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[Mintea]

My menopause specialist has suggested I try Tostran gel to help with ongoing tiredness and low libido.  She has prescribed 1 squirt on outer thigh alternate days. I need a blood test before starting and then a review in 3 months and another blood test. I'm also on Evorel conti. I'm interested in hearing others experiences of this if anyone would like to share?

[sheila99]

Yes, that's what I'm on. It's improved both as well as muscle tone (I was pulling muscles frequently) and lethargy. You may find the application site gets hairy, I put it on the sole of my foot now because of it and it seems to work just as well there.

[Mintea]

Did you have a blood test before you started it?

[sheila99]

No but complete absence of libido might have been a giveaway. It was prescribed by a meno clinic. No blood test at all for the first 2 years then I got a new gp who did one.

[Denise Didi]

Hi Mintea
I was put on tostran for the same and have had my levels tested. They became to high at one point, my libido was too high and I was being quite aggressive! So now on Testogel sachets which is very fidly pea size blobs. With tostran I started getting teenage acne but did help with energy levels. Took a few weeks though for it to kick in. I was putting it on my inner thighs and they have become quite hairy. Now alternate on inner knee and inner elbow.  No hair has grown in these places. Hope this helps
Didi😊

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies

I was prescribed testosterone a few months ago by  Newson Health meno clinic. The product they use is Androfeme and I was told that I needed to wait until my oestrogen levels were higher before I could use testosterone. As many of you will know the body converts testosterone into oestrogen if levels are low so the benefits of T are lost if E is low. I was also told that I need the right ratio of T to E and that is why I need blood tests.

In all honesty I haven't noticed much difference which may be due to the product.  I haven't seen any new hair growth or  acne and my muscles feel about the same. Energy is unchanged and libido is zero but I'm not concerned about that. My entire reason for trying HRT is to normalise my moods and stop them swinging about  like a barn door!

My doctor said that I would feel much better after six weeks of Androfeme at 0.5ml, I then had to point out that I had been taking that amount since the end of March and I was yet to see any benefit. Her suggestion was to increase to 0.75 ml and we would discuss at our next meeting.

I know some ladies swear by testosterone and Davina McCall called it her gamechanger but perhaps for us older women (I am 64) the impact isn't so great.

I wonder if younger ladies who are unhappy with Tostran would want to try Androfeme instead, the disadvantage being that it is only available privately.

Take care ladies.

K.

[Kelrob12]

Hello ladies

I was prescribed testosterone a few months ago by  Newson Health meno clinic. The product they use is Androfeme and I was told that I needed to wait until my oestrogen levels were higher before I could use testosterone. As many of you will know the body converts testosterone into oestrogen if levels are low so the benefits of T are lost if E is low. I was also told that I need the right ratio of T to E and that is why I need blood tests.

In all honesty I haven't noticed much difference which may be due to the product.  I haven't seen any new hair growth or  acne and my muscles feel about the same. Energy is unchanged and libido is zero but I'm not concerned about that. My entire reason for trying HRT is to normalise my moods and stop them swinging about  like a barn door!

My doctor said that I would feel much better after six weeks of Androfeme at 0.5ml, I then had to point out that I had been taking that amount since the end of March and I was yet to see any benefit. Her suggestion was to increase to 0.75 ml and we would discuss at our next meeting.

I know some ladies swear by testosterone and Davina McCall called it her gamechanger but perhaps for us older women (I am 64) the impact isn't so great.

I wonder if younger ladies who are unhappy with Tostran would want to try Androfeme instead, the disadvantage being that it is only available privately.

Take care ladies.

K.

Hi Kathleen,
I think I probably need testosterone but cant afford Louise Newson (in fact all private) costs. I did initially see them but my estrogen was low. I had tried testosterone prescribed by my gp but I think it converted to estrogen so stopped. Im not sure Id  know who when my estrogen is optimised! I've self upped my patch and was at 480 pmol and 0.5 testosterone.
Did your bloods show after the testosterone and increase in levels?
xkelly

[Kathleen]

Hello Kelly.louise.

Annoyingly I can't find the full details of my latest blood test, only an email from my doctor at Newson Health saying that my levels were good... Pity I don't feel good but there you are.

I do recall that I had to be using  at least four pumps of gel for three months before starting testosterone and I have found my Oestradiol result from a few weeks ago which was 580 pmo/L

 I will keep searching to see if I can track down my actual testosterone figure but the doctor did say that if symptoms persist I can up the dose of T so perhaps there is also some wiggle room for you as well.

Take care.

K.

[sheila99]

As a general rule of thumb if you had other meno symptoms which are now controlled and you've been on your current regime for at least 3 months then it's likely your oestrogen levels are OK. It's rare for nhs patients to have oestrogen levels tested so presumably most are prescribed testosterone when their other men symptoms are controlled. That's how it was for me anyway.

[Sooze]

I’m on Tostran and the ‘recommended’ dose is far too high for me. I have a petit pois size blob every day and to date I’ve never finished a canister. They pass the expiry date before they run out.

I’m well post meno and on Sandrena 1mg and utrogestan 100mg alternate days (vaginally). Haven’t had any blood tests except early peri as my GP and gynaecologist go on symptoms.

HTH,
S

[Mintea]

Thankyou for everyone's replys. The menopause specialist (she is a BMS accredited trainer as well for the NHS) didnt say anything about testing my oestrogen levels but just to give the Tostran a 6 month trial. I suppose you only get that sort of detailed individualised help if you pay for it unfortunately.
I've no idea what my levels are but as I'm on EC I'm unable to increase the oestrogen anyway without an increase in progesterone so perhaps if the Tostran converted to oestrogen this wouldn't be a bad thing! Although I wonder if this happened if I would need more progesterone?  I would prefer to be on the body identical hormones but as the utrogestan and gel caused extremely heavy bleeding this combination is not an option for me.

BWs
Mintea x

[Hurdity]

Hi there Mintea

It is advisable to have testosterone levels tested several months (?weeks) after T replacement to ensure that levels remain within range.

Also it is often mentioned about testosterone replacement converting to oestrogen if oestrogen levels are not optimal but I have not seen research on this (T is on the synthesis pathway to oestrrogen but it does not follow that conversion from T to O will take place). If anyone has a link to such, I would be grateful!

So your question is a good one (re potentially needing more progestogen), if that is the case - but I haven't come across this.

Good luck with your trial!

Hurdity x