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[pepperminty]

Hi Ladies,

I have just got back my hormone blood tests results. I do this myself yearly for my own curiosity and symptom control.

Anyway my SHBG has gone down from 183 nmol/L last year to 180 nmol/L - in 2019 it was above the range , so my free T could not be calculated.

My testosterone has nose dived from 1,42 nmol/L in 2021 to 1 nmol/L - sharp drop on the graph they have ,so you can see your readings clearly.

My free T was 0.007 in 2021 and now it is 0.005 - so a slow decline.

My estrogen remains fairly constant around the 326 mark every year for the last 4 years .

We all know that with in range means diddley squat - and does not refer to optimal etc.

So my query is should I have a go now at testosterone supplementation?

The only really new symptoms i have are very dry eyes - which to my surprise can be testosterone related!

And lack of libido , brain fog has increased and so has tiredness after exercise.

Any comments and advice would be welcome.

I must look up old testosterone posts too!

Many thanks

Peppermintyxx

[Gnatty]

 I would give a resounding yes to that question! All three of those symptoms, lack of libido, energy and brain fog can all be greatly helped by testosterone. Looks like you need a decent amount x

[pepperminty]

Hi Gnatty,

thank you for your reply. The range on medichecks  for total  testosterone ( not the free T) is between 1.42 and 0.101 and  I am within range.
In November 2021 I was a the top of the range.

I am not sure about ranges, I shall look at previous posts - I seem to remember some ladies being a 3 and not having any side effects.

I am assuming that although my dose of estrogen in my  HRT is on the low to medium scale, the amount in my body is high enough .

PMXX

[VictoryV]

Hi Pepperminty,
Totally agree with Gnatty!
I wasn’t aware that T affected eyes either, I haven’t worn contacts since September’s prescription and I don’t struggle with reading, driving etc.

[Louise2010]

Agree with ladies on the T - it’s helped me on those issues and recently had dry eyes when stopping testosterone. I’m now back on it again and for the most part (touch wood) feeling good. Xx

[pepperminty]

Hi Pepperminty,
Totally agree with Gnatty!
I wasn’t aware that T affected eyes either, I haven’t worn contacts since September’s prescription and I don’t struggle with reading, driving etc.

Hi VictoriaV ,

so taking T has helped your eyesight- WOW. Are you feeling any benefits - energy, less brain fog, and also apparently it is good for the nether regions.

PMX

[pepperminty]

Agree with ladies on the T - it’s helped me on those issues and recently had dry eyes when stopping testosterone. I’m now back on it again and for the most part (touch wood) feeling good. Xx

Loiuse2010,

So T helped your eyes too! I learn something new every day and only thought to look it up after I got my results back and saw the drop.
I think if I start , i will build up slowly maybe twice a week and increase after a while. I read when we are younger we produce more testosterone than estrogen !

PMXX

[Catcc]

Hi
Testosterone is extremely important for eyes.  Our meibomian glands have testosterone and estrogen receptors.  There is research into the use of testosterone drops for dry eyes and in the US some people already use testosterone cream on eyelids. 

I've been struggling with extreme dry eyes
since Meno.  My eye specialist is hoping that balancing my hormones will be the answer.  I'm still work in progress.  I'm taking testosterone and estrogen.  Just been told to increase both.

Unfortunately our eyes are complicated when it comes to hormones.  Have a look for the DEWS report online.  There's a whole section on dry eye and hormones.  All the eye doctors I've seen say that hormones are important re dry eyes but there hasn't been much research done into it so it's a bit of an unknown quantity.   What they do know is that too little testosterone can cause dry eyes, but so can too much!

By the way, I was told (at Meno clinic) that my testosterone before using androfeme was low: SHBG over 150, T  0.55, FAI 0.35

Hope this helps x

[pepperminty]

Hi
Testosterone is extremely important for eyes.  Our meibomian glands have testosterone and estrogen receptors.  There is research into the use of testosterone drops for dry eyes and in the US some people already use testosterone cream on eyelids. 

I've been struggling with extreme dry eyes
since Meno.  My eye specialist is hoping that balancing my hormones will be the answer.  I'm still work in progress.  I'm taking testosterone and estrogen.  Just been told to increase both.

Unfortunately our eyes are complicated when it comes to hormones.  Have a look for the DEWS report online.  There's a whole section on dry eye and hormones.  All the eye doctors I've seen say that hormones are important re dry eyes but there hasn't been much research done into it so it's a bit of an unknown quantity.   What they do know is that too little testosterone can cause dry eyes, but so can too much!

By the way, I was told (at Meno clinic) that my testosterone before using androfeme was low: SHBG over 150, T  0.55, FAI 0.35

Hope this helps x

Hi Catcc,

thank you so much for replying .
I suspect that my recent dry eyes are T related. I have had dry eyes- but they never really bothered me before . I will read up on the report thanks .
My Free T is 0.005 , so I guess that is very low too.
I am not sure as to what the levels are that are recommended for females. I am sure they have been posted somewhere here.
They need to do more research full stop into hormones etc - but there is probably not enough profit in it for them!
Lack of vitamin A can cause dry eye too and dry skin.

I hope your eyes feel better soon! x

PMXX

[sweettooth]

Hi pm my SHBG was on high side bit my FAI like yours on the floor so I wud say go for it and hope it helps you a lot!!

[sweettooth]

Pm can I ask what Estrogen you are on please?

[pepperminty]

Pm can I ask what Estrogen you are on please?

Hi, I am on Femosten 1/10 with half a tablet of Zumenon ( the same type estrogen in Femosten) every other day.
 I have tried going to 2/10  several times but it made me feel awful emotionally. I haven't tried trans dermal yet and with the shortages at the moment , and the fear of upsetting the apple cart  I wont be for a while. I am mid fifties and have decided to wait a while as the risks of tablet are low and only increase marginally after 60, and then it is lower than being over weight and alcohol.

Apparently, protien, fish oils, magnesium and  vit D lower SHBG . My SHBG was off the charts , but is lower than it was and funnily enough I have been taking magnesium daily for a while. I am going to up my dose, as I only take a small one and re test at the end of the year. Also I will up my protein.
I do know that the majority of the population is deficient of magnesium and it is essential for good health.
Also it is important to avoid magnesium oxide .

As we get older it is so important to look after our health as we live longer.

PMXX

[Mogster71]

Thank you for posting this Pepperminty
I have asked for Testosterone several times but was told it would only be prescribed once they got me settled onto an HRT regime (of course that is an ever changing target so I never quite make it there!)

I suffer from the most terrible dry eye syndrome, I had no idea it was related to this but I've pretty much given up on contact lenses which I dearly miss. My eyeballs feel like they've been sandblasted most times I wear them!

I know you say you do these tests for yourself once a year but my GP won't routinely take bloods, can I ask how you go about getting the bloods done? Is it simply a case of using a private clinic? What do you ask for please, a full hormone panel?

Thanks so much in advance xx

[pepperminty]

Thank you for posting this Pepperminty
I have asked for Testosterone several times but was told it would only be prescribed once they got me settled onto an HRT regime (of course that is an ever changing target so I never quite make it there!)

I suffer from the most terrible dry eye syndrome, I had no idea it was related to this but I've pretty much given up on contact lenses which I dearly miss. My eyeballs feel like they've been sandblasted most times I wear them!

I know you say you do these tests for yourself once a year but my GP won't routinely take bloods, can I ask how you go about getting the bloods done? Is it simply a case of using a private clinic? What do you ask for please, a full hormone panel?

Thanks so much in advance xx

Hi,

I use medichecks,
and wait until they have a special offer. They have numerous tests and I would advise if you can afford it to have a sample taken by a nurse that comes to your home through them or go to one of the nearest partner clinics. Then it is sent off in the post and they send results on line. I would look at your estrogen too as it can show if you are not absorbing well . Although levels differ for us all. But if you were 50 say on estrogen you know you are very low etc. Are you still having issues ?
They have lists of tests and there is a T estrogen and freeT  one.

All this is a complete tadoo isn't it! I am just glad I found out about my levels. I am upping my protein and magnesium as this should help also. No wonder I am knackered most of the time and have little energy.

I hope it works for your eyes! If you decide to use it.

PMXX

[VictoryV]

Hi Pepperminty,
I agree, it’s a right tadoo!
Testosterone helped me very quickly with brain fog, forgetting words mid-sentence etc, I haven’t had it since I started.
As daft as this sounds I was aware of testosterone helping neutered dog’s with dry eye but I didn’t ever think about it helping us. I found out that my eyesight had improved only by going to remove my contact’s at bedtime when I hadn’t actually put them in that morning!

Nether regions - I don’t feel like ravaging the postman but I do have a libido again.

I still haven’t had blood tests as I’m peri, unless I show signs of looking (or sounding!) like Popeye I won’t stop taking T!

I haven’t had any negative symptoms like irritability etc.

Good luck with it.xx