What testosterone dose to help brain fog improve?

[FishFlaked]

I’m lucky, my GP will prescribe testosterone. I’m 50, use it with HRT patches and Mirena. I’ve been using one pump a week of Tostran 2% gel for over a year now I think. I had initially found I was less anxious but I am still pretty anxious. I had an initial libido increase, but that’s gone. It helped with sleep quite a bit at first too which was great, but now I’m back to waking very early.

My major hope for taking testosterone, was reducing brain fog. So my question is if you’ve had success with this, how much are you taking, how often? My memory and concentration has not improved at all on one pump. Worse perhaps- I can’t remember! It’s got to the point I am quite concerned about it. I have left more than one pan to boil dry lately.

I take one pump Tostran 2% gel once a week, even though I was initially prescribed to take two a week but it felt too much- I was getting worse dryness on the higher dose and I don’t want vaginal atrophy symptoms again. I was also feeling very snappy which isn’t helpful.

Should I try going up again in dose, or accept that testosterone isn't going to help with brain fog?

I have been taking one pump every other day (3 pumps a week - I do it Monday, Wednesday and Friday).

I have found it helped with brain fog and concentration in general, and libido a bit. Taking it also coincided with me feeling a lot more confident at work (I’m 47). I don’t want to change the dose in case I lose that!

That’s really interesting how such different doses make such a difference- very glad it worked for you.

I think part of this is that I have some other health issues going on at the same time and am pissed off how HRT is so underesearched and trial and error. Women don’t have loads of time and energy to waste feeling shit while we try to work this out.
Yes it’s better than GPs being massively overbearing about who can access what. I know that I’m lucky to have had the opportunity to try this treatment. But I wish there was greater evidence-based knowledge and treatment already as common knowledge on what might be likely to work for brain fog.

I’ve been prescribed 4 pumps a week based on undetectable levels of testosterone in my bloods. But I only started a week ago so nothing much to report yet.

I am using an oestrogen pessary and cream for vaginal dryness. Game changer! Can be used as well as the main spray/gel/patch.

I started out with undetectable levels too- they should build up quickly. Good luck!

You have to find your own dosage, talking to my older sister who went through this a year back. Supplemental testosterone is processed by the female body into other things, and you need to be dosing just enough that there's a little bit of free testosterone left after the bulk has been processed. But not so much you get fighty (which does happen, was quite disconcerting!). It's a balance!

Testosterone gel every other day. Been on for 2 years. I have my career back on track as it totally helped the brain fog.

That’s really great to hear Jeaux90.

Can I confirm that we are all talking about Tostran 2% in the white cylinder pump? And have you had any side effects?
My luxuriant leg hair of old has returned already so there’s that..

Yes that’s the name and dose OP. Only side effect I think is I have slightly more facial hair, but nothing crazy. Bu my mum also had more facial hair post menopause and she wasn’t on Testosterone so might just be nothing.

I use testogel everyday though it sounds like a different formulation if you only have it prescribed for once a week.

Libido amazing, brain fog absolutely dreadful. Absolutely exhausted all the time too. And a hairy neck and jaw! T levels still low though!

I use testogel too and have also found it to be amazing for brain fog and confidence. I'm so pissed off that it only really gets prescribed for low libido (so if it affects the men then right?) However, my bloods show my levels have gone through the roof so I'm probably going to have to come off it. This happened before so I was taken off for a couple of months and my mood plummeted, anxiety was terrible. I'm gutted tbh.

Is it only testosterone that helps with the brain fog (and libido?) or do oestrogen or progesterone help as well?

@StElwicksNeighbourhoodAssociationyes I was pissed off I had to lie to get it. But not entirely unexpected unfortunately. @MetricMsthe HRT patches really helped get rid of a lot of the symptoms for menopause, sleeping issues, sweats, anxiety BUT testosterone is a game changer for getting back that mental capacity. I remember for that one week every month after my period ended in my late 20s and 30s…when the testosterone I guess kicks back in before ovulation and I would feel mentally strong and invincible at work….it feels like that.

Thanks @jeaux90 , I’ve been give progesterone tablets and testosterone cream but I’ve only been using them for around 4 weeks so far. I have several weeks before my follow up and I know I need to give it time, but it helps to understand the process!

All I know is I was accidentally on double the dose for a couple of weeks and I felt completely invincible lol. No wonder men have big egos!