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[Bobidy]

Jeez! I've just had an ear bending from the senior pathologist at my local Nhs hospital about how pointless the testosterone SHBG Blood Test is for women and a waste of public money, after I've just chased up my recent test results.

So I now have no way of getting these tests done on the NHS despite being a sodding tax payer for nearly 30 years. It makes me so cross that I now have to pay for yet something else privately plus the Androfemme.

Wading through treacle.

Rant over x

[Ladybt28]

I have to say Bobidy, that I have never ever had any blood tests for any of the hormones done on the NHS.  I never had any as follow up after my prescriptions 2 years ago and I only had FSH test done when I was 45 and they thought I was in peri.  I know there are ladies whose surgeries and consultants will do them and I personally think they should be done but I have never had any even when I have asked.  I don't know what to say x

[Bobidy]

Thank you. Yes he was wanging on about what a total waste of everyone's time and money it was, and obviously if your voice changed or you grew facial hair then it would be a good idea to reduce the dose or stop taking it. So basically reactive not proactive yet again. X

[Ladybt28]

Personally I just think they are all plain thick Bobidy! and you mention a "he" so that makes it predictable!  Balancing hormones is a complicated thing and if we can get tests done most of us are trying to do it without a base line in the first place.  God.. I wish sometimes I could extract all their testosterone and any other hormone required for men to live and see how quickly research and views around homones changes!

I ask for blood tests and a womb scan after 18 months of being on gel, utro and testosterone as I had had no follow up whatsoever and they told me "no -not necessary - have you got any bleeding?  If not - you don't need them!"

[Hurdity]

This is terrible. I agree that mostly tests are not needed for progesterone ( in HRT - only needed re pregnancy and ovulation), and oestrogen ( except in certain special cases) but it is VERY important to test for testosterone levels if you are replacing it not least because we are mostly using products produced for men or in the case of Androfeme - maybe not long term data. The gynae I saw said it can take 4 -5 months for the beneficial effects of T to become fully apparent so I imagine some of those side effects could take longer eg lowered voice and excess facial hair. I would want to know my levels were above the range for women well before that.

I really think it's important for docs who prescribe T to test T levels following its prescription - at least for the first few months/year because this is is not our dominant hormone and it could be easy to give too much. The BMS is not so emphatic but personally I would push for it... I've had it done twice on NHS along with SHBG by my elightened gynae specialist GP....

This is what the BMS info says:
https://thebms.org.uk/publications/tools-for-clinicians/testosterone-replacement-in-menopause/

"7 Testosterone assays – interpretation of results

Although it is not mandatory to perform testosterone level estimation prior to or for monitoring treatment, it can be useful. A low FAI < 1.0% in women with symptoms of low sexual desire and arousal, supports the use of testosterone supplementation. Repeat estimation at the 2-3 month follow up visit can be performed to demonstrate if there has been an increase in levels, though clinical response is of paramount importance. It is also useful to demonstrate that values are being maintained within the female physiological range, typically < 5%, thus making androgenic side effects less likely."

Hurdity x

[Bobidy]

Thanks everyone. I'm so sick of the uphill peri struggle with everybody I've come into contact with on the NHS! It's madness. 3 useless female gps who were unable to diagnose peri for over 3 years and now the flaming blood tests. Surely if the gp has agreed to do the blood test the hospital should flipping well just get on with it without question. It makes no sense to me at all. I've been seeing a locum male gp who has been fantastic with giving me more estrogel on repeat prescription (2months worth rather than 1), then prescribing Vagifem and Ovestin on repeat no problem and then letting me have the testosterone, SHBG and oestrogen blood tests done via NHS. He leaves next week so goodness knows what will happen now!

I see Dr Newson next week (3 hours away) where I pay for consultation, Androfemme, and now these blood tests again. She is amazing and I'm so lucky to have her but it gets really expensive. She really wants to eventually hand patients back to their NHS gp, but this is impossible for me.

Grrrrr!!

[Turkish delight]

Hia girls,

I too haven't had any hormone tests done. Been on hrt for a year next month. The gynae who prescribed my regime basically just gave me what I asked for but did say that hormone testing wasn't something I needed as it doesn't work...meh!

I would have thought that bcz I have unusual circumstances being that my mum died age 50 of BC, and I only recently found out she had had a hysterectomy. Also, my aunt who I never met died od ovarian cancer age 35. One would think I wouldn't be left to self destruct like a ticking time bomb and would have had some hormone levels checked. But no, I'm not monitored at all, not once. I'm fighting the fight inch by inch, and my next goal is to get a referral to a meno clinic. The trouble with me finding my own way is that I'm not a trained professional, so I'm stabbing in the dark.

I have completed my last task of getting a referral for a US scan and transvaginal one. Soz I digress, back to the topic at hand. My testogel started to work on the 5th month of taking it. But I had to stop all hrt cold turkey at that point for a month, and even though it's been 4 months back on testogel i haven't had any positive effects return yet...boohoo! I can see this testo test will be next on my hit list to fight for or don't I need it if I'm not getting any benefits from it atm.

TD

[Ladybt28]

I was under the meno clinic as well Turkish and they wouldn't do the tests either!  Don't give the fact that you are not a trained professional a second thought I often think that we are streets ahead of some of them we encounter by just being on this forum!

Regarding any positive effects...sometimes these things take ages to come back and if it was working before you stopped I can't see why it won't work again unless something else alongside it? You are on month 4 ...months 5 and 6 aren't too far away...just keep going for the time being.

[Turkish delight]

Awww, thanks Ladybt for your kind words, you made my day 

Nothing else alongside it has changed no. I resumed all three hormones again so fingers(not legs..wink)crossed testogel comes through for me again.

TD