the pump bottle would seem a great idea.

WTAF isn't there a female product?????

My GP said one is being trialled in Australia.

I was listening to the Kelly Casperson podcast that referred to this (the most recent one about oestrogen) and she's pretty vocal about the role of the patriarchy in preventing women getting the right products.

Says that Pfizer would be all over it for men...

Is everyone using this everyday? I vaguely remember reading something that said twice a week in women

I’d have thought that using one pump every four days would probably work better (rather than attempting to store gel that has been pumped?) - perhaps check with prescribing doctor-my gynae mentioned a week on/a week off or every other day when we discussed the possibility of needing to reduce my dose by half (bloods showed no need).

The prescription from meno clinic was sachets, each one to be used over 8 days so this is no different really.

I'm not keen on doing 1 pump every 4 days as I will forget if I don't do a a diary reminder. At least with a small daily dose it's easy to get into a routine.

It's just whether I can dispense into a syringe without wastage. I reckon each bottle will last 10 weeks if that's the case.

But I agree with everyone it would be better to have a product or dosing system that works for women as well as men. If it was licensed I guess that'd be more likely and for now we're stuck with having to figure out how to make it work.

Pea size amount everyday i was told. Think i may move to every other day. Although i do love the feeling of no fatigue on testosterone days.

@Moredarkchocolateplease
@SamR36do update once you've had your result!

Well i spoke to Gp, practically laughed at those results. He more or less said with results like that I wouldn't be functioning. None of any part of it made sense.
Although still refused to do bloodwork, as he feels it wouldnt be a correct reading anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️ because im currently on hrt. Yet i know others have theirs checked to see if body is absorbing their hrt.
He told me to carry on as normal, and obv stop testogel if my voice gets deeper or i grow a beard 😂

@SamR36 I'm so frustrated on your behalf! Yes, they should check your bloods to see if you're absorbing the HRT, otherwise how will they ever know it's working. And then they say it's probably more placebo affect so it doesn't matter 😡😡

I guess at least it could give your family new ideas for gifts... beard grooming kits, voucher for a chest wax... 😉😂

Omg that's hilarious so he wouldn't check your testosterone levels?

My GP wouldn't check my oestrogen absorption on the basis I'm on the highest level of oestrogen (100), but would check testosterone and I'm booked in for follow up bloods in three months.

@JosieOhNo maddening isnt it. Surely he can see how desperate i am to get my bloods checked, for gods sake, i bought a dodgy kit online to try sort it myself.

Well ive also put a Gillete electric shaver at top of my list, i feel i'll prob need it 🤣🤣

@Moredarkchocolateplease im glad you have a understanding Gp.
Our practice gp's all stand as one.
Our pharmacist sorted my hrt out.

Hope you get the answers youre hoping for with your blood results

How do you even get this? I was told by the ‘women's health nurse’ (who ive never even met) that the patches arent miracle workers when i mentioned lack of libido, i thought it was privately bought, how do you get to see a neno clinic?

@Unicorntastic i booked an appointment with my GP and said I wanted to discuss testosterone.

When I arrived, she had the 'menopause matters' testosterone information on the screen and sent me for a blood test.

She then texted to say my testosterone levels were low and asked me to book a further appointment.

I went back in to see another female GP as that was the first available appointment. She prescribed testosterone.

GPs should be able to prescribe it. If they won't, ask to be referred to a consultant gynae or menopause clinic. Or get a private meno GP.

This has all happened within a fortnight from first app, blood tests, follow up app and then getting my testogel.

@Moredarkchocolateplease i wish i had you're gp. Mine wouldnt even entertain doing bloods & not licensed to prescribe testosterone.
I did mine myself.
@Unicorntastic you can do a testosterone test through superdrug, its around £45, they will then prescribe testosterone. Quite expensive though

@SamR36 mine wouldn't prescribe until meno clinic had given prescription- just posted on another thread, took around 9 months from requesting more than high dose Evorel (Sequi plus 50 top up) to go through referral , waiting time then initial clinic appointment, blood tests and follow up appointment.

Once the blood tests were back I asked Gp for trial whilst I waited for the follow up appointment but they wouldn't do it until meno clinic prescribed.

It seems there are very few GPs who will take the risk of off license without a consultant's initial prescription.

And they have said if I want to continue beyond 3 month trial they'll need to arrange follow up blood tests.

Thank you both, my Gp surgery is terrible, they aren’t interested in helping with anything. The nurse said when I first asked for HRT ‘it’s not a cure all and you’ll have periods again’ which put me off for a while as I always had awful periods, she then told me to put the patch on my arm, so you can see what they are like but I think I’ll try and bypass them to get testosterone , or at least a review of whether Evorel is right for me.