So says detailed research published in The Oxford Journal (sadly, I can't link to the article here).
I'm thinking this is no surprise to you all, but what the research goes on to say is that this Androgen activity actually converts a 'small' amount into estrogen. And they do mean small!
This is important news for us all who are in surgical menopause and feel bereft at having lost our ovaries. It's not quite as grim as we thought, I feel. Yes, we have lost 50% of our testosterone producing capacity (the remaining 50% is produced by the adrenals). And I feel this also explains why we feel rotten when we are 'estrogen bombed' with high doses of ERT - the balance is seriously out of whack, and I feel that we do indeed become 'estrogen dominent' and thus feel rotten UNLESS we receive sufficient testosterone replacement.
This, I think, is cruel in the case of us surgical ladies and why we often don't do well on ERT and quit it altogether. I know Professor Studd at least has no qualms about prescribing both ERT and TRT at the same time, and tweaking as he goes along to find a good dose that ladies feel good on, but the policy within the NHS is to bomb us with ERT and only give us TRT if we complain of loss of libido specifically. I strongly believe this has to change. I am doing my research to find a solution to my own surgical menopause dilemma (trying to be proactive after a very nasty recent experience with ERT recently). In doing so, I searched these boards for posts by ladies in surgical menopause to see how many ladies were doing well, and it was rather grim reading in the main. Mostly, I read posts from ladies struggling and in many cases, after only a few posts they didn't post any more or left these forums completely. I am sad to think they have given up and have received rotten treatment after their surgery from the NHS.
If anyone on these forums has good news on how they are feeling after a good while following BSO, I would be glad to hear it. And if anyone else has any thoughts, I'd love to hear those too. I know Hurdity always says us ladies who are in surgical menopause may not be feel better until we receive TRT as well as ERT, and I have come to release that she is very knowledgeable and thoughtful about all things Menopause!
I also very much hope that Dr Heather Currie gets to read this, as it's excellent doctors like her who can take up the silent voice of women like me to those that matter within the NHS to help to implement change so that we receive HRT that addresses our needs and gives us a better quality of life.
Thank you for reading!😊