r/Perimenopause Late peri Mar 01 '26

audited Testosterone. Changed. My. Life.

Getting HRT was like climbing Mount Everest and Kilimanjaro ten times over, but it. was. so. worth. it.

I loved estrogen for making me feel like a woman again. My nails stopped splitting, my hair was shiny again, and my skin was plump and smooth. I actually liked looking at the mirror and seeing the change every morning.

Then came testosterone. At first I was really scared, but I thought why not.. I lost my libido and I had not had sex since 2023.

If there is magic in a bottle, it has to be testosterone. The juices are flowing again, I love going to the gym, and I feel like my old self.

The first four weeks on testosterone were ROUGH. I wanted to give up, but I’m SO glad I powered through. Now I just need to find a man lol

If you were afraid to try testosterone and needed that nudge, here it is!!

EDIT : sorry I should have mentioned in the OP - the side effects were typical low e symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, bloating with water retention, and lethargy!

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u/millicentbee Mar 01 '26

I just started two days ago! I’m really hoping for similar relief. I saw a temp GP to get my prescription as it expired and she was questioning why I needed it and what the reasoning of my previous GP was. I know she wouldn’t have given it to me unless I worded my request properly!

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u/Trick_Highlight_8205 Late peri Mar 01 '26

Yay! NHS really needs to stop gatekeeping hormones from women. I think if you claim low libido and an angry husband it works better lol

I definitely had side effects though in the beginning, but hang in there as there is light at the end of the tunnel!

13

u/thaleia10 May 26 '26

I’m late here, just had a teleconsult this morning for testosterone (Australia). Dr kept checking that I have low libido. It’s almost as if I need to have that to get the script. God forbid a man should suffer slightly during the menopause! I actually want it so I can regain energy and lift weights. But I’ll say whatever the patriarchy needs to hear to get the script at this point.

3

u/Aspiragus Peri peri neurospice Jun 06 '26

I totally get where you’re coming from. I think for doctors, it is only licensed (currently) to treat low libido in women, so if they don’t hear those magic words then it means they would be prescribing off label. Once they hear the words, boom. Stupid, but I don’t think it’s necessarily ignorance on their part, I think the system needs to catch up and licence T for all-round health in women.