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[vintagefiend]

Hello,

i know there's a testosterone thread - which is really useful, and i've been poring over it!-but i'm specifically interested in experiences of testosterone therapy after ovary removal- so thought i'd post in general forum for traffic.

i'm getting some testosterone this afternoon- seeing gynae in person but have already had phone appt where it's been agreed

i had hysterectomy/oophorerectomy november 2020
was already menopausal and on oestrogel so continued on that after op
felt progressively crappy over the months post op and reacted by switching to estradot patch
when still knackered, low etc following this i went back on oestrogel but couldnt then tolerate it!!
so back to patch and hoping that testosterone will be what i need rather than messing around with different oestradiols

i wondered whether the impact of testosterone gel might be more obvious to women who've had ovary removal- whether i might feel something more quickly???!!
i'm fishing, of course, i want someone to tell me that there'll be a noticeable effect and fast!
i'm so done with being tired, sleeping badly, fatigued etc etc (not to mention libido non-existent since oophorectomy)
i know from the T thread that it can take months and of course that it may not even work- yikes!!

but any good news welcome 

[Wrensong]

Hi Vintagefiend, so glad you managed to get the T agreed by phone & hope you've now come home with a prescription or better still, already had it filled.  As I said on the Dr Newson support thread, I had BSO when already several years postmenopause & asked for T to be added to my HRT approx 2 years later. 

I do think it's more important for women without ovaries as were they still intact we'd go on producing significant amounts into old age, so I'm really not surprised you've felt very much as though replacing oestrogen alone is not enough.  If you consider we produce way more T than oestrogen in fertile years, it stands to reason that it's really important to our wellbeing. 

As I've been on low dose oestrogen, I have only ever used a very small blob of Testogel daily, a sachet lasting 2-3 times as long as it should, but still achieved mid-range levels on that which felt right for me.  My HRT is complicated by an atypical thyroid condition & the need for progesterone which my body hates (uterus intact), so anything you read on here about my still struggling, ignore as it hopefully won't apply to you! 

From memory I didn't have to wait too long to notice benefits & hope you soon feel very much better for it.
Wx 

[vintagefiend]

Hi wrensong

thank you so much for taking the time to reply 
your message certainly gives me confidence that things could work out.
yes, i've seen stuff on the internet which suggests women without ovaries produce less testosterone than those who keep them and that they feel it!
seems odd that neither the surgeon nor the meno specialist i saw yesterday seem aware of this. she told me the ovaries stop producing tesosterone but i don't believe her!! still, i got my prescription so i'm glad i saw her. and i'm no longer surprised by big gaps in knowledge even among the specialists.
i would have replied yesterday but applied first blob testogel and felt a bit wired/anxious etc- too anxious to write!
BUT at least something's happening- fingers and toes crossed.
sorry i've forgotten, can i ask which oestrogen you're on?

[Wrensong]

Yaaay, you got the T!  Well done you. The gynae who did my BSO also said there would be no long term adverse consequences, as I think I probably mentioned on the other thread where we talked about T.

Attached link, I imagine similar to those you've read, is one of many articles I've seen about ovarian production of androgens postmenopause.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22757734/
"In postmenopausal women, the ovaries produce significant amounts of androgens for many years after the menopause. Bilateral oophorectomy markedly reduces circulating testosterone (T) in both pre- and postmenopausal women. Oral estrogen therapy in postmenopausal women increases sex hormone-binding globulin and decreases T bioavailablity."

Ooh, sorry to know your first dose made you feel a bit wired, that doesn't sound pleasant.  I've not found that with T, but used only a tiny amount each day.  Hopefully just teething probs with you.

I was on Estradot with T & MPA until very recently, but have tried just about everything else before that, hoping to find a way around progesterone intolerance & before Estradot, probs with absorption.  Now trialling FemSeven Conti, so not currently using T, as the Levonorgestrel in F7 is one of the more androgenic progestogens.

I hope it helps you & would be surprised if it doesn't.  Please let us know how you get on.  I feel for you as regards the BSO legacy.
Wx

[vintagefiend]

thanks wrensong

once again i'm a bit wired and messy
i may well decrease or miss out tomorrow's dose of T
Sorry you're having progestogen issues- that was why i had my hysterectomy last year- i couldn't bear it!! i went private in the end- was on nhs waiting list, but was long- used a specialist medical loan company- was about 7000 pounds (no pound sign on keyboard!)
surgeon said might as well remove your ovaries, won't make any difference grrrr
hope you get some relief from the femseven
it's the trial and error with hrt that's utterly exhausting
good luck

[Wrensong]

Yes, have recently discussed hysterectomy with a gynae who's in favour of it for me & seemed frustrated, as I was, that they wouldn't take my uterus with the ovaries, given I already knew I was prog intolerant at the time.  Awaiting 2nd appt for further discussion.

Sorry about the horrible wired response to T again.  If you are applying it in the evening could you try early morning?  From memory that's when we're said to produce most so your body may be happier with it that way.  I always applied it first thing & let it dry before dressing, while sitting blow drying my hair.

Everything crossed you do well on it anyway.
Wx

[vintagefiend]

thank you wrensong