Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: sheila99 on April 30, 2018, 05:18:53 PM
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Following the saga trying to obtain testeosterone on the NHS I am considering a private appointment. I have tried to contact Tony Mander (from the Specialists section on here) but it seems he won't give me any information at all unless I pay £120 for a consultation. So does anyone know
- does he prescribe testosterone?
- are there any blood tests he will ask for that I could get on the NHS before I go?
- can I assume a minimum of 2 appointments as will ask for tests after the first appointment?
Personally think his attitude stinks and I would rather spend my money with someone else but there don't seem to be any other options within sensible travelling distance (based South of Manchester).
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Sorry I don't know about Tony Mander but Dr Louise Newson in Solihull is brilliant. I travelled a long way to see her (which is a big deal for me) because I knew she was open to testosterone. She uses it herself. She has a very good website and is opening another clinic with with more doctors very soon in Bath. I think they might already be taking appointments but not certain about that.
Robin
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Hi sheila,
I paid tony mander £50 to see him at apollon house in tameside. He was brilliant with me and advised i needed zoladex but said £100 with him so said i will write to your gp.
Yes he does prescribe both hrt and testosterone in inplants
I can only advise he has been good with me
Mazza
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mazza, does he prescribe testosterone gel or only implants? As I haven't had it before I'd like to start with gel in case of problems, though an implant would good long term. How long ago did you see him? This website says £100 and Apollon house said £120. Did you need 2 appointments to get a prescription?
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Great news. Good luck Sheila
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Would you expect a medical professional in a private practice to give free information? Maybe keep a diary of your symptoms to take along to who you decide to seek advice from. Let us know?
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Yes, I expect some basic facts before booking an appointment. Before I pay a lot of money I expect to know if he will provide the service I want and how much it will cost. I can't think of any other service where you have to pay before you can ask if the service is suitable, or how much it will cost.
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Is this too far for you?
http://www.menopausewellbeing.com/ (Wirral ) This is one of the clinics on Dr Newson's website.
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Thanks for the suggestion Dotty. It's quite a long way but I do like the different attitude on her website.
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Hi sheila,
I seen him once at apollon house and he advised i had bad pmt. this is where i paid him and would onky accept cash £50
Then i got to see him at bmi highfield twice since then but never got charged, don't think he can charge at highfield.
Try and get your gp to get you to see him at highfield but say its gynae related not meno pause this is what he charges for
Hope that helps
Mazza
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He offered my hrt and testerone at apollon house not at highfield. I would go to him if needed though, at the moment i dont need them
I dont know whether he does gel to be honest.
Will your gp not prescibe? Would you not buy online from a good source?
Mazza
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Hi
I have seen Tony Mander a couple of time. He doesn't prescribe any medication only writes his recommendations to GP. Seems to know his stuff though!
GP would not prescribe testo gel as its not licenced for women. There is a private meno clinic at BUPA hospital in Altringham
Wx
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warwick, did your GP refuse to prescribe it after you had the advice or was this before you saw him? Perhaps I need a conversation with GP before I see a specialist.
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Sheila99 just remember that if you do go private your gp is under no obligation to follow the recommendations of your meno consultants,I've had a protracted battle with this for months,I finally got them round to our treatment plan but my meno consultant had to really push the practice too it's ridiculous,if this guy doesn't actually prescribe and only writes to gp with recommendations then I'd give him a swerve,use your money and go and see someone like Louise Newson or nick Panay.i know it's a travel but it's only once then you could ask to do telephone consults as follow ups,which I think are yearly.They will also give you any information you need freely before you make that appointment.good luck xx
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Thanks for posting this ,I am a new member in Manchester and was going to ask the same thing about a specialist in this area.
Has anyone tried Dr Julie Ayres in Leeds ?
Many thanks
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Dr Ayres does not prescribe testosterone.
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Daisydot, thanks or the warning. How far down the complaining route did you go? In my ignorance I assumed that if a consultant or specialist recommended medication a GP wouldn't be able to argue against it. I wonder if the problem is that GPs don't work for the NHS so they can't tell them what to do. I have an appointment with the GP on Fri so will ask her if she'll follow their advice.
Footballmum, if you're after testosterone there are some hospitals in the Manchester are that do prescribe it - look under my Stepping Hill post if you're interested, you may live in the right catchment area.
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Hi Sheila99 that's a reasonable assumption to make so don't doubt yourself.
If it's a nhs consultant then usually a gp will follow the recommendations but if it's a private consultant then they are under no obligation to comply regardless of their credentials.they get so arsey because you've dared to go private god knows their logic on that one. Anyway I had the backing of the private consultant who also is a nhs consultant and even then I still had to take it up with the practice manager and funnily all of a sudden I got an email from gp concerned about my finances and basically back tracking on everything she'd said to me in the office but anyway I got the result I wanted and now get my oestrogel and vagifem when requested but timiruw I'm going to go and see the nhs specialist gp referred me to back in December,I dread to think what state I'd have been in now if I'd waited and she only did that because I'd gone private and she didn't “feel†she should follow private consultant as I was 60 and shouldn't be on hrt anyway,load of crap.good idea to ask your gp before spending out.xx
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Hi,
I have been prescribed testosterone by Dr Wilkinson at Menopause Wellbeing. She has clinics in Chester and Wirral. Well worth the one hour drive there to see her. I had a follow up appointment over the phone.
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My GP is happy to prescribe testosterone if a consultant gives the okay. I'm seeing Tony Mander next week for this purpose. I have seen Julie Ayes in Leeds and she was great but she does not think that testosterone is safe.
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Hi,
I have been prescribed testosterone by Dr Wilkinson at Menopause Wellbeing. She has clinics in Chester and Wirral. Well worth the one hour drive there to see her. I had a follow up appointment over the phone.
Can I ask how long you had to wait for an appointment with Dr Wilkinson?
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SunnyG could you let me know how you get on at your appointment?
I saw my GP today & told her how long I will have to wait for the NHS meno clinic (still not got an appointment but likely to be August). She is going to speak to the consultant to ask about testosterone & may possibly prescribe it for me herself. My opinion of her has gone up! I'm seeing her again in a fortnight so will wait til then before booking a private appointment.
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Great result sheila99 very pleased for you so as you say hang fire with the private appointment your gp sounds like she's on the ball.well done xx
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She said she knew little about testosterone so thought she should find out. No-one had asked her for it before. I have respect for people who admit when they don't know and are willing to find out.
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SunnyG- I waited about 3 weeks for an appointment with Dr Wilkinson. Before we went down the testosterone route, she got my oestrogen levels sorted out first and I had my thyroid, liver function, testosterone, full blood count, etc done too, to rule out any other causes of my symptoms.
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She said she knew little about testosterone so thought she should find out. No-one had asked her for it before. I have respect for people who admit when they don't know and are willing to find out.
Yes it is refreshing. Have you tried going armed with the British Menopause Society report which recommends the use of testosterone. It may help and shows you know what you're asking for about.
I argued that it wasn't fair that my 13 Yr old could go on the pill for her terrible period pain and 90 year old men can get viagra but God forbid a 50 year old married woman still wanting sex with her partner. It did make her chuckle.
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Blakeygrey you are so right! :D
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Blakeygray, do you have a link to it? I've looked on the BMS website but haven't found it.
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Blakeygray, do you have a link to it? I've looked on the BMS website but haven't found it.
I'll have a look around as I've saved it somewhere, there's the NICE guidelines too that should help.
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Here you go
The following link is for the NICE guidelines on Menopause diagnosis and management
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/Recommendations#individualised-care (https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/Recommendations#individualised-care)
# Scroll down the page to Recommendations
# Scroll down again to section 1.4 Managing short term symptoms and section 1.4.8 actually says
'Altered sexual function
1.4.8 Consider testosterone[1] supplementation for menopausal women with low sexual desire if HRT alone is not effective.'
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How do you know if you're menopausal if you started HRT when you were perimenopausal (as I did). I wonder why NICE specify menopausal rather than peri as well?
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I haven't read the whole thread but blood tests showed (over time) that I was post menopause. I'd been on hrt for years before that for POI and hadn't had periods since my hysterectomy x
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SunnyG could you let me know how you get on at your appointment?
I saw my GP today & told her how long I will have to wait for the NHS meno clinic (still not got an appointment but likely to be August). She is going to speak to the consultant to ask about testosterone & may possibly prescribe it for me herself. My opinion of her has gone up! I'm seeing her again in a fortnight so will wait til then before booking a private appointment.
Hi, I thought Tony Mander was okay. He doesn't prescribe the testosterone gel, but I had a testosterone implant, which should last about 6 months. It didn't hurt going in, but my tummy is still a bit sore after 5 days. I went to the nurse yesterday at my GP surgery to take the stitch out and she advised leaving it in for another 4-7 days as it wasn't quite healed (Tony said 3-4 days). I think this reduces the implant coming out. I feel calmer and less anxious, although I'm off work so that could be helping. I'm still getting the exhaustion though. I really hope it works. I'm not sure I'd have it again, I'll see after 6 months. I was absolutely desperate though with the exhaustion and brain fog, so I thought it worth trying the implant.
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Thank you @Wilks
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In case anyone would like to know, the testosterone implant and consultation with Tony Mander came to £200. If anyone wants any other info on seeing him please ask.
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Hi, I saw him a couple of times. He's a nice guy. He said it was up to me if I went to HRT or stayed with the pill. i decided to give the gel he recommended a go, but it didn't work for me and I didn't feel he listened to me though when the gel wasn't working and kept telling me to perservere with it. He also pushed the mirena coil, which wasn't an direction I wanted to go as I'd had trouble with Levenorgestrel in the past. He does prescribe T, but only as an implant, which I was nervous of as I can be quite sensitive and reactive so I never had one. I'd go again if I needed to see him.
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Thanks for the update SunnyG. Did he test your testosterone levels or go on symptoms? Can it be removed if you have side effects? Did he insert it at your first appointment or did you have to go back? I'd find it easier to have an implant but a little concerned if it can't be removed as I don't know if I'll have an adverse reaction to it. Did he prescribe oestrogen/testosterone too? Does he use the oestrogen implant? Sorry for all the questions!
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Thanks for the update SunnyG. Did he test your testosterone levels or go on symptoms? Can it be removed if you have side effects? Did he insert it at your first appointment or did you have to go back? I'd find it easier to have an implant but a little concerned if it can't be removed as I don't know if I'll have an adverse reaction to it. Did he prescribe oestrogen/testosterone too? Does he use the oestrogen implant? Sorry for all the questions!
My GP tested them, so I took the results along with me, although he said it's harder to measure testosterone than oestrogen levels because it fluctuates more. I also have a lot of symptoms. I had it done there and then. I guess it could come out, but for me it's about how slow the hormonal treatments are to work, rather than worrying about side-effects. I think he might also use the estrogen implant, but I'm happy with the gel, so didn't ask :)
Don't worry about asking questions, happy to help. Please let me know if you have any more.
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I have given up waiting for the NHS meno specialist and booked as appointment with him on Thursday.
Have you seen any improvement with the exhaustion SunnyG? My main symptoms are fatigue & muscle weakness. Oestrogen sorted out my anxiety.