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[gemspence]

Hi,
I'm new here so thank you for adding me. I'm peri, 42, still have periods and I've been on hrt for about 8 months now. I suffered from low libido for a long time before starting hrt but oddly the very little libido I did have, starting hrt completely wiped it out!
At my hrt review at private clinic in October I was told I could try testosterone and/or up my dose of hrt. I chose the latter and said I'd try testosterone if the increase in hrt didn't help.
In December my local nhs area changed the prescribing criteria, with one of the criteria being your serum testosterone had to be 1.5 and under.
When I went back to the same private clinic in Jan for a review I was told I no longer fitted the criteria for testosterone because they had decided as a clinic to follow the new NHS prescribing criteria.
In Oct '24 my serum testosterone was 1.7. After upping my patch to 100 back then and then another blood test in Jan '25 showed by serum testosterone as 1.8, FAI as 3.1. Oestrogen was 825.
Long story short, I've now managed to get a prescription of testosterone from  :)Superdrug but I'm now a bit worried about trying it!
Why are private clinics now choosing to use the nhs criteria yet other places you can still be prescribed it? The private clinic were willing to give it to me only 3 months ago so surely there's nothing 'wrong' with giving it a go for a bit?
Would just like to hear others experiences of using it, good or bad! I've been prescribed testogel.
Many thanks 🙂

[TM73!]

Hello

I have been on Testogel for around 5 months now and have noticed a slight increase in my libido. However, mine was at 0.6 and a very recent blood test showed that with the suppplements it has now increased to 1.1.  I would be careful not to view having testosterone as the big answer to low libido. As I say, mine has increased a bit, but I am certainly not leaping round the bedroom 

[gemspence]

Hello

I have been on Testogel for around 5 months now and have noticed a slight increase in my libido. However, mine was at 0.6 and a very recent blood test showed that with the suppplements it has now increased to 1.1.  I would be careful not to view having testosterone as the big answer to low libido. As I say, mine has increased a bit, but I am certainly not leaping round the bedroom 

Thanks for your honest answer! I was advised at my last review to follow Karen Guerney (? ) the sex doctor and I've listened to some of her podcasts about libido and desire and it all rings true! Just so hard to implement when you don't have much drive and are feeling generally low all the time 🙁 and exhausted from kids 😅
I'm also a bit worried about side effects as I've spent the last two years having laser treatment for facial hair so don't want to undo all the good from that! Hmm maybe I just have too many 'not sures' to make the leap to give it a try at the moment.

[sheila99]

Mine was prescribed when they went on symptoms (zero libido) and it's made a huge difference to me. I find Tostran much more effective than testogel although my blood results were over the limit on testogel but not Tostran. The test is designed for men and at the comparatively very low levels women have I'm not convinced it's all that accurate. Personally I'd try it and see if it makes any difference to you.

[bombsh3ll]

The NHS threshold is more about gatekeeping and cost minimisation than safety or optimal clinical outcomes.

Your private consultant is not limited by this framework so has more prescribing freedom.

What are you afraid of happening? The worst that can happen assuming you are taking a physiological female dose is either it doesn't work and/or you get a few pimples.

If it doesn't suit you, just stop.

[gemspence]

The NHS threshold is more about gatekeeping and cost minimisation than safety or optimal clinical outcomes.

Your private consultant is not limited by this framework so has more prescribing freedom.

What are you afraid of happening? The worst that can happen assuming you are taking a physiological female dose is either it doesn't work and/or you get a few pimples.

If it doesn't suit you, just stop.

Thank you. I guess I'm just a bit worried / concerned that my private menopause clinic have suddenly decided to follow the local nhs criteria, but only a few months ago they were happy to let me try it (should have bit their hands off at the time and not dithered!). So that makes me worry about trying it given that a private clinic won't allow me to, yet superdrug will!

I'm also mostly worried about my facial hair becoming worse again (it is 90% reduced from ongoing/regular laser but of course that's come at a cost) and the side effects of voice depending which states as irreversible!

[Epona52]

I agree with bombsh3ll,
Give it a go with small amount slowly increase if your ok with that, if not then stop, I knew when too much as got a little grouchy,
Good luck and best wishes

[bombsh3ll]

You would literally have to be on transgender doses for several months to get a deep voice.

Nothing you could get from Superdrug is going to make your balls drop in a million years 😂

Regarding facial hair, this can occur at physiological doses particularly in sensitive individuals and those with low estrogen levels.

However as with any treatment the benefits need to be weighed against the drawbacks for each individual. For some, being a ho with a mo would be a red line, others would simply embrace the physical and psychological benefits and keep their tweezers handy.

It can be reduced or stopped completely at any time should you wish.

Just for reference my free T is 2.4. I'm on DHEA.

[bombsh3ll]

PS Bristol NHS trust have the following range on their website

Reference range: Adults: Male: 6 -27 nmol/L, Female: <2.7 nmol/L,

These are values considered normal, not targets for treatment.

Note the female range has NO lower limit!