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[Muriel]

Muriel, do you have to keep an eye on your cholesterol?

I do have cholesterol checked regularly,well once a year and it's normal.

[Muriel]

Hi ladies,

After my specialist ruled out another testo implant (I'd ruled it out myself before I went to see her anyway) and  ruled out testo patches (both due to NHS cut-backs) I was given a prescription for testogel. I have 50mg sachets and was told to use 1/4 of a sachet every day ("The size of a broad bean" were her exact words!!) 

Can't imagine being told a sachet lasts 10-14 days 

She said the gel was 'sticky' - it isn't, it's really runny.

I'm having a nightmare trying to work out what 1/4 sachet looks like so I've found an old syringe (I used it to shove olive oil in my ears for wax a year ago... don't ask, lol  ) which goes up to 10ml and I'll just fill that up then add a teeny bit more (1/4 of a 50mg sachet being 12.5mg.... however, I simply can't be THAT accurate).

I'll see how that goes....(can't be any worse than what I'm doing at the moment - getting it all over the place).

Also now on Evorel100 patches, so hoping that the gel will help balance/boost my hormones (eventually).
Early days though....

Interesting comment about cholesterol as I'm on statins (that's never been mentioned to me in regard to testo).

x

Panda, I've given up on trying to be accurate with the dose!

As I said before I'm on 1/3rd sachet a day, new sachet I probably will use slightly less and third day just slap on what ever is left! 

Gynae did say I could try 1/2 tube twice a week but I found that after the second day the early morning sweats were coming back, so a daily dose works best for me.

I assume your specialist knows you're on statins?

[Suz]

Hi ladies,

Interesting post. The doc at meno clinic told me in dec that when I go back to see ( next week) she will be discussing to include testosterone in my Hrt.

I have early meno and I am 35 and have had one of my ovaries removed when I was 15. So, I often thought that it may be a contributing factor.
Anyway, reading your posts I am worried that my gp will not prescribe it.

I definitely don't want patch or implant, but would like gel instead and started to look forward to the thought that It may improve libido, my energy and general sense of well being.
I used to have lots of hair on my legs and that ( too much info I know) but then the hair practically disappeared, may be that because testosterone levels dropped etc etc.
So I really want the gel and really afraid that gp won't prescribe. Can they do that if the hospital instructs them?

Suz x

[panda762]

Hi Suz,

I think it's a bit of a postcode lottery to be honest. In my area they won't prescribe testo implant or patches any more, so gel is the only NHS option.

I have a box of 50mg testogel sachets and am using 1/4 of a sachet per day (measuring is hit & miss).
Been 2 months now and I don't feel any better (just have a few more chin hairs  ) but will persevere as I really have no other option.

I know the implant I had previously worked.... but only after a couple of months and it only lasted 2 months before I was back to square one.

Meno specialist told me the gel will work "quickly" but that's what she said about the implant (!)

I remain hopeful that if I carry on with 1/4 sachet a day it'll eventually work (fingers crossed!!)

When my testo implant DID actually work I felt fantastic 

Fingers crossed that you get a sympathetic GP (if you don't then ask to be referred to a specialist or a different gp).

x

[Muriel]

Hi Suz, I hope you can get Testogel on the NHS, as I say my GP refuses to prescribe for me so have to pay for it.

Panda, is your 1/4 sachet delivering the same dose as your previous implant? Maybe your dose needs adjusting? Just a thought. 

[panda762]

Hi Muriel,

The implant was 100mg (I think) but was meant to last 6 months.... however, it takes time to build up the levels and then it appears to fizzle out again quite quickly (or it did in my case).

I did think about adjusting the dose but was a bit worried as I'm on 1/4 sachet now (1.25mg) which seems quite high. It's also not the easiest thing to accurately measure (have tried a syringe but got most of the gel on the outside of it!)

I'm now concerned about the cholesterol bit (after reading this thread) as testo has never been mentioned when I've had bloods done and I've now been on statins a couple of years...and my last test was a bit high so they changed me from Simvastatin to Lipitor.

It seems such a difficult balancing act....

x

[Suz]

Hi ladies, thanks for ur wishes.

I feel I need an extra boost so may be testo will do the trick. Kind of being reasonably young don't want to write off my desire entirely. At the same time bit worried about extra potential hair and acne but I guess will cross that bridge when I come to it.

I used to be extra hairy, legs like a wear wolf if not attended to, but in retrospect that was better than now: look like a plucked chicken (althoughi try and pretend that was my thorough epilady doing the trimming  ), but not that much leg hair...is a blessing, however willing to risk that too.
Funny, how when we have things we wish smg else, but when we lose those things we realise what we had!!!
Anyway, fingers crossed Tuesday is the day for the clinic...gp wants them to check the HRT as the stuff they prescribed hasn't worked and we had to change it to kliovance and I think they want me to be on a higher dose Hrt..so the worry is that they may say:u need a diff Hrt and we won't entertain testo until the other Hrt is sorted.
Anyway, time will tell...
Thank you ladies for all your support and understanding,
S x

[Suz]

Hi Muriel and Panda,

Had my meno clinic today, and couldn't believe the dr remembered me!!!

Good thing or bad thing, but she even remembered what we talked about, I was soo elated. Anyway, she was so lovely and I was totally taken by her.

Cutting a long story short she put script for my gp for continuous testogel!
Kliovance so far working out ok, and fingers crossed it will be good. She even agreed that I may need a little extra oestrogen, and she was very open to my suggestion of topping up with estro gel.
I asked her to write in detail to my Gp! Just to help her out, as she is not confident in experimenting, so after my bloodtest results she is gng to write to my gp!!!!!
Thanks ladies for your support.
Suz xx

[panda762]

Excellent news Suz

Thrilled for you  x

[Taz2]

Great news Suz

Taz 

[Hurdity]

Hey Suz that's fantastic and I wonder where this clinic is?! Is it an NHS clinic? It's a pity that treatment is so variable in different areas as I am sure I would benefit from some....
Would love to hear how it goes.
Hurdity x

[Taz2]

I think that Suz will have been prescribed it more easily because she is only 35 and she is replacing what she should naturally be making at her age?

Taz x

[sweettooth]

great news suz, have you had a hysterectomy? you definitely need replacement hormones at your age

[Muriel]

Suz, what good news for you!

Personally I think Testogel was the missing part of my HRT because so far ( fingers crossed) I've not had any serious problems  and even better, all my old problems have disappeared.

Testosterone is regularly prescribed with HRT in Europe and in the USA.

[Suz]

Thanks Ladies.

Yes, I am 35 and not had hysterectomy but only had 1 ovary since my other1 was removed at age 15.
So, I guess I managed to have 2 kids with just 1 ovary and the other 1 now prob tired. 

I am in London at Queen charlottes hospital, but she had a little tube for demo, so may be I am not the only one they prescribe to.

She prob remembers me because I was a wreck at my last apnt and then near attacked (joking of course) a receptionist who decided she wasn't going to give me an apnt as directed by dr.

Xxx