Superdrug testosterone service

[AInightingale]

I just ordered some testogel from Superdrug to complement my (NHS) HRT, as I'll have no chance of getting GP treatment or even through to the surgery atm. And I know some doctors are reluctant and it's months to wait for a menopause clinic appt.

I feel as though my T is at rock bottom - zero libido, very unmotivated, gaining midriff weight fast, loss of muscle tone, flat mood. A couple of years ago I ordered Androfeme from the Online Clinic, which helped a little (though I didn't feel as crap then admittedly - I was only 49). I only had a 3 month supply and it was WAY too expensive to keep on buying privately.

I've just discovered this service from Superdrug and have decided to try it. Does anyone have any experience of it? I did a questionnaire online and it is to be reviewed by a doctor, obviously. Do they normally allow you to have it, informing your GP of course? At £18 it's a hell of a lot cheaper than Androfeme, which is now £150 privately for a small tube. I just can't afford that.

have you had your levels checked?

I can't believe you can just go online and buy testosterone 😱

A doctor reviews your completed questionnaire and test results; it's not as though you're just getting it over the counter.

Testosterone is an interesting hormone. It occurs naturally in women. In some, the levels are higher resulting in hirsutism, weight gain & acne, amongst other problems. It is closely associated with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Our levels gradually drop reaching their lowest level as we reach post menopause only to rise again in our 60s/70s. So it’s very much a temporary dip.
The low libido is, reportedly, temporary and it does return as you get older.
Being a sufferer of secondary polycystic ovary syndrome and always having a higher than normal testosterone level in my pre menopause years, I am currently enjoying being much less hairy. I no longer need to wax anywhere.
My skin is beautiful, normal for once rather than greasy. Even at 50 I had a noticeable Tzone.
I cannot take HRT ( hormone positive breast cancer) and I am on hormone blockers so my levels are super low. Yes, I have low libido but still enjoy sex regularly, it’s very much a psychological block during menopause because just about everything annoys you or winds you. You go off everyone.
I am lucky to be semi retired and with that more relaxed so sex is no longer something I have to fit in. DH (also retired) and I can take advantage of an empty house now DC is nearly off our hands.

No, that's what confusing me. I am 51 and have been in menopause proper for about 2 years. I think SD do the testing as well but I wasn't prompted to ask for that. Think it's quite a pricey test, so much for saving money.

There was no testing involved to get Androfeme, so maybe they just go by age, idk.

Would it amaze you to hear that the men's prescription service is far cheaper?

They've just emailed back to ask for an image of my passport though...

I started with the Testogel from Superdrug last year but I’m sure a bloodtest within the previous 3 months was required.
After 3 Superdrug orders, my GP miraculously decided they could prescribe it!

Yes, they've just contacted me to say I have to spend £45 on a blood test.

Can I ask if they insisted on any more blood tests before renewing the prescription? Because I don't mind paying once, but if it's fifty quid every couple of months plus the cost of the medicine, I might as well order more Androfeme from the Online Clinic (who didn't ask for bloods, strangely enough).

I still don't bloody understand why it's cheaper for men either!

I can’t speak about Superdrug but through the NHS, I had to have a blood test before and one 3 months in to check what was happening to my testosterone level, and it is continuing to be measured every 6 months therefore I wouldn’t be surprised if they did ask you for further blood tests. Why don’t you ask them?

i hope they do require very regular blood tests!

Just seems odd to have been on HRT for nearly four years now and have never had my oestrogen tested (NHS prescription). What's the difference? Too-high levels of oestrogen can be dodgy too.

before putting you on hrt
you didn’t have any bloods on your hormone levels?

I had initial bloods done in 2020, inc full blood count, before GP agreed to put me on HRT but nothing since - by which I mean the effect of HRT on my oestrogen levels has never been measured. In fact, the tests never even measured oestrogen, just FSH, which is meant to be erratic anyway. Yet they keep checking testosterone according to pps - just seems odd.

have you been back regarding your hrt since 2020?

I only had 3 months of Superdrug testosterone so don’t know if Superdrug would have made me get another blood test.
The testosterone blood test I had, my GP ordered when I said I was off to Superdrug - she was worried they would prescribe it without knowing the full picture, but Superdrug were quite cautious.
My testosterone and SHGB were deficient so GP was happy for me to toddle off to Superdrug (until I found my local trust’s prescribing guidelines and told my GP they could prescribe it!)
I’ve been on NHS testosterone for 6 months and GP hasn’t ordered another testosterone blood test.
The consultant from the meno clinic wanted to ensure I was absorbing Estrogel so ordered an oestrogen blood test, but I understand hormone levels fluctuate so much that medics are reluctant to order them. This blood test and the testosterone one are the only hormone blood tests I’ve ever had, and I’ve been on HRT for 5 years.

Can I ask how you found your local trusts prescribing guidelines ?
I have tried googling and searching for mine but I can’t find anything.
I would like to find out if I can get testosterone on prescription.

Thank you

what was the impact of testosterone on you?

Why

It's no different to your GP or menopause clinic prescribing it

@Onceuponatime46 look up your local NHS trust's formulary ie south Sussex formulary. Then input the medication in the search and it'll tell you whether it's formulary.

I can't even get through to the GP surgery. Last time I tried, for something else, there was a message saying they couldn't deal with routine matters as they were so overwhelmed (!) It is due for review, long overdue.

I am in Northern Ireland and our general practice, in fact our entire NHS, is soooo f----ed.

@Onceuponatime46 let me get back to you
@brocollilover the testosterone has given me my libido back and I’m not as achey/breathless, but I thought it would have helped my energy/motivation more. Maybe I need a higher dose but I’d want a blood test before increasing it.

They make you do a repeat test because everybody absorbs it differently, and some people (me included) absorb A LOT- I ended up doing the Superdrug test and a follow-up saliva test because I didn't believe the ridiculously high level that the Superdrug test came back with. By rights I should be sporting a splendid moustache but apparently correlation between circulating free testosterone and symptoms/side effects vary wildly. I've stopped because it freaked me out a bit but it had started to revive my utterly dormant libido so might restart once levels have returned to what they were when I first started taking it (v v low- but baseline data on testosterone in women seems to be a bit sketchy ). Good luck whatever you decide to do.

you say you can’t understand why they haven’t tested you since you went on hrt

but you haven’t been back. So they haven’t had the opportunity to

i know you have said very hard to go back but…. i think you could have gone back in 4 years

@Onceuponatime46
The document was called this:
‘Hormone Replacement Therapy Guidance for Menopause Management’
and it was issued by my local area ‘Medicines Management Group’