Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Padine]

My sex-drive is 0% and I so wish it was better! Surfing TV channels last week, on GPs behind closed doors, a lady asked her GP for the "Only HRT which definitely increases libido" - I asked my GP the same thing yesterday and she said not a problem, can you find out what it's called? Any ideas ladies? Thought if anyone knows, the ladies on here will!
                             Ever hopeful, thank you
                                                          Padine xx

[Yorkshire Girl]

Tibolone can help some women, didn't work for me, but then my testosterone level was none existent, otherwise the only other medication is Testosterone.

[Hurdity]

As Yorkshiregirl says it is Tibolone she will have been referring to as it's the only licensed HRT for libido - but it's for post-menopausal women only and also quite low dose in terms of the oestrogenic effect.

In terms of decreased libido - aside from low oestrogen and testosterone and post-menopausal hormone levels generally  trying to make us sexually redundant  , some medication also serve to reduce libido for some women - notably oral oestrogen, and especially the horse type (PRE- ) products and some anti-depressants.

It is about time that a testosterone formulation and product was once more manufactured and made available for women.

Hurdity x

[Tracey E]

Can you have tetesterone without the other HRT if you're post menopausal?

[Lolafraola]

Can you have tetesterone without the other HRT if you're post menopausal?

There has been quite a debate about this. I have used Testosterone without additional HRT though the medical fraternity don't advocate it. Using testosterone also has an oestrogenic effect which is why it's not recommend for use alone. I found it really helpful for all the time I used it.

[Lolafraola]

Just found this: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/oct/29/is-testosterone-really-the-answer-to-my-post-menopausal-sexual-problems

[jaycee]

I read yesterday that there are 3 kinds of testosterone women can take,2 I have never heard of
By the way,Pamela Stephenson Connelly is Billy Connellys wife,
I will try to find the report on it
Tibilone does work, for libido

[Tracey E]

Well I'll mention it at my meno app'
and see what they say..

[KiltedCupid]

A combination of good oestrogen level and a little additional testosterone. The oestrogen level had to be good first.

[Tc]

Testosterone hasnt been the answer for me. . I think possibly low E  is seen as not being as involved in sexual function in it's own right since T has been found to be implicated.for women.  But i think there may still be two players in this game.

Certainly Low E  can  affects libido indirectly by resulting in ovarian androgens converting to E, leaving  less available T to do it's own job.

So whilst my E remains low I can't say for certain that T is iquite as ineffectual.as it seems at moment.  It may be converting  and probably is going by my "free androgen" readings.  Maybe getting some more E would help libido  in it's own rightt. But lots of ladies benefit from adding T once E is replete so for me in surgical meno when 50% of androgen production is lost I will still likely need it. The hope is that with adequate E more T will be freed up and only then will I know if it is effective for me libido wise.

Just my thoughts.

[Padine]

Thanks for all the replies - MM Ladies to the rescue again  Collecting my prescription tomorrow. I'm 60 and 7 years post meno. Had my testosterone level tested at the beginning of 2019 and it was "within the acceptable levels for my age" etc... I know this will maybe not have the end result I'm hoping for but I will certainly start it positively!

                  It's all such a maze of information, the more I try to understand it the more confused I seem to become. I have got to the stage that life is getting me down (I'm an anxious worrier and could write a book about the self-help books and counselling I've had). My lady GP seems to understand and recommended the MM site to me a few years ago when I first went to her with meno problems. After having my fair share of poor GPs, I so appreciate having an understanding one! 

                                                                      Thank you Ladies!
                                                                                     Padine x

[KiltedCupid]

Good luck Padine.

[Tc]

Good luck. Hope you see some positive effects xxx

[Hurdity]

Hi Padine - Sounds great - but what have you been prescribed? Is it Tibolone or tesosterone? Whichever it is - good luck!

Tc - the whole issue about low oestrogen low T etc is very confusing and especially in relation to SHBG. I know there has been a study showing that T alone can improve sexual function without concomitant oestrogen but that's not to say it's desirable for women to do so (if their oestrogen is low). Also high oestrogen I am sure has been implicated in libido ie positive effect. The gynae I saw ) and I have also read - not sure of studies though?) said that increasing oestrogen alone can have a dramatic effect, but that if it doesn't work completely then T can be the missing link. At ovluation when we are supposed to be sexually more receptive - oestrogen spikes very high, and I think there is also a small rise in T too....so stands to reason that these conditions would promote good libido and response. However post-menopause very high oestrogen levels (ie as per ovulation) all the time would not be good!

I'm not clear about the actual feedback mechanisms in the body  - I'm not sure it has been investigated properly - in terms of the effect of T replacement at different levels of oestrogen - on SHBG and sexual function? It's a bit of a minefild isn't it?!

Hurdity x

[Tc]

Certainly is hurdity. I did notice the effects of E around ovulation. Biologically understandable. I guess. Interesting you mention high E levels post meno. I have been seriously going into some considerations about the E implant due to the fact it can give unpredictably high levels of E but that's for anotherthreadt. I have plenty of time until fitting.

It does seem there is some conflicting  info out there around T. I dont think its disputed that it halves on ovary removal. But some info I have read links falling T as purely age related and seperate from natural  menopause. But it would seem many ladies on here have low T readings around meno which would suggest to me maybe a link. Either by some conversion mechanism orr that T falls significantly around the age that just happens to be around the time meno occurs.

It seems like there is little research on the long term effects of T replacement 
Or about  why it helps some women and not others etc. More research needed.

I wonder whether the patriarchal medical profession are not interested in this issue. Im sick of reading in medical info  how sexual function is more complicated in women than in men. That it's not purely physical for us. This thinking doesnt help. This idea that we like sex for different reasons to men.

Hmmmm.... Xxx