Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Annie0710 on September 21, 2016, 01:25:52 PM
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I got my testosterone level = 0.9 mnol
Really gutted as I honestly expected it to be lower given my symptoms..... No libido, muscle weakness, low mood, hair loss, anxiety, no energy (I 'crash' energy wise most days) low feeling of well being , all the exact opposite of how I used to be. Oestrogen has been consistently good since my 30s with the help of hrt
The range is 0.00-1.8 mnol
I'm away on holiday right now but don't know which way to turn , is it likely the NHS will help given my results despite me having the symptoms? I'm presuming my natural levels pre meno were pretty much higher given how I used to feel
To the ladies already on T therapy what were your levels and how easy was it for the dr to help ?
Annie x
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Hi Annie
I have just posted about testosterone too...I am feeling much the same as you and have appointment with go next week after being at meno clinic...still awaiting results on bloods. I don't think my go will prescribe it and I can't afford private but I'm not ready to give in yet. I am 45 and feel like I have turned 65 in the past year. I wish you luck on this one as maybe there is hope...I really think this should be included in the hrt regime xx
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That's the problem with ranges , who is to say that your ideal range is not 1.8 because if it is its half that.
Mine is 0.7 and from what I have heard of other Nick Panay patients he will consider that low.
So will see what he says when I see him in November.
Ranges are just that , they like us all to happily sit in the middle , and don't think out of the box regards to the left and the right of the average.
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Aw keep going I wish you luck, I'm feeling soooo deflated over this. The note next to result said "satisfactory- no further action'
I fear I will have to save up and go private or stick the bill on my credit card, I honestly can't carry on suffering like this
I hate ranges, I mean it starts at 0.00 who on earth is going to feel OK with a level of 0.00????? I ask you !
Keep in touch with how you get on will you ? 😘
Annie x
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That's the problem with ranges , who is to say that your ideal range is not 1.8 because if it is its half that.
Mine is 0.7 and from what I have heard of other Nick Panay patients he will consider that low.
So will see what he says when I see him in November.
Ranges are just that , they like us all to happily sit in the middle , and don't think out of the box regards to the left and the right of the average.
Totally agree!
OH (pre meno) always joked he struggled to keep up with me now I haven't got a saucy bone in my body,
I always had good physical stamina too and happily did manual jobs, I struggle to open bottle tops these days,
I don't want ADs, yes I have low mood but something is causing it, I've lost my ability to deal with stress too which upsets me, I was always cool, calm and collected, now I'm just a quivering wreck
Life's too short to suffer and I will sort this somehow
Thankyou for your reply
Annie x
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My last result was free testosterone 0.18 ng/L which means 0.006246 nmol/L ... My GP prescribed me oral DHEA 25mg 3x a week. I'm just waiting the 3 months trial to see how it goes.
Wow that is low!!
Why didn't they prescribe testosterone ? X
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Will do Annie. Let me know how you get on also xx
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If I'm allowed it I would prefer gel as its easier to stop if there's any unwanted side effects x
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Try not to get too hung up about testosterone gel ,I used it for well over 6 monnths it didnt make the slightest bit of difference to my aches,pains,libedo ! It doesnt always provide the answer for everyone unfortunately. Just a word of caution that's all incase you pin all your hopes on it and then if you find it difficult to obtain you might feel let down or missing out on the answer . Sorry a bit rambled but I know what I meant ! ;)
Hope you got the gist of it anyways
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Try not to get too hung up about testosterone gel ,I used it for well over 6 monnths it didnt make the slightest bit of difference to my aches,pains,libedo ! It doesnt always provide the answer for everyone unfortunately. Just a word of caution that's all incase you pin all your hopes on it and then if you find it difficult to obtain you might feel let down or missing out on the answer . Sorry a bit rambled but I know what I meant ! ;)
Hope you got the gist of it anyways
Oh Dazned thankyou for your honesty, I can't think what else all my symptoms could be, it's definitely not oestrogen as they're always good levels, all other bloods come back ok
I am desperate to feel well again, to not hurt, to feel sexy again, to have energy, I look at women much older than me and can't imagine ever getting well like them
This is so disheartening
Annie x
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When I started HRT 2.5 years ago my testosterone was 0.4. I see prof Studd who told me that level was extremely low. 3 months after starting HRT it had risen right up to 8 and I felt great! Still had a few aches and pains but my libido was so much better! Like being a teenager again! Which in turn I think lifted my mood aswell.
Since then it's gradually declined again and my mood despite upping the dose :-\
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When I started HRT 2.5 years ago my testosterone was 0.4. I see prof Studd who told me that level was extremely low. 3 months after starting HRT it had risen right up to 8 and I felt great! Still had a few aches and pains but my libido was so much better! Like being a teenager again! Which in turn I think lifted my mood aswell.
Since then it's gradually declined again and my mood despite upping the dose :-\
Thank you chi chi, gel got you to 8 or 0.8?
Did it ever take your aches and pains away ?
Annie x
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Are your vitamin D levels , ferritin and B12 all at there optimum also not on the " low" end of within range as these can all cause probes also.
Also thyroid. ?
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Are your vitamin D levels , ferritin and B12 all at there optimum also not on the " low" end of within range as these can all cause probes also.
Also thyroid. ?
Hi maryjane, I have had thyroid checked and all ok. Ferritin was 46 but I got it to 57, I took vit D all through winter and b12 I was seeing to, all bloods recently have come back ok (my ok not theirs lol)
These feelings have been on the decline ever since I first went to doc 4 years ago but has got worse the last 2 years
If it is testosterone, maybe my normal was higher than average
Annie X
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I use testogel and I have found it beneficial in regard to sex - I'm much more likely to be up for it these days! Response and more of an interest in my own enjoyment of sex if you get me?
Other benefits are hair growth and condition and smoother skin.
I was prescribed after my rectocele repair back in April - basicalky I asked for it. So I had to pay for the initial script which was £45 and I asked him to write to gp and now it's on repeat with nhs.
I realise I have been lucky but wanted to point out that if you don't ask you definitely don't get and also that you should go armed with information about it (I had pages!)
Yes it's not suitable for everyone but as with hrt in general it's something we need women to talk about it - too many women have been sexually repressed and left to lie back and think of England. What about ME?! What about MY needs?
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Thanks Nina, well here's my story ....
Ovarian failure age 32 after hystetectomy so put on oestrogen hrt, went for scan last week as GP was worried about ovarian cancer (I went in with a UTI) and sonographer couldn't find my ovaries ! She said she reckons they shrivelled up and disappeared not long after they failed . So what's given me a level of 0.9 ? Adrenals ?
It's left me soooo confused
Annie x
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It actually went up to 8.5! I know this level is really high out of range but I felt great! Sadly didn't help too much with my aches and pains but they didn't bother me as much because overall I felt better mentally.
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I think sometimes if youre generally feeling better you can comd with other niggles x
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Definitely!
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The gynae I went to see about T (since retired) said she never tested for T but went on symptoms. I have said this before but she explained that testing for T in women is difficult because the test is not sensitive enough to pick out differences at the lower end of the scale because it is the same test as for men who have much higher levels.
So I would not get hung up about these levels at all and your doc should not refuse to give you T on this basis when you are demonstrating those symptoms.
Annie0710 - if everything else has been tested - and vitamin, iron levels etc are fine, and especially your oestrogen levels too - and you have no libido, poor sexual response, and feeling tired and get muscle aches and pains especially after exercise - then testosterone deficiency could be the cause.
The doctor who thought it could be a problem and agreed to test it is already half-way there. Can't remember who you;re seeing and where you are but you need to persuade them to try you on Testosterone off licence. I agree you should not be left to suffer. Although dazned says it may not be the answer - it has to be worth a try - and you need to persist for 4-5 months. I only use a tiny amount (pea-sized blob) but it's made a huge difference to my energy levels and especially the muscle pain and fatigue after exercise. It may not necessarily improve libido but should improve response.
Btw I presume your diet is good, you are healthy weight and get plenty of exercise/fresh air - all very important to energy levels too, as well as sleep.
Hurdity x
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Thank you Hurdity, I saw you'd responded about levels today or yesterday on another thread
Yes everything else has come back acceptable levels these past few months
BMI is still healthy although I feel sad about the 10-12lb weight gain, it sits around my tummy and thighs (I've had to buy bigger sizes)
It was the well woman nurse who 'reluctantly' did the test saying the GPs had told her they do not prescribe testosterone for women as there isn't anything on licence (I did fight my corner quoting NICE guidelines etc etc), I get the impression they won't keep her long as they won't like her approach and after she speaks to them each time she then takes their reasoning
The dr who signed the result is the one who put me back on Vagifem and noted VA in my notes, when I went to see her about my UTI
It was also her who ordered the scan, which the sonographer could not find my ovaries and thinks they shrunk and disappeared after they failed
I guess that bit of fact could help me in my fight got T
X