I have been prescribed Testim Gel for my menopause symptoms but when I read the leaflet it said that women should not use it under any circumstances. Also I take natural vitamins such as Black Cohosh and Sage but am not sure if these will react with my meds - can someone please help? I'm not going to grow a beard or put weight on or anything?
Hi Jules. Testim Gel would not be my choice but I don't have any knowledge of it or know of anyone who has used it. I used the herbal remedies and found that the body gets used to them and they stop working after about 6 months. I found that taking 3 on a rotational basis seemed to work well (e.g. agnus castus and red clover then stop one and take Blash Cohosh instead, etc). I have heard of a product called Estrosmart that would appear to be good at balancing hormones although I have never tried it and am coming out of the dreadful hot flushes and night sweats now so hopefully won't need to. That may be worth looking into.
Menopausal symptoms are awful so I hope you find some relief soon
Sue
Hi Jules,
Please be careful with your Testim Gel!
I had never heard of it before (I reckon we are the same age and I, too, am experiencing the perimenopause), so I looked it up online and it sounds very dangerous to women and children! Apparently, it is so far unregulated in this country for use by women, being rarely prescribed for women with a low libido due to lack of testosterone.
I read that men have to keep it well away from their partners and from children (who can suffer irreversable damage just by coming into contact with a trace amount!). It is rubbed into the shoulder or arm and must be covered over - no-one else must touch that area or any clothing that has been contaminated with the gel!
The article also stated that it must, under no circumstances, be used by women, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or women using herbal remedies (such as yourself).
I can't remember (another perimenopause symptom!) which website I found, but just type in "Testim gel women" and you sould find loads of entries.
Bets of luck x
I don't think there is much on offer now for peri menopausal / post menopausal women regarding libido and well being. There used to be something called Intrinsa which was testosterone in low dose for post menopausal women - but I recall you had to be post hysterectomy as well as post M.
However in the uk Intrinsa is off the market now, and implants of testosterone are not used much or at all now. As such women have not a great many options.
Testim gel is a male strength product for male hypogonadism designed to get men's testosterone levels into the mid normal range for men, which will be way too high for women, and is likely to result in androgen like side effects - male patter hair growth, deeper voice, clitoral enlargement etc all of which may not be reversible. So perhaps not ideal, unless you have an endocrinologist prescribing for you, ie if there is a specific reason for using testim gel.
Hope that is useful
CF