Talk to me about testosterone please?

[stetha]

I am getting very curious about testosterone as from research online it would seem to be the missing piece for me. I'm on 100mcg oestrogen patch and 200mg utrogestan per night. My issues are very low libido and much reduced sensation in that area as well as not able to maintain or gain any muscle so increasing weight gain, fatigue, low mood, and no drive. I have ordered a testosterone test online to see what my levels are but if it does come back low not sure what to do then. I was thinking of ordering online to test then going to my GP about a prescription?

Have you all found it straight forward to get testosterone from your gp? Seems like its at least worth a shot for those of us still struggling with menopausal issues if oestrogen is maxed out.

If you have tried testosterone how have you found it, has it helped with libido and energy?

I've just been prescribed it today, one of the women GPs at our surgery is really good and suggested it as an option at last year's review. I had my latest review last week and asked about it, had bloods taken for testosterone levels and they came back today as at the low end of normal. I did mention libido as the magic word, but to be honest I am mostly hoping it will help my driving anxiety and concentration, but we will see!

@TheSmallAssassin Thanks for replying, seems to be a crapshoot as to how likely it is a GP will prescribe it. Hope it works out for you!

@stetha , you HAVE to stress libido as your top symptom. Absolutely nuts but that’s the prescribing criteria as I understand it. My GP made me wait six months on a conti patch before she sought advice from the menopause clinic so that she felt able to prescribe. Please ask for vaginal oestrogen cream, lifesaver. Use some internally and some on the vulva, you should be able to get that now.

It’s been transformational for me. Initially I had a startling insight into how it feels to be a male teenager with a constant feeling of being half turned on, but that has settled down to a more reasonable level. I know that’s not common. I think your oestrogen needs to be just right for it to work - not enough oestrogen and the testosterone just converts to oestrogen.

Can I ask what dosage / brand you are on? I’m on Testogel from Superdrug, have been on it for about 4 weeks, and am feeling no change yet. Someone else I know is on Tostran, and is apparently humping doorknobs!!

Thanks everyone, I've been on HRT for about 5 years now with estrogen going up from the 50mcg patch to 100mcg patch in the past year, this is as high as my GP will do and I'll need to wait for a menopause clinic or go private if things don't improve. I've actually ordered a test for myself just to see if I am low and then will perhaps see if an online pharmacy will prescribe me some to try if I am low. Yeah I've head that often GP's will prescribe if women go in saying they have low libido and its upsetting their DH but if they want it for themselves its harder to get. I also just found out that when men seek TRT for themselves they get given enough to put them in the same range as a healthy young adult even if they are in their 50's but when women get any HRT we get given a tiny dose in comparison and if we want more to actually feel good we get told to accept the stage of life we are in and that its natural to slow down and feel a bit rubbish as we age. I do understand there are risks with all HRT and TRT but its the double standard that annoys me!

Does testosterone actually help with concentration? I'm at my wits end as i can't read, process or even watch a film any more.

@abracadabra1980 So I read or hear online, I don't think the GP will proscribe it for that only for sexual dysfunction and even then not always. Testosterone does have an effect on the brain though so its method of action on improving focus is plausible. I also read that women produce more testosterone than estrogen in our younger years but that man women have very little by middle age and so we should be replacing it along with Estrogen and Progesterone if we are low.

I use androfeme. It's definitely helped my energy and concentration/focus and made orgasms faster and stronger again.
I didn't have a low libido when I started it though ( I said i did to get it prescribed).
The thing that boosted my libido was 50mg oestrogen patches and utrogestan + vaginal oestrogen over about 8 months. The vaginal oestrogen mainly i think because it seemed to improve sensitivity a lot which made me want and think about sex more.

When i started androfeme my testosterone was 0.9, so not super low. I get it privately.

I would ask first for topical oestrogen cream and do the whole loading dose as prescribed, and keep that up and see if sensation down there is improved. I once had a medic friend (who does herself take testogel as part of her HRT) really emphasise that you need to plump things up and re-oestrogenise your genital area BEFORE starting testosterone, as otherwise you're risking increased sexual arousal in an area that isn't prepared for it. I actually don't know if this is true (it's not her area of specialism but she's becoming extremely informed about menopause from a personal POV and obviously has the training and expertise to be able to assess what she's reading) but it made sense to me.

Vaginal skin thinning is a thing, and so, sadly, is clitoral shrinking. (mine has ) Sort that out first, see if it's something the cream will help with.

WRT to taking off-license testosterone, my local hospital (a big one) has a menopause clinic to which I was referred and they prescribed it in due course. You really do need to emphasise the libido thing and that you're not having a full life in that respect - while they are sympathetic about other things like low energy and brain fog, they just can't prescribe it if that's what you bring to the discussion! It's mad, isn't it?

But I should say that an estimated 40% of women find no difference on testosterone. I think I'm one of them. You also need to be aware that some women seem to absorb it a lot more readily than others! And to be aware of 'virilizing' effects like a lot of excess hair growth, hair LOSS, acne, mood issues, clitoral enlargement, and (worst case scenario) permanently deepened voice.

I had a review with my GP, I suggested decreasing my estrogen she wanted to know why
I explained I had complete lack of drive and confidence just felt really meh. Unable to focus on TV or read. She asked about my sex life which is non existent as I'm single but I've no interest in ever meeting anyone. My GP is really easy to talk to so I did disclose that I had no interest in pleasuring myself anymore. On this information she suggested testogel. I've taking it for about two months and I am feeling much more energised, I'm much more confident at work and when driving. It's going well so far.

The thing is, aren’t we evolved to naturally not want sex after menopause? The point of sex is to have babies so once that fertile period is over then your body doesn’t need sex? But obviously we have to keep the men happy as they can plant their seeds at any age so still have a libido.

Just thinking out loud here!

@VanillaImpulse possibly, but we have evolved to start falling to bits in many ways as we age yet we don’t think twice about getting glasses or hearing aids or blood pressure medication, or indeed other HRT. I really like having a physically intimate relationship with my husband and in our society he’s not going to go off and impregnate some 20 year old to keep the tribe going so it suits us both.

I have sex and masturbate post menopause to keep me happy because it feels good and I like it. Sex is not and never has been just about making babies, it's good for mental well being as well 🙂

Those of you who are on testosterone, does it help with exhaustion and brain fog? I've tried absolutely everything else and I'm still suffering and my forgetfulness is becoming a problem at work.

I think it's interesting that for you, sex is just about keeping men happy. That isn't how I see it.

I find that the biggest thing that helps me with this is getting enough sleep. I have started taking creatine as I did a long yoga session out of the blue and got bad muscle fatigue - it is supposed to help with cognition too, I think. Not sure how much it is helping yet!

Yes, it helped me with brain fog and gave me more energy as well.