Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: moonbeam121167 on July 22, 2016, 08:46:27 PM
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Evening Ladies
I have been given Testosterone to try by the hospital and was wondering were is the best place to put it and I am going abroad next week and will be swimming alot can I still use it :)
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Great news moonbeam - hope it works!
I apply it in the morning. I would wait for a while before swimming - not sure how long. Maybe you could apply in the evening - after all any transfer to partner would not be a worry if partner is male? You would need to wait for it to dry though.
I was told to apply to alternate inner thigh but you do get hair growth - well I do anyway. I try to rotate the place up and down the thigh. Sometimes on the tummy instead. Not too close to the vag area though....
How much do you have to use? Presumably you've been given testogel or testim which are the same strength?
Good luck and don't expect it to work overnight! I was told 4-5 months by Annie Evans ( slow and steady changes)!!! Enjoy your hols :)
Hurdity x
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Hello
I apply Testim to my shoulder, alternating right and left. But very early days for me as only been using it a couple of weeks ...... a bit worried about hair growth ....... nurse did say they suggest shoulder as there are less hair follicles there. As far as I recall from the leaflet with the Testim it says it takes several hours to fully absorb so probably best to apply in the evening or just before bed.
Good luck and happy holiday.
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Hi
I have TestoGel and not sure how much to use or were to put it, on the packet it says I need to apply it once a day and 1 sachet should last a week but on the leaflet that comes in with it it says it should empty the entire contents and applied immediately on the skin avoiding the gential areas, only on the arms shoulders and stomach, just dont know what to do, please help :)
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Hi moonbeam - who prescribed it for you? I think these are the directions you are referring to https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/12391 and it seems that this is directed at men. It is not licensed in this country, as far as I am aware, for use in women so the directions on the packet should be the ones you follow not the leaflet inside.
Taz x
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Taz - the consultant in the meno clinic prescribed it to me, on the box (the white label the one the pharmacist puts on says to apply once a day and 1 sachet to last a week) but it doesnt say were to put it, shall I put it on my inner thighs or shoulders and arms and in morning or night, but Monday I am going away on my holidays and will be doing alot of swimming so I thought maybe evening will be best just for my holidays.
:) :)
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Is there any help here from your other thread http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,32618.msg521217.html#msg521217
Taz x
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moonbeam I explained in my reply below. Please read. I use Testogel.
As Taz says it is not licensed for women so completely ignore the leaflet and do what your consultant advised. I would start with a pea sized blob for a couple of months and see how you get on. The sachet may last a bit longer than a week in this case. Increase it so the tube lasts a week if you need to later - better to build up slowly.
I am surprised your consultant didn't tell you where to apply it - but I told you what mine said below.
redgingham - I am also surprised your nurse said apply to shoulder. The only testosterone product that was licensed for women (discontinued) was Intrinsa patch which said to apply to lower abdomen below the waist. Testosterone is transported readily through the skin (from what I read) so I would defo not apply it to the upper arm/shoulder at all. I wouldn't want it anywhere near my breasts. There is insufficient research into the detailed effects on women in this regard. Better to have a bit of hair growth - easily removed - than other possible problems.
Hurdity x
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I found this article the other day which does say that for men the shoulder is the right place but Nick Panay suggests the abdomen in women. http://writehealth.co.uk/hrt-testim-testosterone-gel-women/ Scroll to "my experience of using.."
Taz x
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I put it on abdomen as recommended by Studd. I have used shoulder and gave me awful acne there 😳😳
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Interesting ...... I put it on shoulder as also recommended by Studd!
Thanks for article Taz, I will have a read when I have a moment.
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He did recommend it there for me I just reacted!x
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I apply it on alternate inner forearms
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Hi ladies thanks for all your advice, I may try it on my stomach, I am only using a petit pois size at the moment and go from there. :)
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Hi ladies been on the testosterone now for a month an my husband has said I have become very moody, he also said I dont stop going on about sex, not bothered about the sex bit but the moody miserable bit I am is it a normal side effect, anyone have any views on this please xx
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I haven't noticed feeling moody - but then I'm not a moody type ;D. If you are only using a pea-sized blob I doubt it would affect you like this especially as you are taking a high dose of oestrogen (I presume you are still). I suppose theoretically one could become more aggressive with high doses but the amount women use is miniscule and should only be restoring what you are lacking. Dr Annie Evans said it can take 4-5 months to fully take effect so I would hang in there. I did notice a beneficial effect on sexual response fairly early on though ::).
Hurdity x
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I was told to apply it on inner thighs or abdomen or pubic hair area and morning or evening, whichever was more convenient. I used it for 3 months and dint get ant hair growth. Sadly no obvious change in libido, but def felt more argumentative. Looking for a fight with OH at any opportunity :) I have been taken off it for now as my oestrogen levels apparently too low. Have had dosage increased with restart on testim gel in 8 weeks time.
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Hi Rose B - I'm interested in what you say about oestrogen levels and testosterone. Do you have more info?
It was my own feeling that since oestrogen levels decline more quickly relative to testosterone after menopause, then if oestrogen levels were quite low (from HRT) adding testosterone might lead to a bit of an imbalance and perhaps more androgenic side effects - and less of a beneficial effect on the heart (which you get from oestrogen). I have noticed that women are recommended varying doses of T and I wonder how much our oestrogen levels - or at least the dosage - is taken into account. I have no idea what my oestrogen levels are but they were 200 + when last measured which is fine - but since adding a pea-sized blob of T I wondered if I should increase my oestrogen dose (which I have by 12.5 mcg through judicious snipping) but I am loath to do too much as I'm 63 and probably not wise to go too high at this point. I've never had my T levels measured but of course I know it's working because of the decrease in muscle pain after exercise, and increase in sexual response. In fact I've never had anything prescribe on the basis of hormone levels and mostly this isn't done except under particular circumstances of individual women.
Hurdity x
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Hi Hurdity
Sorry for slow response. My info on oestrogen and testosterone is just what my consultant told me. I did google it at the time and found relevant info, which I now can't find, of course!!
Have found this though, which I think is interesting;
https://www.menopause.org.au/images/stories/infosheets/docs/AMS_Sexual_difficulties_in_the_menopause_2016.pdf
Based on personal experience, reckon my consultant is right since, 6 weeks into increased dosage of oestrogen, I am starting to feel more interested in sex with some improvement in response :) Fingers crossed it will last. I am to have oestradiol retested in 2 weeks time, then restart the testim gel with consultant review at beg Dec. Maybe I'll be all sorted in time for Xmas!!
Re hormone levels - I have also been told that hormone levels are only usually tested if there is some doubt about whether the HRT is being effective.
Re high dosage - I am 58 and have been told by endocrinologist who specialises in cardiovascular and HRT, that the risk of high dosage (i.e.200mcg+) is only to women starting on this dose in their late sixties/ early seventies. I think this relates to heart risk and am aware that there has been recent research highlighting increased risk of breast cancer. I think if it was me, if its working I'd be loathe to change anything.
I think I have been lucky in having better access to information from well informed professionals than most women do, because I started HRT via a clinical trial.
Rose B x
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Thanks for that Rose B - very interesting and a different approach in Australia including a specific formulation for women. I do wonder though if the levels of oestrogen required to stimulate libido and sexual response would be too high to sustain permanently ( they are very high around ovulation only) - hence the use of testosterone. There is also the independent effect of lack of T on muscle function and tiredness/energy etc which was not discussed.
Clearly a lot more research is needed on this important hormone in women but sadly I doubt whether it would be carried out. I wonder how many of the conditions that many women from middle age onwards are diagnosed with - fibromyalgia, ME, CFS etc are actually partly due to Testosterone decline, and possibly also oestrogen deficiency (in addition to underactive thyroid which is well documented). It is criminal that in the 21st century so many women are condemned to years of pain and misery due to lack of information and full hormonal testing and monitoring.
I digress....!
Hurdity x