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[elliebean]

I've previously posted about this elsewhere, so won't go into too much detail now, but after seeing a specialist (I believe we shouldn't be naming names now) I started on 3 pumps of Oestrogel (I was previously taking Premarin) and 1 blob of Testim daily about 5 months ago. After about 6 weeks I had loads more energy and I had a libido again and just felty more myself. Great... however, one of the other problems I'd had originally when I went to see the specialist got worse and worse... hair loss! My hair had already been thinning a bit, but after starting the Oestrogel and Testim regime it went from bad to worse and my scalp started itching a lot, but I don't know if there's a connection.

Ever since my hair has been coming out more and more to the point that a few people have remarked on my hair looking thin. I contacted the specialist a couple of weeks ago and he's told me to stop using the testosterone gel and he will review things in 3 months. The irony is that I've lost so much hair off my head but gained lots on my thighs.

I've had my thyroid checked and it's on the lower end of normal, but definitely within range.

Has anybody else experienced this when using testosterone? I did a bit of research online and it seems that hair loss can be a symptom of too much testosterone, but also a symptom of too much or too little oestrogen!

I'm feeling thoroughly fed up at the moment and am almost reluctant to go out, if I don't have to, as I feel so self-conscious about my hair! My daughter has suggested a wig, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet.

[Annie0710]

Ellie bean I feel your distress as I'm a fellow hairloss/thinning victim

Mine all started @march 2015 but noticeably July 2015, I'm sure I was told I was post meno end of 2014/beg 2015, as I had a hysterectomy many years before I can only go by their blood tests so my hair loss seemed to tie in with being post meno.  My mum had the usual old lady thinning showing pink scalp but I can't just assume it's hereditary as she never tried hrt so for her it could've been total lack of hormones.  I also get the itchy scalp and that usually results in me noticing more loss

I've researched til I'm exhausted and have read that low/high testosterone can cause hair loss as can low oestrogen (can't remember about high oestrogen) and the usual s... vitamins, iron, thyroid etc , which I think I'm all ok on

I'm on day 9 of testosterone and using less than a pea size as I'm worried about the hair loss

Also, it's known that hair will probably grow on the area you apply the T gel

Re: wigs.  I'm not at that stage (yet) but as crazy as it sounds I keep visiting websites that sell them as my way of thinking is if I just go for it it takes one major stress out of my life

I use Nanogen hair fibres to 'colour in' the gaps, which helps

I'd like to keep in touch with you if you're ok with it on this thread as I think it could help lots of women with our problem

Take care x

[Tempest]

Hi, Elliebean! I was wondering how you were doing. Did the Specialist switch you straight over to the Estrogel/Testosterone combo from the Premarin?

If so, that could be the problem right there. It would have been better to build up your estrogen level on the gel for at least 3 months and then introduce the Testosterone. I've had this discussion with my specialist, and Premarin does not behave the same way in the body as estradiol (as you know, it's a conjugated equine estrogen and doesn't 'fit' with our estrogen receptors exactly). I think your body needed a period of adjustment and to allow your estrogen levels to settle before the T was added.

Sending you hugs!!! xxxx

[Dawncam]

Hi Elliebean - I think we may be seeing the same specialist and quite frankly he's not in my good books just now. Anyway, I've always had loads of hair (my partner calls it Falcon Crest hair as it always looks like those women with the big 80's do's) but not so much now. I started noticing the hairdryer being very hot at certain parts of my head so had a closer look. Defo thinning. Quite a bit as in male pattern baldness. I've now stopped the testo even though consultant said to up it! I'm also struggling with correct dose of E transdermally so that's prob affecting it too. I've no doubt it's the too much testo in relation to E. Don't know if the hair will grow back after stopping T - hope so.

Good luck

Dx

[Tempest]

Wee soul, Dawn!!

I have to admit, this was why I DIDN'T fill the prescription that this Specialist wrote for me some months back. Although I desperately wanted to try the Testosterone, I was uneasy as I think it needs close supervision and I now know from my new specialist that you need  a good estrogen level in place first. I'm so sorry you're having problems too!

Hugs. xxxx

[Annie0710]

This can't be my problem as I've had good E levels and I'm not using the correct T dose, I'm on day 9 so technically should've used my tube up tomorrow but I reckon I'll get another 5 days out of it

I just wish I knew the answer

X

[elliebean]

Thank you all for your replies and messages of support. It's good to know you're not on your own.

Annie0710 - I'm happy to keep in touch via this thread, especially if it can help somebody else.

I've tried the Nanogen volume spray, I think it's called, but not any of the fibre ones as I wouldn't know what colour to opt for. Since I started losing so much hair I've stopped colouring it as I didn't want to encourage any more to come out, so my hair is a mixture of browns and grey.

I was aware that hair would grow at the sight of application and wasn't too worried about it. It just seemed a cruel irony that as it dropped out of my scalp it was growing like mad on my body.

I was told to use a pea-sized amount, but to make a tube last 8 days means that you're using one helluva big pea, bigger than any pea I've ever seen! When I had my blood test at the end of July (after almost 3 months on Testim and Oestrogel) my oestrogen level was 292 (was 176 when on Premarin) and my testosterone level was in red and 4.4! I could see that the optimal levels for testosterone are 0-1.8. Previously my levels had been so low as not to be measurable.

Tempest - Yes, I was told to go straight from the Premarin to the Oestrogel/Testim combo and I did ask that specific question. The trouble is that because I was seeing a specialist I assumed that I was getting the best advice. A bit naive I guess, with hindsight. I do hope you manage to get your hormones sorted out. I remember from previously that you've been through a lot already.

Dawncam - I did laugh out loud when I read your comment about Falcon crest hair! I'm so sorry to hear that you're going through this too. I sincerely hope our hair does recover now we've stopped the testosterone!

I've now been off the testosterone for 3 weeks and I have noticed that my skin and hair are not as greasy as they had been getting, so I guess my levels are slowly coming down. I don't know if it's coincidence, but I have been having a lot of very vivid, unnerving dreams since I stopped it too.
 
Thanks again and hugs to everyone x

[Annie0710]

My 774pmol/L equates to 210pg/L

Is that normal ? I always assumed it was

It's got me thinking now x

[Tempest]

http://www.glowm.com/section_view/heading/The%20Menopause/item/79

Ladies - this may be of invaluable help. Please let me know your thoughts. xxxx

[Dawncam]

Hi Elliebean - I've been having vivid dreams too. This specialist prescribed almost exactly the same protocol for everyone. I too was told that my T levels were on the floor but have since read that it's very difficult to get an accurate reading for T in blood tests. I got a lot of dark hair at the top of my thighs (I started almost exactly a year ago) in the first 3 months and it's not increasing any further so I wonder if it levels out eventually. I'm not taking T again until I see an improvement in my hair and even then I'd like it more closely monitored. I'll be interested to see any decrease in mood/energy after stopping.

Dx

[Dawncam]

Interesting reading Tempest. Makes a lot of sense. I'm sure, as other hormones fluctuate on this 'journey' so dies T and should therefore be monitored. I've asked for blood tests at GP but they refused as I'm don't have any symptoms of anything. Fiscal policy me thinks. My specialist has sent a letter to GP asking for blood tests so hopefully that'll shed some light on things. I think we all know when it's not right and don't really need a test to confirm it. I've certainly felt a lot of changes over the past year and am holding on tight trying to get on with my life but it's really not easy sometimes! Dx

[Annie0710]

It's all going over my head 😢 Why don't my brain take in long text ?

X

[Keepgoing]

Hi I am on tostran just under a month and I feel good as I am feeling less sleepy. I also lost a lot of hair at the beginning of the year but had falcon crest hair lol...i have noticed my hair is starting to sit better and after a couple of days is a wee bit greasy at the roots but I am happy about this as my hair was so so dry and just like straw really. Also my skin on my face is feeling better as this was horrible now it's nice and smooth xx

[Keepgoing]

Forgot to say I am on 3 pumps of estrogel and was on this about 7 months previous to getting T xx

[Tempest]

That's great news, Keepgoing! Sounds like you have a nice level of balance going on there.