Testosterone

Yes the current guidance is that testosterone should only be prescribed if a woman has adequate levels of oestrogen on HRT.

This is partly because replacing oestrogen to good levels often improves many of the symptoms (including libido) that may also have been attributable to low testosterone.

Whilst it has not been shown to be dangerous to use testosterone without being on oestrogen, the side effects mentioned above are more likely to occur if testosterone if used alone in peri-menopausal and menopausal women.

It is important to have a blood test before starting testosterone. This is to ensure that the levels of testosterone in your blood already are not high or at the higher end of normal where giving added testosterone is more likely to cause side effects.

It is important to have a blood test 3 months after starting treatment and then 6 monthly to monitor levels thereafter. Women on testosterone should have a clinical review at least annually whilst on treatment.

It can take up to 6 weeks to start to notice the benefit from testosterone replacement and maximal benefit should be seen by 6 months.

No testosterone treatment is licensed for women in the UK.

The most commonly prescribed products are those that are licensed for men but are used at lower doses for women.

Testosterone comes in a cream, gel pump or gel sachet depending on which brand is prescribed and is applied daily or every other day (again depending on which preparation is being used).