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[Dandelion]

Hello
I am 58 and been on hrt since 2014, and this last year I have had a return of all meno symptoms but flushes. I need a fan in bed. The morning loose stool that hrt took away has come back, I have no interest in life, including sexual desire and my research has lead me to the possibility that I might be low in testosterone. I stopped swimming last year, I need a bomb up my arse and I get tired and irritable.
While I read there is ten fold the demand for testosterone, it feels like a possible missing bit in a jigsaw.
I think it would be worth getting bloods done for oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
I think that the medical community is slowly realising the importance of it, I've been listening to Drs on podcasts, videos etc, but I think the NHS is behind. I even read in a FB group, that one woman local to me was refused a blood test for testosterone.
Another lady local to me told me that we were in an amber area for it, perplexity.ai said "It can be prescribed in primary care (by GPs) but only after initiation or recommendation by a specialist." and I really don't want to wait anymore as these issues are affecting me emotionally and socially as well and have been for at least the last year.
I was wondering about finding a decent private online menopause clinic where the doctors are not behind the times with testosterone testing, but I wondered how they would check my bloods if they are not local, as I don't just want to go to my nearest one for geographical reasons even though they are cheaper, they are circle health care.
Does anyone have any advice for me including practical things like how would I find someone to test my blood, given the lady whom the NHS refused to test her blood for testosterone - thank you.

[margherita]

Dandelion you can easily get a blood test yourself for T and I would do that as a starting point to know where you are. Raondox, who have clinics all over the UK, do a female hormone blood test for £39 which includes testosterone, Free Androgen Index as well as oestradiol and SHBG.
I can't recommend a private clinic as luckily I go to an NHS meno clinic that's very amenable to prescribing  testosterone and adjusting oestrogen to individual needs.

[bombsh3ll]

I can recommend Medichecks.

I wouldn't advise trying to squeeze blood out of a pricked finger yourself, but you can get a kit from them and go to a private local phlebotomist (many pharmacies do this) or if you know someone who is trained they can do it for you.

This is a lot cheaper than a menopause clinic, you get what you want, don't pay for any extras and you are in control of the results.

[bombsh3ll]

This site has a dirty mind blocking that 😂

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

I just wanted to add that my NHS nurse practitioner  was happy to arrange a full blood test that included testosterone, I only use Sandrena gel and Utrogestan as my HRT.

I agree that these tests can be arranged privately but it may be worth approaching a GP first.


Take care ladies.

K.

Take care ladies

[Suziemc]

Hi

I have a very good GP who prescribed oestrogen and Progesterone for me a couple of years ago but she said she couldn't prescribe testosterone for me, however she did arrange for blood tests. The tests showed I was within range for testosterone, albeit at the lower end of the scale.

I paid for a 'Testosterone Only' appt at Newson, filled in a lengthy questionnaire and had a video consultation with a Dr. She was happy to prescribe testosterone for me. I then had to have a blood test 3 mths later along with a further consultation to make sure that my levels were within range.

The testosterone works well for me, I have a bit of libido back - not as much as I'd hoped but enough to make a difference. What took me by surprise was the positive impact on my 'can't be arsed-ness' When I reported this back to the Dr she laughed and said 'we call that lack of motivation'     So I get your 'need a bomb up my arse' comment!

I can't remember exact costs, think the original consultation was about £175, then its £70 per year prescription fee plus the cost of the testosterone itself. Think the blood test was £90. So it's not cheap but definitely worth it if you can afford to do it.

My GP has now said she'd consider taking on the testosterone prescription if I get a shared care letter from Newson Clinic.

Good luck in your quest to get your energy and motivation back x

Suzie

[Dandelion]

Dandelion you can easily get a blood test yourself for T and I would do that as a starting point to know where you are. Raondox, who have clinics all over the UK, do a female hormone blood test for £39 which includes testosterone, Free Androgen Index as well as oestradiol and SHBG.
I can't recommend a private clinic as luckily I go to an NHS meno clinic that's very amenable to prescribing  testosterone and adjusting oestrogen to individual needs.

Hello and thanks for your post.
I googled Raondox and it came up with Randox. I went on AI and asked about blood tests and they do finger prick tests.
Would a private practitioner accept finger prick tests or would I have to pay anyway for a proper venous blood test?
I know private is expensive, and will put a hole in my pocket but I feel so flat and demotivated, I feel I can't be bothered going to the NHS telling them my sex drive is low and my (non-existent) relationship is suffering as a women from another meno group advised me to lie to the nhs as apparently they only prescribe to women who have significant psychological distress due to low sex drive according to Louise Newson.
Louise Newson thinks that is unethical and I agree, to let women suffer and I cannot be arsed waiting for months on end as I have already waited well over a year, in fact O and P never fully sorted my symptoms, so I don't mind the financial loss and having to make it up again, as I think it will be worth it.I think I went into denial about needing testosterone and ignored people's posts on here about it, as I had to jump through hoops to get O and P.
No wonder Dr Newson is being discredited, a YouTube vid of hers I watched called "Testosterone | Dr Louise Newson" she might as well have been talking to me. I won't post the link in case it's against the rules here.

[Dandelion]

I can recommend Medichecks.

I wouldn't advise trying to squeeze blood out of a ****ed finger yourself, but you can get a kit from them and go to a private local phlebotomist (many pharmacies do this) or if you know someone who is trained they can do it for you.

This is a lot cheaper than a menopause clinic, you get what you want, don't pay for any extras and you are in control of the results.

Hello and thank you for your post.
I went on my menopause centre's website, and they use medichecks.
I'd need a car to get to my local medichecks clinic.
I won't bother with finger prick tests.
I don't know any trained phlebotomists.
Maybe I should call in boots to ask there, they can be quite helpful.
I just had a quick look on the AI chatbot for local phlebotomists near me but they are all a car journey away and I have no transport.
Now it's just finding an online private prescriber, there's so many.

[Dandelion]

Hello ladies.

I just wanted to add that my NHS nurse practitioner  was happy to arrange a full blood test that included testosterone, I only use Sandrena gel and Utrogestan as my HRT.

I agree that these tests can be arranged privately but it may be worth approaching a GP first.


Take care ladies.

K.

Take care ladies

Hello. Thank you for your post.
I will fill out an online triage form for a testosterone blood test, as that is how you book appointments and I suspect they will want a GP appointment.
I just hope they don't want to refer me to an NHS specialist for the tests as that would take months, and I have ran out of steam, I can't be arsed doing anything and now that I know it may be low testosterone I don't feel guilty anymore for being lazy but I can't be arsed feeling like this any longer than I have to.

[Dandelion]

Hi

I have a very good GP who prescribed oestrogen and Progesterone for me a couple of years ago but she said she couldn't prescribe testosterone for me, however she did arrange for blood tests. The tests showed I was within range for testosterone, albeit at the lower end of the scale.

I paid for a 'Testosterone Only' appt at Newson, filled in a lengthy questionnaire and had a video consultation with a Dr. She was happy to prescribe testosterone for me. I then had to have a blood test 3 mths later along with a further consultation to make sure that my levels were within range.

The testosterone works well for me, I have a bit of libido back - not as much as I'd hoped but enough to make a difference. What took me by surprise was the positive impact on my 'can't be arsed-ness' When I reported this back to the Dr she laughed and said 'we call that lack of motivation'     So I get your 'need a bomb up my arse' comment!

I can't remember exact costs, think the original consultation was about £175, then its £70 per year prescription fee plus the cost of the testosterone itself. Think the blood test was £90. So it's not cheap but definitely worth it if you can afford to do it.

My GP has now said she'd consider taking on the testosterone prescription if I get a shared care letter from Newson Clinic.

Good luck in your quest to get your energy and motivation back x

Suzie

Hello. Thank you for your post.
The 'can't be arsed-ness' is why I want testing for testosterone.
Dr Newson mentions in her YouTube video CBA "Can't be arsed" I don't want to fritter away my life not being able to be arsed or pretending to be interested in life.
I am hoping, if I need, to get a testosterone prescription if I need it on the NHS.
I don't know whether you saw this Newson video Testosterone | Dr Louise Newson, it made me feel sad that women have been let down for decades and are still being let down, but she might as well have been speaking to me and I got a load of free education watching it.
No wonder she was discredited, the system does not want well women, it likes the drama and Big Pharma makes a killing out of drugs for all of the diseases and disabilities caused by meno.

[Seasidegirl]

If you look at the NHS Formulary for your area you can see if testosterone is able to be prescribed in your area.

I got my HRT privately from Newson Clinic initially, my GP then took on the oestrogen and progesterone. 

My GP agreed to test for testosterone in the summer but then said that my 0.8 result was in range so no need for Testosterone.  I took that result to Newson Clinic at my review and they feel that it was low , LN gave a figure in her Insta Testosterone Q&A at the weekend for what may be low for each of us, I can't remember if she said 1 or a higher figure.   

The Clinic prescribed testosterone and a different GP (same practice) has agreed to prescribe it going forward.   Newson issue a full Clinic letter which gives comfort to GP' prescribing off licence as they would be for testosterone

The only basis for NHS prescribing of testosterone is for low libido, so that does need to be the reason you put forward to your GP.

My approach would be to ask your GP for a blood test for testosterone levels.   You don't need to have the discussion about whether they will prescribe at that time,  your aim is to get the blood test.

Then see what the result says.   If your GP refuses to prescribe, you've got the blood test to take to a private provider or Superdrug

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

I have just checked the results of my testosterone blood test that was done by my GP surgery in February of this year.

The normal range for women is given a 0.0 - 1.8 nmol/L.  My levels were 0.5 so I was in the normal range. I am very post meno and I don't use any testosterone products.
 I would say that I am reasonably well motivated and not experiencing the lethargy that some ladies report.

I hope this is of some help and wishing you all well.

K.
 

[joziel]

I think one thing to check first is whether you need more estrogen. If you find that you were doing fine before, then you get older and into post-menopause and suddenly things are not good again, to me that would suggest your own ovaries have stopped producing estrogen and supplementing what you were getting from HRT before. And you may need more estrogen.

You say you are 'on HRT" but not what dose. If you are not on the max licensed dose (4 pumps of gel or 100mcg patch) then it is probably much easier (whilst you continue to sort out testosterone) to try increasing your E up to that.

If you need more E than that, you can also talk with the private menopause clinic about that as well. (They can prescribe above the max licensed dose.)

As for blood draws, I'm with Newson and they want venous draws and won't accept finger prick tests anymore. There are various ways you can get venous draws. One way is to find an aesthetics clinic nearby using google maps and then check out their services. These are the places which do fillers and botox etc, they often offer blood draws as well for about £30. You do have to deal with being treated by someone with a face full of filler which isn't my preference when it comes to feeling at home somewhere    But I've used 2 different aesthetics clinics for this now.

You can also see if there are any retired nurses nearby. I found someone who is a retired nurse who now runs an ear syringing business - for people to get their ears cleaned of ear wax. I emailed to ask her and she said that yes, she could take my blood - but it would be free of charge because she's not insured for this service and I'd have to sign a disclaimer. But she's worked in the NHS all her life and taking blood is routine for her. So she's taken my blood - for free - several times now. I try not to use her every time because she's free and I don't want to take advantage!

Then there are the services which offer their own blood draws when you buy the blood packs. Some of those you have to go to their clinics for (Randox) but I don't have any near me. Others (Lola) will send a phlebotomist to your house to take it for just £20. I'm about to try this next week so can update....  They need about 4 days notice and I am trying to coordinate it with the first few days of my cycle, so it's a bit tricky.

[Dandelion]

If you look at the NHS Formulary for your area you can see if testosterone is able to be prescribed in your area.

I got my HRT privately from Newson Clinic initially, my GP then took on the oestrogen and progesterone. 

My GP agreed to test for testosterone in the summer but then said that my 0.8 result was in range so no need for Testosterone.  I took that result to Newson Clinic at my review and they feel that it was low , LN gave a figure in her Insta Testosterone Q&A at the weekend for what may be low for each of us, I can't remember if she said 1 or a higher figure.   

The Clinic prescribed testosterone and a different GP (same practice) has agreed to prescribe it going forward.   Newson issue a full Clinic letter which gives comfort to GP' prescribing off licence as they would be for testosterone

The only basis for NHS prescribing of testosterone is for low libido, so that does need to be the reason you put forward to your GP.

My approach would be to ask your GP for a blood test for testosterone levels.   You don't need to have the discussion about whether they will prescribe at that time,  your aim is to get the blood test.

Then see what the result says.   If your GP refuses to prescribe, you've got the blood test to take to a private provider or Superdrug

Hello and thanks for your helpful post.

I did try to fill out a triage online form this morning which is what our surgery requires you to do if you need to see a medic. I must not have submitted the form properly as no one got back to me, I have done this before, I must have a difficulty with the online form so I will try again. I think I will need to see a GP first before they agree to a blood test for testosterone, so I will just saw low libido has been ruining my normally good relationship, which is causing psychological distress.
I tried to check my local formulary and could not find out, even with the help of AI chatbot.
Someone on a FB group said our area is Amber for testosterone, but I don't know what that means.

[Dandelion]

Hello again ladies.

I have just checked the results of my testosterone blood test that was done by my GP surgery in February of this year.

The normal range for women is given a 0.0 - 1.8 nmol/L.  My levels were 0.5 so I was in the normal range. I am very post meno and I don't use any testosterone products.
 I would say that I am reasonably well motivated and not experiencing the lethargy that some ladies report.

I hope this is of some help and wishing you all well.

K.

Thank you for your post.