How long does Testosterone take to work?

[BellsAllTheTime]

I have got in a bit of a mess with my HRT.

Recently increased my estrogen gel by 1 pump. It banished hot flushes, migraines and I can now sleep again (big whoop), but I suddenly indescribibly bad brain fog and absolute flat out exhaustion and violent mood swings. I'd had all this before, but it is next level bad.

So I had some blood tests and worked out my SHBG is really really high, so my free testosterone is absolutely on the floor - being suppressed by the SHBG because estrogen increased.

My GP had already agreed to me starting T, but suggested optimising estrogen first. I've an appointment to discuss.

I know everyone is different and I know the general timescales it says online... I guess I'm just a bit desperate to hear someone say it works faster than the 3-6 months you read online as I'm currently crawling through a swamp...

Please give me some hope ! I am a literal zombie.

Sorry to say but for me it was at least 3 months.
I started taking lions mane supplements for brain fog which have helped. Also not instantly but worth a try.
I hope you see the benefit quickly x

Mine worked a bit sooner than 3 months, more like 2 I think. But I also came off the mini pill and switched to E gel at the same time, so that will have freed up the T so I might have been hit by my own T as well as the gel T. Maybe, I have no idea really, but I’m only at 3 months now and have been feeling much better since before Easter really. Fingers crossed for you! Loads more energy, libido back, sleep was improving quickly but is still disrupted but I think that’s mostly been since the clocks changed - I have loud fat pigeons on my roof cooing and pecking at 5am.

Thank you x

Thank you, it's good to hear you got there in the end!

The fatigue is unreal, the only other time I've felt like this was in early pregnancy.

Can’t comment on testosterone @BellsAllTheTimebut just wanted to say solidarity! As I’m also struggling with brain fog and exhaustion and utter lack of motivation.