Experiences of using testosterone in early perimenopause

[Sleepy21]

another one of my many recent posts about perimenopause! Has anyone tried testosterone in early perimenopause? I am low in it and keen to hear others experience and knowledge with it. Thank you in advance!

Yes. It's brilliant. I've been using it for 3yrs. GP prescribed it. Libido v high.

Bugger all use for energy or brain fog.

I didn’t find that it especially increased libido although I hadn’t had a complete loss of that, more a slight downturn. What it definitely did was revived my orgasms. They hadn’t disappeared but it was as though the volume had been turned right down. Since introducing testosterone, they’re back to normal. I don’t think I had a lot of brain fog as a menopause symptom. I’m about the same amount of forgetful that I always was and I don’t think it has helped my energy either. HRT helped my solve my insomnia but that was the oestrogen/progesterone. I experimented with stopping the testosterone and orgasms went very quiet again.

It had no affect at all.

Following. I was prescribed Tostran a few months ago, but have been too nervous to try it 😅

@Piggles1979 why? What do you think might happen?

@Autumnallaround I'm worried about getting acne. I battled it until I went on roaccutane in my 30s, so it's a real worry for me.

@Piggles1979 ah I can understand that if acne can be a side effect?

But if you go gently with it you should be OK?

I quite often forget to apply any for a week.

Oh, I find I absorb it a lot more on my arm. So try the top of your thigh instead.

@Autumnallaround
Thank you.
You haven't had any unpleasant side effects?

I was prescribed it for lack of energy. I think it has some beneficial effect but it certainly isn’t like night and day.

No noticeable side effects. Libido unchanged, no acne or hair growth.

I didn’t find a noticeable difference to brain fog, energy or libido I don’t think with testosterone specifically, but I did find it made the gym feel easier and I got more muscular and lean and my breasts and body fat pretty much went to the extent that I decided to stop taking it and my body returned to how it was (took about 3 months for the differences to show either way). But I’ve since spoken to my consultant and have reintroduced it at lower levels - I only ever took the prescribed one blob every other day and now I’m just doing the blob every few days. I don’t think I would have noticed or it been a problem but I’m pretty slim as it is and was starting to look scrawny. (That’s not a stealth boast post as it really wasn’t good.) I’m taking it at a reduced dose again as my consultant said my levels are very low and I do need to maintain muscle as I age and she is still hopeful it might help with brain fog and energy (as am I!).

I actually put on weight (fat) when I started using it. I don’t think it was related to the testosterone because I am still on it and losing weight gradually. Intentionally.

My neck gets some pretty wiry hair, but I was always prone to hair on my chin/jawline and around my mouth. So this has made it a bit worse. I judiciously pluck and use one of those facial shaver sticks most days.

Top tip. Keep the bathroom light off when it's dark, and before putting contact lenses in, use phone torch to shine on neck and chin - best visibility of pesky hairs. OR use airline toilet mirror!

My legs are hairy again too after many years of barely needing to shave. I'm not aggressive or anything like that.
Don't know if voice has changed.

My levels stayed VERY low for first two years and then jumped in third year - which coincided with me making a real effort to use it properly to benefit on holiday with DH iyswim

Do you change where you apply every day?

My libido is better, but it's inconsistent. I felt more confident and assertive in the first few months, but that hasn't lasted. Don't think it's doing anything for brain fog. No unpleasant side effects at all, just slightly thicker darker hair on my arm next to where I apply the gel. Not really noticeable to anyone but me

I was taking it in early perimenopause. I won’t go into loads of detail but I didn’t like the way it made me feel - it made me feel like disconnected emotionally from sex which is not what I’m used to and didn’t feel like me. I also felt quite angry a lot of the time. It may be that I didn’t need it or I didn’t need as much but I didn’t really explore this, I just stopped and went back to normal quite quickly.

@Pineapplesunshinewhat sort of consultant do you see please? I’ve been looking at online menopause clinics like Marion Gluck and Louise Newson’s but would prefer to see someone in person

I was referred to my local gynae clinic by my gp - at a local hospital - so see nhs consultant. Referred as I am on a high level of oestrogen due to poor absorption. I’ve been on hrt about 5 years. Good luck!

ps when I first wanted to try testosterone and my gp wouldn’t prescribe I ordered online from pharmacy

No.
I put it on the part of my arm between shoulder and elbow, not sure why I'd need to change location?

Rough stubble where I was applying it, especially on my thighs.
Huge weight gain.
No change in symptoms.
Zero benefits basically.

Because you'll possibly start to grow hair in that area, my menopause Dr told me this, to alternate places you apply it

Anywhere I tried to apply it went very hairy (think black rough hair) very quickly. I’m fair haired and don’t have much hair normally.

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@Thecows I haven't. Apply it on upper arm. No hair other than normal fine hair.

Or apply it to the inside of your thigh or arm where there naturally is no hair

I’ve been using it for 3 or 4 years now. I may be lucky but it’s been nothing but good for me.

Gave me back my libido.

No acne, no hairy patches, no weight gain.

@Piggles1979 why not give it a go? You can always stop it immediately if you don’t like it or it doesn’t work for you.

@LadyGardenersQuestionTime I keep switching between 'definitely going to try it' and 'haven't got the guts'. 😅
I know ot could be amazing....I'm just very nervous about my skin returning to the state it was in before. Unfortunately, the sort of acne I seem to be prone to sticks around and leaves the skin in a bit of a state.

Can I ask what your level was? Mine is 0.4 and I am having lots of muscles soreness from things I used to do no problem. Also some fatigue. Doc doesn't seem to want to consider hormones as I am 40.