Has anyone tried testosterone gel for low libido during perimenopause?

[Munchkinjack]

This is more of a health question but has anyone tried testosterone gel to improve their sex life ? I'm 50 and not feeling the same very dry and hard to get in the mood. I have a fairly new partner of 3 years and the lust is still there on both parts but I feel different and I want to be at it like rabbits again ! I'm sure it's peri menopause will the doc prescribe it and does it help ? I'm on hrt patches since last year thanks

You need vaginal oestrogen cream if you’re dry. Estriol or Ovestin, get your Gp to prescribe it.

Yes, with great success.

Your other HRT needs to be optimised and I echo oestrogen cream as a good start. Not all GPs will prescribe testosterone as it’s off licence. If they do it can only be for libido so don’t be shy about it. If your gp can’t or won’t you can get it privately from Superdrug.

I’m on testosterone. By the age of 51 I hadn’t had a period for a year, so officially in menopause. The vaginal atrophy was absolutely bloody awful, estrogen tablets have helped with this.

I was told that after a year on HRT without any increase in libido then testosterone can be prescribed. I did initially go privately for it as my G.Ps weren’t confident enough to prescribe it. They are happy to fulfill further prescriptions and we’ve talked in depth about dosage etc.

Now, due to my experience they are confident enough to prescribe testosterone for other women, which is great. The specialist I saw is pretty local and is more than happy to liaise with my Drs and all my prescriptions have been NHS, the specialist writes to my Drs advising them what to prescribe.

My sex life now is brilliant, so grateful for testosterone, without it I don’t think my marriage would have survived. I need sex in my life, it brings a special kind of closeness. Some people are happy not to have a sex life, I’m not one of them.

I went to see my gp for the same reason a few years ago ( post menopause) and she took bloods to check my levels . My testosterone came back normal so I didn’t get it prescribed.
i did start on vaginal estriol and that had made a huge difference.

I’ve been prescribed testosterone for that same reason, but sadly, it’s not made any difference to my libido 😞

Yes, I was suffering with loss of feeling and atrophy. The first week I tried testosterone I had the best orgasm I’d had for years! It doesn’t seem to have continued at quite that level, but things are definitely back up to a more pleasurable sensation. But yeah, they will only prescribe for low libido so I had to play that game, even though my libido was actually ok, it was just really disappointing when we did it!

Yep, I felt amazing - but then the testosterone levels in my blood test went through the roof so I was taken it off it 🙁

It hasn't made the slightest difference to me alas

It just gave me hairy patches on my legs.

Didn't help. My testosterone levels went too high, even with a tiny dose. Cycstic acne plus nice new black hairs on my thighs. When I stopped, the acne went away, seems the hairs are here to stay. Vaginal oestrogen works wonders for dryness. However for me I know it's not a physical thing, it's a mental thing. I love my husband and enjoy sex when we have it, but struggle with wanting it too. I think I've been needed by others too much for too long and this has now fallen into that category in my mind.

I'm also keen to try it but - has anyone experienced hair loss on T?

all fairly mixed reviews then .. hmmmm not sure now !

You should try it. HRT is trial and error. For those for whom it works it seems to be great. But I think it's less consistently successful than, say, oestrogen replacement. There are so many other factors about why you might have low libido.