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[NightNurse]

I started testosterone gel last week, following a consultation with a lovely Newson menop specialist. I was worried about how it would affect my mood/mental health but so far it seems okay. However, only one week in so early days I guess. I put it on in the morning and about an hour later I feel "gittery" for the next couple of hours. Has anyone else experienced this and does it settle? Am I using too much? I put it on the inside arch of my foot - I don't want to get hairy arms.
I was prescribed it for low libido (and half-hearted feeble orgasms!) but no change there yet. How long does it take to notice any improvement in this department?
Lastly, since starting it I'm getting intermittent low abdominal ache, a bit like a period pain but doesn't last too long. Is this the testosterone or just coincidence/random other menop thing?
Any other thoughts or advice on testosterone?
Thank you!

[karab]

Hi Nightnurse,

I started testosterone a long time ago, and I did feel unpleasantly jittery at the beginning.  It helped to start my dose lower and work up.  It felt like it took a few months for my body to adjust, then the jitteriness gradually went away.  I coped in the meantime by keeping it away from caffeine.  I worried initially when I was jittery that my dose was too high (this can happen), but when my blood levels were tested my clinician actually thought my dose was still too low.

I did also notice, if my estradiol was too low, the testosterone caused more jitteriness.  I'm not sure if this is the same for others.  If the jitteriness continues after you've been taking it for a while, it is something to consider.

I noticed effects on libido almost right away, more consistent improvement after a few months.  There is information about the benefits of testosterone over time online that suggests some benefits may be cumulative (things more like muscle and mood, not libido). 

I have never heard of putting it on your foot, although my clinician told me I could put it on the inside of my arm if I preferred.  I put it on the inside of my thighs after reading about placement.  The peach fuzz there does get a little bit fuzzier, but it is nothing gross, even after about a year of use.  I don't know the data for this, but you might get better results with different placement -- although you are obviously absorbing it if it makes you jittery.

I never had the abdominal aches.  I did have other initial side effects, more anger, hot flashes right after dosing occasionally, sleep disturbance if I applied it too late in the day.  But lots of positive effects on energy, libido, and muscle, as well as mood.

Hope it works better for you over time!

Warmly,

Kara

[NightNurse]

Thank you so much, this is super helpful 

[merrygoround]

I was turned down for testosterone, but allowed tibolone which is the triple HRT, it has the effects of taking oestrogen and testosterone while the progesterone part is well hidden in the background and not causing it's usual havoc.

So while not exactly the same, as soon as I started it I had abdominal pains and I can say they didn't improve until 4 months and if it was my first time on tibolone I'd have given up because it was so painful and preventing me from eating in any normal way.

Now it's been five and a half months and that side effect has finally settled.

It can make me feel jittery, but not as much as say utrogestan, that made me completely wired and unable to sleep as well as horrific abdominal pains.