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Author Topic: Testim- how much and where do I put it?  (Read 2837 times)

Jeana1

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Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« on: February 09, 2019, 12:02:43 PM »

Hi

I have been reluctantly prescribed T from my Consultant he said my he said my readings were in range but gave it to me as I wanted to see if it would help with libido, energy levels and help my low mood, he says there is no evidence that it will help with any of this ?

I am nearly 54 and post meno, currently taking 4 pumps of Estrgel, have the Mirena (may have to Mirena removed once I am through the med taper as not sure it's helping my mod but can't make that decision yet whilst going through this withdrawal as it's playing games with my head!) and it was helping with my low mood and anxiety, I have started to taper off Diazepam which is hard and has affected my mood so can't blame the HRT as it had been working pretty well.

I assume the T will take up to 3 months if I will see any positive results, this is fine as it will take me around 2 months to taper off the Diazepam so I'm hoping the t will build up in my system over that time.

Problem is I don't know how to use it or where to put it, I know it's a small pea sized amount I should use and he said a tube should last 5-7 days.

Has anyone had good results from using T or am I wasting my time, is there any evidence it helps with my issues and please can anyone advice on how you use it.

Thank you lovely ladies.

Jeana  :)
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Ladybt28

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2019, 01:20:39 PM »

No experience of Testim Jeana but I am on Tostran and have been for a month.  I am 57 post meno and am on oestrogel 4 pumps and utrogestan on a cycle because I cant have progesterone continuously as it messes with my head.  I do a tiny pea size blob every other day on the inside of my thigh (I swop thighs and move the place around each day so it doesn't go in the same place).  I am not sure how you dose Testim but I know that for all testosterone it is a "small pea size".

I would be the same as you low mood, no libido and pretty listless.  I noticed with the first week that my foggy head was so much better and my eyeballs didn't seem to be struggling! . My brain felt sharper and I felt more "present" - its so very hard to describe but there was a definite difference for me.  My appetite for sex hasn't seemed to increase - I haven't become a raving sex maniac thinking about it all the time but at least I have thought about it once or twice which is an improvement instead of not at all! and my responses are better.

Because my brain feels a bit better I can face more stuff but I can't say it has been a huge sort of earth shattering improvement if you know what I mean but I do know I don't want to go back to not having it as any improvement at all for me is good however small.

I think the issue for all of us is we all react to these things so differently.  You can only try and see how you go.  Personally I couldnt be without my hrt ever! and in my own journey things have got better gradually.  Some ladies get dramatic reactions to stuff in the first couple of days - not me - although I have found quite a few things I couldnt take or do before I found the right regime for me.

Let us know how you get on  :)


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Jeana1

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2019, 09:38:55 AM »

Hi Ladybt28

Thank you for your reply, I will give it a go, you say Progesterone messes with your head, do you mean low mood and anxiety? I am still wondering if the Mirena is not helping with my mood, have you had a Mirena? You take Urtogestin on a cycle, do you have a leed with it? I feel like I am due on a lot of the time on the regime I am on and wonder if I'm intolerant to Progesterone, the consultant said Utrogestin would give me the PMS symptoms I used to have before meno.

Its all so complicated and I just done know if this awful anxiety and low mood will ever clear off!

It would be nice to have any feelings of wanting to have sex with my husband, its just not there anymore and he's so supportive but it's a part of a relationship that missing.

Jeana
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Ladybt28

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2019, 09:51:54 AM »

At one point I couldn't bear my husband near me, let alone touch me and it broke my heart completely but that has gone now my hormones have levelled off.  Things are back on track not as good as before meno but at least, it is back on the agenda.

I have had a mirena but I had it for contraception no for meno when I was younger.  I had to have it taken out because it messed with my head but then I have had a lot of "head messing" and my story goes back 40 years.  Turns out that I have had hormonal problems since my periods started as a teenager- its a long storey Jeana!  :)  I went back to an ordinary bog standard coil then

Some women are terribly intolerant to progesterone and cannot take it at all.  It does affect me I know and I was put on a continuous regime at one point but couldn't tolerate it continuously which is why I use it on a cycle and yes I do bleed.  It can give you PMS symptoms but I have found them manageable.   I have had to compromise - I have tried 6 types of hrt before I settled on my current regime and to be honest it is the best it has been.  It's not perfect but I do seem to be getting my life back bearing in mind I have had low mood and anxiety my whole life.  It was beyond ridiculous before I got this right and the back history is I was on anti-depressants 40 years!  I got rid of those 4 years ago and haven't had any since. 

Now my hrt is right I am feeling better than I have done in years - I know it's not perfect but I think its the best I am going to do.  Your GP is just worried about fluctuations  I think, how long have you had the mirena?
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Jeana1

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2019, 06:36:43 PM »

Hi Ladybt28

I had one in for 7 years due to heavy periods which it helped then had a new one february last year, I feel similar to you as I have had anxiety/depression for many years but nobody ever suggested it could be hormonal, I may have been suffering for nothing and taking AD's for so many years, off them now due to bad side effects. I am tapering diazepam at present not long to go now but thats causing higher anxiety and low mood too!

What HRT are you on if you don't mind me asking are you post meno too?

Jeana
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Ladybt28

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2019, 06:49:39 PM »

Yes post meno I'm 57 Jeana!.  I am finally settled on oestrogel 4 pumps and 10 days Utrogestan vaginally on a cycle but not the cycle as prescribed by the NHS.  I am on a longer than  the 12 days per month.  I go 28 days on just gel then 10 days gel and Utro, then continue with just the gel but I bleed for about 4 days.  I tried for about 3 years to get the right hrt regime and have been on this 7 months now.  I have just added in a tiny pea sized blob of testosterone every other day in the last month and that has made my head more "present"!  I cant quite explain it but I no longer feel I am doing things at a distance and that my brain is now "sharper".  All anxiety has gone except when you give me a shock! It was truly unbelievable before in fact I was under the mental health team for a while - it was totally in melt down most of the time and I had a couple of them in the GP's surgery but they never made the connection!

Anyway a rational person now live here most of the time after many years of struggles!  After this meno experience I think I had problems from very young as I have always been able to trace them to age 13 (when periods started!) and I had bad post natal depression, bad reactions to the pill etc etc.  But no one clocked any of it.  I had AD's 40 years and counselling in an off. Diazepam, pain meds etc etc. AD's just made me numb they didn't make me feel any better.  I ditched all meds 4 years ago except my blood pressure stuff and my hrt.
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Jeana1

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2019, 10:48:44 AM »

Hi Ladybt28

Thank you so much for your reply, it gives me hope as my experience is so very like yours, Mental health issues for many years and under the mental health team for a while too although nobody ever made the connection I think I was "different" from when my periods started to at 13 and then I was put on the pill at 15 , many years of AD's which I have stopped taking now have been AD free for nearly one year, they actually did not help me,. maybe masked a few things but didn't help, I know they do help a lot of people though so I'm not knocking them.
I am tapering off diazepam at present, have been on it 15 months! angry now that I was allowed to take it for so long to be honest, I am now down to 2mg (made a cut this morning) I think my plan will be to finish this taper then see where I am at, I think the 4 pumps and the Ultrogestin may work better for me than 4 pumps and the Mirena but I'll have to wait until this taper is finished to really know how my anxiety/low mod is (the taper has really set these off in a big way!)

I spoke to Dr Karen Morton and she told me a bout a study on Utrogestion, which is very interesting and seems it could be better for me than the mirena, I would like to post it but it's a pdf and I don't know how to attach it but it all positive stuff about it and really makes me think that its the way to go and get this mirena out.

Thank you so much for being so open about your story, it really does give me hope  :)

Jeana

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Ladybt28

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2019, 01:47:35 PM »

I am not afraid to tell anything about my life especially if it helps someone.  Until I came here to the forum nothing was clear, all I thought was what a waste and a mess my head was and therefore my life!  I had always had my suspicions but years ago who would listen they thought you were really out of your tree!!

I just got on with it but I really would like to get this stuff out there because I don't want anyone ever to suffer like I have and I'm sure there are plenty of young girls and women who suffer and get misdiagnosed just as often today as in the past.  In fact you will find women posting on here all the time how their GP's insist on shoving them AD's and saying its all in their heads!  I am livid when I think about it all cos 40 years is a long time!! but hey ho cant go back just as I say don't want anyone else to suffer.

Would be interested in that study on Utrogestan - I wonder if someone will tell us how you can post it or if it is on the web how to post a link?  There are plenty of us on the forum it would probably help.

Glad it gives you hope Jeana - I truly thought there wasn't any but I only found it by perseverance and luck  :)
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Ladybt28

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2019, 03:38:35 PM »

Hi Countrygirl - welcome to the gang then!  - yep it was hormonal - 2 x PND - 1st put on diazepam when I was 15! 3 breakdowns first one at 21.  Nightmare - your family and friends were probably right! although that is no consolation.  Hope you get on all right with your hrt although I think for ladies like us getting hrt can be a bit tricky because we are hormone sensitive.

I was on one kind of hrt which is now discontinued (PrepakC) for 7 years and didnt realise it was'nt doing anything for me.  Well it stopped the flushes but that was about it.  I only got it right 7 months ago and actually am starting to feel more normal - well I think it's normal.. :-\ bearing in mind I'm not really sure I can remember back 40 years!  ::)  Lets call it "different" in a good way!

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Jeana1

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2019, 09:43:50 AM »

Hi Ladybt28 and country girl

The study that Dr Morton sent me is slides from the menopause conference she was at last year so its not on the web so i Can't post a link its a pdf, dont know how to add it on?

Glad you have found some peace Ladybt28, I cant wait till I do to, I wad doing not to bad until I started the diazepam taper now all hell has broke loose :'(

I was sterilised at 29 and suffered terrible PMS , put up with it then had a mirena to help with the heavy periods which did help with them but not my mood, still had PMS type symptoms and was never really "right" before that on the pill so i think it is hormones with me. I keep thinking maybe I'm just not right for hrt but can't make any rash decisions until this med is out of my system and head!

If anyone can tell me how to add the slides I'll stick them on.

Jeana
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Annie0710

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2019, 01:20:15 PM »

I'm a Tostran user and apply 3-4 times a week on leg around knee, either upper shin or lower thigh

It's given me my life back.  Helped with mood, confidence, anxiety, and sometimes libido (I go through phases as either a dirty mare or can't be bothered lol) x
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Jeana1

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2019, 01:25:59 PM »

Hi Annie0710

Ha i like your post, my hubby would be pleased with just a tiny bit of my libido returning so would I because I know this will help with my mood too, well its supposed to?

Had a call from the pharmacy and they have told me that the manufacturer has stopped making Testim so I have had to leave a message for the Consultat to see if he can prescribe an alternative, imagine him not knowing they don't make it anymore! it's no wonder we all grt confused by this whole HRT thing when we are trying different regimes!

Jeana
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Dotty

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #12 on: February 12, 2019, 02:30:15 PM »

Hi Testim was discontinued last year so you will need a prescription for Tostran (pump pack) or Testogel (comes in sachets or pump pack).
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Jeana1

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Re: Testim- how much and where do I put it?
« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2019, 03:59:49 PM »

Hi Dotty

Thank you for that, doesn't give me much confidence in my Consultant you would think he would have known that!

Jeana
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